Blog - Weekly revue: 2018 weeks #24-25 (June 9 to 22)

Weekly revue: 2018 weeks #24-25 (June 9 to 22)

Travel: Did a nice trip to Chiang Mai in Thailand! :) Photos are up on Flickr.

Music event: - I went to see singer Agata Morio at La.mama in Shibuya, a venue that has been there since 1982 but it was my first time to go. The place was quite packed and seats already full, but I got a nice place standing at the back with the best view.

The show first featured a set by pianist and singer-songwriter Endō Kyōko who sang several of her own songs, including her recent hit "Wild Flower" that gained popularity from being featured in a TV drama episode. Her voice and personality were charming and her songs great! She has been a songwriter for a long time and I realized that she wrote a song that I love, Hamada Mari (ex-Modern Choki Chokies)'s "futsū de ikō", which I often find myself humming.

Endō Kyōko set list: dare datte mahō ga suki / anata wa tsuyoi hito / hitori ga suki / kanashii Dance / Wild Flower

Agata Morio's show followed, and it was separated in two sets with different styles and band members. The first set was more of his usual style where he leads the show with his guitar and singing, with band members closely following his moves. He performed a cover of "Bluelight Yokohama", and then got the audience to sing along quietly to "taiyō ga kureta umi no hibi". He then went to the piano and started by playing "itoshi no dai6 wakusei". This set finished with "Satō Keiko sensei wa zankoku na hito desukedo", a song that takes for theme a teacher he once had.

Agata Morio set list: okukō no iwa de korogeteru / Bluelight Yokohama / machikado La Yunba / seien yakyoku / taiyo ga kureta ume no hibi / itoshi no dai6 wakusei / Sato Keiko sensei wa zankoku na hito desukedo

The 2nd set was actually a new band, called Agata Morio to Takahashi Hyōri band, and featured two members from band Kuroneko Chelsea, two from Owarikara and one from Mitsu. While Agata-san normally leads his shows (from what I've seen so far at least), in this band he adds his vocals to the tight band sound. That in itself felt like quite a big change! Plus it seems that they've been writing original songs, several of which they played. The set ended with favorite "boku wa tenshi janai yo" and his famous debut song "sekishoku Elegy". It seems their next show will be on July 17 at Mame Romantic in Daikanyama.

Agata Morio to Takahashi Hyōri Band set list: Katabiranosuji ni iseijin o matsu / Time Lag ga itooshii / haru no yoi / hito sarai no uta / boku wa tenshi janai yo / sekishoku Elegy

For the encore members of both bands joined, as well as Endō Kyōko, for duets on "saigo no Dance Step" and "Yuri Collection". Wonderful!

Music release news: Crazy Ken Band, Blue Peppers, Charan-Po-Rantan, lyrical school, Denki Groove, Nakano Aya, Manon

Playlist: hitomitoi, SOLEIL, Sunnky Kubota & Old Lucky Boys, Jintana & Emeralds, Dorian, Inoue Mutsumi, Pizzicato Five, Mira Parameter, Ryusenkei, AGATA Morio & Hachimitsu Pie, etc.