Blog - April 2018 Archives

April 2018 Archives

Index

.29 Weekly revue: 2018 week #17 (April 21 to 27)
.21 Weekly revue: 2018 week #16 (April 14 to 20)
.15 Weekly revue: 2018 week #15 (April 7 to 13)
.10 Weekly revue: 2018 week #14 (March 31 to April 6)
.01 Weekly revue: 2018 week #13 (March 24 to 30)

April 29, 2018

Weekly revue: 2018 week #17 (April 21 to 27)

Food: - Mille-feuilles chocolat @ Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse, Nihonbashi
- Steak & champignons @ Shonzui, Roppongi
- Gelato @ Sincerita, Asagaya
- Late evening udon @ s0n0t0̄ri

Music event: - Went to Trunk (Hotel) in Shibuya for a free event by nero magazine: "nero vol.10 BOYS issue" Launch Party. I went mainly to see Maika Loubté play a live set, but I also got to see a glimpse of Phoenix members serving sake at the bar. :) Maika played and sang "Coconut Juice" (one of my favorites!), "You and I" and "Mountaintop" among others.

Music release news: Pearl Brothers, Hoshikuzu Scat, Supercar, Kirinji, Manon

This week's videos:

Wakita Monari "Take It Lucky!!!!"

Manon "Somewhere"

April 21, 2018

Weekly revue: 2018 week #16 (April 14 to 20)

Food: - Bacon cheeseburger at homeys, Takadanobaba
- Mac 'n' cheese at Good Meals Shop, Shibuya
- "Apple Cheeks" sandwich at Buy Me Stand, Shibuya

Music release news: jan and naomi, Record Store Day 2018, Shunosuke Ishikawa, DJ Codomo, Madame Croissant, Wakita Monari

This week's video: jan and naomi "CSKE"

April 15, 2018

Weekly revue: 2018 week #15 (April 7 to 13)

Food: - Napoli pizza at Massimottavio, Eifukuchō
- Salmon curry at Shake Stand, Daitabashi
- Steak at Benjamin Steak House, Roppongi

Music event: - On Saturday April 7 was "Tower Records 39th Anniversary Live 'Thank You For The Music'", a special event held by Tower Records for their 39th anniversary of coming to Japan. The show featured The Scooters and Tokyo Panorama Mambo Boys, and also several other bands: Little Tempo, The Ska Flames and The Miceteeth. Also there was a side-stage with performances by The Pen Friend Club, Strange Reitaro, DJ Matsuura Toshio and Kim Wooyong. Pretty much the whole was great! All the main stage bands were very entertaining, and also I was happy to see a full set of The Pen Friend Club (who I had seen briefly at an in-store event at Tower Records Shinjuku).

The Scooters did a great set playing many of their recent singles, and also originals "kanashii uwasa" (written by Konishi Yasuharu) and "Tokyo Disco Night", and live favorites "Heat Wave" and "Shout!!". I'm always amazed by hearing those great vocals (Ronnie's voice!, the charismatic Turban Chada Jr. and the great chorus girls), and the band's unique sound that takes you instantly to another era, and of course leader (and famous art director) Shindō Mitsuo! The Scooters were formed also 39 years ago!

The Scooters set list: Heat Wave / Miracles / Dancing in the street / Young Americans / kanashii uwasa / Make You Mine / Shout!! / Tokyo Disco Night

Later on the main stage was a set by Tokyo Panorama Mambo Boys (Comoesta Yaegashi, Paradise Yamamoto and Gonzales Suzuki), who instantly changed the mood with their mambo club sounds and live percussions. They said they had to take break between every song or so because they're getting old. Nevertheless that was the day's most energetic and crazy show! At one point they invited by Saitō Neon Sign's leader Saitō Hiroyuki for original hits "Dynamite Mambo" and "Bongo Tengoku", after which burlesque dancer Miss Cabaretta joined and the show just kept getting hotter. I had seen Tokyo Panorama Mambo Boys in very small clubs before, but I think it was my first time seeing them on a big stage. Great show!

The official report with many photos can be seen here.

