White Nights in Los Angeles

Spring 2008 Concerts

nobody@vox.com(Tommy) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 14:33:34 -0800

What is it about spring that makes the concerts so good?
(Bolds are ones I can't miss, natch)

3/13 (Thursday) - the pillows / noodles / The Outline @ the El Rey, Los Angeles
3/17 (Monday) - the pillows / noodles / The Outline @ Slim's, San Francisco
3/23 (Sunday) - JAPAN NITE @ the Knitting Factory, Los Angeles
5/27 (Tuesday) - Ladytron @ the Fillmore, San Francisco
5/29 (Thu) and 5/30 (Fri) - Ladytron @ the Henry Fonda, Los Angeles

Any more in the neighborhood?

I'm psyched, really, about the pillows, noodles, and the Outline - THREE bands I love - on the same concert.

And Japan Nite? Last year it offered six amazing bands, incl. GO!GO!7188, Oreskaband, and Asakusa Jinta, at once. This year, the lineup isn't anyone I've heard of before, but from their MySpace samples and band profiles it promises to be an awesome and eclectic indie evening. It's always a fun concert. ;)

-Tommy

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Lists: 20 Stereolab Song Sample Platter

nobody@vox.com(Tommy) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:15:22 -0800

Forgive the dangerously high levels of scene in this post, but sometimes, a little Stereolab hits the spot like a fresh vanilla latte at your local indie coffee shop. And, while the quality of the band varies from album to album, they still always manage to be charmingly introverted, well-layered, and cohesive.

Their albums, by the way, are all pretty amazing, but their strongest offerings are, IMHO, Sound-Dust, Emperor Tomato Ketchup, and (don't pelt me with rocks here) Margerine Eclipse.

So here's a list of twenty songs, in no particular order, that you should be able to enjoy whether you're a longtime fan of the band or have never heard of them, spanning their discography. Put them together and they're sure to make a good mix tape. ;)

20. Visionary Road Maps (Fab Four Suture - 2006)

Fab Four Suture was in many ways a disappointing album - there wasn't anything WRONG with it, per se, but there wasn't a lot that was memorable, either. It was generally an exhibition of cool ideas more akin to a jam band but without too many memorable hooks - a pleasant listen, but not on par with their previous offerings. But Visionary Road Maps stands out and gives you the vocal layers and plain old rock you crave.

19. Brakhage (Dots and Loops - 1997)

The opener to Dots and Loops is a charming Zen round about needing too many things in our lives. The vocal counterpoint between Laeticia Sadier and Mary Hansen (prior to the poor woman's death by bus) is one of early Stereolab's most charming features, and blends charmingly here with vibraphone loops, guitar, synths, and a really really good groove.

18. K-Stars (Peng - 1992)

This subdued little number about alienated, lazy Parisian twentysomethings not only resonates with an alienated, lazy, Angeleno twentysomething like myself, but also happens to be a gorgeous synth-and-organ-heavy number that draws you into its depths as you listen. This simple song is as evocative of traditional chansons as it is hypnotic and beautiful.

17. Pack Yr Romantic Mind (Transient Random Noise-Bursts With Announcements - 1993)

Ignoring that both the title, and at least one song, of this album references those extremely creepy numbers stations, the second track on Transient Random Noise-Bursts With Announcements is a repeating chorus with your typical assortment of vocal layers, weird synths, and subdued yet powerful lyrics. Again, this song is kind of a one-off jam, but with the right subtle beauty.

16. French Disko (Refried Ectoplasm - Switched On, Vol. 2 - 1995)

Just in case you suspect that this rock band can't rock, enter French Disko, which hits you like a train. Still a simple vamp on a single chord figure with a repeating chorus, it's a well-harmonized, simple, and splendid number. Actually, perhaps it's outdone by its simplicity - occasionally Stereolab likes to shed its skin and get back down to the simple rock of it all.

15. Italian Shoes Continuum (Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night - 1999)

Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night was totally panned by Pitchfork Media, which is perhaps why I think it's such a good album. This entire song floats along on dreamy harmonies, sweeping vocal effects, lush horns, and quirky samples, and that's why I love it. Oh, also, halfway through it falls apart and becomes this totally weird, oversampled upbeat number. This is typical of Stereolab Songwriting Method #2, which is to write two songs and string them together loosely.

