I wonder if there's cheaper ways to ship internationally... We just don't want to risk losing money from a 'fund raiser' project. We'll make sure we have some options to get things outside in the future!

We're looking for midwest artists to contribute music and art for the Midwest Compilation!
We'll ship a physical copy to you, and will help fund travel costs when we host a show in Michigan.

We'll try to get into the Chicago scene sometime this year!

Oh wow. It's been a while since the last post. We've been far from non-acitivity... tons of events that happened in Michigan this year!

PPD has grown into a collective of over 30 artists (music and art) and now we have our own netlabel with highly talented staff.

What we did 2012:
- 12 Consecutive Monthly Open-Mic at Lab Cafe - Ann Arbor, MI (20~50 avg audience)
- Chip Charged! Chiptune Show - Ann Arbor, MI (80+ on sunday night)
- 8-Ball Saloon at Blind Pig - Ann Arbor, MI (regular show)
- University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI (student collaboration)
- 1-Day Mini GameStop Tour - Ann Arbor, Taylor, Ypsilanti, MI (awesome tour)
- Penguicon 2012 - Dearborn, MI (great friends)
- Invitation to Wreck-It Ralph Premiere - Birmingham, MI (love from disney)
- Detroit Luvs Robots - Detroit, MI (hometown)
- Maker Faire Detroit 2012 - Detroit, MI (diy fever)
- Youmacon 2012 - Detroit, MI (this is where we were born)
- Piko Invades Canada - Windsor, CA (global invasion)

This year, we have launched a kickstarter project to reach out to a larger midwest region.
http://kck.st/VvQGji

Some cool rewards for anyone who can help!
And we're also looking for Midwest artists to help put together a regional compilation album!

Thanks! As usual.

19

(17 replies, posted in Releases)

Finally!

Michigan's Chiptune/Electronic music community "Piko Piko Detroit" is finally turning into a netlabel next month!

We've only began the group this year, and have successfully hosted 6 consecutive monthly shows at a city cafe, and dozens of shows at home and art venuee. Today, our artists have found themselves performing at many other nerdcore and indie shows all around Michigan!

Now, we're moving up to share our local music to the world. (even tho most of exist on chipmusic, noisechannel, 8bc)

Here are some previous on Chipmusic.org that are related to us:
The beginning: http://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/5589/ … -and-more/
Fellow members: http://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/6902/ … mpilation/

Finally, we have put together a promotional package to help with our group, but unfortunately we don't have the funding to produce these yet.
So, we we're taking pre-orders to make this happen!

Pixellated D Shirts($15), Stickers($2), Buttons($2), and Cards(Free)!

Here's the official post about this starter kit:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid … mp;theater

We love the chip scene, and hope to help support it in new regions around the world!

Thanks!


Here's the full promotional kit detail from facebook:
--------------------------------------------Skip if necessary-------------------------------------------------------------
Piko Piko Detroit Promotional are READY!!! But, we don't have the money to produce them...

So, help us out by making a pre-order now to get these produced as soon as possible! (images are all mock-ups, and may vary from actual product)

We will begin producing these items once we have enough money to place minimal production orders!

If certain items do not receive enough funding, let's say only a few people pre-ordered a t-shirt, we will refund your money and the item will not go into production until further notice.

ITEM PRICES

PPD Sticker Mix (3inches by 4.5inches): $2 or 3 for $5
- 3 different designs on 1 sheet! (we may or may not have these trimmed out for you)
- The Main 'D' sticker turns out to be around 2.5" x 3.8" (as wide but shorter than your iPhone 4)

PPD Buttons (1 inch): $2 or 3 for $5
- White 'D' ogo on Black with URL wrapped around side.

PPD Shirt: $15 each
- Large 'D' logo in black on the Front Only. (no back design)
- Choose your size and color! (sizes: Small~3XL)
- Hanes 5250 TAGLESS T-Shirt
- COLORS: http://haneslocator.com/catalog/Catalog … uctID=5250

We'll include some of our new PPD Cards with your purchase!

FOR THE WHOLE PACKAGE: $20
- Includes 1 x PPD Shirt, 3 x PPD Stickers, 3 x PPD Buttons, and 10 x PPD Cards!

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE SHIPPING!

