Sakae Spring 2012, サカスプ2012 DAY 2

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So, after a late night out Saturday　(I actually didn't finally go to sleep until around 3 in the morning), I woke up and Rachael and I headed to the onsen (good job, Saya, on picking a hotel with a 露天風呂- rotenburo, even if I am now even more broke than the already broke I was) (Saya and Mari had to get ready for their dates; they skipped out on day 2) for a relaxing soak to get us ready for a day of concert hopping.

Then we met up with Steven and Nate and headed over to Magic Theater　for

MILKBAR

I've been hearing about MILKBAR for ages (I guess their friends with some other bands I like) and listening to them on youtube. They're kinda slow, kinda folksy, kinda rock, and, in a perhaps weird way, they remind me somewhat of the Radwimps.
Nate thought they were kind of boring, but I thought they were an absolutely perfect start to a day of concert hopping. The singer was incredibly passionate about what he was singing, to the point that, with his last song, crying out "君に涙、僕に涙”　I actually almost started crying myself. I definitely wanted to go home and listen to the song a thousand times over again.
They've also got a stand-up bass, which adds a a sort-of unexpected and extremely pleasant level to their sound. Totally into them!

ROOKIEZ is PUNK'D



So then we headed downstairs to Ozon (how convenient that Ozon and Magic Theater are in the same building) for a band that I love and had previously seen several times.
They did a song for an anime that both Rachael and Steven love (Dararara or something - I've never heard of it), so they got super into it. Naturally. They have a sort-of rock/hip-hop/pop sound that really appeals to me, and they even have a couple songs (i.e. Eggmate of the Year) that are super pop-punky. <3
I also saw them at Sakae Spring 2011, and it was sort-of amazing to realize how big they've gotten. The crowd was at least 3 times larger than it was last year when I saw them at R.A.D. Probably even more than three times larger. Apparently, they also did a song for Bleach - apparently, you do an anime song, you get big.
Anyhow, as expected, they totally totally ROCKED!



Flip played after ROOKIEZ is PUNK'D at Ozon, and I kind of wanted to stick around and see them. But Steven and Rachael were hungry, so we went down to get them pizza, and when I sat down, my feet said thank you, so we just chilled for a bit.

The ROOTLESS



And I'm glad we did chill for a bit, because in the end we headed over to Tight Rope a bit early to see Real Reach, and as such, we got to see the last few songs of The ROOTLESS, a band I'd never heard of before, who was AMAZING.
Pure rock, at least the songs we saw. And with a huge crowd - there were seriously so many people in Tight Rope that I'm surprised they let us in. (I've just discovered that they have a song in One Piece, which would explain the crowd)
While they are totally not visual kei, I found that they kind of had a bit of a visual kei sound (though I'm sure they would NOT like to hear that), and I was thus totally into it.

REAL REACH



I love Real Reach. Like seriously love them. Totally American 90's style punk rock, done to Japanese perfection. They're one of the first Japanese bands I ever got into (along with Special Thanks, Stompin' Bird, Shachi, and Saboten), and I have literally been trying to find a way to get to see them ever since getting to Japan.
As they seem to be 名古屋(Nagoya)based, this really shouldn't have been hard, and yet. . .somehow literally every time they've played, I've not been able to go.
So after two years of trying, Sakae Spring 2012 was my first time, and it was even more awesome than I possibly could have expected. I actually even accidentally moshed and had a great time doing it (I don't think I've enjoyed moshing since I was, like, 21ish).
And when they were doing their towel song (every Japanese band seems to have a neck towel song), one of the dudes threw his neck towel in my direction, and it landed on my head, but I was so busy jumping around like a crazy person that I didn't notice until the person beside me stole it off my head.
THEY WERE SO AWESOME! Definitely the highlight of my day!

THE CLUTCH

The discovery of the day - The Clutch! (Guillaume says we should change their name to Les punks de la foret) Since on Saturday, all of the awesome bands seemed to be playing at X-Hall, after Real Reach we headed over there and managed to see a good bit of the Clutch's set.
And they totally rocked. For serious. There is something about Japanese rockers doing what I think of as epitaph-style punk that's just really perfect. They totally brought back memories of listening to Hi-Standard in high school, of road trips to Lake Charles on the weekend to see whatever band the L.A.D.S had planned (I realize that probably means next to nothing to everyone but me, but just - brought back some mega awesome memories).
It seems rare for me to hear new music like that nowadays that I actually WANT to keep listening to (am I getting old?), but I totally wanted to keep listening to them. More and more and more.

suzumoku



After so much awesome rock, it was time for a bit of a rest, so we headed over to Blue Note for suzumoko, a slower, more folksy singer that I totally love. It was nice to sit down for a bit. We met up with Nate and Joanna there, and they both thought he was boring. Rachael thought he lacked stage presence. Not me.
Sure, he didn't really move a lot around the stage, and he didn't really have much to say, he just stood there singing and singing and singing. And somehow that just felt really intense and powerful to me (I'm beginning to wonder if maybe I associate opening your mouth really big when you sing with passion - as both suzumoko and milkbar singer opened their mouths enormously wide).
Anyhow, it was beautiful.

