With tensions mounting against Japan in recent weeks, one glimmer of hope shines amongst the chaos and disarray: Harajuku Dance Rock is back. And by that, I mean An Cafe. Nearly three years after announcing their hiatus, the bouncier-than-a-bouncy-castle band resumed activities with their two September live performances ANCAFESTA ’12 SUMMER DIVE. Rumors circulating amongst …
Category Archive: Visual Kei
Jul 02
[live report] L’Arc-en-Ciel – Fulfilling a Teenage Dream
Someone’s been reading my diary. More accurately, someone’s been reading my diary from high school. As an awkward,emo 16-year-old, there were three things I looked at with great longing to participate: L’Arc-en-Ciel concerts, The Matrix, and marching band. The latter’s easy to explain: I was an orchestra geek, and the violin wasn’t exactly the best …
Jun 13
[live report] Ayabie – Awkwardly Adorable at A-kon 23
Ayabie is like the Zooey Deschanel of visual kei. They have the same sunny disposition and vintage Bohemian fashion sense. They also exhibit the kind of awkwardness that is endearing rather than uncomfortable to watch, because hiding underneath it is self-assuredness. At the end of the day they are still pros, as they proved to …
Jun 05
[live report] A Pleasant Nightmare Brought to You by Matenrou Opera
I had a good nightmare a few nights ago. A translucent, white sheet veiled the stage at Akasaka Blitz. Like demented shadow puppets, male figures writhed around a stock-still silhouette. The sheet lifted to reveal interpretive dancers covered in black soot as power metal guitars directed their bizarre and animalistic movements. No, I didn’t fall …
May 15
[review] exist†trace – VIRGIN
Veterans of the visual kei music scene, exist†trace are no virgins when it comes to churning out great songs. Though there’s not a lot of virgin territory on their third studio album (hint hint, it’s called Virgin); it includes five tracks from previous mini-albums. “WONDERLAND” starts out like the opening to a gothic horror flick; sliding …
