Our mission: Promoting cultural education and appreciation through live music
We are an organization dedicated to the supporting the bands that we love and helping these bands thrive on a world stage.
About ONE SKY
ONE SKY is an idea that grew out of conversations started on sidewalks outside music venues across the US and in small live houses throughout Tokyo. We were founded by a small group of passionate music fans obsessed with rock music whose favorite bands were all emerging from the dynamic and vibrant rock music ecosystem in Japan. Over the years, we saw many bands thrive and many bands die as they navigated the changing music landscape, fighting to establish an audience and business model that would allow them to keep making music. Waiting outside clubs and halls while following Band-Maid on their US tours, having drinks after seeing a Risky Melody show in Shimokitazawa, and hanging out between band sets at Antiknock in Shinjuku sparked many discussions about the bands we admire and the impact their music has had on our lives. As we shared our experiences and perspectives, we also realized that we needed to find ways to directly support this ecosystem if we want these musicians, artists, technicians, live houses, and studios to survive. ONE SKY is the avenue through which we want to give back to this community and help bring together artists with the growing community of international fans who are discovering, participating in, and supporting the rock music scene in Japan. By organizing events, directly supporting artist projects, providing support services, and creating platforms through with artists can showcase their work, we aim to enrich the broader music community and ensure continued success for the music and the artists we love.
About our name
The name ONE SKY comes from Kai, the lead singer for the punk / easycore band Allica. She often says that as she performs, everyone comes together to experience music “under one sky.” That is the goal of this organization, to bring together artists and fans to experience music under ONE SKY.
How we are funded
ONE SKY is a non-profit entity established as a 501(c)(3) organization in the state of Texas, USA. We are funded by donations and use the funding entirely in support of our mission, to promote cultural education through live music. The founders and directors are all volunteer and do not take any compensation of any kind.
If you believe in the mission and want to support ONE SKY and the music community, please consider joining our email list here
Board of Directors
As a non-profit entity, ONE SKY is governed by a board of directors who are responsible for managing the organization’s activities.
Michael Barbour
is a veteran of the Japanese music scene having started traveling to Japan to see concerts over a decade ago. A guitarist and former management consultant, Michael oversees all aspects of ONE SKY’s activities and sets the strategic direction for the organization. He misses the Tomboys and hopes ONE SKY can help create a sustainable ecosystem for bands like the Tomboys to thrive.
Stephen Williams
is a rock, metal, and jazz fan who stumbled into Japanese music scene several years ago and has never looked back. An investment manager by trade, Stephen supports ONE SKY’s operations and works with the board on all aspects of the organization’s mission. He alternates between bobbing his head at cool jazz fusion shows and throwing elbows in the pit at Hanabie shows.
Richard Hogan
is an audiophile and drummer with a passion for great grooves. An electrical engineer when he is not on the rail at rock shows, Richard works across ONE SKY’s activities to support independent bands. He attended every show on Band-Maid’s 2022 US tour and is the recipient of two (!) drumsticks from Akane Hirose.
