When I set foot in Chicago’s Beat Kitchen Monday night I honestly didn’t know a whole lot about anything I was there for. I was familiar with some of the local openers, had heard of the musician Koji from my circle of friends and knew that the show was part of some campaign for advocacy in Africa. I was expecting to silently observe from the back, possibly find a new singer I liked and sign a petition or two. What I got instead was a tidal wave of inspiration.
East coast native Andrew Koji Shiraki is almost single handedly improving the reputation of the professional musician, using his voice as more than a means of entertainment. One part artist, one part activist, Koji has spent the last six years getting his hands dirty in the campaign to end war and activity of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Africa. Working through an organization called Resolve, Koji kicked off the 4th week of his ten-week tour at the Beat Kitchen and will go on to various spots across the country in hopes of simply starting conversations that concert attendants may not have had otherwise.
After a brief video depicting the struggle of Africans displaced by the attacks from the LRA and testimonies as to how the abductions, conflict and violence have affected them, Brian Pappalardo, the Resolve Organizing Fellow and friend accompanying Koji on this tour, took the stage to explain just what Resolve was all about. An advocacy organizing based in Washington, D.C., Resolve works with activists, policy experts and civil society leaders to build support for policy measures that can help end LRA violence. In addition to stopping the LRA, Resolve advocates for increased US support of recovery efforts to help the communities affected rebuild their lives.
Once Koji took the stage it was apparent that we were all here for more than just a few songs. A musician with a mission, Koji delivered between song banter, sharing his tour experience thus far, views on activism and how important it is to work together as a community. He even offered up some love for the fair city of Chicago, praising the independent music scene and personally thanking his audience for allowing him to be part of what we do here in Chicago.
Crooning out songs that fall somewhere between folk and indie-pop, Koji’s music offers frank narration to his life and the world as he sees it. The well-written lyrics to songs like “Like We Do” and “Spring Song” made an extra impact on the audience thanks to his distinct singing style. His voice comes with just the right amount of rasp to make the songs feel raw and personal but are still endlessly pleasant to listen to. A large part of Koji’s charm as a performer comes from the sense of modesty he naturally exudes. There is no pretention in his personality or song writing, making him the perfect candidate for the position of musical activist he has found himself in.
After taking a gamble on covering Alkaline Trio’s “She Took Him to the Lake” and forgetting the words, the Pennsylvanian simply laughed, said, “Well, you can’t say I’m not human” and then went on to play “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show instead. Between the blissful smile on his face while playing and the inspiring stories of action he told between sets, Koji gave me the itch to be part of something, to be creative, to be active, to share in a community. And just when I began to feel overwhelmed by these desires and not knowing how to fulfill them, there was Koji inviting me to be part of what he was doing. Teaching choruses so everyone could sing along, singing covers he hoped most would already know and offering an activism workshop after the show, Koji demonstrates how great it is to be part of a collective whole and then shows listeners how to be just that, leading by example. There are still seven weeks of tour left for Koji and the Resolve team and whether your interest lies in hearing his music or becoming politically active, I can guarantee that one night with Koji will make you care deeply about both.
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