The Suzan/Macarthur a Contti/The IO’s/Tryst--Pianos--3/1/06
MACARTHUR A CONTTI were a wonderful
surprise. They’re a seven piece band from Osaka, and took the stage for
their tune-up in a wonderfully disorganized fashion. They all seemed to be tuning
up at once, and the bassist kept a constant run going almost the entire time.
Meanwhile, the lead singer was trying out the random English he had picked up.
Mostly he seemed to be trying them out for comic affect. There he was, with
a big smile on his face, announcing, with pauses inbetween, “Juicy Fruit!”
“Duty free!” “Hot kiss!” Then he set the microphone stand
up as high as it would go, about ten feet, and he would jump up and yell into
it. Besides the bassist and the singer, they also had keyboards, a guitarist,
a drummer and two slide trombones, one on either side of the stage, one of the
trombones was played by the only woman in the band. They started into their
set and laid down a firm rhythm and blues groove, which occasionally let some
soul in with a number of the musicians providing back-up vocals, and when they
let the guitarist step out he added a heavy dose of the rock. Throughout the
proceedings, often even during breaks in the songs where the rest of the band
cooled down, the bassist kept his runs going as if his fingers were no longer
under his control. The band were having a great time, and it was contagious.
Early in the set the woman trombonist stepped out into the audience and took
a little stroll, and she did it again later in the show after the male trombonist
had taken one himself. The trombonists usually played separate lines, but occasionally
joined together for short bursts. The band partied, and the audience grew as
the set went on. When they finished, the audience cheered for more, and MACARTHUR
A CONTTI cranked into Hendrix’s ‘Fire’ with the guitarist out
front wailing and the two trombones honking out the riff on either side of him.
I haven’t seen a band do the r&b thing in a while, and it was a real joy
to see it done so well, and with trombones!
Macarthur a Contti/The Ray Corvette Trio/Maison Blance--Pianos--10/25/06
MACARTHUR A CONTTI are a
six piece band now, including keyboards, drums, guitar, a lead singer, and topping
things off with two slide trombones. They rock with a bit of funk, and a touch
of r&b. Mostly what they are, though, is damn good fun. The band are all very
good musicians, but what they seem to be aiming for the most is to bring you
a heaping dose of fun. I enjoyed the entire set, and they were enjoying it,
too, obviously. As the set moved into the second half, though, the theatrics
started up, and that was when things stepped into some crazy fun. The trombones,
manned by Ai, a woman, and Bellboy, a man, stepped off the stage and moved out
into the center of the room, where they engaged in some apparent trombone dueling.
They faced each other and blew those horns at each other. They took turns, and
blew back and forth at each other, and the lead singer, Achako, even came out
with them, and danced around with audience members before climbing back up onto
the stage, and raising the microphone stand up tall enough so he could use it
while standing atop a stool. They had managed to turn a good show into a party,
but it wasn’t the climax. That came when they played the final song of
their set, a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Fire’. It started off great,
and then just dove into insanity. The guitarist, who generally plays a low-key,
rhythm role in the band’s sound, steps out front for this song and not
only does a very hot solo for the song ‘Fire’, but takes it on out
into an impressive mock-up of Hendrix’s version of ‘The Star Spangled
Banner’. By then, things are bordering on chaos. The keyboardist has climbed
up on the drummer’s shoulders, and when they start into the second part
of the song, the drums start up with both of them banging away. The lead singer
has taken over the keyboards, and everyone’s doing pretty much whatever
feels good. It was a wonderful show, and the audience responded with a rousing
round of applause. It didn’t get us an encore, but I doubt there was anyone
there who felt cheated.
Macarthur a Contti--R&R--10/27/06
MACARTHUR A CONTTI were
playing first, and there was no one there accept a few of their fans and friends,
so the club allowed them to wait a while before starting the evening. When they
began there still weren’t many people there. The singer hung a large U.S.
flag on the wall as a backdrop, and soon the drummer, guitarist, and keyboardist
started up as a trio. It was a nice strut of a jam, and in the minimalism of
that sound, the importance of the bass lines the keyboards were adding to MACARTHUR
A CONTTI’s sound really stood out. It was a nice way to start up the set,
and showed the strength of the basic band. Soon, the singer came out, the two
trombones followed him, and they launched into ‘Swimmy’, my favorite
song from their first CD. The back-up vocals on that one are as catchy as they
come. Those vocals, mostly provided by the trombone team, regularly sweeten
the sound of this band, not to slight the lead singer, who handles his duties
well, and adds a surprisingly good natured sense of humor. In spite of the situation,
the band took the stage with complete authority, and ran through a short joyful
set with an abundance of heart and good spirits. The room filled up a bit as
the set continued, though most stayed toward the rear of the room. The last
song brought the two trombones and the lead singer out to where the audience
was. Yep, again, they took the show to the audience. MACARTHUR A CONTTI’s
front trio partied it up, and shared their joy. It brought the audience alive,
but they were the first band, and they were done for the evening. It was actually
a bit of a teaser, and I may very well have to catch this fine band one more
time before they head back to Osaka.
Numb/Macarthur a Contti/Claire Lise--Pianos--10/29/06
Tonight my plan was to just enjoy
MACARTHUR A CONTTI again, and hang out a bit, ‘cause they’re really
a sweet bunch of people. When I checked the listing, though, it turned out a
Japanese band called NUMB would be going on after MACARTHUR A CONTTI. So, I
got my camera, and since I was there taking pictures, MACARTHUR A CONTTI does
put on quite a show. When I got back, they were setting up. They started as
a trio again, the keyboard player, Kazuko, had wrapped a yellow scarf over his
face, so he couldn’t see, and was playing by feel. Shortly, Bellboy began
playing his trombone from the rear of the room and majestically approached the
stage. Then Ai started playing her trombone and followed him, and Achako Katana,
the singer, followed her. They played another song first, but then launched
into ‘Swimmy’. They had rearranged it, though. This time the guitarist
handled the back-up vocals, and Bellboy and Ai played trombone during those
parts. This band has such a free spirit, it’s not surprising that there
would be a certain amount of improvisation, but that change was a surprise.
They had a good crowd tonight, and they were obviously enjoying themselves.
They thanked us, and New York, and suggested we should buy their CDs and T-shirts.
