Blog - February 2020 Archives

February 2020 Archives

Index

.29 Weekly revue: 2020 week #7 (February 15 to 21)
.15 Weekly revue: 2020 week #6 (February 8 to 14)
.09 Weekly revue: 2020 week #5 (February 1 to 7)
.03 Weekly revue: 2020 week #4 (January 25 to 31)

February 29, 2020

Weekly revue: 2020 week #7 (February 15 to 21)

Food: - Fried fugu (and also pizza and several other great dishes!) at Guerrero, Shimokitazawa
- White omrice at Usagi, Aoyama

Music events: - On Sunday February 16 was event "Tricolor Ch." presented by The Lady Spade in collaboration with Usaxa. The event also featured several other artists including Yoshida Tetsuto, Matsunaga Temma (Urbangarde), Saoriiiii, and DJs Evenyan Rollercoaster & Josée Mattanashi (both ex-Kit Cat). I went there looking forward to pretty much each and every of them! It was my first time going to Live Inn Rosa in Ikebukuro.

I got there as the doors opened (although there was a nice line of people waiting to enter), and entered as Eve-nyan & Josée were playing a back-to-back DJ set. That was followed by a first show of The Lady Spade and an appearance by Usaxa, who performed together their new collaboration song "futari de All Night Long". It had been a while since I had seen The Lady Spade, this time singer ATG was accompanied by one maid dancer, and of course DJ/MC SLF!!

Next up was Yoshida Tetsuto, who did a set of songs he wrote for WHY@DOLL and Kai, also a cover of Emiri Kanou's hit song "Gomenne" (which he remixed on her album "GREENPOP") and his own debut song "hitomeguri"! It was my first time seeing him play a solo set, and that was a lot of fun! I'm really looking forward to his first solo album he says he's been working on!

Then I was really happy to see Eve-nyan Rollercoaster (previously Evenyan Laurent, ex-Kit Cat & Nyantokanyaru's), who during her DJ sets sang three solo songs that were great! I was hoping to buy her CD but she hadn't brought any. Next time hopefully!

Followed more good shows by Saoriiiii (previously known as Saori@destiny) and Matsunaga Temma (Urbangarde), then finally another set by The Lady Spade. That was an excellent event with no time to rest!

Yoshida Tetsuto set list: Promises, Promises (WHY@DOLL) / Moonlight Tokyo (Kai) / Gomenne (Emiri Kanou) / hitomeguri / futari de ikite yukereba (WHY@DOLL)

- On the day preceding the release of Wakita Monari's LP edition of 2nd album "AHEAD!", I went to see her at an in-store event HMV record shop Shinjuku Alta. It's an excellent album, so of course I had to get it on vinyl. :) I had the chance to get her autograph and also to take a photo together.

Set list: Peppermint Rainbow / I'm with you / Highway / Callin' You

w/ WAKITA Monari

- Then on Friday I went to a free event of Ginza Sony Park's "Park Live" series which featured Maika Loubté and Miho Hatori (New Optimism, ex-Cibo Matto)! I got there early and caught a good seat, and that was an amazing show! Miho first did about five of her own songs solo style, which was very cool! I love Miho's rapping, which always sounds very unique. According to an interview on the radio the next Monday (she was guest on Nomiya Maki and Kaji Hideki's "Shibuya no Radio no Shibuya-kei" show), she seems to be working on some new stuff!

Next up was Maika who played a full set of her songs, mostly from her latest album "Closer". She was accompanied by her manipulator who was also part of her solo show last year, so she could mainly concentrate on singing, while of course playing some phrases on her keyboards. The set ended with "Snappp", her collaboration song with Miho! It was their first time performing it live. Talk about a dream-come-true show, for both performers and spectators! And free!? Thanks so much! :)

Maika Loubté set list: Celine / Numbers / Prismé / Skydiver / You and I / Nobara / Snappp feat. New Optimism

- After that, I ran to a reggae bar named Open in Shinjuku to see a DJ set by my friend Don Miller who was in town visiting from the U.S.! The event was titled "Authentic". The venue has an impressive speaker set-up, which despite the looks sounded rather gentle. I do like reggae and dub, so it was fun to enjoy that in its best environment. There was also a band named Kyouken Trio playing, a trio of two guitars (with a strange square-ish one) and drums. They were great too! The venue's owner, apparently a famous guy in the scene, joined for a few songs.

