Blog - Weekly revue: 2018 week #36 (September 1 to 7)

Weekly revue: 2018 week #36 (September 1 to 7)

Food: - Sri Lankan curry at Court Lodge, Nakano
- Hamburger at Weekend Garage Tokyo, Daikanyama/Shibuya

Music events: - On Sunday September 2, there was a special live event at the Setagaya Literary Museum, where Shindō Mitsuo's exhibition is being held (until September 17). The event featured Obandos, a strange band led by Anzai Hajime (of Tamori Club fame) that uses only homemade instruments, and The Scooters (band whose leader is Shindō-san).

Obandos was a lot of fun! Formed of designers, illustrators, etc. (and also Paradise Yamamoto!), the band's instruments range from self-constructed guitars, one named "pudding" (as it consists of yellow buckets with "プリン" written on them), one made of a few plastic straws connected together, etc. The songs were just as entertaining, with a "cover" of Flipper's Guitar's "Young, Alive, in Love" (that didn't sound anything like it), an "answer song" to Pizzicato Five's "Tokyo wa yoru no 7ji" (also not having much to do with it), a cover of an imaginary song by The Scooters (?) and then some more. Lots of silliness and pure playfulness. I loved it! I've been a fan of Anzai Hajime for a long time, watching him on TV every week on Tamori Club, in which he MC's the "soramimi Hour" segment.

Then it was The Scooters' turn! It was their first show since the release of their new single "Be My Baby" (also the exhibition's theme song). They sang a selection of their live favorites, and for the encore they kept "Heat Wave" (which they have been singing since their early days), their new song, and their biggest hit "Tokyo Disco Night". For the first time the band also featured chorus girl Coco, actually the designer of brand Masse Mensch. That was a great show! I also got to take a photo with Soleil who was in the audience (her band SOLEIL is produced by Sally Kubota who is also a member of The Scooters)! :)

The Scooters set list: The Key to Her Ferrari (Thomas Dolby cover) / I Believe in Miracles (The Jackson Sisters cover) / Young Americans (David Bowie cover) / Motown Medley / Shout (The Isley Brothers cover)
Encore: Heat Wave (Martha and the Vandellas cover) / Be My Baby / Tokyo Disco Night

w/ The Scooters w/ Soleil

- I went to dahlia's 20th anniversary live show held at café Weekend Garage Tokyo in Daikanyama/Shibuya. dahlia debuted with album "Table Talk" in 1998 as a band (if I'm right), and for now many years it has been singer Kaori's solo project. This time Kaori was accompanied by piano, guitar and flute. The show was titled "Sweet & Bitter", and it was accordingly presented in two sets ("Sweet" and "Bitter") consisting of over a dozen songs from her whole career! We were also treated with two brand new songs which Kaori sang with her full bold voice, unlike her usual singing style with a whispery voice. That was a very nice surprise! She wrote the 2nd of those new songs especially for this show. The whole show was very pleasant and had a soothing atmosphere that fit the café venue very nicely. Also the unexpected new songs definitely make me look forward to more to follow from dahlia! :)

"Sweet" set list: Bossa Bambina / non finito samba / Rose, her name is Rose / Ask me anything about Orange / sweety~Ending / the measels / flower
"Bitter" set list: lilic / Hotel Margaret / ciel blanc / Rubble / futari dake no koi (New song) / Camellia (New song)
Encore: green fields / tōmei na, hikari