Saito Nagasaki

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Saito Nagasaki
Saito Nagasaki, 2007
Saito Nagasaki, 2007
Background information
Birth name Mark Koh
Also known as DJ Renegade
Born July 22, 1981 (1981-07-22) (age 26)
Origin Singapore
Genre(s) Futurepop, Industrial Music, Electronic Body Music, trance music
Occupation(s) Musician, Producer, DJ, Promoter
Instrument(s) Turntables
Keyboard
Years active 2002 - present
Label(s) Outbreed
Associated acts Divine9
Website Outbreed.org

Saito Nagasaki (born Mark Koh on 22 July 1981 in Singapore), is the leader of the Singapore Dark Alternative Movement (SDAM)[1] [2], an alternative, non-profit social collective, and a Singaporean Promoter (entertainment) and Disc Jockey[3]. Nagasaki is strongly and consistently associated with Singapore's goth subculture and underground BDSM scene in the media [4] and exists as one of Singapore's most public figures championing alternative culture. Saito Nagasaki is credited with starting Singapore's first Goth club night, "Heart of Darkness" (hosted at Gashaus) [5] as well as the nation's longest running dedicated alternative music night , "Alternation" (hosted at DXO, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay) [6] which lasted 31 weeks since its launch on 9th August 2007 [7] to the finale on 6th March 2008 [8]. Nagasaki is also associated with X'ho, a veteran Singaporean Musician and Radio Disc Jockey who currently anchors the "Lush Night" program on Lush 99.5FM; the two have held several DJ residencies together since the launch of Heart of Darkness on 7th March 2007, with X'ho playing under the moniker "DJ Mentor".[9]

Contents

[edit] Promoter Career in Western Australia

After moving to Perth, Western Australia, to study in 2002, Nagasaki began his mobile disco / events outfit, Outbreed which was his vehicle for over 20 singular events and club nights, which included fashion shows and raves, in the state [10]. Even though Nagasaki began activities through the company as soon as 10th April 2002, the business was only registered in October 2004 [11], Nagasaki originally formed Outbreed with Zebedee Paterson and John Webb, two friends who met Saito while they were mutually members of the Perth Order of Gothic Societies (POGS) [12] Notable events done by outbreed include Digital Injection, a controversial all-ages, 24-hour rave and LAN party that substantiated due to Nagasaki's exploitation of a loophole in licensing. Digital Injection was described as a success and still managed to accrue sponsorship from Thermaltake for prizes for the LAN component despite the underground nature of the event[13][14]. Another notable event was Arkham, an asylum themed Gothic Fashion Parade and Art Exhibition that Nagasaki conducted in an old church, The claremont Town Hall or the "old Wesley Church"[15]

Arkham: A gothic Fashion/art event that was done in an actual Church

Digital Injection: A 24-hours Rave cum LAN party
Outbreed Logo as of 2007 onwards
Outbreed Logo as of 2007 onwards

[edit] Return To Singapore

Upon return to Singapore in 2005, Nagasaki rapidly adapted to the thriving local music scene, quickly establishing Outbreed in the city-state as a local independent label / agent and began recruiting Singaporean live acts to commercially represent such as Flybar, Ronin (band), Project Ultrasound, The Sexies, Bad Obsession, Launchbox and TIEN [16]

Nagasaki entered into a trilateral business relationship through Gashaus with the iLLers and Play Projekts as well as sponsors Nokia (presenting Sponsor) and Adidas to create Flow!, the largest indoor music festival ever to take place in Singapore on the 2006-12-06 at Ministry of Sound Singapore [17]. Nagasaki served as Flow's Event Manager and almost singlehandedly executed the production of 20 bands across 4 stages.[18]. The event was enormously successful with excess of 3200 attendees [19], and hailed as a monumental 'long overdue' effort for local music in Singapore[20].

Saito's Singapore Goth event debut Heart of Darkness won critical acclaim in Time Out magazine's Singapore Edition as the Number 1 critic's choice, ranking above Zouk (club)'s "Readyset Glo, The Motored Sessions" and Ministry of Sound Singapore's "Godskitchen Presents Les Hemlock" [21] Despite this fact, many still recognise Nagasaki's participation in Flow as his Magnum Opus.

[edit] Musician and DJ career

Saito originally used the moniker "DJ Renegade" initially before switching to the present Japanese pseudonym.

DJ Residencies

Year Event Name Venue
2002 Radium Labs Gilkisons Dance Studio
2003 The Haven Old Brizzy Bar
2004 The Adrenalin Experiment Big Apple Club and Bar
2006 Ghast Gashaus
2006-2007 Heart of Darkness Gashaus
2007-2008 Alternation DXO

Saito formed a now-defunct Electronic Body Music/Futurepop outfit Divine9 with Chad Zarkk Ostrowski (guitarist and vocalist) and Glenn William Wallace (bassist) in Perth, that failed to achieve much success. The band failed to pass the first leg of the 2005 "Next Big Thing"[22] band competition. Chad left the band due to a no-show at the competition date and Shane Ross was an emergency stand-in vocalist. The band would undergo a line-up change, adding members of Perth Cover band Airbag (band); Shane Ross (Vocalist), Steve Balaban (Guitarist) and Tim Fikas (Drummer). Nagasaki brought the new Divine9 on a promotional tour in Singapore for the December of 2005, playing at Home Club (2005-12-22), IJ Studio (2005-12-23) and a newly opened Gashaus (2005-12-24)[23]. During Flow!, Saito brought Divine9 over again as the headlining act for the festival on the main stage of Ministry of Sound Singapore, this time replacing Steve with Shannon Noll's guitarist Leigh Siragusa[24].