14. Ping Pong (Mars Audiac Quintet - 1994)

While Mars Audiac Quintet isn't a particularly memorable Stereolab album for me, Ping Pong stands out as a sweet and plain-ol' rock number with a nice vocal breakdown. It's just good. I can't really say anything else about it. Also the lyrics seem violently leftist, just for fun.

13. The Man With 100 Cells (Margerine Eclipse - 2004)

This strange waltz/shanty swims around you in organs and synthesizers, using overdub to accomplish what they once would've used Mary Hansen for. The feel of it is dark and tumultuous, and the nautical storm metaphor doesn't help matters. When the storm kicks in, you really feel it.

12. You Little Shits (Peng! - 1992)

This 7/4 repeat plays a bit like a meditative mantra, with metaphysical lyrics and Indian-scale sitar-emulating guitar solos. It's kinda funny; when you need to close your eyes and breathe, you don't usually expect to do so to a song called "You Little Shits."

11. Puncture in the Radak Pernutation (Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night - 1999)

This song is one of Stereolab's swirliest, with horns, vibraphone, marimba, and ba-ba-de-doos in the vocals surrounding you at all times. Mary Hansen's lead vocals give the song a more mystic feel through the chant portion before Laeticia Sadier takes control in in the upbat 6/8 part, taking a more commanding and chaotic tone. Did I mention there's a vocoder and a marimba?

10. Cybele's Reverie (Emperor Tomato Ketchup - 1996)

The most straightforward Stereolab possibly in ever, this chanson-like rock ballad is evocative of the 60s jet-set era, with its charming French lyrics, strings, and thick jazz harmonies. Of course, the breakdown is a little more spacy, synthy, and Stereolabby, but it goes back to the A section like a pro. It reminds me a little of Pizzicato Five's Romantique '96 - a France-themed, string-heavy album that came out that same year.

9. Infinity Girl (Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night - 1999)

This song is downright funky, with a sweet bassline and nice, swimming vibraphone harmonization. Like all Stereolab songs, it relies heavily on a blend of sound-patterns and loops, and does it splendidly.

8. Lo Boob Oscillator (Switched On - Refried Ectoplasm, Vol. 2 - 1995)

This is the Stereolab song that was in Hi Fidelity, in case you remember that scene. This mellow, jaunt is classic Stereolab - same chord repetition, French lyrics, ample exploitation of Laeticia Sadier's low range, choral harmonies, bleepy little accent, and a good fundamental base.

7. Motoroller Scalatron (Emperor Tomato Ketchup - 1996)

I love this song. It reads like a socialist 7/4 chant with amazing rhythms, splendid vocal harmonies and a buzzy synth for good measure. The lyrics are easy to get around and the background vocals are great. "What's society built on? / It's built on bluff / What's society built on? / It's built on words" may not seem all that profound, but it's transformed rhythmically so as to be splendid.

6. The Free Design (Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night - 1999)

This upbeat and schizoid waltz is a splendidly positive experience. Immersive horns, soaring vocals, vibes, weird percussion, organs, topped off with a weird jazz flute. The blending of vocal and horn sampling before boogieing down with some real brass is the instrumental climax of the song.

5. "Sudden Stars..." (Margerine Eclipse - 2004)

Margerine Eclipse (and for the record, they do spell it that way) was perhaps Stereolab's greatest test - could they release an album without Mary Hansen? The second vocalist's death was not only traumatic to them, but challenged their sound, especially as far as their vocal counterpoint and overlays were concerned. Many fans wondered if they'd ever be the same. When the album came out, it easily assuaged those fears, and the vocal treatment is very evident in this song: Enter the overdub. This song swims around you and draws you in before rocking just enough. A dreamy but upbeat number, it's carried heavily by the ambient guitar and overdubbed vocals of Sadier. The hole in music's heart left by Mary Hansen's death can still be felt, but the album and the song alike are splendidly crafted.

4. The Noise of Carpet (Emperor Tomato Ketchup - 1996)

One of Stereolab's best - and most famous - songs, The Noise of Carpet gets back to the rock and is as edgy and confrontational as five passive-aggressive French introverts can possibly be. The lyrics convey the feeling of being in someone's corner, even when you're fed up with them. This song is totally guilty of the Stereolab One-Chord Method of Songwriting, by the way, and vamps out on the same chord for about twelve years. It's a strong testament to how well it's done that that doesn't even bother me.

