Kodo

I've see Kodo at least three times in Toronto but this latest production wasn't as intense or grounded as previous performances. The drumming performances were excellent but the staging (lighting, dragons, costumes) made it sometimes difficult to see the drummers and/or distracted from the experience. For example, while the use of low and directed light was used to help convey a narrative this aging audience member found that it took away from the experience. I purposely bought seats near the stage (row 7) so we could see and feel the drumming but it didn't quite deliver the experience of past shows.

at first with the dragons I thought well crap this show is going to be cheaply put together. Then all of the sudden the first drum act was amazing!! I felt my body get sucked into the shoW. This was an amazing show for it being my first time to one of these types of events!

Having lived in Japan five years and seeing Kodo perform there, my wife and I were very happy to once again see them perform. They are truly amazing and a treasure of Japan. Their commitment to excellence is so evident in the preciseness of their performance. Wonderful evening of quality entertainment!!!

The program was thoroughly entertaining. Constitution Hall provided terrific space for the performance. I was surprised by the encore and curtain call. The performers' smiles were genuine and they seemed grateful for the standing ovation.

The drummers were magnificent. They were captivating. The entire show was awesome. I was impressed with the discipline, the stamina these young men showed. The entire show was awesome; well deserving of the standing ovation they received.

In addition to being amazing drummers, they have amazing stamina, dexterity and memories. I put 30 and 50 seconds samples of concert on You Tube.

Remarkable show, had an amazing time. Very moving experience.

The different sounds that they were able to make with one drum was surprising.

The show was great!!! There percission, accuracy, rhthym, stage presents, and agile transitions between songs were outstanding. And there wasn't false advertisement. The men actually came out and played the big drum in their thongs!!! The diversity in sound and emotion from drums was something I didn't expect and would definitely see them again.

One of the best shows I have ever seen. If you have a heart beat you will love thus show!

One of the best shows I have ever seen. I would see them again.

Outstanding! Sometimes playful and silly, sometimes chilling or moving, always amazing - an excellent show for all the family!

We have seen KODO twice now and they continue to impress. The show was very good; a mix of traditional and contemporary pieces with exceptional finale. With this group there is not a bad seat in the house!

Kodo was awesome as per usual. I'd seen the Earth tour twice previously, and was worried that it would be exactly the same. While there were some elements that were familiar, they did have some additional pieces that were new to me and absolutely stunning. I can't wait for them to come back again.

This concert was phenominal! Awesome! Moving! Powerful! The energy is unmatched!

It was a great show!! The performers were amazing.

This show was abosolutely Amazing. I definitely recommend this to everyone of all ages

This performance was absolutely mezmorizing. Not only were the drummers extremely precise, but it was also such an emotional experience seeing them perform in the midst of all that is going on in their country. It was wonderful to experience a part of their culture.

According to the 9 year old in the house: I thought the giant drum was amazing!

The men and women of the Kodo Drum troupe are amazing athletes and musicians. In spite of the emotions they must be feeling for their families and friends following the events in Japan just a week ago, they gave an unforgettable performance.

I took my wife and we were both expecting a grander display. The stark nature of the stage and the lack of spirit with some of the performers, left us both feeling as if there was something lacking. The performances were a tad bit too long and repetitious. The production felt like a group of street performers displaying their talents. The skill displayed was exceptional the performance aspect was lacking. Techinical presentation was good, the performance piece is what needed work.

If you've never experienced the drummers of Japan you really need to. It is really hard to explain what exactly you'll see. This group was so amazingly talented. It's very odd to think that so much variety can come from just drums. This show is fun for everyone!

I took my husband and he said it was the most amazing thing he had ever seen. We both loved the enthusiasm of the young performers.

Passion, Power and Precision! No other drumming groups can match their level of professionalism. They dedicate their life to the path of Drumming and it shows. Had an amazing experience. The whole audience was galvanized.

The entire show was intense from beginning to end. You could see, hear, and feel every beat. This is a show I have wanted to see for years, mission acccomplished. I would watch them again anytime.

Traditional Japanese Drums, everything and more of what I was expecting form the concert. I hope they come back to San Diego again soon.

Started off very slow. Eventually, there was some high energy drumming. After about 50 mins there was a finale and the lights came on and people appeared to be leaving. We thought it was a short show, but we were actually relieved it was over because we both agreed we had heard enough drumming for one night. Then, as we were leaving we realized it was only an intermission and it was only half over. We contemplated staying, but decided that we were still in a good mood and didn't have any headaches yet, so rather than listening to another hour of the same thing, we cut our losses and left during the intermission. Kodo was only appearing here for one night and only half of the theater was occupied, so apparently others had already done their research ahead of time. I was hoping for a Stomp like show, but with drums. I was disappointed. They were clearly talented performers, but the choreography was too traditional to compete with newer, high energy Cirque-type events.

