Blog - December 2018 Archives

December 2018 Archives

Index

.30 Weekly revue: 2018 weeks #51-52 (December 15 to 28)
.18 Weekly revue: 2018 week #50 (December 8 to 14)
.08 Weekly revue: 2018 week #49 (December 1 to 7)
.03 Weekly revue: 2018 week #48 (November 24 to 30)

December 30, 2018

Weekly revue: 2018 weeks #51-52 (December 15 to 28)

Travel: - Last weekend was a short but great trip to Hong Kong! Most of the highlights were eating great food, and also going to watch a wonderful ballet performance of "Nutcracker"! See more photos on Flickr.

Food at Ichu, Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop, The Flying Elk, Kwan Kee, Little Bao Diner, Northern Dumpling Yuan, Lin Heung Kui, Five Guys, Barista Jam, XTC Gelato

Food: ... and in Tokyo:
- Bacon cheeseburger at Shogun Burger, Shinjuku
- Dinner at Tapir, Shin-Ōkubo
- And again lunch at Tapir :)

Music event: The last show I went to in 2018 was "namida vol.14", organized by Yume to Cosme & friends and held at Chelsea Hotel in Shibuya. The all-night event (starting at midnight) featured WHY@DOLL, Yume to Cosme, Wakita Monari, Hoshino Michiru, Kanō Emiri, Orangeade-1, Sawabe Wataru (Skirt) and DJs Yoshida Tetsuto and Usuqui. It had been a really long time since I had been to an all-night event (except for maybe a movie screening 2 years ago), but it was all worth it, and not quite as tiring as I thought. :)

First on stage was WHY@DOLL, who I saw for the first time. The 2-girl idol unit on T-Palette Records has many songs written by Yoshida Tetsuto, and since he was DJing they made a set of songs all written by him! That was the perfect introduction for me. Not only the music was great, but their performance has some really fun dancing. I'll definitely be closely looking for the upcoming works starting with a new EP titled "Hey!" to be released on February 12.

Set list: Que Sera Sera / koi wa Shoo-be-doo-be-doo-ba! / Promises, Promises / Love Story wa shūmatsu ni / Don't Ask Me Why / sumire Iolite

Next on stage was Yume to Cosme (singer Yumi with Hase Yasuhiro on piano) who were backed by a full band with bass, vibraphone(!) and drums. The drummer was Tanabe Manaka (who I had seen before with Milli Milli Bar). The whole sounded really great, the vibraphone adding a really nice touch à la Tokyo's Coolest Combo!

Set list: Yume to Cosme / korette koi da to omounda (Chelip self-cover) / Canal no madobe (Negicco self-cover) / maho no Powderly / zettai! Love Motion

Wakita Monari was next, and she first sang a few of her songs karaoke style. She was then joined by Hase-san (Yume to Cosme) on piano for a house remix version of "inori no kotoba" (a song he wrote for her first album "I am ONLY"). Then the rest of Yume to Cosme's band members joined for "Callin' You" (the lead track of Monari's latest album "Ahead!"). A nice surprise followed when Sawabe Wataru (Skirt) also appeared on stage for a cover of "koi no Boogie-Woogie Train" (originally sung by Ann Lewis) that was quite impressive with Monari's voice! Monari has an upcoming solo show at Roppongi Varit on January 27 to coincide with her birthday (the next day, Jan. 28).

Set list: Just a "Crush for Today" / Peppermint Rainbow / ao no yume / inori no kotoba (House ver.) (w/ Hase Yasuhiro) / Callin' You (w/ band) / koi no Boogie-Woogie Train (cover) (w/ band + Sawabe Wataru)

Then it was Hoshino Michiru's turn to take the stage. She first also sang two songs karaoke-style, "koi no Funfair" (from album "E-I-E-N Voyage") and "Unstable Girl" (from latest album "12 signs of the zodiac"). Then she sat at the piano to perform two songs entirely solo, including the upbeat "Discotheque ni tsuretette" (from "You Love Me"). Last she was also joined by Yume to Cosme's band for "nagareboshi Rendez-vous" which sounded so great with vibes! Michiru has an upcoming show on January 19, the last of her "Atelier rururu Michiru" series at Vivid Sound Studio. She has just started her own record label "yoi Record-gaisha" ("Good Record Company") so there should be plenty to look forward to in 2019! I can't wait!