Music release news: Nao☆ (Negicco), Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, "Family Vol.2", YMCK, Nosa Reina, The Geno London

This week's videos: YMCK "uchū o sadameru hōsoku no kanata"

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu "Kimi No Mikata"

April 10, 2018

Weekly revue: 2018 week #14 (March 31 to April 6)

Food: - South Indian curry dinner at Cochin Nivas, Shinjuku
- Peruvian chicken rice soup at Piyototochat, Nishi-Ogikubo

Music release news: Mondo Grosso, Urbangarde, Furukawa Miki ÷ U-zhaan, Yoichiro Ito

This week's video: Nosa Reina "Robot" (Sakakibara Ikue cover)

April 1, 2018

Weekly revue: 2018 week #13 (March 24 to 30)

Food: - Fried sardine (with potato salad inside) at Ebisu, Nishi-Ogikubo
- Sakura & white chocolate cake at Kies, Nishi-Ogikubo
- Lemon chicken & pork vindaloo curry at Bar Hoshio, Shinjuku
- Sakura & chocolate ice cream at Tomohisa Ice Cream, Shinjuku

Music events: - On Sunday March 25 was the release party for SOLEIL's 1st album "My Name is SOLEIL"! There was a very long line outside, and it took longer than expected to fit everyone in Yoyogi Zher the Zoo. After everyone got in safely the show finally started! On stage were the three band members (singer Soleil, bassist & producer Sally Kubota and guitarist Nakamori Yasuhiro), plus drummer Shirane Kenichi, chorist Lemon and guest chorist Hoshino Michiru! The show consisted of most of the songs from the album, plus two covers, and also a special corner where Michiru sang two of her own songs backed by SOLEIL (with Soleil on drums!). I bought a new poster and photobook, and had the poster signed by all three members. Thanks!! :) That was a great show, and needless to say the album is awesome! It was announced that another album is already being prepared, and it might be released at the end of the summer.

Set list: Theme of SOLEIL / Do You Believe in Magic? / Guitar in Love / Love Letter in Blue Ink / koi no Happy Date (Gotta Pull Myself Together) (Ishino Maki cover (original by The Nolans)) / Apple Princess Go Go! / Captain Scarlet theme song / Hoshino Michiru "You love me" / Hoshino Michiru "Magic Hour" / Pinky Fluffy / The Fruits Who Dream / Are you happy? / Summer Wink / Marine I Love You / Good Bye My Fourteen / Theme of SOLEIL (Reprise)
Encore: Session (Soleil on drums) / To Know Him Is To Love Him

- Actually on the way to SOLEIL I dropped by Tower Records Shibuya to catch Wakita Monari at the Moshi Moshi Nippon Festival 2018! :) She did a set backed by DJ Nachu who mixed many of her best songs, fitting as many as possible in the short 30-minute set, including a new unreleased one ("Peppermint Rainbow"), and also the just released "Take It Lucky!!!!". That was a very fun set, and free!

Set list: Est! Est!! Est!!! / akai Skirt / nakimushi Revolution / Peppermint Rainbow / Wingscape / Boyfriend / I'm with you / Take It Lucky!!!! / In the City

- Then on the next day I went to Tower Records Shibuya again for an in-store event by SOLEIL, again! :) This time it was a karaoke-style set. Although members Sally and Nakamori Yasuhiro were on stage with their instruments, they were unplugged on purpose, saying to enjoy the show like a performance on an old TV show. :)

Set list: Marine I Love You / Guitar in Love / Summer Wink / Do You Believe In Magic?

On the way back I went to Tower Records Shinjuku to see SOLEIL's photo exhibition and I sneaked a few photos!

- On Friday night, I went to a free event at the recently opened hotel koé in Shibuya (where used to be Parco Part 2) to see DJ Konishi Yasuharu! He played some lounge music, and also lots of danceable tracks several Pizzicato Five songs ("Nata di marzo", ""Baby Portable Rock", "Tokyo wa yoru no 7ji" (Nomiya Maki live version),...), and what I believe are a few new remixes! There will be a 5-CD set of works from Konishi's whole career released on May 2, and also two Pizzicato Five 7"'s ("On Her Majesty's Request;ep" and "Lovers Rock") on May 16. Can't wait for these, and of course any new remixes/tracks that might be on the way! :)

Music release news: Cornelius, Wakita Monari, Yogee New Waves, Shonen Knife, The Pen Friend Club

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