Let there be no doubt - the Japanese ensemble Yamato performing on stage is an impressive sight. Some might even say - unforgettable. This is their second concert in Sofia, BulgariaВ in less than eight months, but the spacious Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture is fully packed and at least half of the people present have attended the previous show as well. It would soon become very clear why.

Yamato are not exactly a traditional folk ensemble, but then again, they’re not a modern musical group either. Just like their world-famous compatriots Kodo, they transform traditional and ceremonial Japanese music into a perfectly trained performance with humour, choreography and interactive play with the public all thrown into the mix. The ten instrumentalists are at the same time great musicians, well-trained athletes, actors and even dancers that move so intensely on the stage that it’s no wonder the two-hour show is divided in two parts with a 20-minute break between them - the Yamato musicians just have to catch their breath.

And as Yamato are first and foremost a drum band, there are drums of every type and size on the stage - from the very small hira-daiko and shime-daiko, through the Japanese version of kettle-drums and military percussion, through to the impressive, 1.5 meters high giant dominating the back of the stage. During most of the time the intensity and power of the rhythm are comparable to the most horrendous thunderstorm you’ve encountered - particularly when the whole band is drumming together and the great hall is shaking accordingly. The show is entitled Shin-on, meaning “Rhythm of the Heart”, and it most likely refers to palpitations as my heart rarely behaves in this manner.

This is a very diverse show with string instruments like shamisen , cymbals and Japanese flute included as well as the drums, and the band members often scream and shout. At the end of Shin-on, there’s even a real hymn with epic choirs and everything, rising up towards the sky as the rhythm gets heavier and more intense.

Yamato mean serious business, deeply traditional yet modern at the same time, amazingly well-coordinated, as one might expect from wonderful people like the Japanese.

Words: Nikola Shahpazov

Photos: Victor Alexandrov

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