Set list: koi no Funfair / Unstable Girl / Discotheque ni tsuretette (at the piano) / kawazoi no machi (at the piano) / nagareboshi Rendez-vous (w/ band)

Next up was Kanou Emiri who I had seen for the first time last month. Writing and producing the songs herself, which take inspiration from the 80's, she also dances funnily for a quite irresistible result! Her first 7" single will be released on February 13. She has announced a release & birthday event that day, as it's also her birthday.

Then there was a set by Orangeade-1, two of the three members of band Orangeade plus support musicians. Also featured was guest Tsujibayashi Miho who I happened to see randomly (part of the "Guitar Pop Festival" event) a month before. She used to be part of band Orange with two of the members of Orangeade. Their show was great and I ended up buying their brand new first mini-album "Broccoli is Here"!

It was getting a bit late but last to perform was Sawabe Wataru (Skirt) so I had to check out his show (I remember seeing him with his band quite a while ago)! He performed mostly freshly written songs, including a song he wrote for band SOLEIL this year, "Bittersweet Graduation". He played that one in his own style, in the arrangement he first sent as a demo (the song then got re-arranged by the band to end up sounding like "1964" instead of "1968", haha!).

By the way the event's DJs Yoshida Tetsuto and Usuqui were a lot of fun too! I got Yoshida Tetsuto's "TETTO" T-shirt, an new wardrobe favorite! All-in-all it was a great evening, and an excellent show for me to end year 2018.

Music release news: MaCWorry Hillbillies, Wakita Monari, Agata Morio

This week's video: YMCK "neko nadetai"

December 18, 2018

Weekly revue: 2018 week #50 (December 8 to 14)

Food: - Xiaolongbao and okowa @ Taiwan Tanpao, Jūjō
- Pulao plate & mutton curry @ Asia Curry House, Kinshichō

Music event: - On Friday night I dropped by event "SOLEIL & Shibuya-kei & Christmas" at Green Apple, Koenji. Featured was guest DJ Sally Kubota (SOLEIL, Les 5-4-3-2-1, Phantom Gift), and the event's theme being Shibuya-kei made for a great opportunity to hear plenty of Sally's definition! He played a lot of songs, including Les 5-4-3-2-1 ("Bond Street" from "Sushi 3003", a compilation that really got me into the genre), Phantom Gift ("Heart ni OK!"), Pizzicato Five ("From Party To Party"), Nomiya Maki ("Twiggy Twiggy"), Kaji Hideki ("Theme from The First Question Award"), Negicco ("ai, kamashitai no"), April March, Jane Birkin ("Ex-fan des sixties"), and many more! SOLEIL's new single "Baby Boo" had just got released a few days earlier, so I took the opportunity to get it autographed! Yay! :D

Movie: - I had the great opportunity to see the first screening in Japan of the newly remastered & English-subtitled version of Macoto Tezka's "The Legend of the Stardust Brothers" (1985)! This year the cult rock musical got screened for the first time outside of Japan, 33 years after its completion. I had seen the movie twice before, once on rented DVD and another time at Theatre Shinjuku last winter. Despite that I understood the story well before, seeing it with English subtitles allowed me to catch some details I had otherwise missed. I'm really hopeful that this new version will get the movie shown in many other countries for the people around the world to appreciate it! You can find a full report of the talk show that followed the movie here.

Good news! Both this 1985 movie and its sequel "The Brand New Legend of the Stardust Brothers" (2016) are being released on DVD next March 2, and also as a deluxe Amazon" target="_blank">Blu-ray boxed set! Of course I've reserved mine already. :) (These might not have the English subtitles though as they're made for Japan.) Anyway don't miss your chance to see them if you have a chance.

It was also my first time to enter the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan. There was an exhibition of Kusama Yayoi in the hall.

Entertainment: - Went to see kickboxing event "King of Knock Out 2018". It was held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, a place famous for sumo wrestling that I visited for the first time. There were about 8 matches of up to five 3-minute rounds. It was an impressive and thrilling show, with some matches using up all rounds but also others ending by knock out, which can get a bit scary..!

