Blog - July 2018 Archives

July 2018 Archives

Index

.29 Weekly revue: 2018 week #30 (July 21 to 27)
.24 Weekly revue: 2018 week #29 (July 14 to 20)
.16 Weekly revue: 2018 week #28 (July 7 to 13)
.08 Weekly revue: 2018 week #27 (June 30 to July 6)

July 29, 2018

Weekly revue: 2018 week #30 (July 21 to 27)

Food: - Chicken & white lamb curries at Hubachar, Chitose-Karasuyama
- Soba (!) and ginger & mint pudding at Tapir, Shin-Ōkubo

Wrestling: Went to see a live professional wrestling show for the first time! The event was "DDT Summer Vacation 2018" at the renowned Kōrakuen Hall, and it was a great opportunity to check out American wrestler FACADE (aka Neon Ninja) who I had met by chance the other day. Turns out his wrestling was really amazing, and he and his mates had their share of triumph at this show. DDT is apparently a kind of special wrestling promotion and it mixes in some humour too. Check out this well maintained English site for lots of info, schedules and results.

Music event: - Went to free daytime event "ASOBIFES!" at Studio Coast, part of "ASOBIEXPO" which celebrated the 10th anniversary of of Harajuku model/artist agency Asobisystem best known for matching Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Nakata Yasutaka. The event was a mix of music shows and also fashion shows and some styling contests. The event opened with MANON (with producer HNC) who sang two songs. At the end there were also shows by CAPSULE and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. Also fun was a reading by Mito Natsume of her picture book "MUMU", and of the other artists I enjoyed "atarashii gakkō no Leaders" whose dancing is impressive, and also newcomers EVERYDAYS whose first song is I think produced by Ram Rider (and had a sound that reminds of Shibuya-kei and Pizzicato Five). That was a fun day with no time at all to get bored. Check out the official report with photos at Moshi Moshi Nippon.

MANON set list: xxFANCYPOOLxx / COCO BOI ROMANCE

CAPSULE set list: Another World / MORE! MORE! MORE! / JUMPER / Hero / Starry Sky

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu set list: Invader Invader / kimi ni 100% / kimi no mikata / Harajuku Iyahoi

Exhibitions: - Actually before going to "ASOBIFES!", friends & I first went to the Setagaya Literary Museum to see Shindō Mitsuo's retrospective exhibiton "Be My Baby"! With over 1,000 of the art director's works on display (CD and record jackets, posters, etc.), including so many of Shibuya-kei artists such as Pizzicato Five, Cornelius, Flipper's Guitar, Kahimi Karie, Original Love, Natsuki Mari,... That's most of my favorite Japanese music roots all gathered in one place! For the exhibition The Scooters recorded a new original song of the same title, "Be My Baby" so I bought the 7" single! Even spending over an hour there didn't feel like enough, so I'll surely be going back again. :) This exhibition lasts until September 17. Not to be missed!

- Also dropped by the Kure Kure Takora exhibition at Hakaba no Garou in Nakano. Some behind the scenes photos are on display (show creators at work on the set, etc.), and lots of original goods! Until July 31.

- I happened to walk by Nicetime Mountain Gallery (an outdoor gear shop with coffee, chocolate and cakes) which just opened earlier this month, and an opening reception was being held for ALLRAID's exhibition. Very nice artwork with a city pop kind of style. ALLRAID did the logo design and art direction for the shop.

Music release news: "'Be My Baby' Shindō Mitsuo Retrospective", Cornelius, Satō Chiaki, Asa-Chang Emerson Kitamura

Playlist: Wakita Monari, SOLEIL, HALLCA

This week's video: Sweet Robots Against The Machine "Dakitime with Kaho"

July 24, 2018

Weekly revue: 2018 week #29 (July 14 to 20)

Ushiku Daibutsu in Tsukuba, Ibaraki

Food: - Hitachino Wagyu hamburger at Hitachino Brewery Mito
- Pizza & more at Amici, Tsukuba
- Gyoza & more at Rōshuho, Okachimachi

Music event: - I went to a mini-live in-store event by Wakita Monari at HMV record shop Shinjuku, in promotion of her new album "AHEAD!" being released this week! She sang two songs from previous album "I am ONLY", non-album track "yasashii uso" (she said she hopes to have it released sometime), and two songs from the new album! All were great, as expected. :) Can't wait to hear the full album!

Set list: I'm with you / akai Skirt / yasashii uso / ao no yume / Callin' You

Music release news: Natsu Summer, Neil and Iraiza, DJ Misoshiru & MC Gohan, "'Be My Baby' Shindo Mitsuo Retrospective"

Playlist: Nosa Reina, Sweet Robots Against The Machine, Manon, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu

This week's video: Wakita Monari "Gozigen Lover-Joi"

July 16, 2018

Weekly revue: 2018 week #28 (July 7 to 13)

Food: - Sri Lankan curry at Pipinella, Kōenji
- More Sri Lankan curry at Acala.naatha, Nakano
- "Bring Home The Bacon" (aka BLT) sandwich at Buy Me Stand, Shibuya

Music events: - Went to see "Indian Classics Tokyo 2018" at the Suginami Public Hall in Ogikubo, an event of classical North Indian music that we had also went to last year. Two pieces were played, the first one featuring organizer Terahara Tarō on bansuri and U-zhaan on tabla ("Raga Jhinjhoti：alap, gat in chartal ki sawari (11), drut tintal (16)"). The second piece featured H. Amit Roy on sitar and Ty Burhoe on tabla ("Raga Kaushiki：alap〜jod, gat in vilambit tintal, sitarkhani & drut tintal"). (Titles from Terahara Taro's Twitter.) Both were great!

- I dropped by an in-store event at Village Vanguard Shibuya featuring Way Wave and Hirose Aina, both of who's latest releases were produced by Seki Yoshihiko. Those releases also have in common the participation of Hase Yasuhiro (Yume To Cosme) who plays piano on Way Wave's "Summer Girl", and co-arranged Hirose Aina's "haru no hizashi".

Sister duo Way Wave first performed some covers, such as The Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love" and Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman". They then sang their new single "Summer Girl" (a great track that prompted me to get the 7"!) and its B-side "Lovin' You" (Minnie Riperton cover). Way Wave have great soulful voices.

Then was a set by Hirose Aina, a 15-year-old who introduces herself as just a regular schoolgirl, which seems true until she sings. Very nice vocals! Check out the clip below of a song written by Sokabe Keiichi (Sunny Day Service). At the end of her set Way Wave joined to sing together her song "sayonara, konnichiwa".

Hirose Aina set list: toki o kakeru shojo (Yuming cover) / haru no hizashi / otona ni nanka naranai de / sayonara, konnichiwa (w/ Way Wave)

Exhibition: Sorayama Hajime exhibition at Nanzuka in Shibuya. Many paintings, and a few impressive metal androids! This is on until August 11.