Knock Out Monkey



Then back to X-Hall for Knock Out Monkey, the last band of the day. I have an album of theirs that I love, so I was totally looking forward to seeing them live, and. . .let's just say that they rocked so hard that they actually managed to beat out Real Reach for best band of the day.
Lots of skanking, moshing, and head-banging. I can't decide if I can call them punk or just rock or what. I guess it doesn't matter - what matters is that they are awesome. Pure awesome. And pure awesome times were had.

All in all, a totally awesome two days, and I'm sort-of sad when I think that this is probably my last Sakae Spring. (I just have to keep reminding myself that next year I will be going to Insubordination Fest).
Two bands of the day I'm sad I missed: BIGMAMA and Howl Actions. I'd actually never heard of BIGMAMA before, but the singer of Glory Jackpot System recommended them, so I listened when I got home, and I totally LOVE. THey were at Quattro, though, and I really didn't think it would be possible to get in.
I could be wrong, but I think Howl Actions is from 岡崎　(Okazaki). Anyhow, they're really good, but they were playing at the same time as Real Reach, so that was out before it was in.

And this is extraordinarily long (I can't help it - I love music!), and I doubt anyone will read it all the way through. Except maybe me in the me future.

Sakae Spring 2012、 サカスプ2012 DAY 1

So, last year, I went to Sakae Spring 2011 in 栄(Sakae) in 名古屋 (Nagoya), and it was so awesome and I discovered so many amazing bands that I of course had to return again this year.

I was originally planning to only go on Sunday, but in the end I was somehow talked into going both days (I assure you, it wasn't hard) and eventually found myself in possession of a 2-day pass. Frankly, I'm glad I decided to go for both!! :-) We'll start with day 1 and later move on to day 2.

DAY 1

After work in 三好 (Miyoshi), I headed straight over to 名古屋(Nagoya), where I met up with Rachael, Mari, and Saya to get boba on our way over to the first concert of the day.

alfabeto

Since I posted their video a few days ago, a picture.



I'd seen them several times before, and each time I liked them even more and more. I think this time was definitely their best, though. I don't know if it's because they sound better inside (previously, I'd only seen 野外ライブ-outdoor show) or if it's just because they're actually getting better or because I'm starting to know the songs, but, well, they were awesome.
The bassist is amazingly psycho crazy when he plays (really, just n'importe quoi), to the point in which it almost makes me wish I were learning to play the bass and not the guitar.
In any case, they all look like they're having so much fun, and it totally makes me want to have fun with them!
Just my opinion, but I think they totally have potential to go far.

SILLYTHING

Try as I might, I can't find a video.
They played at X-Hall right after alfabeto, and we stayed to watch them because I liked the look of them. I'm glad we did, because these guys were seriously awesome. Punk rock like I think it's supposed to be, with a sound I wouldn't even begin to know how to describe. They seemed like the could care less about the crowd, which somehow fit with the image I immediately formed of them.

They also seemed crazy. I felt like I wanted to be friends with the bassist with his bleached blonde hair and short shorts (what is it with me wanting to be friends with bassists?), and I was almost afraid of the keyboardist. He was wearing a pink sweater under overalls, and the way he played kind of reminded me of:
well, you know how sometimes in horror movies, people get lost in small towns full of crazy inbred people that want to either breed with them or eat them? He reminded me of one of the people you would run into in one of those villages who would then later chase you around with an axe.
It somehow made his keyboard playing more passionate.

And the singer. Definitely gay. Quite probably insane. For the last song, they had these red and blue strobe lights flashing all over them, and he had this look in his eyes like maybe he'd just escaped from a mental institute. I seriously felt frightened for a moment. He also seemed to be chewing gum the whole time.
In any case, whatever they were trying to do, they totally pulled it off, and if they ever get around to putting something out, I'll definitely be getting a copy.

Glory Jackpot System


The first time I saw them was at Sakae Spring 2011, and after that show, they seemed to have all these groupy girls around them squealing, and at the time, while I liked them, I didn't get it. The second time I saw them, once again the same thing, and while I didn't get the attraction to the band MEMBERS, I got the music.
They have this sort-of hip-hop, electro-pop rock maybe somehow mixed in with a little bit of punk sound that. . .how to describe it. It's like when you eat a new food for the first time, and it tastes like nothing you've ever tasted before but it's like this pleasant explosion of wonderful happiness on your tongue, even though you don't really understand it. That's what their music is like for the ears. Which is probably why I didn't get it the first time, because I couldn't fully wrap my mind around it.
Anyhow, they totally rocked, and the crowd was totally totally into it.
And I might have fallen just a little bit in love with the singer, Karo (I finally get the squealy girls), who jumped down into the middle of the audience and did the doofiest yet awesomest dance ever. Rock!

going out

After that, we tried to go see 黒猫チェルシー (Kuroneko chelsea), because Saya likes them, but unfortunately the line to get into the club was super long, and by the time we finally left, it was too late to have time to go see any other bands. So Saturday was, unfortunately, a 3 band day (there was a lot of walking around between bands, because everyone walks slower than I do and I had a ton of stuff I had to deposit at the hotel we were staying at, since we were planning to go out). Still, awesome times were had.