Music release news: Sokabe Keiichi, LUNASUN

December 8, 2018

Weekly revue: 2018 week #49 (December 1 to 7)

Jūjō, Kita-ku, Tokyo

Food: - Palestinan restaurant Bisan, Jujo
- Hamburger steak at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Shibuya
- Bacon cheeseburger at Fatburger, Shibuya

Music events: I caught two in-store mini-live events in one day at Tower Records Shibuya. :)

- First was Tentenko, who just released cat-themed mini-album "All You Need is Cat". She performed 4 songs from this release, accompanied by a cat that looks similar to the real cat she owns. All songs are very good! Check out the video for original song "Animal's Pre-Human" below, with music performed by band neco nemuru. It was my first time seeing her solo performance, and she somehow reminded me a bit of Hamada Mari (Modern Choki Chokies).

Set list: nezumi yo kore ga taiheiyō da (Original: Endō Kenji) / The Siamese Cat Song (from Disney movie "Lady and the Tramp") / The Lovecats (Original: The Cure) / Animal's Pre-Human

- And a little bit later on the same stage, Wakita Monari also did a mini-live in promotion of her new single "Just a 'Crush for Today'". This time she also sang two songs from her first album "I am ONLY": "I'm with you" (produced by Fukutomi Yukihiro) and "inori no kotoba" (written by Yume to Cosme's Hase Yasuhiro).

Set list: Callin' You (Nite in the Groove Mix) / I'm with you / inori no kotoba / yasashii uso / Just a "Crush for Today"

Music release news: (M)otocompo, Motocompo, Hime to Mahou, Tentenko, SOLEIL

This week's videos: Tentenko "Animal's Pre-Human"

Vacation Three "Blue Submarine"

Learners "Cassis Oolong"

December 3, 2018

Weekly revue: 2018 week #48 (November 24 to 30)

Food: - Spice Hut's chiken & oyster curries at Bar Hoshio, Shinjuku
- Chocolate & strawberry ice cream at Tomihisa Ice Cream, Shinjuku
- Bacon cheeseburger at Shogun Burger, Shinjuku

Music events: - On Sunday November 25 at Under Deer Lounge in Shibuya was Wack Wack Rhythm Band's event for their 26th anniversary and also the release of their two new 7"'s! The event started with full sets by Joe Nakamura & Eastwoods and Cat Boys. Both were great! I had heard Cat Boys' name a few times but never quite knew what to expect, but turns out they're a trio with a cool instrumental sound of keyboards, bass and drums. They reminded me of the Beastie Boys' instrumental works (like "The Mix-Up").

Then Wack Wack Rhythm Band played a set of over an hour, including lots of favorites! Part of the set were guest appearances by ex-vocalists Toshie and Lemon who sang together "Weekend" (an early song that I love from their first album "Weekend Jack" which was just reissued) and "Ain't Got No, I Got Life" (a classic cover of the Lemon years), and another of Hoshino Michiru who sang "I close my eyes" (the B-side of their new "Easy Riding" single) and "Long Island Margarita" (a non-rap version of WWRB's signature song "Wack Wack Rhythm Island"). Also Yamashita Hiroshi sang "otokotachi no Melody" (another fav from "Weekend Jack"). There was so much more too! What a great fun show!

- I dropped by HMV record shop Shinjuku Alta on the release day of Wakita Monari's new single "Just a 'Crush on Today'". She sang both songs from the new single, plus three from 2nd album "Ahead!" (one in its remix version released digitally). I got the new 7" autographed and even got to take a photo with her! :D

Set list: Callin' You (Nite in the Groove Mix) / Dear / ai no Decandence / yasashii uso / Just a "Crush on Today"

- Following the show at Barneys New York in Ginza the other day, this week Tokyo Panorama Mambo Boys played another show at the shop in Shinjuku. The venue was on the 9th floor, with Shinjiku night lights shining in through the large window. The place was quite packed with about no distance between band and audience, and it was a lot of fun! Songs included "Dentaku", "Bla Bla ChaChaCha", "Tequila", "Oye Como Va", "Quien Sera" and "Dynamite Mambo" (feat. Sorimachi Akira), to finish with a mambo medley. Burlesque dancer Miss Cabaretta also appeared twice. They'll play once more part of the same tour on Friday December 7 from 18:30 at Barneys New York in Roppongi (details here).

Music release news: BANK

This week's videos:

Van Goose "Last Bus"

Francis avec Haruko "Joy of a Toy"

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