Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Quip roundup6 @ koenji clubliner (02/22/11)
I FINALLY got Quip magazine the other day and checked out their sampler. In their sampler they had a band, noom, which I really liked and wanted to check out more but there wasn't anything online.
So I thought I'd check the magazine to see if I could find a website or something and LO AND BEHOLD!! To my luck!! I saw that Quip was having a show at Clubliner for all the of FOUR bands that were featured in their sampler, including noom, and it was on Tuesday which I so happened to to have work!! (coz the studio was full and I couldn't even put in hours for any classes!).. And the live was actually TWO DAYS AFTER I found out about the band! WHAT LUCK!!!
So I decided to check the bands out!! (how unlike me!)
1) Wow.. I'll pay 800yen for their trying. They were the opener. I was thinking during their set that out of pity, I'd probably buy their CD (if it were 800 or less!!!) because I was thinking of already buying the CD of the band I came to see (the third band, noom).
The band was quite good, but a little funkish!! The lead doesn't talk much and the "leader" of the band seems to be the lead guitarist who is very, very expressive on stage with his moves. His antics were really hillarious. However, I think he lacks the strength of an orator in fronting the band during the MCs... I think he was nervous or something but he was very jumpy with his MC, so quite weak in engaging the crowd (speech wise) in that sense and did not really properly introduce the band (considering that this was a show where people weren't familliar with the bands, it would be good to introduce yourselves properly, no???!).
So while he is a good performer and I think overall the band's songs are pretty cool, I thought he lacked the presence of a frontman in his MCs. Masuzawa-san was there!! He should go get some tips from Masuzawa-san!!! haha!
2) Hmm.. This band started with an instrumental song, then lauched into a second song that was semi instrumental. The frontman was cute, so they had that going for them. He was really good in fronting the band too. He went through all the formalities of annoucements during the MCs. Introduced the band's name CLEARLY, said all the customary lines annocing thier CDs and next lives, very proper, very "major" and "professional"
they also had a good style which I think would appeal to a larger audience, combining instrumental, with math rock, with funk and all that jazz... I think they definitely have potential to make it...
Although, unfortunately, they're not my cup of tea.
So, sorry, no 2000yen from me... SORRY! I should have checked to see their album was like 500 yen... I might go with the 500 yen EP or something! lol
But actually, I think they have solid music, VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY different from the garden variety sound of the newer rock bands that are out there these days (and there are loads of them). So I think they can potentially work out.
But as i have mentioned, unfortunately, their sound isn't just the kind I like, so that's why they didn't particularly appeal to me.
3) noom
I actually came to see this band because they had one kick ass track off Quip's sampler.
I was very impressed with that song and I had hoped the rest of their songs would be in the same vein, of the same mood, with the same power chords and riffs.
I was a little dissapointed.
They fluctuated between a great riff emerging, waiting to rear it's rock-out head, but unfortunately never does... to tunes that were just.. well... "meh". So-so. まま。Cool, easy listening, make you bob your head and tap your feet, but that's about it.. doesn't move you to swing your body and move and jump to the beat.
I was dissapointed.
You guys were good, in that one song.
I was willing to fork out 2000 if all the tunes they played, or even 2 more tunes they played, were of the same feel of the one in the sampler.
Unfortunetely not.
sigh.
4)
I'm sorry to say, maybe I am old fashioned but seriously, I don't think slurrrrrrring words and mumbling is a form of singing.. Kurt Cobain may have been incomprehensible, but at least he fucking had energy (or high on something)
This guy, the frontman, was just frtting mumbling his lines. WTH.
I;m so dissapointed.
They had good tunes too!!
But coupled with that slurrrrrrrrrrred vocals and mumbling baratone, that just killed it for me.
Sorry.
No... MAYBEEEEEEEEEEEEE 500yen.. probably.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
In the end I ended up getting the CD of the first band!!!!!
geez...
I was willing to fork out 800 (MAX) for their songs..
But lo and behold, surprise!, it was only 500 yen for their EP!
so good job! Great bargain. Good buy good buy!
Lets hope the record's good.
Until then, no, i don't think I;d check these bands out again on their own.. Maybe if they're playing with another band I would, but just for their shows, no I don't think I'd go.
SORRY!.\\\
So I thought I'd check the magazine to see if I could find a website or something and LO AND BEHOLD!! To my luck!! I saw that Quip was having a show at Clubliner for all the of FOUR bands that were featured in their sampler, including noom, and it was on Tuesday which I so happened to to have work!! (coz the studio was full and I couldn't even put in hours for any classes!).. And the live was actually TWO DAYS AFTER I found out about the band! WHAT LUCK!!!
