Another tour that is already about halfway thru, but still more than worth to mention… as Minyo Crusaders is a very special and unique band. The base of their music is minyo, which is a form of Japanese traditional music, but while it is used to be its most typically folk songish form, sung during work, harvest, drinking and dancing, throughout the ages it somehow morphed into a highly sophisticated sort of music, that requires long years of study and is usually performed in select, highbrow events. But the ten piece band, formed by musicians coming from many different genres, aims to take it all back to its danceable, accessible roots, but also twists it all around and fuse it with various styles of world music, let that be cumbia, afro beat, reggae, latin or Caribbean influences and more.

The result, as displayed on their so far only album, 2017’s Echoes Of Japan (that’s getting a CD and vinyl reissue this autumn and can be ordered thru Bandcamp) is truly one-of-a-kind and is perfect for festivals and such, so it is no surprise that the band’s current tour is basically a summer festival tour with 20 stops altogether. It started late July, so it’s been going on for a while, but including tonight’s performance in Germany, they still have ten stops left… so catch ’em if you are in the area!

2022.07.27 – Germany: Kultursommer Oldenburg
2022.07.28 – France: Tempo Latino
2022.07.29 – France: Festival Les Escales
2022.07.30 – Belgium: Esperanzah! World Music Festival
2022.07.31 – UK: Womad Festival
2022.08.01 – Portugal: Artes à Rua
2022.08.03 – Germany: Würzburger Hafensommer
2022.08.05 – Italy: Jova Beach Party in Fermo
2022.08.06 – Germany: Ancient Trance Festival
2022.08.07 – Germany: Kulturzentrum Tollhaus Karlsruhe
2022.08.11 – Germany: Altes Spital
2022.08.12 – Hungary: Sziget Festival Official
2022.08.13 – Switzerland: Polyfon Festival Basel
2022.08.14 – Switzerland: Winterthurer Musikfestwochen
2022.08.15 – Switzerland: Musiques en été
2022.08.18 – Sweden: Fasching
2022.08.19 – Finland: Helsingin juhlaviikot / Helsinki Festival
2022.08.20 – UK: Green Man Festival
2022.08.21 – Netherlands: Lowlands Festival
2022.08.22 – Netherlands: Noorderzon Groningen