“Buy now!” encouraged Katana, though there was no one at their table
to take our money. They quickly got a good number of people dancing, which is
a fairly rare occurance at rock clubs. Toward the end of the set, Bellboy started
into a solo, and Katana grabbed the microphone and brought it out into the center
of the room. Bellboy followed him. The band cut things down to a simmer, and
Bellboy stepped up to the microphone and blasted away on his trombone. He soon
found a willing dance partner, and managed a good variety of dance moves with
her, while continuing to play his trombone. Next it was Ai’s turn. She
found a young man, put the horn of her trombone right up against his chest,
and blew out a solo that I’m sure he felt. Next came the trombone face-off.
The band was cranking away behind them now, and it sounded great. After a bit
more dancing about, they returned to the stage, and it wasn’t long before
the guitarist stepped up front, cranked his guitar up, and they were into Hendrix’s
‘Fire’ again. It was a hot version, Hiro’s fingers were all over
that guitar neck, as the trombones honked out the ‘Fire’ riff. The
audience, who’d been surprised and delighted by the band, even before the
trombones came out to party with them, were amazed at the guitarist’s sudden
display of pyrotechnics. The excessive sound became so exaggerated, it stopped
being ‘Fire’ and moved into Hendrix’s version of ‘The Star
Spangled Banner’ The drums stopped, and let the guitarist explore the song
on his own. Kazuko moved away from his keyboards to climb up on the drummer’s
shoulders, ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ reached its apotheosis, and
the pair of drummers led the band triumphantly back into ‘Fire’. It
was another great set. Everyone in the room was smiling. You should see these
guys if you get a chance. Someone standing next to me marveled, “They’re
like a Japanese version of THE FUNKADELICS.” “Actually, they’re
more fun than that.” I replied, and he agreed.
That same fellow commented that following
MACARTHUR A CONTTI might not be a very desirable thing.
Peelander-Z/The Spunks/The Mad Capsule Markets/Goro--Don Hill’s--11/19/02
THE MAD CAPSULE MARKETS are
something unique. They’re a hard driving rock band, but during the entire
set they’ve got recordings playing that include both synth tracks and added
percussion. Besides the hard rocking, they’ve usually got a funk thing
going on, but they’re often rocking so fast it gets lost. The singer’s
mostly a rapper, but whatever boxes they’ve got him going through make
him sound like his throat is made of sandpaper, and his mouth is full of marbles.
Behind this fuzzy, vocal roar are a drummer, a guitarist, and a bassist who
sometimes trades in the bass for something resembling an oscillator. Technically
they’re all strong, and the frontline of singer, guitarist, and bassist,
all put on an energetic show, which kept the crowd bouncing when they weren’t
moshing. In fact, they were so energetic, I almost didn’t notice the drummer,
who doesn’t call attention to himself, but was back there pumping out the
beat like a machine. They didn’t have a slow song the entire set. So, he
was working hard, but every ounce of energy was going into that beat. Now, if
you’ve been counting, we have techno (the synth/percussion track), hard
rock, funk, rap, and on top of all that, now and again the frontline would do
these back-up vocals that were just perfect pop hooks. Granted, it didn’t
always blend smoothly, but together it was a powerful concoction, and it certainly
energized the crowd. At the end of the set, the singer threw out CDs, stickers,
and T-shirts. After the exertion of grabbing whatever they could, many of the
crowd left the club beaming--not a common occurrence in NYC.
THE SPUNKS were up next, but they
had to wait for THE MAD CAPSULE MARKETS’ crew to pack up their equipment,
which for some reason meant spreading equipment boxes all over the dance-floor.
Mainliner/Christian Marclay & Lee Ranaldo--The Cooler--7/24/99
I’m not sure what they
were called, but a MAINLINER throw-together jam-band, played one long song.
It moved from a slow hypnotic thing to a wonderful rave-up and then back again.
MAINLINER’s guitarist is amazing, but of the three guitarists on stage
for this one-song performance, it was the white-guy (I believe it was Lee Ranaldo)
who seemed to be doing the most interesting things. Besides the MAINLINER trio
(with Nanjo on guitar) and the white-guy guitarist, there was also a Japanese
bass guitarist who did quite well.
Shortly afterward, MAINLINER
came out and blasted their way through their set. The guitarist is truly a wild-man
psych guitarist of the first order, but the rest of the band are no slouches
either. The rhythm section tended to play stark, simplistic riffs while the
guitarist, jerking about like he was having a spazz-attack, played wigged-out
leads that took off seemingly with no intention of returning. Then the rhythm
section would shift into high-gear, and nothing was gonna stop ‘em. For
the most part the vocals couldn’t be heard, and the set didn’t seem
to be much more than half-an-hour, but the guitarist was an amazing psych-monster,
and I haven’t seen a rhythm section stomp a riff into the ground like that
in ages. It nearly rivaled the original STOOGES’ riff-pounding, but MAINLINER
were going at least four times as fast.
Melt-Banana/Lynnfield Pioneers/Oyobando--Knitting Factory--7/2/99
I can’t actually say
that I liked MELT-BANANA’s music, but I was impressed with their commitment
to it, and I very much enjoyed the show. Yasuko, the vocalist, was quite charming
when she talked to the audience, and it was a nice contrast to the intensity
of the music. To say the band consisted of guitar/bass/drums & vocals is
true, but it does not help to describe this band. Both the drummer and the guitarist
are very good, and all four of the musicians approach their instruments uniquely.
There is definitely a strong hard-core influence. Many of the songs were half
a minute to just over a minute, but some did stretch out to normal pop-song
length. Though songs often sounded rather similar to others that were played,
they never sounded like any other group I’ve heard. It was wonderful to
see this band, of two women (the bassist and vocalist) and two men, present
this very unique and intense music. They played hard and they concentrated on
the music. Only Agata (the guitarist) bothered to perform much for the audience,
falling into them at one point, and even he for the most part kept his eyes
on his guitar work. The intricate songs obviously take full concentration. They
were called back for three encores, but only played four extra songs. I don’t
know if I would go see them again, but I very much enjoyed this show.
Melt-Banana/Arab On Radar--Knitting Factory--10/13/00
I still don’t like MELT-BANANA’s
music, but on a Friday the thirteenth, I was back for another taste. The songs
are like concrete slabs, most about a minute long. There’s a hard-core
influence, mixed with an arty perspective. Plus, there’s the aggressive
attack of the entire band as they slam through song after song. So, though I
don't like the music, I appreciate their serious approach to it. These are intricate
songs, with unique dynamics. The musicians are impressive, technically and endurance-wise.
