The weather’s getting colder, the holidays are approaching, and somewhere in midtown there’s a line of young women with multicolored hair sleeping on cardboard boxes outside a concert hall. By now, every Jrock fan knows what that means: Dir en grey is back in town.
The metal monarchs’ 2009 American tour brings them to New York once again, this time for three consecutive shows at the Gramercy Theater. It’s the night before the first performance and this evening they’re gracing Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya with their presence, sitting down with Miz Diva Vélez of The Diva Review for an interview followed by an autograph session. The event is private and exclusive: only about sixty lucky fans — winners of an online contest — and their guests are able to attend.
The reason for the exclusivity is soon made clear. The “event space” at Kinokuniya is more accurately a corner of the bookstore with all the displays pushed off to the side. Press is herded into the adjacent café area, where photographers battle sandwich shelves for a decent view. The band sits at a table wedged into the corner; a few feet in front of them is stretched a black velvet rope, behind which approximately a hundred fans are packed into the spaces between the bookshelves. The environment is certainly cozy, and I can’t think of another instance of this infamously aloof band presenting themselves to their fans in such an informal, personal way.
The interview portion of the event lasts just under a half an hour. Like most interviews with Dir en grey, the discussion is pleasant but bland. Host Diva Vélez is personable and well-spoken, and to the delight of the excited crowd — some of whom have taken a break from waiting on line at the theater to come to this event — many of her questions focus on the upcoming concerts. Towards the end of the discussion she gives the fans the microphone, inviting them to tell the band how they feel about Dir en grey’s music and performances. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that a few brave fans jump at. (more…)
Monday, November 30th, 2009 by Victoria Goldenberg
New York Anime Festival was the Big Apple hub for thousands of anime, manga and J-music fans from Sept. 25 to 27. What musical act would have better fit the convention than one from Tokyo’s own pop culture district, Akihabara? AKB48 is a 65-member idol collective that takes the winning combination of cute girls in short skirts and gives it a modern, geek-friendly spin. These hardworking girls have become a hit among both idol fans and the Japanese public. Sixteen of the girls made their American debut at NYAF, performing a mini-live at the convention and a full concert at Webster Hall that won them American fans.
In the 1980’s, AKB48’s prolific producer Yasushi Akimoto helmed Onyanko Club, a legendary idol group whose sexualized innocence he recycled for AKB48. The 52-member act existed in a decade of shared popular culture, one in which Michael Jackson and Madonna became international superstars. Onyanko Club itself was famous throughout Japan and made household names of members such as Shizuka Kudo and a karaoke classic of the coy “Serafuku wo Nugasanaide.”
But modern technology has expanded our choices in entertainment, and audiences are more segmented than ever before. Stardom is obviously still common, but it’s not what it used to be. We may never see another performer with Jackson’s level of popularity again, but we do see many becoming cult stars through the Internet, cable TV and more.
So Akimoto went niche and 21st century for his new pop experiment. AKB48, which debuted in 2006, focuses on fostering ties with the otaku fandom in a concept called “Idols you can meet every day.” The group consists of three ‘teams’ of girls—A, K and B—who rotate performances in a theater in Akihabara, the inspiration for the letter portion of the group’s name. The teams release albums individually, but the lineups for singles draw from the entire pool of members. An AKB48 team show takes place nearly daily, so fans have frequent opportunities to see the girls live in a small venue and even meet them. (more…)
It’s been confirmed via the Dir en grey myspace page that the full band will be signing at their NYC show on November 11th.
Great news, everyone! We have just confirmed that the entire band will be doing a signing for you after the November 11th show at The Gramercy Theatre (NYC, NY). While we are doing our best to make sure that every show will be special and unique in its own right, if you are in NYC and want a chance to get something signed (your “Average Blasphemy” DVD perhaps), HERE’S YOUR CHANCE! Tickets are available HERE but are going quick. Please note, you can also get a bundle to attend all three NYC shows at a reduced rate, HERE.
If you’re not in the NYC/New England area (or flying in like a lot of the fans are), check out the full itinerary for the “All Visible Things” tour at http://www.bratmarketing.com/deg/degtour/
Swinging Popsicle makes an unlikely link between indie music and anime/video game fandom. While its laid-back retro rock isn’t the typical soundtrack for animated entertainment, the unassuming trio has played at conventions in North America and composed the music for the well-regarded 2009 PC game Sumaga/Star Mine Girl, introducing their 12-year catalogue to a new audience. But singer Fujishima Mineko, bassist Hirata Hironobu and guitarist Shimada Osamu make indie pop with broad appeal: It’s cheerful, melodious and driven by soulful yet understated vocals. As Hirata puts it, “everyone from kids who like to watch anime to older generations can enjoy our music.” On Sept. 27, they performed their second New York City gig at The Studio at Webster Hall as part of the Far East to East Showcase, a concert connected to New York Anime Festival.
