Mayonaka Hour 真夜中アワー

EPISODE VII: THE SPIRIT OF CITY POP

Episode VII of Mayonaka Hour brings on special guest Idolcast of the Idolcast Podcast featuring the wild debut of Hideki Saijo; The Spirit of City Pop. Idolcast & me discuss his legacy, musical influences, and review his first 6 studio albums. Please enjoy Episode VII.

Join us for Tokyo Disko on December 18, 2021! Listen to DJ Van Paugam & Kadobara play City Pop vinyl in one of Chicago’s coolest music venues with a stellar soundsystem! In partnership with Suntory Whiskey.

End theme produced by MIKA Bridgebook & Philadelphia

Mayonaka Hour is hosted by Van Paugam featuring special guests involved in the Japanese music community.

Idolcast is the host of the Idolcast Podcast, a pod dedicated to 60s and 70s Idol, K-Pop, vintage Asian music. Check out their website here: Idolcast Podcast

EPISODE VI: THE PRINCESS OF CITY POP

[This episode is dedicated to Greg Hignight, who tragically passed away October 2022]

Episode VI of Mayonaka Hour brings on special guest Greg Hignight of Tune in Tokyo featuring the peachy Momoko Kikuchi; The Princess of City Pop. Greg & me discuss her legacy, musical influences, and review her first 6 studio albums, including her work with Ra Mu. Please enjoy Episode VI!

Join us for the 3rd Anniversary of City Pop Night on October 16, 2021! With special guest Mika Bridgebook flying in from Tokyo to perform live city pop covers and original music! RSVP by emailing Tokyo@Murasakichicago.com

End theme produced by MIKA Bridgebook & Philadelphia

Mayonaka Hour is hosted by Van Paugam featuring special guests involved in the Japanese music community.

Greg Hignight runs Tune in Tokyo, a club night dedicated to Showa Kayo, K-Pop, Idol music, and City Pop in addition to managing a booking agency for Asian artists seeking live gigs in LA. Check out their IG here: Tune in Tokyo

EPISODE V: THE SOUL OF CITY POP

Episode V of Mayonaka Hour brings on special guest Rocket Brown of Come Along Radio featuring the timeless Toshiki Kadomatsu; The Soul of City Pop. Rocket & me discuss his legacy, musical influences, and review his first 6 studio albums. Please enjoy Episode V!

Join us for TOKYO DISKO on September 17, 2021! Sponsored by Suntory Whiskey! Tickets on sale now: Buy Here

End theme produced by MIKA Bridgebook & Philadelphia

Mayonaka Hour is hosted by Van Paugam featuring special guests involved in the Japanese music community.

Rocket Brown is the mind behind Come Along Radio, a blog and podcast dedicated to City Pop music. Visit his podcast here: Come Along Radio

EPISODE IV: THE HEART OF CITY POP

Episode IV of Mayonaka Hour brings on special guest Allan Ikesaka of Kayo Kyoku Plus featuring the iconic Miki Matsubara; The Heart of City Pop. Allan & me discuss her legacy, musical influences, and review her first 6 studio albums. We also chat about Mayonaka no Door - Stay With Me as a viral hit song thanks to social media platform TikTok. Please enjoy Episode IV!

Join us for TOKYO DISKO on September 17, 2021! Sponsored by Suntory Whiskey! Tickets on sale now: Buy Here

End theme produced by MIKA Bridgebook & Philadelphia

Mayonaka Hour is hosted by Van Paugam featuring special guests involved in the Japanese music community.

Allan Ikesaka is the mind behind Kayo Kyoku Plus, one of the largest blogs dedicated to showa era Japanese music. Visit his blog here: Kayo Kyoku Plus

EPISODE III: THE QUEEN OF CITY POP

Episode III of Mayonaka Hour features the sparkly goddess herself, Mariya takeuchi, the Queen of City Pop. Yuki Tasaka & me discuss her legacy, musical influences, and review her first 6 studio albums. We also chat about Plastic Love as the viral hit song of 2019 thanks to Youtube's algorithm, and possibly take too many wine sips. Please enjoy Episode III!

Join us for Tokyo House Party this Saturday for a special Halloween edition filled with spooky surprises from the Japanese Culture Center - 日本文化会館 & Japanese Arts Foundation!

Opening theme produced by Yuki Tasaka

End theme produced by MIKA Bridgebook & Philadelphia

EPISODE II: THE KING OF CITY POP

We're back with another episode of our City Pop Podcast 'Mayonaka Hour.' This time we are discussing the king of City Pop who is none other than Tatsuro Yamashita himself. We talk about him as an artist, his style, and methods for creating the sound that has come to define the genre. Also, we review his first 6 studio albums Circus Town, Spacy, Come Along, Moonglow, Ride On Time, and For You.

We have a few seats available for シティーポップ: 2-YEAR ANNIVERSARY「Capsule Event」 at Murasaki Sake Lounge for October 24th. Don't miss out on what's going to be maybe the last City Pop event in Chicago for quite some time. Email Tokyo@Murasakichicago.com for availability.

EPISODE I: WHAT IS CITY POP?

真夜中アワー is a podcast created by Van Paugam & Yuki Tasaka focused on the revival of City Pop in the West. Discussion is based on the artists, style, and significance behind the music and it's origins.

Van Paugam is an internationally credited DJ who specializes in Japanese vinyl records mainly within the City Pop. He is associated with the resurfacing of the genre in the West.

Yuki Tasaka is a Grammy nominated Japanese producer who plays multiple instruments and teaches in addition to being a bartender and music promoter.

Together they present an hourly podcast aimed at uncovering the nuance, intrigue, and creative force behind the unique style of Japanese music that has been re-introduced to the world as City Pop.

The intro theme was produced by Yuki Tasaka.

The outro theme 'MIRAI' was produced by Mika Bridgebook & Philadephia

Episode 1 focuses on the overview of the genre, it's roots, and how it came to be.