Agata wears a protective surgical mask when he plays. His guitar often seems
wildly out of control amidst the intricate rhythms. Yasuko could regularly be
seen counting (to herself) during the breaks. Her staccato vocals are the true
signature of the band. In contrast to these forceful, shouts, her between-song
patter was quite matter-of-fact. She announced a new CD being released on Halloween,
but the biggest surprise announcement was a cover of ‘Are You Gonna Go
My Way’. In fact, that was the intro they played, and Agata had some fun
with it, but when they finally launched into the song, it was DEVO’s ‘Uncontrollable
Urge’. The good-sized crowd regularly passed people over their heads, and
obviously enjoyed themselves. So did I.
Disorientation/Reorientation: Melt-Banana/The Dynamic Diplomats
Of Double Dutch/Cone Eater/Ampere/Video 11--NYU Kimmel Center, Eisner and Lubin
Auditorium--4/19/05
This was a multi-media event,
and, as such, it was a bit off the wall, or more like people had thrown things
at the wall to see what would stick, but nothing as cool as that happened. There
was originally going to be an eating contest, too, but the NYU legal department
didn’t like the idea and gave that event a thumbs down. As a whole, it
was a trifle strange, but not nearly strange enough. Still, it was a change
from another night in the rock clubs, so I’ll count that as a plus, and
MELT-BANANA rocked us just fine.
The MC of The Dynamic Diplomats Of Double Dutch stayed
on stage a while longer continuing to talk, as The DDODD made their exit, but
members of MELT-BANANA were now making appearances on the stage, too, and setting
up their gear. The crowd formed in front of the stage again, and got ready for
the main event. When MELT-BANANA began their first song, the mosh pit started
up right in the center of the crowd, and several people pushed through the crowd
to help stir things up further. The pit died down once or twice, but most of
the time it was active, and regularly, most of the people involved, and a few
others who felt it was safer, would do a circle stomp during a good rowdy song.
The sound was good. The band was tight. Most of the audience was ready for some
crazy fun, and MELT-BANANA delivered it in rockin’ style. Rika, on bass,
and the pale-face support drummer did a fine job keeping the rhythms full and
active. Agata, the guitarist, came out in his surgical mask, with a wool hat
pulled down so low, that most of the time, if you could see any of his face,
it wasn’t much more than a crack large enough for his eyes to see out of.
He’s a master of his style of guitar playing, and half the time it didn’t
even sound like a guitar. His range of sounds is startling. Sometimes he sounded
like a dentist drill. Sometimes the drill got bigger. At other times he sounded
like a siren, but he almost always came up with something interesting, and even
when he stuck to more traditional guitar sounds, the songs changed at such a
rapid pace, there was no chance for anyone to max out on anything but the constant
changes. Yasuko, the vocalist, is an even more unique stylist than Agata. She
doesn’t seem to have that good a voice, but her precise, rhythmic, vocal
attacks steal the spotlight in every song, even though the lyrics, and they
are in English, are almost never comprehensible. When she speaks between songs,
though, her English is clear, and her humor is as dry as a desert. She did crack
herself up one time. “We’re on American tour now. Tomorrow night we
play Knitting Factory. So, everybody come. We will wait for you.” She paused,
looked out at the audience, and then, backing away from the microphone, doubled
over with laughter. About halfway through the set she announced they were going
to do ten short songs, which was exactly what they did. It took about two minutes,
even with the introduction of each song’s title. They followed those songs,
with a pounding version of DEVO’s ‘Uncontrollable Urge’. It may
very well have been the longest song in the set, though a good number of MELT-BANANA’s
songs have expanded in length since the last time I saw them, and it’s
a nice change, as it gives their arrangements more room to develop and strut
their stuff. They closed out with a few more songs that kept the crowd energetic
and rowdy, played a final song, and soon returned to play another for an encore.
There hadn’t been much disorientation, but MELT-BANANA had rocked us well,
and were rewarded with a good crowd at their merchandise table. Having already
picked up two CDs, I joined the crowd heading outside and reoriented myself
to the warm spring weather.
Melt-Banana/Drop Dead/Children--Knitting Factory--6/10/07
As MELT-BANANA began setting up,
which took a while, Akiko (formerly of THE PLUNGERS) and her husband came over
for a chat, which was nice. By the time MELT-BANANA started up, the room was
packed, and almost immediately a good portion of the audience was bouncing up
and down, and whenever the band launched into one of the more energetic rhythms,
the pushing and shoving would begin, without any noticeable edge to the mosh-pit.
The band are amazing. They pumped out one song after another, each of them quite
distinctively different, all of them sounding like some kind of musical code
that only they could cipher. Each song was a joyous assault of Agata’s
guitar noises that usually changed before you could get a handle on them, a
powerful bass/drums rhythm section ready to go into overdrive at any moment,
and Yasuko on vocals that not only kept up with these wild untamed songs, but
lined them up, whipped them into shape, dressed them up, and took them out on
the town. The songs were like free-form aural constructions, but everyone in
the band seemed to know exactly where they were during every moment of each
song. After a number of intricate songs, none lasting more than two minutes,
Yasuko announced that it was time for some short songs. She wasn’t kidding.
During this portion of the show she announced the titles of each number, some
of which were only a few seconds long, though one or two lasted over half a
minute. Throughout the show the audience remained active with plenty of bobbing
heads, and bodies pushed one way, and then the other, some trying to find equilibrium,
others just enjoying the movement and the body contact. Toward the end of the
show, Yasuko, in her clear and distinct English, announced. “We have T-shirts
for sale--over there!” and she pointed to the merchandise table in the
rear corner, “We have CDs for sale--over there!” once again she pointed
to the rear corner, “So, after the show, please go--over there!” yes,
she was pointing to the same corner, “and buy our T-shirts and CDs. Thank
you!” Pay attention advertising majors, and note the artful use of both
repetition, and call to action! The audience was under their spell from the
beginning. Even the inexhaustible variety of cacophony MELT-BANANA presents
as a matter of course, did not dissuade them. When the band exited the stage,
the whoops and hollers were followed by a steady and forceful clapping that
filled the small room. It seemed only a few moments before Yasuko once again
bounded out onto the stage to much cheering, followed shortly by the rest of
the band. Yasuko announced two more songs, but either they played more than
that, or one of these songs was a bit longer than usual. Afterwards, there were
almost as many people crowded around the merchandise table, as making their
way out the door.