3. Baby Lulu (Sound-Dust - 2001)

It hasn't been adequately represented in this list of 15 years of Stereolab, so you probably wouldn't guess that Sound-Dust is my favorite Stereolab album, not to mention one of my favorite albums of all time. And, as such, this is one of my favorite songs. Everything about it is exceptional - the horns, marimba, organ, and creepy reverse cymbals, not to mention the ambient percussion and vocals in the introduction, all giving way to an amazing triple-compound section that carries you. And, then, harp samples, horns, and mystic vocals, of course. However, it's the trombones that make this song as amazing as it is.

2. Vonal Declosion (Margerine Eclipse - 2004)

This song is so good, I can forgive them for cannibalizing the drum intro to another one of their songs to start it off. As the first song on Margerine Eclipse, Vonal Declosion was essentially tasked with the burden of proof vis-a-vis Stereolab's ability to continue rocking after suffering a terrible loss. It delivered, and sent an impression to last the album. Although this has every complicated layer, sweet synth, overlaid vocal, and charming guitar you'd expect from a Stereolab song, it is just so friggin' rad. The lead/synth combo, not to mention the airy string synth in the bridge, compliment Sadier's vocals splendidly. In fact, the only downside to this song is that it fades out rather abruptly, when you're anything but ready to let it go.

1. Captain Easychord (Sound-Dust - 2001)

Although I should stress that this list is in no way a ranking, all the same, here it is: the best Stereolab song ever.
Words can't do it justice, so here is my review:

Captain Easychord

Stereolab

Hopefully you'll seek out these and other songs and give the band a listen if you haven't before. Or make a mix tape comprised of these songs.

BONUS MENTION: Jenny Ondioline (Transient Random Noise Bursts With Announcements - 1993)

If you listen to a lot of early Stereolab, one question you might have is "how long can they keep playing the same chord?" Answer: Eighteen minutes and eight seconds. It may be too big to fit on most mix CDs (although it is perfect if the theme of your mix tape is "eighteen-minute-long songs by pretentious French-British bands," in which case I would like a copy of your mix), and it's a very simple rock song with another very simple rock song ("Exploding Head Movie" from Refried Ectoplasm, incidentally) fading in. So it's kind of like a medley, but it's weird, because it is and it isn't, you know?

-Tommy

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Album Review: GO!GO!7188 - 569

nobody@vox.com(Tommy) — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 11:39:40 -0800

GO!GO!7188 is one of my favorite Japanese bands these days, and for a number of reasons: the depth and complexity they manage to bring to a band that, I must often remind myself, is a three-piece rock set; the fusion of unmistakable surf-rock, traditional Japanese scales and enka/kayokyoku; their often quirky, coquettish lyrics; the clear influence of Shiina Ringo on lead singer Yuu's own vocal talent. Yes, there are plenty of reasons to like this band, but "subdued introversion" is not something that would've been on my list... until now.

In other words, "569" is a lot of rock, but peppered with just a tiny bit more introspective quiet than one might expect. Take track 5, "Sekai no shasou" (世界の車窓 - "The world's car window."), where a chorus of soaring guitar and harmonies turns this jaunty 6/8 number into a clear blue sky. Or track 6, "Nemuri no asase" (眠りの浅瀬 - "Shoals of Sleep"), which, despite being a rock song, carries you on its subtle harmonies and blend of surf rock, spatial vocal delay, and pentatonic chorus - this one's my favorite track, and reminds me of some of EGO-WRAPPIN'S more space-oriented stuff.

This album takes a little getting used to - you won't necessarily fall for it at first listen - but it definitely joins the pantheon of excellent GO!GO! fare. Now, in my opinion, of the band's five previous full-length albums (Ryozetsuran, Dasoku Houkou, Gyotaku, Tategami, and PARADE - not counting the cover album "Tora no Ana"), only "Ryozetsuran" has stood out as anything less than perfectly crafted. But all the same, 569 still takes a different sort of direction; still great rock, but at times, a little softer, a little more private.

