Blog - April 2019 Archives

April 2019 Archives

Index

.28 Weekly revue: 2019 week #17 (April 20 to 26)
.28 Weekly revue: 2019 week #16 (April 13 to 19)
.16 Weekly revue: 2019 week #15 (April 6 to 12)
.07 Weekly revue: 2019 week #14 (March 30 to April 5)
.02 Weekly revue: 2019 week #13 (March 23 to 29)

April 28, 2019

Weekly revue: 2019 week #17 (April 20 to 26)

Food: - Steak & more at Meuglement, Nishi-Eifuku
- Curry at Tapir in Snark Liquidworks, Nishi-Ikebukuro

Music event: - On Wednesday April 24, I went to an in-store event by Wakita Monari, held for the release of the vinyl edition of 1st album "I am ONLY"! She sang 5 songs from the album, a masterpiece which I've always enjoyed since its release on CD almost 2 years ago. Of course I couldn't resist the vinyl, and I had the chance to get her autograph, a promo poster and taking a photo together. :) Thanks!!

Set list: Cloudless Night / Dippin / Est! Est!! Est!!! / akai Skirt / Boy Friend

This week's videos:

Kai "Moonlight - Tokyo" (Produced by Yoshida Tetsuto)

RYUtist "Sensitive Sign"

Ema Grace "era"

Weekly revue: 2019 week #16 (April 13 to 19)

Travel: I went to Fukuoka for the first time, mainly to attend conference "RubyKaigi 2019", but at least I had the chance to enjoy some great food and also walking around the Hakata harbor area. I also went to a very nice record shop named Ticro Market where I found a Zin-Säy 12" ("BurBa PaPa", a mini-album I love!), and The Spiders and Michel Polnareff 7"'s. I was also happy to find a copy of free magazine "Afro Fukuoka" which featured singer Manon on the cover (and an interview)!

Music events: - On Sunday April 14, I went to an in-store event featuring Emiri Kanou at Pied Piper House (Tower Records Shibuya 6F), in promotion of her latest single "Friday Night". The event started by a talk show with Pied Piper House's Yoshi Nagato, who asked her about five artists/songs that influenced her. She picked the following songs: Moritaka Chisato "Stress", Eighth Wonder "Will You Remember", Soft Cell "Memorabilia", KinKi Kids "Glass no shonen" and The Strokes "Trying Your Luck".

Following was a mini-live in which she sang songs from the new single ("Friday Night" and "Lucky") and also "Next Town" and "gomenne". That was followed by an autograph session, and I was happy to get the new single signed! She nicknames all of her fan club members (the "Nippon Emiri Association"), calling me "Pato-chan". :) It seems she has been busy preparing a first album, and I can't wait!

Music release news: Wakita Monari, Sunaga t experience, Himeno Tama, Omodaka

This week's videos:

U-zhaan & Ryuichi Sakamoto feat. Tamaki Roy x Chinza Dopeness "Energy Flo"

Himeno Tama "chōsho wa Super Negative"

April 16, 2019

Weekly revue: 2019 week #15 (April 6 to 12)

Food: - Salmon curry & more at Shake Stand, Daitabashi
- Pelmeni at Pelmeni Kitchen, Hatagaya. Not a Russian restaurant, but a bar that serves pelmeni among other good things.

Music events: - On Wednesday I went to event "Soul ni muchuu! vol.6" at Grapefruit Moon, Sangenjaya. It was my first time at this very nice venue. This show was organized by singer hiro:n who I had seen a long time ago, and also featured a solo show by Lemon (ex-Wack Wack Rhythm Band).

Lemon gave a great show karaoke style, with her own songs, covers, TV commercial songs, and a good dose of humor! I had been wanting to see her solo show for a long time. She has such a wonderful soulful voice! Among the original songs she sang was "utahime" written by Konishi Yasuharu (from the album "uta to Guitar. Piano. kotoba.").

This show was also a great occasion to see hiro:n after all this time! She did a set backed by a full band with guitar, bass, drums, keys, sax and percussions (Okyon of Vacation Three, Wack Wack Rhythm Band, etc.). Very fun and funky show! I love her song "Music!!" which involves some crazy clapping.