Merzbow/Borbetomagus--Tonic--12/7/02
Tonight MERZBOW was Masami Akita
by himself. On two Apple desktops, with the occasional slight knob manipulations,
he filled Tonic with digital sound, that a man next to me described as synthetic
sound. Though he shook hands and talked with fans who joined him on the stage
after the show, he didn’t say a word during the show. In fact, it was difficult
to tell when the set up stopped and the show began, but it seemed most decided
it was when the volume rose. It began sounding like the howling winds of a tornado
from inside an uninsulated house, then it simmered down to a rainstorm. At other
times during the show I was reminded of being inside a car, sometimes an old
one, as it drove through a rainstorm, trying to tune in a radio with no stations
in range, a microphone spun around on the end of its cord faster than a man
could spin it, and a jet plane flying through a tunnel. Many members of the
audience closed their eyes and meditated on the sounds. Most stared thoughtfully
at the seated man in black, who kept his eyes focused on the computer screens
and the electrical equipment on the two tables before him. Had I wandered into
this show blindly, I would not have been amused, but this was MERZBOW, so I
allowed myself to become fascinated by the whirring sounds and searched for
beauty in the digital storm. After nearly an hour, Masami Akita stood up and
turned his back to signal it was over, and was rewarded with enthusiastic applause.
No one seemed to expect or desire an encore. There was a buzz of contentment.
On my way home I found true joy in a simple tune hummed over and over.
Thee Michelle Gun Elephant--CBGBs--9/8/99
I had heard a tape of THEE
MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT and hadn’t been very impressed. They rocked, but
didn’t seem to add anything new to the mix. It took them a while to set
up, and when they came out and began playing, I stuck with my previous estimation
for a long time. Still, I kept having to admit how well they rocked. They’re
a tight little band, and they rock hard with no mistakes. Their songs don’t
have many surprises, but they have some tasty hooks. Their lead guitarist (the
second half of the show the singer almost didn’t touch a guitar) is one
of the best rhythm guitarists I’ve ever heard, just incredibly precise
and versatile. As for his leads, he was so completely in control and adept at
everything, it was hard to get excited about them. Toward the end of the show,
the band actually had some songs, or performances, that got a bit edgy. The
good sized crowd obviously enjoyed it very much and the exuberant moshers up
front regularly passed young men around over their heads. They’re a tight,
technically very strong rock ‘n’ roll band. They didn’t break
any new ground, but they put on a good rockin’ show, and the crowd appreciated
it.
Miminokoto/Jack Rose/Major Stars-Palace Tavern-10/29/05
MIMINOKOTO were next, and
there was a good deal of discussion as they set up whether or not they’d
even be allowed to play. Apparently the Palace Tavern, or its neighbors, aren’t
accustomed to loud rock music. The cops had come and shut down THE MAJOR STARS
during their finale rave-up, and all concerned seemed anxious to avoid, or at
least postpone, the reappearance of the police. MIMINOKOTO were told over and
over that they would have to play quietly. Surprisingly, the band seemed to
go for it, and not only agreed to play quietly, but did so. MIMINOKOTO are a
trio. Before they started, the guitarist let everyone know that they’d
been told they had to play quietly, and that we should all buy their CDs and
play them loudly to see what the band really sounds like. They played softly,
as they were told to, and it made me wonder how much that changed their sound.
The guitarist sang in a low, emotional voice. The drummer played with an improvisational
flair, switching back and forth between regular drumsticks and mallots. When
the bassist began, the drummer immediately instructed him to turn down, and
he did. They played four songs, and though they picked the tempo up once, they
kept the volume down, and successfully avoided any more discussions with the
police, who, as it turns out, were parked outside. When the band stopped, the
audience’s warm applause encouraged them to continue, and they played one
last song. I asked Adam, who had heard them before, if what we had heard tonight
was a good representation of their sound, and he replied that he thought it
was, and that the most unique thing about the band was the guitarist’s
sound, which he described as “surf guitar in outer space”. It was
a good description, and pointed out one of the most defining aspects of MIMINOKOTO’s
sound.
Kosetsu Minami--Town Hall--6/21/03
Kosetsu Minami has apparently accepted
that he is, as billed (almost), the Japanese version of John Denver. Town Hall
was pretty close to packed with Japanese of all ages except teenagers. A row
of youngsters and their parents sat in front of me. Not being a big John Denver
fan myself, I was kind of comparing my interest level with that of the youngsters.
Kosetsu came out by himself and played a few numbers on his own. Having never
seen John Denver perform, I can’t compare the two, but I’m betting
his Japanese version talks a lot more to his audience. It surprised me how much
he talked, and the fans obviously enjoyed and appreciated it, regularly laughing
at his jokes and applauding his stories. As it turned out, he talked between
every song. The talking was about half the show, and it may very well have been
the larger half. Kosetsu Minami proved in those first few songs that he can
play guitar well, and his vocals throughout the set, doing a good variety of
material, were quite good. The musicians he brought out to back him up, a bassist,
a guitarist, and a violinist, who each played other instruments, did their jobs
impressively well. A woman was brought out to play keyboards about halfway through
the set. The music was sweet and warm, but it was the performance and the camaraderie
that was built up between Kosetsu and his audience that were most important.
He’s fifty-four years old (the only part of the dialogue between him and
the audience that I understood), and he knows how to work an audience. At one
point he brought out some dancers to teach us how to do a traditional Japanese
folk dance to one song. During other songs he encouraged the audience to clap,
or sing along, and when he was called out for an encore, it almost seemed like
he was encouraging the audience’s applause as much as they were encouraging
him to play more. He played three songs for the encore, closing with John Denver’s
‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’.
Takako Minekawa/Falling Skyward--Mercury Lounge--11/2/98
Two white guys accompanied
Takako Minekawa, but I didn’t catch who they were. One played a guitar
(He was billed as Sweet Trip, but he’s actually the lead musician of that
band.) The other (Junior Varsity KM) played what seemed to be a collection of
home-patched keyboards, boxes, tapes and even some DJ paraphernalia (He had
no home-patched keyboards. He was doing a live mix off a PC laptop and hard
disc using midi faders.) The mess of wires underneath his workstation was daunting.