The cold weather caught Swinging Popsicle off guard this time. When they played a solo show at the Knitting Factory in 2007, it was on a balmy May night. Shimada soon regretted wearing short sleeves in an unusually biting September.
Sumaga’s manufacturer organized Swinging Popsicle’s appearance at NYAF. For Hirata, it was a chance to return to a city whose talented people inspire him. Or, as Fujishima describes New York: “It’s cool.” (more…)
When pop group AKB48 ran across the stage waving at their fans during their debut American concert, the members were in perfect sync. When Fujishima Mineko of Swinging Popsicle ran across the stage high-fiving the audience at the Far East to East Showcase, she nearly hit her head on a speaker.
The New York Anime Festival closed with two polar opposite Japanese concerts at Webster Hall on Sept. 27. Pop fans could enjoy AKB48’s slick choreography and endearing adorableness. But two flights down at The Studio, the music was totally underground. The second annual Showcase, presented by Superglorious and NYAF, covered punk, ambient, indie pop and cabaret in four distinctive bands. It was an intimate affair all about the originality, raw energy and spontaneity that make small club gigs so appealing.
Gelatine conveyed a simultaneously dark and comical mood through the two-prong thrust of its frenetic punk music and menacing stage presence. This New York City band formed in 2001 to play both original music and that of singer Seiko’s old band, 10Yen Ana-kinoko. Its first record, the murky Gie Ji Gaii, finally came out this year. Gelatine’s chief draw is Seiko, who has the confidence and twisted humor to perform in a diaper and act like nothing’s strange about it. This time she wore a bra and bondage leash, which seemed almost tame in comparison. Though leashed, Seiko behaved more like id unfettered: swinging around from the mic stand, stomping in place, and moving from cute shrieks to aggressive snarls within seconds. The rest of the band was ready to meet Seiko at every capricious turn, and they complemented her bizarreness with their own. Guitarist Takeshita Jun literally growled his MCs about glamorous topics like the sweat in his eyes. Rock ‘n’ roll, indeed. (more…)
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s annual two-day Sakura Matsuri celebrates a wide range of Japanese culture in the breathtaking setting of 220 blooming cherry blossom trees. For the price of one admission ticket, you can watch classical dances, make origami, model for a cosplay photoshoot and participate in the Japanese tradition of cherry blossom viewing.
For the music-minded, the Matsuri is also a great way to sample a cross-section of Japanese music, from traditional to modern and from obscure to famous. The May 2 pop performances on the Cherry Esplanade Stage ranged from the local gypsy rock of Kagero to the chart-topping pop hits of Kawashima Ai.
The circumstances were unkind to purple SKY’s interview with J-pop star Kawashima Ai at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Sakura Matsuri. We had to shuffle from location to location as the Cherry Esplanade Stage was shut down, and break when one of the many TV reporters wanted Kawashima to deliver a video message for her fans.
But despite the inconveniences, Kawashima’s kindness and eagerness to help shone through. At one point, the translator had to step aside, and Kawashima and I cobbled together an answer through her decent English and my broken Japanese.
“American people is very lively,” Kawashima said in describing her stateside audience. She felt they showed their energy more than her Japanese ones did.
Kawashima, the 23-year-old with a million-selling hit, three books and a charity project to her name, had always wanted to perform in New York. Her experience living in New York City at the end of 2008 strengthened her interest in singing here.
Her Brooklyn concert is part of a series of American appearances that also includes performances at a Sakura Matsuri in Washington, D.C., and Japan Day in New York City on May 31. Kawashima chose to perform at these festivals because they facilitate a communicative exchange between Japan and America. Moreover, she feels Japanese energy in the cultural activities like cosplay, making these events appropriate places for her to send her message. (more…)
Armed only with musical talent and a good sense of humor, Sparta Locals lands on American soil to perform their no-frills live show across the nation.
The band first broke out on the Japanese music scene in 1998, releasing numerous albums before moving to a major label. After gaining US fans with the alternative indies crowd, Sparta Locals finally deem themselves ready to grace us with their presence. Following their stint at Austin’s famed SXSW, the band took a few minutes to sit down with us in New York right before their performance at Japan Nite.