If you would like your items shipped, please add $5 to your total order to have shipped anywhere in the United States. (we ship by USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate box or envelope)

HOW TO ORDER

Please provide the following details for a smooth transaction:
- Your Name
- Shipping Address (if you want items shipped)
- List of all Items and quantify of purchase
- Cost for All Items
- Cost for Shipping $5 (if necessary)
- You can also pick up your items at any of your shows! (just let us know)
- We appreciate any additional donations!

Please place your pre-order via paypal at: [email protected]

If you would like to pay via Check or Money Order, or have any questions or comments, please contact us at [email protected]

So, thanks to communities here and there, Piko Piko Detroit has been picking up several chiptune artists and now we have a monthly show plus artists playing all over with an average 4-5 shows a month all around Michigan!

We've got the musicial talent, and now we're looking for local artists, photographers, cosplayers, and visualists to work with for our upcoming music releases and bigger club/livehouse events!

Do you like chiptune?
Do you like pixel-art?
Do you like video games?
Do you like otaku culture?

We want to work with local Michigan artists to help enhance the creative community in the region!

We are Piko Piko Detroit. A community for all lovers of retro bleep sounds in their music, and is open to a wide range of music genres. We hack our vintage consoles and dance to tiny pixels. We perform at cafes, live-houses, clubs, and even at a birthday parties. If you like video games, computers, pixels, or any other retro treasures, then you will love us!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pikopikodetroit

Our local Netlabel will launch over the summer, and our music will need some artistic love!

Here's a basic production flow and points of possible commission for artists:
1. Track or Album with "Cover Art" released through Piko Piko Detroit for free
2. Popular Tracks receive budget for "Music Video"
3. Popular Tracks receive budget for limited run "Physical Packaging"

Piko Piko Detroit not only releases music but digital art also!
1. Low resolution "digital artwork" released through Piko Piko Detroit for free
2. High Resolution "digital artwork" reproduced as Large-Scale Posters and more products

Please let us know if you are from Michigan and would like us to license or commission your artwork!
If you know someone else that might be interested, let us know, too.

@Jake Thanks! Hopefully we come to organize a big one that we can contact various domestic artists to have perform! Please join us on facebook if you can where we update most of our information: https://www.facebook.com/pikopikodetroit

@Kokoro We currently have 5+ Chiptune artists and 5+ Fakebit artists who regularly perform with us in the Ann Arbor area! Reading you rmessage now smile

Hey all. Sorry I haven't been updating. Been quite busy with Piko stuff and traveling.

We have been sustaining our monthly event Piko@Lab in Ann Arbor, MI and are moving onto our next Piko@Lab v5.0 in May!
Here are the all previous compilation albums released at the event:
http://pikopikodetroit.bandcamp.com/alb … tion-album
http://pikopikodetroit.bandcamp.com/alb … tion-album
http://pikopikodetroit.bandcamp.com/alb … tion-album
http://pikopikodetroit.bandcamp.com/alb … tion-album

We also had a big one in March, with a 70+ audience on a Sunday night going from 8PM to 2AM!
Few photos from the event: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set … amp;type=3
(event archive: https://www.facebook.com/events/165785230204037/)

This weekend we are participating 2 large events:
Penguicon 2012 - https://www.facebook.com/events/320541801334342/
Woobies - https://www.facebook.com/events/363821213668195/

I am currently spending some time in Taipei, Taiwan and have been doing random shows to reach out to the bit-culture community.

In Taipei, I have organized "Back To The 8-Bit" Electronic/Chiptune DJ/Performance night at a Punk Live-House.
Photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set … e2f1042f6e
Archive: https://www.facebook.com/events/353990324653818/

Guests included friends, and friends of friends, but we were also welcomed by many chiptune/anime fans who randomly stumbled across the event page. They claimed that we were the first ever chip event they heard of in Taiwan! DJ/Performers were "Fish The" (pioneer of early electronic music in Taiwan), Physical Chemical Brother (amazing mix of chip/electronic music), Myself and a friend DJ with Chiptune Live & DJ.

Also several smaller events playing Chiptune in public:
https://www.facebook.com/events/396621153695118/

I'll be back in Tokyo in May to host a Piko Piko Detroit and 8-Bit Cafe Collaboration event with several local artists!
https://www.facebook.com/events/311344858931882/
Details coming soon!