Takako mainly played a smaller keyboard, controlled a few additional boxes herself
(She had some guitar pedals, the main one was a simulated 303 filter, a late
‘60s toy stylophone, a Casio VL-1, I think, and mainly her SCI six-track
synth which she had used on the last few albums.), sang, and in the second half
of the set played some guitar. She and the others were quite unexpressive, and
the only real show came from a young, tubby fan, who quite uniquely, and a bit
effeminately, danced alone on the empty dancefloor. The rest of the crowd, though
very receptive to the music, remained seated or leaning against the walls. Their
music did get into some grooves, but retained a thoughtful, passive feel. What
surprised me most was that the tapes that were used, seemed to contain countless
guitars and keyboards, along with squawks and squeaks, alarm clocks and police
sirens, the cumulative affect tending toward noisiness rather than beauty. This,
I liked. After the show they left the stage to much applause, waited till it
died out and then returned to the stage to pack up their equipment. When the
crowd saw Takako returning they began clapping again, but she shook her head
and waved off the applause and any chance of an encore. I was impressed that
the rest of the evening she never left the club, but pleasantly spoke with anyone
interested in speaking with her or obtaining her autograph. (Thanks to Nicholas
D. Kent for all parenthetical info. There’s a link to his site ‘Japanese
Electronic Music’ on the main page.)
Japan-Smacksdown-NYC: Do Thank Anal/10 Yen Ana Kinoko/Petit
Mit/Bossston Cruising Mania/Electric Eel Shock/Techma/ Mong Hang--Continental--10/17/00
This show, apparently presented
by Micro Music who handed out a complimentary CD of their artists, was well
attended throughout the evening. About half the audience wasn’t Japanese
this time, which was nice to see, and Continental was the perfect club for this
event.
There was already a good crowd
at Continental when MONG HANG took the stage. They are a seven-piece band and
crowded the small Continental stage. There was a drummer, a percussionist, a
keyboard/percussionist, two guitarists, a bass guitarist, and a rather theatrical
singer in dreadlocks. Their music seemed to retain some Japanese tradition,
but it had definitely been impinged on, twisted, and distorted into something
refecting a more modern Japan. There was much fast-paced rock and ska going
on, but about once per song, the beat would stop, or slow down, and an eerie
jazz/experimental angle would creep into the songs. The singer behaved like
it was all a surprise to him, and acted out one extreme emotion after another.
It was a good performance of bold, original music, and I wish I had picked up
a CD at the table before they sold out.
Mong Hang/Gelatine--Knitting Factory--5/21/02
MONG HANG took a while setting up,
and then went offstage to get into their stage costumes. The audience waited
patiently, and eventually the band came out dressed completely in white. The
bass-guitarist wore approximately seven silver half-inch neck rings, like the
kind some tribes use when long necks are desirable. Actually his neck looked
long enough to handle a couple more than he was wearing. The band is made up
of a lead singer, two guitarists, the bass-guitarist, a drummer, and two percussionists
on a wide variety of percussion instruments. Everybody in this band is an impressive
musician, and the music they've created makes good use of their skills. It’s
a very dramatic music, and that drama is acted out by several members of the
band, but the lead singer especially overdramatizes every situation, and adds
a nice dose of humor to the music, which otherwise might come off a bit too
heady. With the humor, the variety of styles of the vocalist, and the occasional
added vocals of the three guitarists, the music seems like the soundtrack of
a strange stage musical, regularly jumping about from one time to another, covering
hundreds of years, and quite a few cultures, as well. A number of these years
and cultures probably exist only in the band’s rich imagination, but others
sounded strangely familiar. The variety is exciting, and that combined with
the individual skills of the musicians is truly a joy to experience. They were
quickly called back for an encore, and the band was obviously pleased with the
warm reception.
Gelatine/Mong Hang/Daiquiri/Dynamite Club--I.V.--7/30/03
MONG HANG were up next. It was
unfortunate that it took them so long to set up. They’ve trimmed down to
six since the last time I saw them, but their two percussionists still have
an amazing number of things to bang on, and so, to set up. I assured my friends,
Bohdan and Fia, that it would be well worth the wait, and after the fact they
agreed it had been. MONG HANG are incredibly versatile musicians. Tonight their
percussionists set up in front of the stage, on either side. The bassist, drummer,
and guitarist are all top notch, but it’s the wide selection of percussion
instruments handled by the two percussionists that takes this band to the frontiers
of its sound. The xylophone on one side was answered on the other by steel drums,
and these exotic instruments, along with keyboards, and much more, provided
the surprising flavors that made the intricate music come alive over and over
again. The music itself is theatrical, but the various personalities of the
band’s members are emphasized by their white costumes, each unique in its
way. Ba, the lead singer and frontman, is easily the most theatrical of all,
appearing with a headdress of plants, and, drinking from an old gourd, as if
playing the character of the town’s drunken fool. His performance was animated,
and he led the band through all manner of beauty and buffoonery.
Mong Hang/The Spunks/Kaminari--b.p.m.--8/8/03
Two of MONG HANG came out and
began playing. After that they mostly came out one by one, until the entire
band was up on stage, joining in. Then the lead singer came out with his large
headress of branches and peacock feathers, and the show commenced. Their music
has such an enormous range there’s only so much of it you can take in,
and it seems as if they arrange the pieces so that they contrast with the pieces
surrounding them as much as is possible, rather than arranging them so that
they flow from one style to another by degrees. There are moments when you can’t
believe they’re creating this music in front of you. There are others when
you can’t figure out how they’re doing it, and the majority of the
show you’re trying to imagine where the current progression might take
them, and, of course, you’re always wrong. There are a cappella sections,
clapping sections, moments of theatre when the group engage in various bits
of singing dialogue and sound effects. Plus, tonight, Cotton, of ACID MOTHERS
TEMPLE, joined them on theremin for a couple of songs. The spacy whirring of
her instrument added yet another dimension to their sound, and during the songs
she accompanied them, the band went into a noticeably simpler, more improvised
mode. Bohdan and Fia especially enjoyed her jersey, which read “D-GENERATION”
on the back, and “SUCK IT” on the front. On the way home, their friend,
Eric, exclaimed, “That was the best show I’ve ever seen!”
