# Event Details - **Event Name**: Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Music Sets You Free" book launch w/ translator Sam Bett - **Event Start and End Date**: Tue, 27 Oct, 2026 at 06:30 pm – Tue, 27 Oct, 2026 at 09:00 pm (-04:00) - **Event Description**: Maine writer Sam Bett discusses his new translation of Ryuichi Sakamoto's Music Sets You Free, paired with a film screening of Tokyo MelodyAbout this EventJoin us for an evening to celebrate the English language publication Ryuichi Sakamoto's book Music Sets You Free (Harper Collins, Sep. 22, 2026), newly translated from the Japanese by Maine writer Sam Bett, who will be in discussion with Asher Woodworth (Poole Music).The discussion will be followed by a film screening of the 1985 biopic Tokyo Melody: A Film About Ryuichi Sakamoto by Elizabeth Lennard (1985 • 62 min.)__A bestseller in Japan, a remarkable reflection on making art, living life, and accepting death, from the legendary Ryuichi Sakamoto, the world-renowned musical genius and godfather of electronic music.One of Japan's most influential artists and composers, Ryuichi Sakamoto was a man of multitudes. Perhaps best known as the Oscar-winning composer of Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor and a founder of the groundbreaking electronic music group Yellow Magic Orchestra, Sakamoto was a pop icon, an avant-garde visionary, a techno innovator, and a proud environmentalist. While his unique brilliance transcended mediums as well as borders, Sakamoto himself was curious about how he came to be the complex phenomenon known as "Ryuichi Sakamoto”—a journey to answer the question, "Why do I lead this life?"Filled with candid photos, Music Sets You Free is the incredible chronicle of a life excitingly lived: an intimate, contemplative, and fascinating recounting of his life story as a musical journey, from his first childhood encounter with a piano to his rise as a global pop star and award-winning composer. Sakamoto's boundless curiosity led to myriad experiences: producing catchy yet experimental hits with YMO, starring with David Bowie in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, collaborating with pop geniuses such as David Byrne, Iggy Pop, and Brian Wilson, appearing in a Madonna music video, and even modeling for the Gap.Throughout his career, Sakamoto was also a dedicated social activist, avidly protesting nuclear power in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, and restoring a tsunami-damaged piano for his 2017 album async. While the pain of surgeries and treatments left him both emotionally and physically vulnerable in his later life, Sakamoto pushed through the pain to record his final artistic evolution into more avant-garde work after a transformative trip to Greenland during which he witnessed the effects of global warming first-hand.Music Sets You Free is both a self-reflective testament and thought-provoking meditation on life, mortality, and the enduring power of art. It is the memoir of a visionary whose life and work embodied the aphorism Ars Longa, Vita Brevis (“Art is long, life is short”). The final published work from a creative genius, it is a rare and lasting performance in words that beautifully accompanies Sakamoto's eternal, moving performances in music.Translated from the Japanese by Sam Bett - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/portland/ryuichi-sakamotos-music-sets-you-free-book-launch-w-translator-sam-bett/100001998785782080 - **Event Categories**: entertainment, art, music, live-music, literary-art, health-wellness, trips-adventures, meditation - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 - **Event Highlights**: - Age Limit: All Ages - Presented By: Print: A Bookstore - Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes - Location: SPACE - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 12.58, max: 58.75, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Portland - **state**: ME - **country**: United States - **location**: SPACE - **lat**: 43.655619 - **long**: -70.2612209 - **full address**: SPACE, 538 Congress St, Portland, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Music Sets You Free" book launch w/ translator Sam Bett - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/142fd0672849bbf33129bb689d44c0486cd4d2994159b0f61ee7f71574dfe44c-rimg-w1200-h800-dc080808-gmir.jpg?v=1788462974 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Music Sets You Free" book launch w/ translator Sam Bett being held? - **A:** Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Music Sets You Free" book launch w/ translator Sam Bett takes place on Tue, 27 Oct, 2026 at 06:30 pm to Tue, 27 Oct, 2026 at 09:00 pm at SPACE, 538 Congress St, Portland, United States. - **Q**: Who is organizing Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Music Sets You Free" book launch w/ translator Sam Bett? - **A:** Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Music Sets You Free" book launch w/ translator Sam Bett is organized by SPACE. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Music Sets You Free" book launch w/ translator Sam Bett is ideal for music lovers, fans of all genres, and anyone who wants to celebrate the power of music - from intimate gigs and live sessions to festivals and cultural performances. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Portland, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Music Sets You Free" book launch w/ translator Sam Bett sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Music Sets You Free" book launch w/ translator Sam Bett", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/142fd0672849bbf33129bb689d44c0486cd4d2994159b0f61ee7f71574dfe44c-rimg-w1200-h800-dc080808-gmir.jpg?v=1788462974", "startDate": "2026-10-27T18:30:00-04:00", "endDate": "2026-10-27T21:00:00-04:00", "url": "https://allevents.in/portland/ryuichi-sakamotos-music-sets-you-free-book-launch-w-translator-sam-bett/100001998785782080", "eventStatus": "https://schema.org/EventScheduled", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "SPACE", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "538 Congress St", "postalCode": "04101", "addressLocality": "Portland", "addressRegion": "ME", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "43.655619", "longitude": "-70.2612209" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Maine writer Sam Bett discusses his new translation of Ryuichi Sakamoto's Music Sets You Free, paired with a film screening of Tokyo Melody", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-03", "availabilityEnds": "2026-10-27T21:00:00-04:00", "validFrom": "2026-09-03", "lowPrice": "12.58", "highPrice": "58.75", "price": "12.58", "url": "https://allevents.in/portland/ryuichi-sakamotos-music-sets-you-free-book-launch-w-translator-sam-bett/100001998785782080" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-03", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-09-03", "url": "https://allevents.in/portland/ryuichi-sakamotos-music-sets-you-free-book-launch-w-translator-sam-bett/100001998785782080", "price": "17.21", "name": "General Admission" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-03", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-09-03", "url": "https://allevents.in/portland/ryuichi-sakamotos-music-sets-you-free-book-launch-w-translator-sam-bett/100001998785782080", "price": "12.58", "name": "SPACE member" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-03", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-09-03", "url": "https://allevents.in/portland/ryuichi-sakamotos-music-sets-you-free-book-launch-w-translator-sam-bett/100001998785782080", "price": "58.75", "name": "General Admission + HC copy of book" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-03", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-09-03", "url": "https://allevents.in/portland/ryuichi-sakamotos-music-sets-you-free-book-launch-w-translator-sam-bett/100001998785782080", "price": "52.57", "name": "SPACE member + HC copy of book" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "SPACE", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/space/22548915", "description": "SPACE is a nonprofit organization that supports contemporary arts projects, champions artists, and encourages an open exchange of ideas. Proudly staying curious in Portland, Maine." } ] } ] ```