And, at other times, it's the same ol' schtick: sassy, sophisticated, yet simple rock by two tiny, cute Japanese girls and their rad-dude drummer. And it makes sense that the album title, "569" is a cheap Japanese pun that is read "ごろっく", or "GO ROCK!" And the rock songs get a little dirtier; Track 2, "Nounai Travel" (脳内トラベル - "Travel within the brain") is plain-up dirty-sounding ska, track 4 "Sannin no Boogeyman" (３人のブギーマン - "3-person boogeyman") is a two-step number remnant of Shiina Ringo's "meisai," and track 7, "Rock Star ni natta nara" is tongue-in-cheek groove with an absolutely amazing chorus/refrain. But it's track 8, "Chain" (チェーン) where this album really stands out, owning us all with a fuzzy bass-driven groove in 11 (and, for the record, it's not the pretentious kind of polymeter, either - there's no sonic jam-band masturbation gracing this track, I assure you). And all that's ignoring the awesome that is the album's two flagship songs from their summer single - "Manatsu no Dance Hall" (真夏のダンスホール) and "I'm Lucky Girl" (アイムラッキーガール), which are both completely excellent - the former, a sweet surf-rock number and the latter, a schizophrenic, quirky upbeat rock.

All in all, this is a great album from a great band. I'd put up a few songs for your sampling pleasure, but Vox is keeping me from doing so.

-Tommy

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Concerts

nobody@vox.com(Tommy) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 15:54:55 -0700

I've been away in Tokyo, but luckily my return to LA has netted me a plethora of concert offerings for fall 2007. So here are some dates of bands I love and appearances of interest throughout California. I've also bolded the ones I personally plan to attend if I can get tickets:

August 30 - Let's Go Sailing @ Roxy, Los Angeles
September 26 - Hello Stranger @ Roxy, Los Angeles (First show since they went into hiding, I'd bet new songs.)
September 26 - Ladytron @ 4th & B, San Diego
~~September 27 - Ladytron & Pet Shop Boys @ the Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles~~ (Cancelled - BOOO!)
September 27 - Ladytron @ TBD, Los Angeles???
September 29 - Ladytron @ Mezzanine, San Francisco
October 2 - Metric @ Glass House, Pomona
October 3 - Metric @ House of Blues, San Diego
October 5 - Metric @ Henry Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles [bought my ticket already]
October 6 - Metric @ Download Festival, San Francisco
October 13 - Polysics @ Troubadour, West Hollywood
October 19 - The Go! Team @ Mezzanine, San Francisco
October 20 - The Go! Team @ Glass House, Pomona
October 21 - The Go! Team @ Echoplex, Los Angeles [also bought ticket already - this is TWO BLOCKS from my house!]
October 22 - The Go! Team! KCRW Radio Session, Los Angeles (Not a concert, but an NPR radio session!)
October 23 - múm @ Belly Up, San Diego
October 24 - múm @ The Orpheum, Los Angeles
October 30 - The Polyphonic Spree @ The Grove, Anaheim
October 31 - The Polyphonic Spree @ The Fillmore, San Francisco
November 1 - The Polyphonic Spree @ Belly Up, San Diego
November 2 - The Polyphonic Spree @ Henry Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles
November 16 - Polysics @ Warfield, San Francisco
November 17 - Polysics @ Soma, San Diego
November 18 - Polysics @ Wiltern, Los Angeles
November 19 - Polysics @ Wiltern, Los Angeles (again)
November 20 - Polysics @ The Grove, Anaheim
November 23 - Polysics @ House of Blues, Las Vegas

And what else am I missing?

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Let's Go Sailing live show @ Troubadour

nobody@vox.com(Tommy) — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 02:47:27 -0700

Quick post since I'm muy tired.

Let's Go Sailing tonight (6/7) @ the Troubadour in WeHo. I'm going - anyone else can stop by and dig this mellow, charming local band.

-Tommy

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Shibuya-kei Lives: capsule

nobody@vox.com(Tommy) — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 03:43:23 -0700

Since Pizzicato Five (the quirkiest thing to come out of Japan since Hello Kitty) broke up in 2001, I wondered if Shibuya might be taking a breather on the music scene for awhile. After all, between a sudden trend in amazing groups from places as disparate as Asakusa (on Tokyo's east end) or Osaka (on Japan's west), combined with a resurgence of rock on the Japanese scene, Shibuya - while still a mega-important series of venues and a major club scene - could easily be perceived as a stage rather than a source of new and exciting music.