Such discipline and precision. I will see them again if they return. Disappointing turnout, but how fortunate for me.

The performers, the show was absolutely superb! The only reason the event didn't get 5 stars was the policy of the Centennial Hall venue. Ushers kept coming in with flashlights to seat latecomers, some of whom were a good 20 minutes late. It was very disruptive to my ability to enjoy the show. When the show starts, don't seat late arrivals until intermission!! That's accepted practice in most venues.

One of best shows I have had the privilege of attending.

Kodo never fails to impress with their performances. Yamato's performance still sets the standard though.

It's amazing how many notes they got from any one drum. Amazing choreography, lighting and music presentation.

The performance of the ensemble known as KODO was amazing.

It is an amazing experience watching and hearing and feeling KODO perform. They are superb. The event seems to go by so quickly. More like this please!

KODO is an awesome show. Go see it if you have the chance!

Stellar visuals and powerful sounds that vibrate to your core. It was a beautiful demonstration of Japanese culture.

I took my 7-year old son; while he does not normally have a long attention span, he sat raptly throughout the entire first hour of the show. At first not realizing that it was only an intermission (he had insisted on not reading the program to "keep it a surprise"), we walked out to leave, but when I realized that no one else was leaving, he insisted on going back for the second hour...and again, he sat raptly throughout. The troupe are not only amazing musicians, but impressive performers and athletes. The show is well-designed for a family audience, with a nice leavening of humor throughout. The little bits of song and dialogue are in Japanese, but not understanding the language does not detract from the performance.

Fantastic show, very enjoyable to watch their skills !

Excellent considering how small the theater was. Everything was well coordinated and small skits definitely caught everyone's attention.

These drummers are utterly amazing. I try to see them every time they come to San Diego and I'm always enthralled. Their synchronicity, athleticism, energy, and strength is beyond fabulous. I can't say enough positive remarks about the Kodo Drummers. The sound of the drumming is mesmerizing - almost hypnotic. I leave the theater wishing for more and hoping they will soon return.

Highly recommend the Kodo drummers of Japan. Great way to spend an evening.

The drummers are pretty amazing. Warning: the show has evolved over the years. There's more dance, "storytelling" and subtly to the show than in the past. Frankly, we preferred the power, precision and athleticism of the past shows. Still, this troupe excels at some amazing rhythms performed flawlessly. Worth seeing if you've never seen them before, but might be disappointing for earlier fans.

WE have seen the Kodo Drummers in the past. In Japan, London and San Diego. It was very traditional and the drummers were skilled beyond words. The show was amazing. BUT NOW.....They have changed the show into a side show with the drummers wearing shiney spandex and glittery outfits. There were little silly skits by the women which we just found annoying and a lot of the performance was very dark. All the performers were very young, not the skilled drummers of the past shows.

A night of drumming--- with a little flute here and there---was riveting. The finely-honed skills and variations made this a night not to be missed and one that I would eagerly go to again. The traditional drums of Japan (and Korea, too) are an art form like none in the Western musical traditions. Hail the Kodo Drummers!

A must see, entertaining for our whole family, ages 7 to 45.

Wonderful performance. Great to see something different.

Simply unbelievable to see in person! Their devotion to their craft is immeasurable.

Anyone who is interested in all forms of percussion ensembles or different traditional cultural music should see Kodo.

We really enjoyed the show, the performers were great, you could tell they love playing.

This show was amazing! The pace was non-stop. The performance was flawless. It was a great performance for all ages.

Awesome show. I highly recommend it for all ages. The venue is decent but with some very expense cocktails. I will definitely return for future events.

These guys got a standing o from our crowd! All drummers and performances were very precise and on point. You can tell they care about what they do. I can't believe the stamina these drummers have. (And talk about being tone! I don't think any of them had an oz of body fat on them) I would HIGHLY recommend seeing this show! Worth every penny. Exciting, explosive and intimate all at the same time.

It wasn't just that the drummers could play perfectly in synch, it wasn't just that they did this for an amazing amount of time testing their physical stamina, it wasn't just that the drumming was phenomenal, it wasn't just that the visual presentation and movements were beautifully choreographed . . . it was all of the above, together at an astonishing level of excellence from such a wonderfully rich culture.

The Kodo drummers were absolutely amazing! Very impressive, I wish I could see them more often

I've seen Kodo 3 times and this performance was one of the best. They play with energy and flair accessible to people of any culture, not just Japanese. DAR Constitution Hall was a great place to watch the drummers because it is small enough that you can sit in the second tier and still feel the music reverberating in you.

It is amazing that one can listen to drummers for hours. Athleticism, sense of showmanship, rhythm, and synchronous movement was outstanding.