So I decided to check the bands out!! (how unlike me!)
1) Wow.. I'll pay 800yen for their trying. They were the opener. I was thinking during their set that out of pity, I'd probably buy their CD (if it were 800 or less!!!) because I was thinking of already buying the CD of the band I came to see (the third band, noom).
The band was quite good, but a little funkish!! The lead doesn't talk much and the "leader" of the band seems to be the lead guitarist who is very, very expressive on stage with his moves. His antics were really hillarious. However, I think he lacks the strength of an orator in fronting the band during the MCs... I think he was nervous or something but he was very jumpy with his MC, so quite weak in engaging the crowd (speech wise) in that sense and did not really properly introduce the band (considering that this was a show where people weren't familliar with the bands, it would be good to introduce yourselves properly, no???!).
So while he is a good performer and I think overall the band's songs are pretty cool, I thought he lacked the presence of a frontman in his MCs. Masuzawa-san was there!! He should go get some tips from Masuzawa-san!!! haha!
2) Hmm.. This band started with an instrumental song, then lauched into a second song that was semi instrumental. The frontman was cute, so they had that going for them. He was really good in fronting the band too. He went through all the formalities of annoucements during the MCs. Introduced the band's name CLEARLY, said all the customary lines annocing thier CDs and next lives, very proper, very "major" and "professional"
they also had a good style which I think would appeal to a larger audience, combining instrumental, with math rock, with funk and all that jazz... I think they definitely have potential to make it...
Although, unfortunately, they're not my cup of tea.
So, sorry, no 2000yen from me... SORRY! I should have checked to see their album was like 500 yen... I might go with the 500 yen EP or something! lol
But actually, I think they have solid music, VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY different from the garden variety sound of the newer rock bands that are out there these days (and there are loads of them). So I think they can potentially work out.
But as i have mentioned, unfortunately, their sound isn't just the kind I like, so that's why they didn't particularly appeal to me.
3) noom
I actually came to see this band because they had one kick ass track off Quip's sampler.
I was very impressed with that song and I had hoped the rest of their songs would be in the same vein, of the same mood, with the same power chords and riffs.
I was a little dissapointed.
They fluctuated between a great riff emerging, waiting to rear it's rock-out head, but unfortunately never does... to tunes that were just.. well... "meh". So-so. まま。Cool, easy listening, make you bob your head and tap your feet, but that's about it.. doesn't move you to swing your body and move and jump to the beat.
I was dissapointed.
You guys were good, in that one song.
I was willing to fork out 2000 if all the tunes they played, or even 2 more tunes they played, were of the same feel of the one in the sampler.
Unfortunetely not.
sigh.
4)
I'm sorry to say, maybe I am old fashioned but seriously, I don't think slurrrrrrring words and mumbling is a form of singing.. Kurt Cobain may have been incomprehensible, but at least he fucking had energy (or high on something)
This guy, the frontman, was just frtting mumbling his lines. WTH.
I;m so dissapointed.
They had good tunes too!!
But coupled with that slurrrrrrrrrrred vocals and mumbling baratone, that just killed it for me.
Sorry.
No... MAYBEEEEEEEEEEEEE 500yen.. probably.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
In the end I ended up getting the CD of the first band!!!!!
geez...
I was willing to fork out 800 (MAX) for their songs..
But lo and behold, surprise!, it was only 500 yen for their EP!
so good job! Great bargain. Good buy good buy!
Lets hope the record's good.
Until then, no, i don't think I;d check these bands out again on their own.. Maybe if they're playing with another band I would, but just for their shows, no I don't think I'd go.
SORRY!.\\\
Saturday, February 19, 2011
back number - あとのまつり [2010/06/02]
Holymoly!
I did NOT expect back number to be so good!! wth!!
I remembered I checked out their E.P. and didn't have much of an impression of it... But woah! This album was good!! Well at least, the first half of the album was really pretty solid. Has those typical Japanese rock sounds that I like... energized yet nostalgic, not too loud, nice catchy tunes, and some heart-capturing guitar riffs at the beginning of songs... yeap... it has all that!
The later half of the album went back to ordinary though, just when i was wondering how many songs they'd be able to write that's kick ass... 8 apparently. But still, a good album! was very, very, very surprised and a DEFINITE loop-able album (at least for the first 8 songs anyway). Pretty solid for a first album, back number!!