Mono--Mercury Lounge--11/9/00
All I knew was they were from
Japan. I asked the woman at the door if she knew anything about them, and she
replied, “They’re loud.” That sounded good. A few others entered
the club, but most of them were the band itself. There were still very few patrons
when they took the stage. The guitarists began strumming away. Then the bassist
added her part, and in a minute or so the drummer kicked in. The sound grew,
and grew, and grew some more. It was a big beautiful sound that seemed to naturally
expand through each song’s changes. There were no vocals, no microphones,
and no introductions or talking of any kind--just the songs, played forcefully
and respectfully. MONO generally seemed to be uncomfortable, easily explained
by the fact they were playing to a nearly empty room, but they put their heart
into it, and took the small audience on a wonderful trip. Their music reminded
me of PINK FLOYD’s spacier pieces. I felt privileged to have been one of
the few to experience this unique band.
Mono/Lama Doo Dah--CBGBs--3/14/01
Mono set up its wall of amps.
The guitarists laid out their arrays of effects boxes, and in not too long they
were ready to go. Again, there were no introductions, lyrics, or between song
patter of any kind. They were performing the material from Hey, You EP.
It was good to see them with a reasonable sized audience to appreciate them.
Though their performance concentrated on the musicianship, the audience did
inspire them to move a bit during some of the more climactic moments of their
songs. Mantra Rock is a perfect label for them. The songs tend to repeat the
same chord patterns, but flow from intricate moments of beauty to roaring waves
of rockin’ bliss. The audience was enthusiastic, and though they were forced
to stop playing before they had planned to, they had already delivered a moving
and impressive performance. It was good to see them again.
Mono--Tonic--11/11/01
MONO were here to promote their first
full-length CD, Under The Pipal Tree. The band took the stage quietly,
and Takaakira Goto announced that they were MONO. At the end of the set he tried
to use the lone microphone again, but as no one had used it since, they had
turned it off. MONO presents itself through its music. From the amount of time
they spend looking down and hiding behind their hair, you get the idea they
would almost rather you close your eyes and just listen. The songs usually start
delicately and sadly with just one guitar. As they proceed the other members
of the band slowly join in, and the music gently swells. It hovers in the air
tentatively searching for an outlet behind swirling guitars, until suddenly
it bursts loudly into a beautiful fire of pounding sound. In that climax the
bandmembers forcefully react to the music they’re creating, taking control
of it with their bodies, like a wave crashing onto the shore. When the music
softens again, they recede with it. The music is extraordinarily rich, and the
absence of vocals seems to give it a purity. The last song ended in a noisy,
uncontrolled free-for-all, until one by one the band left the stage, the roar
of the guitars slowly finding a rhthmic pulse in the droning feedback.
Mono--Tonic--3/7/02
I got there a bit later than
planned, and MONO had already begun their set. Assured by the door-woman that
they had just begun, I hurried in, and though I’d been rushing all day,
and was preoccupied with recent events, and current plans, I was soon wrapped
up in MONO’s delicate and beautiful soundscapes. Their songs start off
gently, and then slowly build, growing into a rich world that soon seemed to
have the majority of this audience as good as hypnotized. The drummer, Yasunori
Takada, has added xylophone to some of the softer portions of their songs, and
it’s a nice addition, giving him an opportunity to add to the music when
drumming isn’t required. Having seen them several times now, the subtle
interplay between the guitarists, Takaakira Goto and Yoda, was more apparent
to me this time. Generally, the band concentrate on the music, but when they
pull out the stops, Takaakira begins to twitch; bassist, Tamaki, begins to bounce;
and Yoda wrenches himself through a set of strange calisthenics. In the very
last song, when the band had built the music up to a powerful crescendo, Takaakira
Goto sputtered into a lead more akin to a hot punk band, and shortly afterwards
seemed to trip, collapsing backwards into the drumset. He then wrestled his
amplifier into a horizontal position, coaxing feedback from it with the guitar.
Both guitarists began playing their large assortment of boxes more than their
guitars, and as the feedback rose and throbbed, one by one the bandmembers left
the stage. Though this was a surprising addition to the Mono show, I was more
surprised that the show was over. It seemed like they had just begun. Why were
they quitting? But thinking back through the set I had just seen, I realized
it was a reasonabe length. I had fallen under their spell, and the music had
rolled me into a space where I wasn’t thinking about the passage of time.
Mono/Kinski--Tonic--4/11/03
The sense of this pairing quickly
became apparent. KINSKI, too, are a four-piece with a woman on bass guitar.
Like MONO, they’re an instrumental band. Their songs were more rock structured
than MONO’s, and they tended to accent beats, rather than sections of songs.
When KINSKI stopped, it was getting
a bit late and it seemed that the crowd immediately thinned a bit, but by the
time MONO started up, most of the crowd had returned. Seeing them after KINSKI
highlighted some of MONO’s qualities as a band. After all KINSKI’s
synth effects, MONO’s sound comes off as incredibly natural. Their songs
start off delicately and beautifully, repeating chord patterns over and over
until they become a natural force. Often, songs build, rising in volume, as
the drums begin pounding, and the chords from the guitars begin crashing down,
like angry waves against a rocky shore. I’ve seen MONO many times now,
and their natural, repetitive chord structures seem to immediately wash away
my conception of time. It seems like they do less songs each time I see them,
but their performance was more intense and self-assured than I remember previously.
They truly become a force of nature, and when they reach the roaring peak of
a song, it’s a climactic release. During the conclusion of the final song,
Goto Takaakira, the first guitarist, launched into the only obvious solo of
MONO’s set. He dropped down onto his knees, stretching notes, and wrenching
feedback from his guitar to dramatically close the show. He continued this,
as the rest of the band disappeared into the crowd, and finally, after satisfying
himself, made his own way into the crowd.
Mono--Tonic--11/29/03
It seemed like I hadn’t seen
MONO in a long time, mostly because I had missed two earlier shows from this
tour. It hadn’t been that long, but it seemed like the right time to see
them again. I caught the end of MASERATI’s set, and watched the lengthy
process of them breaking down, and then, MONO setting up. They set up their
own equipment, and when they were ready, they began their set with no fanfare
whatsoever. Much of their music is soft and delicately beautiful, but when the
first song built in volume and began to roar, like a jet heading toward you
up the runway, a number of people in the audience departed, mumbling things
like, “It’s too loud!” They’re an awesome band. Their songs
are very similar, in that, there are soft, beautiful, gentle moments, which
either slowly grow, or suddenly erupt, into a frenzied roar, and then, often
as not, subside back into a sweet flowing melody. The second guitarist, Yoda,
generally handles the repeated melodies, while the first guitarist, Takaakira
Goto, does exploratory work, interweaving with, and developing those melodies
as he shapes the songs. I’m not sure, but I think they played four songs,
which would fit with the natural sound of their songs, like the four seasons.