Saito was ultimately more successful with solo Disc Jockey work, opening for Sheep on Drugs (2003-07-05 at The Rosemount Hotel, Perth), Interlace (2006-03-30 at Home Club, Singapore) during their phoenix Tour[25] and Alec Empire(2007-09-20 at DXO during Alternation, Singapore)

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Koh, Mark; F. Cheong (2007-12-31). Singaporegoths Community Info. Singapore Dark Alternative Movement Official Livejournal Community. SDAM/LiveJournal. Retrieved on 2008-03-03. “The SDAM committee for 2008 is Saito Nagasaki, Chairman, Entertainment/Nightlife concerns Faith Cheong, Mental Ailments/Literature/Culinary concerns Alexandre Sng, Gender/Sexuality/Artistic concerns Jase Libertas, Roleplaying concerns Christopher Choy Tsura Nagasaki, Vanity concerns”
  2. ^ Wong, Phin(host), Lo, Howard(host). Music to the Ears [Blog TV (Season 2, episode 12) TV-Series]. Singapore: Channel Newsasia. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  3. ^ Ree, Wayne (30 March 2007), “Oh My Goth!”, I-S Magazine (Aziacity): 24, <http://www.aziacity.com/sg/magazine/feature/oh_my_goth> 
  4. ^ Ansar, Asif (1 February 2008), “Goth Club”, Today (Singapore newspaper) (Mediacorp): 50,52 
  5. ^ Ree, Wayne (30 March 2007), “Oh My Goth!”, I-S Magazine (Aziacity): 24, <http://www.aziacity.com/sg/magazine/feature/oh_my_goth> 
  6. ^ Ansar, Asif (1 February 2008), “Goth Club”, Today (Singapore newspaper) (Mediacorp): 50,52 
  7. ^ Ree, Wayne (30 March 2007), “Oh My Goth!”, I-S Magazine (Aziacity): 24, <http://www.aziacity.com/sg/magazine/feature/oh_my_goth> 
  8. ^ Koh, Mark; L.M. Leong (2008-02-28). The final Alternation: AOTS Video launch. Singapore Dark Alternative Movement Official Livejournal Community. SDAM/LiveJournal. Retrieved on 2008-03-03. “This also represents the final Alternation, do come down and see the show off”
  9. ^ Ansar, Asif (2008-02-01). Goth Club. Plus. Mediacorp. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  10. ^ Koh, Mark; C. Backshall (2005-05-01). Outbreed.org. What is Outbreed. Outbreed. Retrieved on 2008-03-03. “Outbreed is a promotions and production company for unique and unusual events and festivals from all-ages dance parties to club nights.”
  11. ^ Federal Government, Australia (2004-10-20). ABN Lookup. Historical details for 81 626 846 024. Federal Government of Australia. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  12. ^ Ree, Wayne (30 March 2007), “Oh My Goth!”, I-S Magazine (Aziacity): 24, <http://www.aziacity.com/sg/magazine/feature/oh_my_goth> 
  13. ^ Outbreed (2005-09-11). "Digital Injection Press Release". Press release. Retrieved on [[2008-03-04]].
  14. ^ Thermaltake (August 2005). "Lan Party Zone - Digital Injection LAN in Perth, Australia". Press release. Retrieved on [[2008-03-04]].
  15. ^ Outbreed (September 2004). "Arkham Press Release". Press release. Retrieved on [[2008-03-04]].
  16. ^ Tay, Benjamin (2007-10-01). Outbreed.org. Outbreed. Outbreed. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  17. ^ Toh, Esther (2007-01-05). Flow!. Nokia Music. Nokia Singapore. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  18. ^ Bodia, Joe (2006), “Flow! Support”, Think Magazine (Singapore: Inky Brain Media Ventures) (no. 24): 38, November 2006 
  19. ^ Toh, Esther (2007-01-05). Flow!. Nokia Music. Nokia Singapore. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  20. ^ Liong, Amelynn (2006), “Flow! Support”, Today (Singapore newspaper) (Singapore: Mediacorp) (no. April 2007): 10, 30 November 2006 
  21. ^ Wong, Cecilia (2007), “Nightlife: Critic's Choice”, Timeout Singapore (Singapore: Ink Publishing) (no. April 2007): 77, April 2007, <http://www.timeout.com/sg/en/index> 
  22. ^ NBT WA Music inc, NBTWA (2006-01-01). Archive. The Next Big Thing. NBT WA Music inc. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  23. ^ Jeffree, Benet (December 2005), “Divine9 live in singapore”, Think Magazine (Inky Brain Media Ventures) (no. 16): 15, <http://www.think.cz> 
  24. ^ Bodia, Joe (2006), “Flow! Support”, Think Magazine (Singapore: Inky Brain Media Ventures) (no. 24): 38, November 2006 
  25. ^ Aase, Kasper (2006-03-17). Official tour dates for Interlace Phoenix Tour. Design for a New Breed. Interlace. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.

[edit] External links