Music release news: Marianne Shinonome

Maika Loubté "Snappp feat. New Optimism"

February 15, 2020

Weekly revue: 2020 week #6 (February 8 to 14)

Food: - Babbi chocolate & pistachio soft ice cream at Isetan
- Non-veg meals at Andhra Kitchen, Okachimachi
- Katsudon at Tarekatsu, Hibiya

Exhibition: Had the chance to go see the "Mummies of the World" exhibition at the National Museum of Nature and Science. It was very crowded on a public holiday, with a 30-minute waiting line to enter. The exhibition was impressive, with over 40 mummies in various states brought from several countries including a few from Japan. Having always had somewhat of an interest, whenever seeing documentaries on TV, it was a good opportunity to find out more. The exhibition goes on until February 24.

Mummy me

Music event: I went to event "On Wednesdays" at Kabuki Lounge! It was the 43th edition, and its 7th anniversary! Along resident DJs Gō and Modspanda, there was also guest DJ Usakura Beni who played a 1-hour set. Lots of great music! :)

I've been to "On Wednesdays" a few times over the last year or so, and I look forward to more fun events! Also despite that it's been announced that Avandoned (Usakura Beni's idol group) will be disbanding, I look forward to Beni's other activities such as with Childish Tones and as a DJ (she also makes mixtapes and indie zines).

Music release news: Wakita Monari, Learners

This week's video: Mameshiba no taigun "Rocket Start" feat. comedian & producer Kuro-chan
(My friend directed it!)

February 9, 2020

Weekly revue: 2020 week #5 (February 1 to 7)

Food: - Curry at Marologa Bhavan, Araiyakushi
- Cake and ice cream at Sunday Bake Shop, Hatagaya (Recently moved). Congrats for 11 years!!
- Milk ice coffee at Peace, Shinjuku

Music event: On Friday February 7, I went to hang out at "Elektel's Lounge" at Koenji Connection. Elektel's polymoog and Ueken played new and old favorite tracks, while chatting about music topics. Always fun! :)

Music release news: Dé Dé Mouse, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Reina Nosa, SOLEIL

February 3, 2020

Weekly revue: 2020 week #4 (January 25 to 31)

Food: - Tomato mutton keema curry at Tapir (in Snark Liquidworks, Nishi-Ikebukuro)
- Lamb meatballs, fish & chips and sausage at Bespoque, Higashi-Nakano
- Tuna everything at Maguromart, Nakano
- Cake at Kies, Nishi-Ogikubo, while reading issues of Beikoku Ongaku!

Music event: I went to Haruko Tajima's first solo show! Titled "New Wave Gyaru", it was held at Shibuya WWW, one of my favorite venues. I had been a fan of Haruko since hearing Francis avec Haruko (her unit with Francis aka Ori Makoto), which was a year or so before the release of her album "Holy Holy Holy Holy" which was full of good tracks. And since then she seems to have gone a long way, with new album "kawaiiresist" which has yet more personality. Anyway, so this time was actually my first time catching Haruko's live performance (except with Francis), and it was an amazing one backed by DJ and VJ throughout. The show started with an animated opening movie that was really cute and awesome, in which Haruko gets abducted by aliens (lol!), and I hope it will show up online some time to see it again.

The show mainly featured Haruko singing over her tracks, well mixed by DJ Nonono. Instead of only singing her main vocal track, during some bits vocals are left in the mix and she sings harmonies over that. There was an appearance by MC Wassyoisamba for "Chifure GANG" (watch the video below), and also the gyaru dancers from the "Happy Duty" video who all contributed to make the show even more fun. Then at one time Haruko ran around giving away fake dollar bills to the audience using a toy that makes them fly very fast (YMCK had done the same in their "Family Circus" show in November). While most of the show was songs from the last two albums, she also treated some older tracks like "Biosphere kara ai o komete" and "Mongolian Death Worm Waltz" (from "Haruconium").

It was really cool that this first big show turned out to be a success! I'm always looking forward to what she'll be up to next.

Set list: Flood Of The Vibes / Selfie / More than human / Lipstic / Osozaki Gal / My Era / Chifure Gang feat. Wassyoisamba / Happy Duty (w/ Gyaru dancers) / Holy❤︎computer / SUN Jewel / Flood Of The Vibes (DJ Nonono Remix) / Human Rights Max Princess / Miracle Controller / Biosphere kara ai o komete / Ending / Astral Gal
Encore: Tik Tok Angels (w/ Gyaru dancers) / Mongolian Death Worm Watlz / Let's Lie Down
Closing: Oyasumi Higher Self
(Spotify playlist by Haruko of most of the songs)

Exhibition: Randomly found an exhibition with Mazinger Z and Grandizer robots, in Nakano Broadway!

Music release news: Haruko Tajima, Keith / The Arbors (Readymade mirai no ongaku), Pollyanna, Crazy Ken Band, Controversial Spark, "Silent Running", Maika Loubté

This week's videos: Haruko Tajima "Chifure GANG feat. Wassyoisamba"

Reina Nosa "City Blue Carnival"

POLYANNA "pantomime"

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