The set lasted about an hour, so the songs are fully expanded on. Though each
deal with similar dynamics, they are distinctly different melodies and structures.
Each one flows like a force of nature over those dynamic peaks and valleys.
The echo effects, regularly used by Takaakira Goto, give the songs a haunted
feeling, and as they develop, they sweep you up into their majestic ebb and
flow. The finale of the final song departed from their usual sound, as guitarist
Takaakira flew into a kind of punk Hendrix climax. He twisted the guitar into
every position imaginable, while the feedback roar reminded me of Hendrix’s
‘Wild Thing’ finale at Monterey. At another time I heard the roar
of an oncoming train. It was magnificent, and though, when it subsided, there
was a good amount of applause and calls for an encore, it was hard to imagine
them following it up. They didn’t.
Mono/Asobi Seksu/Eluvium--Mercury Lounge--4/14/05
I was there to see MONO
and ASOBI SEKSU.
MONO took the stage without
saying a word. They hadn’t even set up any vocal microphones. Throughout
the set, hecklers and exuberant fans were ignored equally. Takaakira Goto and
Yoda, the two guitarists, were sitting down, as was Yasunori Takada, the drummer,
which left Tamaki, the bassist, the only one standing during the first number.
I was interested, so this time I counted the songs and dramatic explosions.
They did five numbers total. The first had a slow gentle build up, finally reaching
a dramatic crescendo like waves crashing on a beach. Throughout the set, whenever
they quieted down after one of their crashing roars, the audience clapped enthusiastically,
even though usually the song was not over and there was still a gentle, calming
summation to come. For the second song, which had a similar structure to the
first, the guitarists joined Tamaki and stood up. At times the three in front
would sway back and forth with the music. At other times they would each move
differently. Tamaki sometimes seemed to be moving impatiently. During one of
the more dynamic moments Yoda, the second guitarist, busy creating a storm of
guitar squall, seemed to be being yanked backward by the beat, as Takaakira
pulled out long, haunting notes that twisted through the turbulence. The third
song was shorter, soft, and delicate. All of their songs have delicate moments,
and it was unfortunate that there were a few yahoos in the audience who decided
these quieter moments were a good time to start up conversations. The bar in
the next room would have been a better location for the pleasure of listening
to themselves talk. The fourth song seemed to make up for the lack of a dynamic
crescendo in the previous song, by providing two of them, with a delicate break
in between, and another to refine the number. During the softer moments in the
second half of the set, the drummer would lean forward, as if resting his head
on the drums. In the fourth song, as the two guitars floated in the gentler
currents, Tamaki moved back to her amp and turned her back on the audience.
The closing number didn’t so much have a dynamic break, as it slowly rose
up into a swirling roar, and then just as slowly subsided. There was no closing
roar of feedback and effects tonight, no amplifiers wrestled to the ground.
Either MONO had decided that the slowly thinning crowd didn’t deserve it,
or that that wasn’t really what their music was about, but tonight, after
taking us through a variety of storms and gentle eddies, MONO simply put their
instruments down, and left the stage to the sound of some well-earned applause.
Muddy World--Tonic--320/07
MUDDY WORLD, on Tzadik Records, are
basically a jazz trio, though they do have the guitar, bass, and drums line-up.
They occasionally step out of that mode with aggressive guitar attacks, but
for the most part the barefoot guitarist picks out intricate runs. Often at
the end of a song, he’d reach up as if plucking something out of the air.
The bassist kept intricate runs going constantly. Occasionally the guitarist
would drop out and just let the bassist go. The entire band was technically
very good, and the songs were varied and interesting. Only one song had vocals,
sung by the guitarist. I was surprised what a beautiful and plaintive voice
he had. There weren’t many people there to enjoy the band, as they were
the first band of the evening, but the small audience was appreciative. When
they finished, I was out the door. OOIOO were playing down at Knitting Factory.
Japan Nite 2000: Lolita No. 18/Polysics/Number Girl/Spoozys/Mummy
The Peepshow--CBGBs--3/20/00
What a great night! I can't
remember the last time I saw five bands in a row that were all good!
MUMMY THE PEEPSHOW opened up
the show and came out dressed in matching outfits. I was familiar with them
and expected them to be a bit more punk than they were. They seemed to be going
for more of a pop thing. Some of the vocal parts were worked out quite well,
and they’ve got some very good songs. They are definitely clever, and when
their technique gets past the amateurish, their songwriting is gonna make them
a strong band. Besides the songwriting, what puts them over now is their performance.
They obviously enjoy what they’re doing, and it’s contagious.
My Way My Love/Vibration/No One & The Somebodies--North Six--1/7/05
MY WAY MY LOVE set up, and before
long a couple of recordings slid up into the mix. The bassist tested his megaphone,
the drummer thumped around his kit a bit, the guitarist ran his various effects
boxes through a few of their tricks, tested the microphone, and the collage
of sounds hinted that I might be in for a set by the latest Japanese noise band.
Suddenly, all together, the trio hit a loud accent, and launched into some rocking
that was still quite noisy, but had my attention. The guitarist, Yukio, was
wearing an Evil Dead II T-shirt. The bassist had a naked doll hanging from his
amplifier, and the drummer was wearing a T-shirt reading, “Tokyo Fuckin
City”, which now and again elicited that cry from the audience. The remainder
of the set contained a wide range, from soft, quite beautiful, pop ballad moments,
to lots of hard rocking, wailing guitar, more prerecorded effects tapes, the
bassist occasionally shouting through the megaphone, and a good number of hot
riffs, often interspersed together in the same song. It was a rocking set that
just seemed to get better and wilder as it went on. Sometimes the guitarist
was on his knees, at other times bent over, concentrating on his guitar playing,
and when not at the microphone, or messing with his effects, he was all over
the stage, flipping his guitar and body around in a wide variety of rocking
contortions. Two thirds of the way through the set, he threw himself backwards
across the stage onto the drummer’s set, knocking drums and cymbals in
all directions. There he was, lying flat on the stage amidst the scattered drums.
