On the agenda for July: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu in Union Square

Model/JPop star Kyary Pamyu Pamyu/image courtesy of New People

Are you a J-POP junkie? How has the globally influential genre not yet made its presence known in your iTunes library? If it's the latter, July brings an opportunity to see what all the craze is about as Japanese mega-star Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is set to take the stage in San Francisco's Union Square for a once in a lifetime concert event. And get this: it's free!

From the official press release for the event:

The 2013 J-POP Summit Festival, San Francisco’s annual celebration of Japanese pop culture, music, fashion and film, celebrates its 5^th anniversary by announcing its expansion – to Union Square – as it celebrates this year’s theme, “Make Kawaii Universal!!” with a special live concert on Sunday, July 28^th from 2:00pm-4:00pm, featuring one of Japan biggest J-Pop stars – Kyary Pamyu Pamyu.

Also appearing for the Union Square concert will be singer/Harajuku model, Una. Sony music Japan J-Pop star Kylee, and the human beat-box phenomenon, Daichi.

Presented in partnership with Union Square Live presented by the City of San Francisco, the 2013 J-POP Summit Festival will take downtown San Francisco by storm with “cute” J-Pop as a complement to the Festival’s core location, taking place Saturday and Sunday, July 27^th and 28^th. A variety of live bands, fashion shows, anime and live-action film premieres, Guest of Honor appearances, vendors and a special POP GOURMET Sake Tasting event are scheduled. 

“The celebration of the J-POP Summit spreads beyond Japantown this year and we are very excited to bring a special edition of the festival to Union Square, led by one of Japan’s biggest pop stars, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu,” says Seiji Horibuchi, the President/CEO of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. and Chairman of the J-Pop Summit Festival Committee. “By having this opportunity to present the essence of Kawaii Culture to a mainstream and demographically diverse area of the city, we hope to deliver the spirit and creativity of this unique pop culture phenomenon to even more people.”

Founded in 2005, Union Square Live brings free music, dance, circus, theater, outdoor movies and other entertainment to Union Square Park for everyone's enjoyment. Held April through October, most programs are presented on Wednesdays at 12:30pm and 6pm and on Sundays at 2pm. For more information on the Kyary Pamyu Pamyu performance please visit JPOP.COM and for a sampling on Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, check out the video for her latest single "Invader Invader" below.