Thanks!

I'm visiting Taiwan for a month in April, so I was wondering if there were anyone in that area doing electronic/chiptune music to hang out with.

Didn't get to announce our 2nd Piko@Lab event!
It was last friday and we had a nice turn out with an average 30~50 person audience throughout a free public 3 hour event at Lab Cafe, Ann Arbor!

We had many new performers, and have been meeting great people to help us make our future events awesome.

The Compilation Album is now available on Bandcamp:
http://pikopikodetroit.bandcamp.com/alb … tion-album

Also, we are hosting a bigger electronic/chiptune event in the same area with guests from Canada, Chicago, and Grand Rapids!
This one will be our biggest one so far!

It's in 2 weeks, check us out if you're nearby!
http://www.facebook.com/events/165785230204037/

It went well! and it was really fun even without the alcohol :-)
The weather was terrible with lots of snow so, many of our friends and one of our performers could not make it out. But, we had really great feedback from our audience and venue! Audience count was about 20~30 on average, most were local college students and random customers of the cafe, and some elders (probably our parents). Overall, very positive vibe so we're hoping to keep improving our music and upgrade our events!

We passed out free demo discs, and now they're on bandcamp! Check us out big_smile
http://pikopikodetroit.bandcamp.com/alb … tion-album

New update!

I've found a few local chiptune artists to play for us,
and we have finally came to deal with a local cafe to have our first electronic/chiptune event!!!

Piko@Lab - Electronic/Chiptune Music Event @ Lab Cafe Ann Arbor
Friday January 20th, 2012 7PM-10PM

Planned Performers:
- Pikoboy (DJ/Performer) - Trenton, MI
- Snesei (Mix Chip Performer) - Dearborn, MI
- DJ Cactus (DS-10 Performer) Novi, MI
- Alokin (Chip Performer) Ann Arbor, MI
- Barbeque (Chip Performer) Ferndale, MI

A new year, and Detroit's local chip music community is ready to kick off! :-D

DETAILS ON FACEBOOK!!!
http://www.facebook.com/events/342788712415743/

SKGB wrote:

I "liked" your page on facebook, if that helps at all. Good luck, mate!

Thank you, thank you!

Please feel free to share any information that could be useful to us!
We're new and are willing to learn anything :-D

- Operation/management of 'chiptune' events.
- Reaching to a wider community through 'chip influenced music'
- Possibilities of production or business behind 'chip cultures'

Some topics we're working on right now...

ui wrote:

there are many ppl in detroit doing "chipmusic". But the best comunity that i can think of from Detroit is www.battleofthebits.org

Is have been dedicated to do big compos and promote the chipmusic/electronic and experimental music for about 6 years, maybe more. So you should take a look and try to see if you can contact them smile

Thanks! I've seen the site before and wasn't sure how active it seemed...
Looks like a new event just started today!

I'll see what information I can gather/share there. |^3^|b

Moriokun wrote:

I'm off from classes until January 26th so anything before that would be great. During the school semester, I'm free on the weekends since I have Fridays off. My Aunt has a place in Detroit so lodging shouldn't be an issue. With winter break coming up, I'll have a month to work on set for the show.

I don't know about weekly shows, but a monthly or bi-monthly get together seems more doable, you don't wanna wear yourself out.

Nice, long break! I'll try to get into mid Jan since, I also get quite busy at the end of each month...

Also, I'm thinking "weekly meetings" that would be similar to university student organizations to help educate each other with chip/music/production/art knowledge which may lead to improvement of our hosted events. (could be open to fans and not limited just artists)

I'll keep updated here when details come up!

DJCactus wrote:

im down, shoot me a pm if your interested.

Thanks! Sent you a message :-D

I have talked to staff of Lab Cafe in Ann Arbor and they have very flexible options available for hosting events!

1. I will try to kick start weekly meetings for electronic/chiptune artists.
2. I will try to hold some dates for a ELECTRONIC/CHIPTUNE EVENT POSSIBLY IN JANUARY 2012!

CALLING OUT FOR ANYONE IN THE AREA THAT CAN PERFORM WITH US!
(Chiptune influenced DJs, Chiptune Artists, Chip/Electronic Visualists, and more!!!)

Thanks.