SAN FRANCISCO — The J-Pop Summit, the Japanese pop culture celebration held annually in San Francisco, has announced that tickets to attend the 2015 edition of the festival go on sale Friday, April 10. General admission as well as VIP passes are now available.
The J-Pop Summit will begin with an opening night premiere screening event on Friday, Aug. 7, at The Castro Theatre, and also take place Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 8-9, at the historic Fort Mason Center in San Francisco’s Marina district. Additional details are available at www.J-POP.com.
The J-Pop Summit also announces its first two guests of honor – pop singer Eir Aoi and the all-girl rock band Gacharic Spin. Both artists will perform live for fans and attendees on the Fort Mason Center main stage.
Passes are available at www.j-pop.com/#tile_registration_anchor.
One-day pass includes one-day access to J-Pop Summit at Fort Mason Center either on Aug. 8 or 9. Early bird: $20; advance: $25; at the door: $30. (Early bird pricing is available until June 30)
Weekend pass includes full two-day access to J-Pop Summit at Fort Mason Center on both Aug. 8 and 9. Early bird: $35; advance: $40; at the door: $45. (Early bird pricing is available until June 30)
Kids’ weekend pass includes full two-day access to J-Pop Summit at Fort Mason Center on both Aug. 8 and 9. Ages 6-12: $15; ages 0-5: free. No one-day pass for kids.
VIP pass includes: A ticket to the opening special premiere event at The Castro Theatre on Aug. 7; a weekend pass to Fort Mason Center for Aug. 8 and 9; access to priority line to the film screenings at the Japan Film Festival of San Francisco at New People Cinema in Japantown from Aug. 8 to 16 (note: film tickets are not included, sold separately); access to priority line to Sake Summit at Union Square on Aug. 8 and 9 (note: admission to Sake Summit is not included, sold separately); access to VIP check-in at The Castro Theatre and Fort Mason Center; access to premium viewing areas at the Fort Mason Center Stage; exclusive J-Pop Summit gift gag. Early bird: $90; advance: $100. (Early bird pricing is available until June 30)
The appearances of Eir Aoi and Gacharic Spin are made possible with the support of PROMIC (Foundation for Promotion of Music Industry and Culture) and RAIJ (Recording Industry Association of Japan).
Aoi is widely known for performing the theme songs to a variety of popular anime series, including “Fate/Zero,” “Sword Art Online” and “Kill la Kill.” She has released three full albums since her debut in 2012. In Japan, Aoi is signed to SME Records (Sony Music Entertainment). Additional artist information is available at www.j-pop.com/eir-aoi.
Gacharic Spin is one of the strongest, most aggressive, most flamboyant all-female bands from Japan. They have performed in the U.S., Korea, China, Hong Kong, France and Luxembourg and will make their first-ever San Francisco appearance at the J-Pop Summit. Additional information is available at www.j-pop.com/gacharic-spin.
“We are extremely honored to kick off our music programming for the 2015 J-Pop Summit by announcing Eir Aoi and Gacharic Spin,” says Takeshi Yoshida, executive producer of the J-Pop Summit. “With the assistance and support of the Japanese Foundation for Promotion of Music Industry and Culture and the Recording Industry Association of Japan, we look forward to presenting a dynamic roster of top pop and rock artists that showcase the tremendous music scene happening in Japan.
“Spreading the fun and excitement of Japanese pop culture, fashion, film and music has always been the mission of the J-Pop Summit, and we will make this summer event one that people won’t soon forget!”
The J-Pop Summit also features pop culture panel discussions, film premieres, fashion shows and events, food and spirits, art, and celebrity appearances. In 2014, the two-day event attracted 125,000 attendees.