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!

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

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~~

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 :)

Sekaiichi @ Shimokita Shelter (01/21/11)

wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

holymoly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hate to say this but Sekaiichi sure as hell knows how to arrange a KICK-ASS set. And I mean KICK-ASS.

For some reason, they play very, very, very, very amazing short 8 song sets.

For some reason, the way they arrange the songs are just perfect. The way the energy builds up and (usually) climaxes with "Capsule", it's just INCREDIBLE. You don't even feel the build up, but it's just there and once it hits Capsule and by the end of the damn song your left and swept in a WOAHHHHH WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED aftermath!!

S E R I O U S L Y .

KUDOS, SEKAIICHI! ^_^b

01/19/11 - つばきフレンズ (Tsubaki Friends) @ Shimokita Club Que!

Oh thanks, Odaka-san for the pic.... I failed to take my own... Thankfully Yoshitaro had one ahahaha....

Hooorayyy~~ This was the first real Tsubaki Friends show! In the previous Tsubaki Friends shows, for the exception of Odaka and Yamashita (of Lunkhead), most of the other supporting musicians were from the other bands in the line-up.

So this was the first true Tsubaki Friends show since all the supporting musicians (save for 1) were from other bands who weren't playing that night. Great kudos kudos kudos to Odaka and Yamashita of Lunkhead (still the only pair that has been with Tsubaki since the beginning of all these!),  Kaihoku of Lost in Time for sticking around!

It was also the first Tsubaki Friends show where the bands actually prepared new songs, like actual Tsubaki songs to play instead of the ones they had rehearsed before.. So that was really, really, really awesome of the supporting musicians! KUDOS!

Tsubaki Friends at rehearsal (Okamoto-san took the pic ^_^ )

So first up was Kaihoku who did a beautiful rendition of 声の行方 and 春の嵐!! Both which were great, of course! And suited his voice very much, though, I must say... I will always be biased towards Isshiki singing Tsubaki songs! haha!

After that, Tsuneyoshi-san of OverTheDogs did an incredibly beautiful version of バス停前! Eh... oh no... Sorry Isshiki! I... think.... Tsune-san's version was................................................. ehh!!! haha! 言えない！


Up next after that was finally, Odaka's turn!! I think Odaka is still a little hesitant (than the others), to take up the vocals in place of Isshiki (so, he's quite humble, doesn't that mean??)... But I think Odaka is getting way, way, way much better that choosing Tsubaki songs that he can definitely actually cover incredibly well with his vocal range. This time he chose and sang and even 来る朝燃える未来!!!!!! I was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo thrilled with Kuru Asa Moeru Mirai coz even Isshiki NEVER sang it before... or well, I've never been to a Tsubaki show where he did!! So, it was great hearing the song live AND Odaka did a GREAT JOB with both songs!
In the others Tsubaki Friends song, I always thought Isshiki's style was way better... and the most suitable for the songs (duh, they're Tsubaki songs). However, this time, I think Odaka really finally chose very suitable songs for his vocal style and really made Tsubaki songs into great Odaka covers. Well done, Odaka!

Jya! Odaka's version of Kuru Asa Moeru Mirai!! GREAT JOB!!!




Anyway, the bands made an annoucement that night. No thanks to my Japanese, I understood only 20% of it. But they did explain how they felt about "Nori-chan", and about being Nakama, and how they wanted to continue with Tsubaki Friends for their friendship. I think it speaks a lot for them.
They also asked for some donation so that they could put an advert in 音楽と人. So, we all took a picture together, and after the show, we could sign and write messages to Isshiki in a book they provided.
They also announced a Tsubaki Friend's One Man Live in Shimokita Club Que in March! SO THAT'S AWESOME!!!!

But I'm also kinda sad because... that's it.... The March show was probably the last slated Tsubaki show in their album tour (that got cancelled) before Isshiki got sick... So they probably decided to go ahead with the show after all... But after that..... Will there still be Tsubaki Friends? With the other bands, Lunkhead and Lost in Time, touring too.... I hope Isshiki can be back soon, but... I love Tsubaki very much... but I think, more important than Tsubaki is Isshiki's health... So it doesn't matter when he'll be back, as long as he's alright.

Tsubaki Friends after the show ^_^ They're awesome!!!! Every one of them who is supporting Tsubaki so much!! And also to Okamoto-san and Ogawa-san for continuing with Tsubaki shows despite not having Isshiki!!

Audio of the day:

OverTheDog's Tsuneyoshi-san's version of バス停前!!



I thought it was a fantastic cover and err... actually also, coz the audio is best for this song ahahah...

セカイイチ (Sekaiichi)

The question is... How did they get from THIS:

to

THIS

⇊

Srsly.

hahahaha..


Actually, I much prefer Iwasaki-san now... he's so much cooler with his crazy hair. lol. and he doesn't look Japanese sometimes, seriously. Or is it just me?

He's much cooler now.

カッコイイよ。
かわいいも。^_^;;


Anyway, I didn't mean to like Sekaiichi.

I did see them back in 2009 in Club Que. I remembered Iwasaki-san to be really kind because the entire club was really packed and people were standing in the hallway at the entrance and couldn't really see.
He actually noticed it and asked if we could see the stage. Then he asked the people in the middle to move in a little so that more people could get into the pit and see the show.
I thought that was very thoughtful of him.

Anyway, Sekaiichi.

