Tokyo-based and wildly special progressive-pop girl group, ATARASHII GAKKO! formally announce their upcoming album AG! Calling out via 88rising on June 7. Fans can pre save the music on their website HERE.
They have also unveiled a highly anticipated PT. II of their 2024 World Tour. As the talented group wraps their Europe and Asia legs in June, this Fall they will make their way to major North American cities, encompassing large statement plays from the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago to Pepsi Center in Mexico City.
Various fan presales begin Thursday, May 9th at 10am local time and end 10pm local time. General on sale tickets are available starting Friday, May 10th at 10am local time. Tickets to both legs of the tour may be purchased HERE. See below for full routing.
AG! Calling explores the theme of "Calling," drawing from the dual meaning of the word "korin [降臨]" in Japanese, signifying both "calling" and "to descend" or "to arrive." This linguistic nuance serves as the album's backbone, symbolizing ATARASHII GAKKO!'s presence as they descend into various aspects of our lives. Visualized in the cover art, the girls metaphorically "land" in different dimensions of existence, serving as steadfast companions and empowering cheerleaders. Their message resonates with encouragement and support, inspiring confidence and resilience in listeners to embrace their unique potential.
The album follows a series of far-reaching, breakthrough singles that put ATARASHII GAKKO! on the global stage. Earlier this week, it was announced that a new song from the album, “Fly High,'' will serve as the opening theme for the Netflix crossover animated film Baki Hanma VS Kengan Ashura, out June 7. It showcases the battles between iconic characters from Keisuke Itagaki’s “BAKI” and Yabako Sandrovich’s “KENGAN ASHURA.”
These new tour dates follow on the heels of absolutely epic performances at Coachella 2024, including solo sets closing out Gobi stage both weekends and an appearance in 88rising Futures. The crowd’s reaction to the girls' inimitable stunts and iconic dances was palpable. The solo sets were filled with surprises including an appearance from taiko drummers, the USC marching band joining in for “Tokyo Calling”. Los Angeles Daily News raved, “For sheer smile-on-your-face fun it was hard to beat ATARASHII GAKKO! at Coachella.” While The Japan Times echoed, “The four members delivered a nonstop burst of pop energy spiked by the sort of thrills Coachella crowds love.”
ATARASHII GAKKO! WORLD TOUR PT. I & II DATES:
JUNE 1 - BARCELONA - PRIMAVERA FESTIVAL
JUNE 3 - BRUSSELS - LA MADELEINE
JUNE 5 - PARIS - BATACLAN
JUNE 7 - COLOGNE - LIVE MUSIC HALL
JUNE 8 - BERLIN - METROPOL
JUNE 10 - LONDON - INDIGO AT THE O2
JUNE 12 - AMSTERDAM - MELKWEG MAX
JUNE 19 - SEOUL - YES24 LIVE HALL
JUNE 21 - KUALA LUMPUR - ZEPP
JUNE 23 - BANGKOK - SAMYAN HALL
JUNE 25 - HONG KONG - MACPHERSON STADIUM
JUNE 27 - TAIPEI - ZEPP NEW TAIPEI
JUNE 29 - SINGAPORE - THE THEATRE AT MEDIACORP
SEP 26 - VANCOUVER - PNE FORUM
SEP 27 - SEATTLE - SHOWBOX SODO
SEP 29 - SAN FRANCISCO - THE WARFIELD
OCT 01 - MEXICO CITY - PEPSI CENTER
OCT 03 - CHICAGO - BYLINE BANK ARAGON BALLROOM
OCT 06 - TORONTO - HISTORY
OCT 09 - BOSTON - ROADRUNNER
OCT 11 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - THE ANTHEM
OCT 13 - ATLANTA - THE EASTERN
OCT 15 - AUSTIN - ACL LIVE
OCT 17 - DALLAS - THE FACTORY IN DEEP ELLUM
ATARASHII GAKKO! (literally meaning “new school” in Japanese) are a group of four young women who are redefining what it means to be a girl group. They wear sailor-f*cku (sailor suits) uniforms in a style that were worn by Japanese students back in the 70s and 80s with long skirts and pulled-up socks, and staunchly refuse to be objectified. Their aggressive and expressive dance moves, which they choreograph themselves, are a hybrid of the energy of Japanese butoh dance, heavy metal headbanging, and hip-hop street dancing. Musically, AG! She brings together elements of modern J-Pop, Showa-era kayokyoku, rap, punk, dance music, but it would be pointless to try to categorize them in any genre. Their global reach is undeniable, with their theatrical music promoting individuality and self-expression transcending language and cultural barriers. After a highly successful year of firsts, with a debut on U.S. television with “Tokyo Calling” on Jimmy Kimmel Live and a TikTok of the same track joined by Megan Thee Stallion, ATARASHII GAKKO! are primed for their farthest-reaching album yet.
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