While other Japanese artists tour the United States, Zazen Boys leader Mukai Shutoku is making the New York-New Jersey area his own. His acclaimed avant-garde rock group, the successor to his legendary hard rock band Number Girl, played two shows here last fall (with one detour to Maryland) and another three in March, and they plan to return in September. Before his Mar. 8 show at Pianos NYC, the indie rock king took some time to chat with purple SKY about language differences, his plans for a world tour, and his favorite beer. Watch out, New York City: This is Zazen Boys town now.
Call Mukai Shutoku and New York City kindred spirits.
Until he feels ready to embark on a national tour, the aloof, beer-guzzling rocker wants to cultivate an audience in New York by playing shows there. He’s drawn to the city because of the freedom he perceives in its people. “They don’t care what others think,” he says, “they just care what they think.”
The same could be said of Zazen Boys and their challenging layers of aggressive rock, chants and dub. The band dispenses with tonality, hooks and even songwriting at will.
At the start of “Riff Man,” Peelander Yellow, who was watching the concert with his bandmates from Peelander-Z, spit his drink into the audience. Sure, that’s usually what the band onstage does, but it was a gesture appropriate for the mood of the show—wild, edgy and totally rock ‘n’ roll. Besides, Zazen Boys were too busy torturing their instruments to do it themselves.
Rules don’t apply at a Zazen Boys show. You may call it a mic stand, but band leader Mukai Shutoku thinks it makes a great guitar slide. That bottle of water may look thirst-quenching, but guitarist Yoshikane Sou would rather use it like a maraca.
Mukai opened the Pianos concert, Zazen Boys’ sixth in the U.S. thus far, by acknowledging his lyrics were in Japanese. He told his American audience, “I want you to…please feel!” And feel the audience did. The show opened with the danceable stop-start rhythms of rocker “Himitsu Girl’s Top Secret,” followed by the aggressive “Honnoji,” both of which sounded more raw and intense live. Later songs displayed Zazen Boys’ synth prowess, with Mukai bent over his keyboard and manipulating it like a mad scientist while Yoshikane added his water-bottle percussion.
When playing, Mukai bobbed his head to the music, and sometimes smiled in a way that seemed to say, “Yeah, I know we’re good.” His between-song MCs were often cute: After “I Don’t Wanna Be With You,” he said, “I don’t wanna be with you but…I wanna be with you.”
Compared to the last time I saw them, at a multi-band concert at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Zazen Boys seemed more comfortable, perhaps because they were in an intimate environment with a higher concentration of fans. And while the Willamsburg venue’s sound was so distorted that Mukai sounded like a chipmunk, Pianos retained the right pitch and sounded clear. The one downside was that “I Don’t Wanna Be With You” sounded less energetic than the last time.
Between “Cold Beat” and “Riff Man,” Mukai promised Zazen Boys would return in September. Be there.
Setlist:
1. HIMITSU GIRL’S TOP SECRET
2. Honnoji
3. Weekend
4. Asobi
5. I Don’t Wanna Be With You
6. COLD BEAT
7. RIFF MAN
~ENCORE~
1.KIMOCHI
The weather’s getting colder, the holidays are approaching, and somewhere in midtown there’s a line of young women with multicolored hair sleeping on cardboard boxes outside a concert hall. By now, every Jrock fan knows what that means: Dir en grey is back in town.
New York Anime Festival was the Big Apple hub for thousands of anime, manga and J-music fans from Sept. 25 to 27. What musical act would have better fit the convention than one from Tokyo’s own pop culture district, Akihabara? AKB48 is a 65-member idol collective that takes the winning combination of cute girls in short skirts and gives it a modern, geek-friendly spin. These hardworking girls have become a hit among both idol fans and the Japanese public. Sixteen of the girls made their American debut at NYAF, performing a mini-live at the convention and a full concert at Webster Hall that won them American fans.
Swinging Popsicle makes an unlikely link between indie music and anime/video game fandom. While its laid-back retro rock isn’t the typical soundtrack for animated entertainment, the unassuming trio has played at conventions in North America and composed the music for the well-regarded 2009 PC game Sumaga/Star Mine Girl, introducing their 12-year catalogue to a new audience. But singer Fujishima Mineko, bassist Hirata Hironobu and guitarist Shimada Osamu make indie pop with broad appeal: It’s cheerful, melodious and driven by soulful yet understated vocals. As Hirata puts it, “everyone from kids who like to watch anime to older generations can enjoy our music.” On Sept. 27, they performed their second New York City gig at The Studio at Webster Hall as part of the Far East to East Showcase, a concert connected to New York Anime Festival.