After all, by the turn of the century, Shibuya-kei - the "Shibuya sound" born from the techno-glitz and neon optimism of Tokyo's trendiest hotspot - seemed quirky, quaint, and antiquated, if not still delightful. Pizzicato Five breaking up seemed at the time to be the death knell for a style of music that, for me, characterized the global optimism of the technological revolution that occurred in the industrialized world during the 90s. Combining elements of 60s go-go music, sampling, rock, electronica and dance (particularly house) with cutesy synths, pop vocals, vocoders, and breakbeats, the genre symbolized a cutting-edge Japan that still refuses to sleep and represents a decade in which Japan's pop-culture was suddenly and grandiosely exported to the world as a whole - especially America. On the darker side, it also embodied the glitz-and-glamor culture of the moneyed kids who make Shibuya their chief haunt.

Indeed, the scene changed, as scenes tend to, and I can't profess to know what happened in a shift of a local scene that occurred on the other side of the world from me. What I CAN profess to know is that Shibuya-kei never died; it just sighed a little bit and took a nap.

Want proof? Listen to capsule, one of the children of Yasutaka Nakata's "contemode" label. Consisting of a Pizzicato Five-like duo of Nakata and vocalist Toshiko Koshijima, capsule couldn't be more influenced by Pizzicato Five if they were trying to be - and they are. Started in 2001 - the year P5 broke up - it feels almost like a continuation of the brilliant evolution P5 began more than 20 years ago. In fact, the first track that comes to mind when listening to capsule's latest album is the spirit of one of P5's most successful domestic singles, "Tokyo wa yoru no shichiji" (packaged outside Japan as "The Night is Still Young") - a song that is, amazingly, 15 years old.

However, as influential as P5 may have been to the Shibuya sound, capsule possesses a more straight-up house and dance style that has only evolved over time. Compare the two selections I've chosen for y'all today; the first, a straight-up badass track called Starry Sky, is from their February 2007 album "Sugarless GiRL," one of the best electronic albums I've heard all year. The second, Uchuu Elevator (Space Elevator) is from 2004's "S.F. sound furniture," and it's considerably more obvious with this track how deepy the 90s Shibuya-kei movement inspired this newer generation.

Another facet of this, as fans of the contemode label will point out, is the gradual fusion between Perfume and capsule; while I don't deny - or decry - this evolution to a more danceable techno style between older tracks like Tokyo Smiling (2005) and newer ones like Sugarless GiRL (2007), you still have to note the retro-futura chic and clear stylistic reference to Pizzicato Five. To be honest, in the six years capsule has been around, their discography has managed to stay as interesting and diverse as, say, the soundtrack to Katamari Damacy, a soundtrack which was a major tribute in and of itself to Shibuya-kei. And that's what makes them as wonderful as Pizzicato Five - the ability to surprise you with each new offering.

So sing no elegies for the Shibuya sound - just dye your hair punk colors, don some in-line skates and knee-socks, play Dreamcast, and do other shit that was popular in 1999. As for me, I'd better go dig my raver pants out of the closet.

-Tommy

Starry Sky

capsule

04 宇宙エレベーター

capsule

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Coachella '07 - Friday Concert Wrap

nobody@vox.com(Tommy) — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 17:02:09 -0700

Coming off a most excellent concert high (thanks in no small part to the fact that Coachella is basically one giant, secondhand smoke-filled bong), one can't help but conclude that despite their draconian "no outside food" policy, Coachella's wide selection of acts and artists is a pretty damn good deal for the price. Friday alone was enough of a draw and a deal that going for one day was totally worth it; though Tiesto would've been fucking nice, Nat and I have only got so much money, after all.

Snarled traffic and a generally assy freeway notwithstanding, we still got there in time for Of Montreal, which sounded great but suffered from the curse of curses for all performances - the dreaded tech issue. Plus it was 5, hot, and the sun was baking us all. But the lead in fishnets and short-shorts with clown makeup made up for that. Most excellent music, but there was something about the mix.

Next, Nat wanted to see Arctic Monkeys, so we ambled over to the Coachella stage. They were ADORABLE. Seriously. SO cute. Charming Brit post-punk and an infectious energy that you couldn't help being swept up into, set to the backdrop of palm trees, mountains, and a waning desert sun in the late afternoon.