Good thing they're playing a show today in Chiba! ahahahaha... I think I'll go catch them if it's not sold out and I'm not too lazy! heh.
Here's a song off the album: stay with me.
Verdict:
live-able: most definitely.
2000円-able: hmmm... perhaps. likely.
I did NOT expect back number to be so good!! wth!!
I remembered I checked out their E.P. and didn't have much of an impression of it... But woah! This album was good!! Well at least, the first half of the album was really pretty solid. Has those typical Japanese rock sounds that I like... energized yet nostalgic, not too loud, nice catchy tunes, and some heart-capturing guitar riffs at the beginning of songs... yeap... it has all that!
The later half of the album went back to ordinary though, just when i was wondering how many songs they'd be able to write that's kick ass... 8 apparently. But still, a good album! was very, very, very surprised and a DEFINITE loop-able album (at least for the first 8 songs anyway). Pretty solid for a first album, back number!!
Good thing they're playing a show today in Chiba! ahahahaha... I think I'll go catch them if it's not sold out and I'm not too lazy! heh.
Here's a song off the album: stay with me.
Verdict:
live-able: most definitely.
2000円-able: hmmm... perhaps. likely.
クリープハイプ「左耳」(CreepHype - Hidari Me)
Music is quite nice, those typical Japanese rock band style of recent... however, I don't like the vocals... So I don't think I'll be checking this band out anytime soon.
Sorry!
Verdict:
Live-able: maybe.
2000円-able: no.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Sekaiichi / STaN - Shibuya O-West (02/17/11)
Urm yes... For some reason, I DO go for A LOT of Sekaiichi lives, huh!!! wth... Seriously... Too many... But to support Mr. Angel, I'll go.. Although I think he's feeling more like either why the hell am I at all their shows or why the hell am I emailing him so much. Sigh... Sorry, Mr. Angel... But I really don't care if you're in Sekaiichi or not... Sometimes I wish you weren't... Maybe then, you'll treat me normally then...
Band 1
WTH.
That's all I have to say.
They're like this... I don't know... those Akiba bands that have their own hand movements and all... Seriously. It's was friggign weird. And in one of their last song, they had two "okaku-ish" guys come on stage to perform those crazy idol-fan dances... HOLY COW.. I was just like "WTH?"
And he kept trying to get the crowd to do the hand movements with him. To some extent, he worked...
But he should've also known that they were playing to a crowd who's fans of bands like he and..
Band 2
After the first... group... DAMN! This band truly sounds like a TRUE REAL BAND.
Band 1, please take note: this is how a real band should be.
geez.
Band 3
Well well well! It was quite wonderful seeing this band finally. I didn't really get into their music when I checked them out a few years back because they're quite loud and their music is really banging crazy, very weird arrangement too. But the show was great! The performance was great! They and their fans were tight.
There were two guys behind me, drunk, but like real fans of the bands, and they would scream stuff, and the vocalist would respond. The vocalist was really cool, like in the "whatever" kinda way... awesome..
Not really my cup of tea but I definitely wouldn't mind checking them out again with other bands next time :)
SEKAIICHIIIIIII~~~~
Short set, loads of new songs this time, which surprised me. They usually play mostly old songs.. (but then again, I don't know sekaiichi much to know what's new or old!! FAIL)
They didn't play capsule this time, which was a little disappointing!!! Not much of a build up this time either, much more laid back and mellow compared to their previous packed sets~! But, it was a good set anyhow... Perhaps, more Sekaiichi-ish (if there's such a thing!).
Highlight of the set was The Kids Are Alright.
I thought they played it really beautifully, and it really touched my heart.
Band 1
WTH.
That's all I have to say.
They're like this... I don't know... those Akiba bands that have their own hand movements and all... Seriously. It's was friggign weird. And in one of their last song, they had two "okaku-ish" guys come on stage to perform those crazy idol-fan dances... HOLY COW.. I was just like "WTH?"
And he kept trying to get the crowd to do the hand movements with him. To some extent, he worked...
But he should've also known that they were playing to a crowd who's fans of bands like he and..
Band 2
After the first... group... DAMN! This band truly sounds like a TRUE REAL BAND.
Band 1, please take note: this is how a real band should be.
geez.
Band 3
Well well well! It was quite wonderful seeing this band finally. I didn't really get into their music when I checked them out a few years back because they're quite loud and their music is really banging crazy, very weird arrangement too. But the show was great! The performance was great! They and their fans were tight.