Actually for 2 years I only really ever liked or at least, I only ever listened to two of their songs...　ミソラ and 夜と朝.

I started checking them out around the time I started checking out Merenge, when both Tsubaki and Lunkhead recommended these two bands... (I think sometimes bands all emerge at the same time... Lunkhead/Tsubaki/and friends... Then... Merenge/Sekaiichi/DW Nicols... and now, it seems to be... another new wave of bands like Any/Plenty/Galileo Galilei/LOVELOVELOVE...Somehow.. seriously.)

Anyway... So yes, I really like those two Sekaiichi songs because it means a lot to me and the songs helped me through some bad times.. It was very inspiring, and that's why I liked Sekaiichi back then, even though I didn't quite know them.


Since coming here, while I don't know many of their songs, I've been going for a lot of shows. I guess, at first, I wanted to go to support Mr. Angel. Then since i was going for so many of their shows, I thought I really should check out some of their songs ahahaha... at least those they seem to play a lot at show, so I could sing along. They had some really cool song they play at shows.. So it was good to check those songs out...

So in the end, it turned out... DAMNNNNNN when you know Sekaiichi's song... THEY REALLY THROW QUITE A PUNCH!!!!!

I think they're a really solid band!!!!!

SONGS:

They play amazing shows, their songs are wonderful, DIFFERENT, very.... Sekaiichi-ish! ahahaha... Unlike the other new J-rock bands emerging from this scene these days... I think the reason why I find it hard to find a band I really like these days because they're all beginning to sound the same. I think the current wave of Japanese rock bands have the same styles and most of the bands don't really offer their own unique sound, most of them actually sound quite the same as the next band.

I think they have their own sound, a little folkish funk rock (not like power rock like Tsubaki or like heavier rock like Lunkhead) but YET YET YET YET YET YET YET their songs are PACKED with ENERGY. That's what i mean about Sekaiichi's song and this power translates incredibly well at shows...

LIVE:

As I mentioned before... Sekaiichi's live are amazing. The way they arrange their sets, especially the shorter ones, are just incredible.

Because the set is short, you just don't even feel the songs, it's just one flow and one incredibly smooth and unexpected buildup into an exploding climax! (Usually with Capsule) and by the end of that song, you're left with your mind imploded and your lungs blown. Yes! And then they cap it off with a rockish but mellowish, Step On.

Amazing, Sekaiichi :)

ANDDDDD.. Iwasaki-san is quite really funny at lives. He tells lots of jokes and makes people laugh... The Osaka-ness in him??? Well kinoshita completely lacks the Osakaness in him lol...


VERDICT:

I think, overall, Sekaiichi's song is actually very unlike the type of songs I usually like evry much, actually. Because I think they're a little too funkish for my real taste, and that's why before, I only really got into two of their songs....

BUT.. Sekaiichi's live is an very, very, very TANOSHIIIIIII experience.... And I DO like their songs and the songs they play live are AMAZING...

And of course, Mr. Angel has won my heart with his kindness (whether or not he's as friendly now), but he really helped me out and I am indebted to him and his kindness really, really, really touched my heart and is something that I can't just ignore/forget/forsake no matter how events turned out in the end.

So Sekaiichi, whether they are really sekai ichi (world number one)... I am not too sure... I do know though, that they're pretty close. :)

Well... at least, Ucchi-san is really almost sekai ichi most kindhearted guy I know!! Ahahahahahahahaha... ^_^;;

Pauchwheel (FINALLY!) @ Shimokita Garage (01/10/11)

New Year's Countdown @ Shimokita Club Que! (duh... 01/01/11)

明けましておめでとう！！！！！！！！

obviously i bootlegged the whole Tsubaki show! muahahahahahahahaahha... But.... UNFORTUNATELY, my dad kept calling me at midnight!!!

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... The audio for Hanabi by Odaka-san was INCOMPLETE! And also Freenote's cover of Style was ALSO incomplete!!!! WTH...........

BUT NEWAYS!!! IT WAS SUPER FUN!!!!


Here's some audio...

FREENOTE! I chose a cover song to upload ^_^





D.W. Nicols Haru Kaze ^_^




And FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tsubaki Friends!!! Here's Odaka covering Hanabi!!!! He did it once before, apparently, at shimokita roundup.. But he's doing it here now again... I think he messed up the lyrics again ahahaha... Although, if memory serves me right, he was still reading from a lyrics (not much, just sometimes)...
But you can REALLLY REALLLY hear Okamoto-san slowing down her drumming to fit Odaka's singing, at times you can hear the beat being dragged out just to fit Odaka's vocals.... I wonder if Okamoto-san misses playing with Isshiki!! I'm sure she does :) They've been together for 8 years after all!! ^_^

FIVE DAYS FORTY BANDS End of the Year Lives @ Shimokita Era - Day 4 (12/29/10)

LINE UP:

the SHUWA /
Christopher Allan Diadora /
pocketlife /
wozniak /
wah-wah /
ボナンザグラム /
kowloon /
wooderd chiarie /


I wanted to see wooderd chiarie but... I think i didn't stay till their set.

It was a little confusing who was playing when... The line up did not follow the way it was listed on the site so I had no idea who was play! ahahahaha

But I do remember pocketlife's show and also... Christopher Allan Diadora..

Christopher Allan Diadora............................... WTF.
The lead singer was like a TOTTTTTTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL Liam Gallagher wannabe... only he's NOT! geh.