Nat and I parted ways after a quick and overpriced snack - me to the Sahara tent to see Felix da Housecat and her back to the main stage for The Jesus and Mary Chain. It was a tough call, but I wanted to see both of them, so I split them somewhat democratically. The dance tent was a little too much like a rave, and while Felix is sweet, being there for too long felt a little cheap given the cost of admission. (I'd rather just go to a rave for the rave experience.) Still, nice set, though a little hard to get into, and also the single greatest collection of shirtless guys in the festival (a commodity that was, I should stress, in NO short supply). I did head back to catch the end of JMC's set and enjoyed it, then met Nat under an edifice we could only describe as "that giant fucking eye of Mordor."

We pushed our way through the crowd at the main stage, braving pot smoke and scenester alike, trying to line up a good spot, but it sure wasn't out of any particular desire to see Interpol, the most boring band of Friday's experience; we were just trying to get in good for the set after them, which was sure to be a crowd. The experience of seeing Interpol live, aside from the OVERWHELMING SMELL OF POT IN OUR HAIR AND CLOTHES, was best and aptly summarized by a woman we overheard when leaving the concert: "You could've listened to their CD and held up a picture of Interpol, and it would've been the same experience."

Despite the prevalence of excellent performances, it's worth stressing that nothing short of Björk would convince me to pay $80 and gas for a three-hour trek to the desert, and her set was absolutely amazing. Her presentation was fantastic; she opened with her new single, Earth Intruders, wearing some bizarre mushroom-like outfit, after which she donned an adorably flowing multicolored skirt with a skeletal breastplate. Backing her up was her Icelandic brass band, wearing flowing Polyphonic Spree-like robes and waving flags mounted on their shoulderblades. The electronic setup included some expensive and incredibly cool new synth toys, most notably the ReacTable, which is the single coolest device I have ever seen. Songwise, she treated us to old favorites and some of the best tracks from her forthcoming album Volta, namely Earth Intruders, Innocence, and Wanderlust. Everything was an astonishing blend of senses - the waving flags, Bjork's skirt threads and hair blowing dreamily in the wind, colors, lasers, and video, and an infectious energy, with such a tightly-packed and energized crowd that they moshed to fucking Army of Me. Speaking of which: Army of Me was on steroids - the familiar industrial groove and sound have been modernized for a more contemporary and brutal Björkocracy. In a set filled with high points, it stands out in particular as an amazing rush of adrenaline and confrontation. All in all, the set left us totally psyched for her new album Volta, which ~~has like, totally been leaked on the internet~~comes out next week. And, not long after memorably intoning "it's so nice to be here with you all... in the desert," in her cute girl-woman manner, she left us with a single encore: Declare Independence from the new album. The crowd energy was perfectly suited to clapping along and screaming "Raise your Flag! Higher! HIGHER!" - but as for the new songs, I'll get to those another time. Seeing Björk - who'd might as well be a pagan shamaness - at the end of the long day, after the odyssey of travelling to this scenester mecca in the palms, let the evening end with an almost spiritual tint.

Long story short, Coachella was great, and, the hassles notwithstanding, I'd still like to go next year if the acts catch my fancy. But that's a tall order - not just anyone or any act can get me to make a pilgrimage of body and wallet like that.

-Tommy

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Japan Nite Concert Wrap

nobody@vox.com(Tommy) — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 05:16:06 -0700

The Japan Nite concert turned out to be so much more than just GO!GO!7188, and was so amazingly awesome. Six bands in one night is a painfully long process, yet EVERY BAND was good. Here's the rundown:

First of all, the crowd was hella refreshing - there weren't any loser otaku there, as the tickets had sold out and there were tons of Japanese kids attending. I had shabu-shabu beforehand with skademonx and fabulous_papaya which was quite awesome, then met David and Jesse at the concert.

1. Asakusa Jinta

Great band, or greatest band? I checked this band out a week or two ago since they were opening the show. When I heard their music, I knew it was one of those rare concerts where you need to get there when doors open. 30s-style revival with a brass and upright-bass twist and a ravenous pack of badasses. And a friggin' ACCORDION, which I so love. I bought a CD, had all of them sign it (and they were all out there), and four bands later, I struck up a conversation with the accordion player (we both have the same brand of accordion). By the end of the night she and I had exchanged emails, which was pretty sweet. She was also delighted and surprised when I said I liked their sound a lot better than the finishing band, HY. No joke there, either - they have a sweet blend of old and new, good musicians, and amazing energy. Best discovery of the week I think!

