Blog - March 2020 Archives

March 2020 Archives

Index

.17 Weekly revue: 2020 week #10 (March 7 to 13)
.12 Weekly revue: 2020 week #9 (February 29 to March 6)
.01 Weekly revue: 2020 week #8 (February 22 to 28)

March 17, 2020

Weekly revue: 2020 week #10 (March 7 to 13)

Music release news: RHYME SO, Kaji Hideki, Les Childish Tones avec Beni Usakura, YeYe

This week's videos: RHYME SO (RHYME + Shinichi Osawa) "Fashion Blogger"

Les Childish Tones avec Beni Usakura "Ex fan des sixties"

March 12, 2020

Weekly revue: 2020 week #9 (February 29 to March 6)

Food: - Dinner at Bespoque
- Cheesecake and banana bread at Sunday Bake Shop (I went twice, haha)

Music event: I watched a live show online of Kai, who performed "Moonlight - Tokyo", "Paper Diamond", "himitsu no tobira", "onna tomodachi" (Nomiya Maki cover), "kanashii shirase",... if I remember right! The show which also featured label mates Saka-Sama was held in an empty Asagaya Loft A, and streamed live on YouTube.

I loved that Kai wandered freely around the venue, instead of staying on stage, to the obvious confusion of the staff and cameras. Kai's two first mini-albums "Moonlight Tokyo" and "Paper Diamond" are awesome! Here are a few screenshots.

Music release news: Tokyo Beethoven, Haruko Tajima, Dance for Philosophy, The Pen Friend Club, Blan(, BeastieBoyz, HALLCA & AmamiyaMaako

This week's video: Blan( "Scary"

March 1, 2020

Weekly revue: 2020 week #8 (February 22 to 28)

Food: - Italy lunch at Piyototochat, Nishi-Ogikubo
- Coconut & strawberry crumble cake sunset time at Kies, Nishi-Ogikubo
- Lamb burger at The Great Burger, Shibuya
- Momo and more for dinner at Nepalico, Shibuya

Music events: This week was somewhat a SOLEIL week! Not only it was the release of the last show's DVD and the 3rd album's LP edition, and then catching shows with two of the members (Sally Kubota in The Scooters and Nakamori Yasuhiro in Hicksville) and even support guitarist Hirakawa Yuichi (leader of The Pen Friend Club)! And then even label-mate Wakita Monari.

- On Saturday, February 22, was The Pen Friend Club's last show with their singer Fujimoto Yuka. The event titled "Add Some Music To Your Day vol.24" was held at Star Pine's Cafe in Kichijoji starting at noon. First there was a short set by opening act Canvas, which performed as a trio of guitar, piano and cello. They were just perfect for warming up the audience.

Then The Pen Friend Club's eight members showed up on stage and proceeded to give a wonderful show of their best songs, with several originals but also many covers that they are known for arranging to make the most of their instrumental line-up. While she wasn't the vocalist since the beginning of the group, Yuka was there since I've known The Pen Friend Club (I first heard them when they released a split 7" with Vanilla Beans in 2017). I've always thought that her great voice (and also English singing) played a big part in the band. This last show with her was a great retrospective of a lot of songs I had heard her singing. I'll miss seeing her flipping the tiny pages of her lyrics sheets clipped to her mic stand. Thanks a lot for all the great singing!

There's one more CD single about to be released on March 11, which will feature Yuka's singing. I'm looking forward to that!

Canvas set list: Good Communication / Music Book (Yamashita Tatsuro cover) / Island / Sunset202

The Pen Friend Club set list (partial): River Deep Mountain High / futari no yuhi Line / Along Comes Mary / hishō suru nichijō / Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes / My Little Red Book / Don't Take Your Time / hohoende / All I Want for Christmas Is You / Tell Me (Do You Really Love Me?) / Good Lovin' / Fun Fun Fun
Encore: Love Can Go The Distance / Do I Love You

- Then on Monday was a double-headline show with The Scooters and Hicksville at UFO Club, Higashi-Kōenji!

First on stage was Hicksville, a group of two guitarists (Nakamori Yasuhiro and Kogure Shinya) and one lead singer (Mashiro Megumi, who also plays a snare drum and cymbal). I love that their sound is gentle yet very rocking and cool! Singer Megumi's voice is very soulful and powerful. The friendly and fun personality of each adds to the band's unique charm.

Hicksville set list (partial): koi wa Shoo-Bee-Doo-Wa / Oasis / I Need Love / Buttefly / Bye Bye Blues

Hicksville

That was followed by also a full set by The Scooters! Their stage is always impressive with a total of 11 members, and this time it felt like their sound was tighter than ever! That was an excellent show and in one of my favorite small venues to see this kind of show! Also, as usual, there was a corner where leader Shindō Mitsuo comes to the front to talk a bit, and this time he mentioned that they are working on a new album. Now that's something to look forward to!

The Scooters set list: I Believe In Miracles / Young Americans / kanashii uwasa / namida no BreakAway / Hey Girl / Hang On In There Baby / Key to her Ferrari / Motown Medley / Time Is On My Side / Heat Wave / Tokyo Disco Night

The Scooters

- On Thursday I went to event "LIVE Light Mellow Vol.2.5" which featured city pop band Amane Trill and Wakita Monari! The show was held at Loft Heaven in Shibuya (previously Aoi Heya).

Amane Trill is a duo of two guitarists, but they were accompanied by a bassist, keyboardist (Blue Peppers' Inoue Kaoru) and drummer. They were great, with a very good and fresh city pop sound, very good singing and lots of skillful solos. Monari's set was also accompanied by this full band, and despite that it was their first show performed together they played 10 whole songs of hers, and it all sounded awesome! I definitely hope that there will be more shows with these two acts some time. They ended the event with a cover of "yume de aetara". There's a full official report of the show with photos here.

Amane Trill set list: Candy Blue / Cruise With Me / What Cha' Gonna Do for Me (Cover) / Feeling You / Sunset trail / Left-Handed Woman (Cover) / Empty Dance / Wonderful Journey

Wakita Monari set list: Cloudless Night / Thinkin' about U / LED / A la Espadrille / Take It Lucky!!!! / yoake no VIEW / In the City / Callin' You / passing by
Encore: yume de aetara (Cover)

By the way in recent days there have been many event cancellations, in prevention of virus spread, but in the case of this one they asked spectators to wear a mask. Right now I'm guessing that I might not get to see shows for a little while, which really sucks, but I'm glad I could charge up in the last few weeks seeing many good ones!

Movie: Had the chance to see a preview of "The Death and Life of John F. Donovan", directed by Xavier Dolan! The movie starts in theaters throughout Japan from March 13. I'm proud to be able to see more movies from my homeland here, with Dolan's now being screened more widely every time.

Music release news: (M)otocompo feat. Temma Matsunaga, xiangyu, The Ventures / The 4 Instants (Readymade Oldays), Ino Hidefumi

This week's videos: xiangyu "byō de Pick shiro"

The Pen Friend Club "Along Comes Mary" live at Star Pine's Cafe on February 22

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