This troupe of taiko-style drummers hails from Sado Island, Japan. A show finds the performers donning traditional garb while engaging in the bold, theatrical art of drumming. Some numbers feature solo performers, while others showcase what could be described as an old-school Japanese drum line playing in tandem. You might witness a shirtless, headband-wearing performer growling as he pounds. Throw in some other instrumentation (possibly a flute or the three-stringed shamisen), vocals and dance, and you have the essence of a Kodo show.

-- Jon Waterhouse