There were two guys behind me, drunk, but like real fans of the bands, and they would scream stuff, and the vocalist would respond. The vocalist was really cool, like in the "whatever" kinda way... awesome..
Not really my cup of tea but I definitely wouldn't mind checking them out again with other bands next time :)
SEKAIICHIIIIIII~~~~
Short set, loads of new songs this time, which surprised me. They usually play mostly old songs.. (but then again, I don't know sekaiichi much to know what's new or old!! FAIL)
They didn't play capsule this time, which was a little disappointing!!! Not much of a build up this time either, much more laid back and mellow compared to their previous packed sets~! But, it was a good set anyhow... Perhaps, more Sekaiichi-ish (if there's such a thing!).
Highlight of the set was The Kids Are Alright.
I thought they played it really beautifully, and it really touched my heart.
Quip 63
Hmmm... Kinda late getting this issue... But it was really cool (AND HEARTBREAKING) because it had a lot of pictures of shimokita roundup3 in it....
I WISHHHHHH i had never seen the picture of Odaka and........ ISSHIKI in Garage!! damnnn!! I did NOT know that Odaka played with Isshiki and with Ryo too!!!! wthhhhhhhhhhh!!! And summore Isshiki sang Utaitai!!!!!!!!!! DUDEEEEEEEEEE!!! I'd kill to hear Isshiki say "Kimi ni aitai yo"...
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
* kills self *
ok nuff said...
Here's a song from the Quip sampler that I liked very much...
I'm REALLY pissed off that OverTheDogs was suppose to be on the sampler but somehow... IT'S NOT THERE!!! A song that's not on their album too!!! WTHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
gah...
maybe this issue was more frustrating than it was fun.
damn.
Anyway, song from the sampler:
noom - 幻聴レディオ
I thought it was a really, really, really good song!!!!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
art-school MUSICA presents VALENTINE ROCK――愛のロックを鳴らそう acoustic set @ Liquidroom Ebisu (02/14/11)
LIVE：andymori / 木下理樹＆戸高賢史from ART-SCHOOL（acoustic set）/ SISTER JET（acoustic set）/ 長澤知之 / 高橋優
Sorry, no pics this time! LOL...
But I do have audio ^_^
Art-School - HEAVEN’S SIGN
Anyway, as always, Kinoshita-san didn't talk much. He never talks, I'm under that impression. But he was very cute. ahahaha! Seriously, so awkward!! He was totally disengaged, mumbling most of the time when he DID talk... But I guess that's his appeal... He's not THAT un-talkative on Twitter though! So... what gives?! Is he really shy?? I mean he's been singing for YEARSSS, he shouldn't be shy with crowds!
I think he just doesn't like talking.
Sorry, no pics this time! LOL...
But I do have audio ^_^
Art-School - HEAVEN’S SIGN
Anyway, as always, Kinoshita-san didn't talk much. He never talks, I'm under that impression. But he was very cute. ahahaha! Seriously, so awkward!! He was totally disengaged, mumbling most of the time when he DID talk... But I guess that's his appeal... He's not THAT un-talkative on Twitter though! So... what gives?! Is he really shy?? I mean he's been singing for YEARSSS, he shouldn't be shy with crowds!
I think he just doesn't like talking.
Monday, February 14, 2011
つばきフレンズ (Tsubaki Friends) on Shimokita Club Que's Banner!!! COOOL!!!!!!!!!
WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO super surprised to see this when I loaded Que's page today!!!!! I thought it was REALLYYYYY cool to have Tsubaki Friends highlighted!!!! And it was the loading splash too!!!!! ^__^
OHHHH and I tweeted about it and surprisingly, Que replied!
COOL!!!
TSUBAKI FRIENDS!
OHHHH and I tweeted about it and surprisingly, Que replied!
COOL!!!
TSUBAKI FRIENDS!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Lunkhead @ Shindaita Fever (02/10/11)
Hate to say this but Shindaita's Fever sound was crap.
It's usually NOT that crap! In fact, I think next to Club Que, I've been to Shindaita Fever a LOT for shows in the past 4 months, and I think 3/4 of the past Tsubaki shows were here and the sound has always been good! (even when you're upclose, unlike Que where if you stand right in front of the stage especially to the sides, you can't hear anything because of the stage speakers).
But tonight was crap.
Then there was Lunkhead.
I was just thinking, when I was watching Odaka sing... Lunkhead, actually and not Tsubaki, was the band that actually got me to leave America. When I was still working in Boston, I remember I loved Lunkhead's Komorebi like TOTALLY, and I remember I thought to myself "I want to see this band live, SOON." and that was the reason why I chose to leave America to come to Japan...