2. 50 Kaitenz

This was a fun and dandy set from the Kansai area. But I was totally busy pigging out on merch and, though they were great, I didn't pay too much attention to them, since I was chatting up Oreskaband and Asakusa Jinta. So all I can say is that they were simple and enjoyable, and very talented and energetic. And they dressed like talented, foppish dandies.

3. Oreskaband

I expected them to be great, but they were even more amazing than I'd anticipated. Opening with album order was a nice touch, as the energy between Pantime, Hana no Ska Dance, and Pinocchio kept the crowd really hyped. After that they did Almond and a few other tracks, all totally cute and awesome. The leader of the band, on trombone, was really cute and genuine in that teenage girl kind of way. She was trying to explain her feelings to us, but her English couldn't really cover it, and she started to tear up as she said "You... Los Angeles, you... love music. We, Osaka, also love music." And she was crying, out of trying to convey that concept of universal language and the depth of the thought, and the overwhelming nature of playing to a huge crowd in Los Angeles, and kids being rowdy and moshing and crowding the stage to their songs. (Seriously, WTF, guys, it's ORESKABAND. You mosh to cute ska-pop sung by high school girls?) Also, their T-shirts absolutely rock. I got to talk to the drummer and trumpet player, and talked quite a lot to their merchandise person too. Ska caught their wristband, which is totally amazingly sweet (has their logo and says "ORESKABAND"), when thrown into the crowd.

4. GO!GO!7188

I could write a lot about how much their set rocked, and it absolutely did, but the lowlight of the evening was being manhandled and beaten by the crowd. Seriously moshing and shit. Half the people there were only there for GO!GO! and the other half were just there for HY. The band actually got really pissed off and told people to not rush the stage, but that didn't stop them. They opened with Jet Ninjin, closed with Bungu (which psyched me out nicely), and also played Ukifune, Otona no Kusuri, and a few others. Pretty awesome, and they were really nice. The guitarist is a bit more reserved in person, but the bassist is super-friendly and chill, and the drummer really seemed to have a thing for fabulous_papaya (then again, who doesn't?) - we ran into him on the street after the show on our Famima!! jaunt and HE asked to take a picture with US. Yeah. He dug the blond girl all right. ;) In keeping with his grand tradition, Ska caught GO!GO!'s fucking CUSTOM TOWEL that was thrown into the crowd.

5. Pistol Valve

Although their tech was kinda badly mixed and I could not adequately hear their layers, I still enjoyed Pistol Valve's set. They are a 10-girl brass-and-DJing-samples band from Tokyo. They were in the worst position of the night, following Oreskaband and GO!GO!7188 but before HY (the other big draw), so the energy they had to contend with was really weird. Lots of people sitting with arms crossed and them begging everyone to dance. They are totally badass, with fashion sense, good music, and fun songs; they were almost a cross between Oreskaband and Polysics. Unfortunately the mix wasn't great, as I've said, so their set came out a little garbled and distorted. However, I still dug it, and dug even more the CD and DVD recordings. Now, Ska, Nat and I had done our homework and tried to research each band (with moderate success). I always like to know what I'm listing to so I can enjoy the concert a little more, after all. With Pistol Valve, all we were able to find was Fo-Fo, which, as the lead singer explained to me, is a .44 caliber, and, I greatly suspect, a metaphor for cock in this totally irreverent song. So, because we'd done our homework, we were totally ready to yell "FO FO FO FO" along with the lead - just Ska and I - in her call-and-response game. Afterwards I made it a goal to get all their autographs, but only managed five. However, they were milling about and hanging out in the crowd - so was just about every band except Oreskaband.

6. HY

HY is a band from Okinawa. This was maybe the most famous and popular Japanese band at the show, and I couldn't really have cared less. Their music is really sweet and kinda bland, and while there's nothing wrong with it, there's also nothing unique or special that really catches me. They are innately good musicians and there's nothing wrong with them, but they have a certain poppy kind of Jrock simplicity that reminded me of L'arc~en~ciel and other bands I hate. However, I stand by assertion that their keyboard player is awesome and has a great voice. The HY concert was a great opportunity to hang out with members of the other bands in the back of the room, and in fact was when I got my chance to have a relatively long, involved, and cool conversation with Hiro from Asakusa Jinta.