After, we met up with Miho and Will and some of Saya's friends and headed out to Club ID - I didn't take any pictures, and thus I give you: Saya's collage.



This is already super long, so. . .Sakae Spring Day 2 to come soon (maybe even today)!!!!

Sakae Spring + LC5

I have another entry about non-musicy things coming soon, but for now, music awesomeness!

So, I finally decided that the fact that I had been living in Japan for over a year and yet had never been to a concert was just depressing. And that something should be done about it.

So, I bought tickets to see LC5. I didn't know them all that well, but the singer was the singer of An Cafe, pretty much my favorite Japanese band of all time, so I figured they were a good choice. Steven Cayco went with me, and I had a GREAT time!　　I'd say it was about 90% girls there, which was funny, since their sound is pretty hard. The band members also spent about an 10 minutes talking about what makeup they wear and what their favorite brands of makeup are, which was funny, since they're all dudes.



Anyhow, the music was wonderful, the talking wasn't too much, and the environment was fantastic. I had a super great time, and I totally have a new crush on the bassist, Sato. He's so goofy and dopey seeming that I couldn't help but think he was adorable. All the other girls, though, just kept screaming "Aki-sama, Aki-sama." That's the drummer, and he just seemed, well, broody.

Isn't he cute?

The most fun part was that there seemed to be line dances to every song that everyone just seemed to know, and it was hilarious trying to dance along in unison with everyone (and, of course, fail).

So then yesterday, a bunch of us went to Sakae Spring, a summer music fest in Nagoya. It was seriously the most fun I have had in I can't even remember how long.

I went a little bit earlier than everyone, because I wanted to see Namba Akihiro at 3:00.



Yummy Japanese punk rock! Unfortunately, the line to get in was 8 stories long and then out the door. I got there about 20 minutes early (with the help of some very nice Japanese people that showed me the way, because, you know, it's me, so I got lost) but still didn't manage to get in.

The next band I wanted to see though, was also in the same club, so I decided to just keep waiting. And I STILL almost didn't get in. That's how packed this place was. Like, 10 people behind me got in and then it was full.
Still, I got to see Pay Money to My Pain, and they were AWESOME!



They put on an AMAZING show, and I got to headbang and mosh and scream along, and I felt like I like nothing more than a good hardcore punk show.

And then I went to see Skull Candy, and I changed my mind. Ska punk shows are the most fun shows ever!!!!



The singer was just the cutest thing in the entire world, and she couldn't stop exclaiming how HAPPY she was to be in Nagoya. And everyone in the band was just so energetic and enthusiastic, and everyone in the crowd (which was 98% male, which I will admit was kind of weird) was super into the music and skanking and dancing around, and I was filled with extreme happiness. It was WONDERFUL! I'm going to go see them again when they come back to Nagoya in 3 weeks.

Then it ended, and nothing could bring me down. I went to meet up with the others, who were seeing Ms. Ooja, so I got to see the end of her set.



It wasn't bad, but I was still on my high from Skull Candy, and it was hard to come down. Plus, the sound quality was really bad, and she was singing to a dj, which was weird and made it feel like karaoke.

Then, we headed over to see a band whose name I do not remember. They were all right, but they had that double guitar sound (I don't know how to describe it other than that) that I don't really like, so we'll just forget about them.

THEN, we went over to see Rookiez is Punk'd, a band I totally love.



They were SO MUCH FUN!!!! The music was wonderful, but more than that, they were super interactive with the audience, and so everyone was singing along and dancing and laughing, and the atmosphere was just WONDERFUL! The singer was so doofy and happy that I just had to go talk to him afterward. He was SO nice! There's something about doofy happiness that just does it for me everytime.

This songs not particularly pop punky, but some of their stuff is, which made the experience all the more wonderful! I will SO be there when they come back to Nagoya.

The we went to see the end of this dude playing the piano, and it was really pretty and quite good, but I don't know his name, and we only saw one song. I should try to remember his name.

So yeah, basically, yesterday was AWESOME, and I am SO in a concert mood now, and I can't wait to go to lots and lots and lots more! I'm so glad that I'm finally discovering a live music scene in Nagoya that I love! YAY!!!!