The other band playing was duo Shuhey with K. It was just guitar and soul vocals with impressive scats. They were very entertaining, with sometimes the singer getting the audience to sing along, and then to conduct them to be quiet, or telling the guitarist to play slower or faster. Haha! Their medleys of soul songs were great!

- Then on Friday I dropped by Pied Piper House (Tower Records Shibuya 6F) to see an in-store talk event featuring Nomiya Maki, in promotion of the reissue of album "miss maki nomiya sings" (originally released in 2000). With her producer and Pied Piper House's Yoshi Nagato, they talked over an hour about the album and its recording, part of which was done in Capri, Italy.

Music release news: Record Store Day 2019, "Sazanami Label 15th Anniversary Sampler Vol.1" & "Vol.2"

This week's video: Haruko Tajima "osozaki GAL"

April 7, 2019

Weekly revue: 2019 week #14 (March 30 to April 5)

Food: - Curry & chai milk shaved ice at Hachi, Toshimaen
- Gyoza at Santō Gyōza Honpo, Ekoda
- Kerala chicken curry at Triangle Curry, Shibuya
- Mexican tacos at QueRico, Shibuya

Music events: - I went to event "Hello, Again SOLEIL!", a live show by band SOLEIL at Shibuya WWW celebrating the end of a half-year hiatus (for the singer's high-school entry test). The band was accompanied by drummer Shirane Kenichi and chorist Shirai Mariko. The sound was excellent, a tight and sophisticated yet gentle rock sound. Aside from a great retrospective of a lot of their music released so far, they played a brand new song ("Mellotron Girl") and a fun cover of "High School Lullaby". They announced a 3rd album titled "Lollipop Sixteen" to be released in July, and also a tour of the same name, with a Tokyo show on Soleil's birthday (July 20).

During the show, Hoshino Michiru made a surprise appearance on stage to give Soleil a flower bouquet, congratulating her for her graduation and her success at the entry test. On the way out I got Soleil's autograph on a set of postcards photographed by Shindō Mitsuo!

Set list: Do You Believe in Magic? / Sweet Boy / Apple Princess Go Go! / Baby Boo / Love Letter in Blue Ink / koi no Happy Date (Gotta Put Myself Together) (Ishino Mako) / High School Lullaby (Imo-kin Trio cover) / Pieces of Candy / Mellotron Girl (new song) / La petite voleuse / Summer Wink / My Sweet Fifteen / Marine I Love You / My Emo-Coloured Corazon / Bittersweet Graduation / Are you happy? / Theme of SOLEIL
Encore (w/ Soleil on drums): Session / Guitar in Love / Pinky Fluffy

- And on the way to see SOLEIL, I dropped by Tower Records Shibuya to catch a bit of Hoshino Michiru's in-store event (I missed the first few songs). I got to hear "One-Time Love", "sayonara Blue Bird" and "gyakkō". I had just got to see her the day before in Shinjuku, and then I got to see her again on SOLEIL's stage. Wow! :)

This week's videos: Cornelius "Audio Architecture"

Orangeade "Never Let Me Go"

April 2, 2019

Weekly revue: 2019 week #13 (March 23 to 29)

Food: - Curry at A-Raj, Ikebukuro
- Dinner at "itoma morning and night", Koenji

Music events: - I went to "Delica Lab" at Batica and got to see Omodaka, Nakatsuka Takeshi, xiangyu and Jegaan Singh Faye (from Hawaii), and also DJs HALa9000, Comoesta Yaegashi, Nakatsuka Takeshi, Wallflower,... Lots of fun! :) I bought Omodaka's "Bridge Song" album and got his autograph!

- On Friday night I dropped by Tower Records Shinjuku for an in-store event by Hoshino Michiru, in promotion of her latest EP "gyakkō". She autographed the CD for me! :)

Set list: Discotheque ni tsuretette / mado kara / One-Time Love / gyakkō / Rock'n'Roll Apple Pie

Music release news: "NON-STANDARD collection - Non-Standard no hibiki -", Gallantique Kazue, Hoshikuzu Scat, "Eternelle Lunna" (movie feat. Soleil) (DVD), Lullatone, HALLCA

This week's video: Haruko Tajima "Let's Lie Down"

« March 2019 | Back to main page | May 2019 »