Long story short, all six bands rocked, but four of them were so amazingly good I would go out of my way to see them in concert separately. I came for GO!GO!, but they weren't even the biggest highlight of my evening, and that's always a great surprise.

Now, swag: I bought the following merch:

- Pistol Valve DVD
- GO!GO!7188 T-shirt & sticker
- Oreskaband T-Shirt (in a neat custom Oreskaband plastic bag)
- Oreskaband mints with a case (nice promotion)
- Asakusa Jinta CD

...and got the following autographs (never leave home without a Sharpie):

Asakusa Jinta: Whole band
Pistol Valve: 5 of them (including the super awesome lead and DJ), amounting to half. sorry, other half! :(
GO!GO!7188: Whole band
Oreskaband: Saki (the trumpet player) and Tae (the drummer)

Great concert over with, it's time to get up early tomorrow and visit a cottage in Echo Park. The only downside about going to concerts like this is that you don't have them to look forward to anymore after they've passed.

-Tommy

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GO!GO!7188 Live in Los Angeles (an evening of Live Japanese Chick-Rock)

nobody@vox.com(Tommy) — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 14:57:37 -0800

Go!Go! will be performing a live show in LA on 3/18/07 - here's the Go!Go! Tour Flyer. That's two weeks from Sunday!

Ore Ska Band (as well as like 4 other Japanese bands) will be opening for them. In case anyone is interested (also, in case anyone reads this journal) I'm putting up a sample from each band:

Fat-na kare

First up on the block is "Fatな彼" from GO!GO!'s 2006 album "Parade." The lyrics to this song are great. Especially the breakdown that sings about the fat guy having hamburgers in each hand.

Hana No Ska Dance

Next up is Ore Ska Band's "Hana no Ska Dance" (花のスカダンス) from their mini-album "Ore." Japanese chick-ska
at its finest. I'm a sucker for a thousand acoustic instruments onstage (see Spree, Polyphonic) and Ska bands never disappoint in that respect, but this band takes the nuances of Japanese ska-pop and kicks them up a sickeningly cute and energetic notch. If you replaced the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra with adorable junior high school girls, you'd get this band. In fact, I'm fairly sure that's how this sextet from Osaka got their start (figures - leave it to Osaka to give us eclectic and awesome bands).

So if you're going to be at any of the shows being held, definitely check them out.

-T

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Local Cred: The Outline

nobody@vox.com(Tommy) — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:44:26 -0800

Today I'm pimpin' a bit of local cred in the form of Los Angeles band The Outline, who I was fortunate enough to discover opening for Polysics. In addition to having a wacky drummer, talented lead singer, and fucking hot keyboard player (who, natch, shares my affinity for the thin but versatile Korg MS2000), their music is also pretty good. I look forward to going to concerts they headline, as their show was fun all on its own even though they were opening for Polysics - and that's saying something, considering that they were opening for a band that punks out onstage in orange jumpsuits and visors. Even opening for a band with vocoder gimmicks and robot-girls, they managed to hold their own and catch a lot of audience interest. And when I heard them live a second time, it only made me like them more.

You can check out some samples at the Outline's MySpace page but I'm posting a rec here too:

Death To Our Enemies (We'll Make 'em Sorry)

THE OUTLINE - Death to Our Enemies (We'll Make 'em Sorry) - This song nicely showcases the vocal range of the lead and is a damn catchy tune. Surprisingly, it sounds even better live (though their album does sound good). And of course it has a funky MS2000 intro, which gives it a Ladytron kinda kick. <3

At the San Diego show, we were also introduced to local band Rocket, which is comprised of like 30 girls and a screaming blond chick, who plays with a less cool keytar than Hello Stranger and does it badly. They are one of those bands that sings songs about how they like rock and roll. I am pretty sure they were anime fans. They sucked. When playing The Casbah in San Diego, jokes about rocking it are not permitted nor funny; they are already implied by the name of the venue. I cannot find a link to them and am pretty sure they were just a bad dream. They were very friendly but not cool.

Until next time, kids!

-Tommy

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