But as I stood there watching Odaka sing, I can't help but feel how much I've lost interest in this band.
Since it was their first show since the release of their album "vivo" just 2 days before the show, they played mostly new songs. In fact, they played only 2 old songs. So mostly they're new songs...
The new songs were... well... Ok... Good, actually... But I can't help feel but "not my type" anymore...
I was thinking about Tsubaki too, at that time, and how when I saw Tsubaki at Daikanyama last year, it was also the first time for me to hear their new album... But listening to those songs at that time, I felt BLOWN AWAY by Tsubaki's new material and how the songs won my heart over again..
But Lunkhead... it was just... "well.. ok..."
I really wish to sing and dance with Lunkhead again. But I can't help but feel that I was cheering in this show only because I labeled myself as a "fan" and it's a good thing to support the band you once loved. But I couldn't help but feel how I've become just one of those spectators in the crowd who cheer for a band only because everyone else is doing it.
So here's today's song...
Lunkhead - シンドローム
It's usually NOT that crap! In fact, I think next to Club Que, I've been to Shindaita Fever a LOT for shows in the past 4 months, and I think 3/4 of the past Tsubaki shows were here and the sound has always been good! (even when you're upclose, unlike Que where if you stand right in front of the stage especially to the sides, you can't hear anything because of the stage speakers).
But tonight was crap.
Then there was Lunkhead.
I was just thinking, when I was watching Odaka sing... Lunkhead, actually and not Tsubaki, was the band that actually got me to leave America. When I was still working in Boston, I remember I loved Lunkhead's Komorebi like TOTALLY, and I remember I thought to myself "I want to see this band live, SOON." and that was the reason why I chose to leave America to come to Japan...
But as I stood there watching Odaka sing, I can't help but feel how much I've lost interest in this band.
Since it was their first show since the release of their album "vivo" just 2 days before the show, they played mostly new songs. In fact, they played only 2 old songs. So mostly they're new songs...
The new songs were... well... Ok... Good, actually... But I can't help feel but "not my type" anymore...
I was thinking about Tsubaki too, at that time, and how when I saw Tsubaki at Daikanyama last year, it was also the first time for me to hear their new album... But listening to those songs at that time, I felt BLOWN AWAY by Tsubaki's new material and how the songs won my heart over again..
But Lunkhead... it was just... "well.. ok..."
I really wish to sing and dance with Lunkhead again. But I can't help but feel that I was cheering in this show only because I labeled myself as a "fan" and it's a good thing to support the band you once loved. But I couldn't help but feel how I've become just one of those spectators in the crowd who cheer for a band only because everyone else is doing it.
So here's today's song...
Lunkhead - シンドローム
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
つばきフレンズ (Tsubaki Friends) in 音楽と人!!!!
HOHOHO!!!!!!!!!!! ^___^
Message from the EVER WONDERFUL TSUBAKI FRIENDS!!!!
Messages from the fans to Isshiki-san...
It was really thoughtful of the band to put up a book for fans to write in :)
It looks really nice!! I was the first person to write!! Everyone was waiting for the next person to write first!! I was asking a girl to write together, then she backed out!!! So I started away!!!
Unfortunately, no, this was not the real message I would have liked to have said to Isshiki. If I could write something again, I'd probably want to say this to him instead:
仕事が大変暇ですから、よく教会に祈りに行って、一色さんの事を祈りました。 今日も行った。考えてた、つばきが大好きだけど、一色さんの健康はつばきより大切と思った。だから、ゆっくり良くになってね。Hope you are well. お大事に。
Because, I really feel..... ISSHIKI is MORE IMPORTANT than Tsubaki. It doesn't matter if Tsubaki never returns if it means that Isshiki will be alright... I really think that... He... a person's life is more important than any band... So Isshiki-san, I hope you're alright...
It's all so colorful~~~~!
Thank you again, Tsubaki Friends...
And take care, Isshiki-san~~
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Challenge @ Shimokita Garage (02/05/11)
I like this band. LOL.
Then again, maybe I think Taijuwada is damn cool. So I go just to see him. LOL.
But no, actually, I really like The Challenge's songs. They're really catchy and cool and the type of songs I like very much. So, I really enjoy going for their lives :)
Then again, maybe I think Taijuwada is damn cool. So I go just to see him. LOL.
But no, actually, I really like The Challenge's songs. They're really catchy and cool and the type of songs I like very much. So, I really enjoy going for their lives :)
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