The drummer, after a quick look of disgust at the damage done to his kit, stood
up and left the stage, followed by the bassist. When the applause died down,
Yukio asked if we’d like to hear some more, and after some cheers he apologized,
“We have more to play. Sorry, I got excited.” He called the rhythm
section back, helped the drummer put his kit back together, and as the drummer
made some final adjustments, started into a beautiful song on his own. When
things were set right, they launched into a few more rocking songs, climaxing
with another backwards flight into the drumset. With the drums scattered on
the floor once more, the entire trio left the stage. Afterwards, Mina, who had
emailed me about My Way My Love’s shows, which otherwise I would have been
unaware of, introduced herself, and then introduced me to Yukio. Thanks Mina!
I look forward to seeing their show tomorrow night at Knitting Factory.
My Way My Love--Knitting Factory--1/8/05
Aimee and Dan happened to join
me tonight. When we walked in we were told that BLUE VELVET would be on next,
but very soon MY WAY MY LOVE began setting up, which was just fine. Knitting
Factory’s Old Office is in the basement, and the stage area is so small
that MY WAY MY LOVE, and probably most other bands, were forced to take up about
a third of the floor area, too. During the set up, I paid closer attention the
bassist’s bullhorn, and it seems to be attached to an old lamp stand, and
there’s a microphone taped inside it. The tune up, checking of mics, and
testing of the effects boxes was reduced, seemingly in proportion to the size
of the room. I also noticed tonight that the tapes I occasionally heard playing
last night were probably going on continuously, but can generally only be heard
between songs, or when the band is playing very softly. Mina informed me, after
the set, that they had played the same songs as last night, but Yukio, the guitarist,
had less room to move, so he moved less. The songs seemed to have more of a
consistent throb tonight, though, of course, there were some pop moments, and
some wonderful, wailing guitar episodes. The smaller, basement area seemed to
reduce Yukio’s excitement level, resulting in no flights into the drumset,
and therefore no resetting up of the drums, shortening the length of the set.
Their was a good audience for the small room, and the reaction to the band was
warm and enthusiastic. Aimee and Dan both liked them, and Dan quoted me a couple
of audience comments he had overheard. One young man was heard to say to a friend,
“They’re going to be a hard band to follow.” and another claimed,
“This band is my new favorite band!”
Japan Nite 2002: Bleachmobile/The Salinger/ Understatements/Bonkin’
Clapper/Nananine/Clammbon--Elbow Room--3/18/02
Again Supervoid.com sponsored
Japan Nite, and like last year, as we left we were given a various artists CD
with two songs each by ten Japanese bands, five of whom had performed for us
that night.
NANANINE were up next. They,
too, made attempts at English, but were the last to bother. Most of the audience
was Japanese anyway, so it was hardly worth it. NANANINE are a standard four-piece.
Their music is quite charming, the kind of uplifting beat-group pop you don’t
hear anymore. They’re a young group, and the music was energetic, and fun.
Best of all, they were having a great time playing it. The lead guitarist had
some very nice riffs, and the bassist was the showman of the band, jumping about,
and encouraging feedback from the audience. Their performance was as energetic
as their music, and they even made a point of playing a song in English for
us. Things were going well.
Cornelius/Natural Calamity/P.J. Olsson--Bowery Ballroom--11/9/98
NATURAL CALAMITY came out.
They included five Japanese: a drummer, a bass guitarist, a guitarist, a guy
who played with a table full of boxes and a distorting microphone, and another
guy who played keyboards and more boxes. They also had an English woman singing
lead. She wore a T-shirt with a picture of a woman’s upper torso on it.
That was probably my favorite thing about the show, unfortunately. They tended
toward slow funk/soul grooves, with odd electronic distortion coloring the sound.
Her vocal ability was quite limited, but she never tried to surpass it, and
was pleasant enough. The lyrics were quite unchallenging and might have been
improvised on the spot for all it mattered, but I’m sure they weren’t.
I talked a little with the bass guitarist after the show and he seemed a very
nice guy.
The Neat Beats--Mercury Lounge--11/8/99
Akiko (of THE PLUNGERS)
told me about this show last night. I’m glad she did, because I hadn’t
noticed it, and it was well worth seeing. Yes, in their suits and ties, they
were neat, and they definitely had a beat. After the first song there were no
real surprises, except how incredibly well they recreated the early ‘60s
beat bands. Technically, they were impressively slick, and they rocked with
a clean, positive joy that I haven’t seen in ages. Their hair was slicked
back and their schtick was down. A DAVE CLARK FIVE ballad was presented respectfully
with charm, and THE ZOMBIES’ ‘Tell Her No’ was also given a wonderful
treatment. Otherwise, they covered many of the early rockers that inspired the
beat bands, and sprinkled in originals that fit perfectly with the rest of the
material. Many in the small crowd expressed their appreciation by dancing, and
when the band finally left the stage there were many smiling faces.
Afrirampo/Ni-Hao--Japan Society--12/8/06
The Japan Society has a
beautiful theatre, and I’ve seen many movies there, but this was the first
real rock show I’ve attended there. The assigned seating was the biggest
surprise, but I had bought my ticket early enough to be fairly close to the
stage. Photos were not allowed, though I noticed various camera phones documenting
the event. The seats are comfortable, and it was nice to see the bands in a
“high-art” setting, on a big stage with professional lighting.
NI-HAO came out, dressed in their
colors, and took a bow before beginning their set. They are a trio, and refer
to themselves as “Blue”, “Red”, and “Green”. “Blue”
is Yukari, who began playing bass, and also plays bass in LIMITED EXPRESS (HAS
GONE?). “Red” is Ariko, who also began playing bass, and “Green”
is Leo, who began on drums. They all sang, and that was when things took off.
Their three voices, singing together, were animated and joyful. Yukari’s
bass was set at a higher pitch, and kind of took the leads, as she plucked the
strings with her fingers. Ariko used a pick and played her bass more traditionally,
but sometimes quite subtly. Leo kept her drumming simple, though the rhythms
and speeds changed quickly, and often. The songs were strange, quirky, and often
seemed unfinished, but the spirited vocal arrangements, which were sometimes
marvelously intricate, and at other times seemed partially improvised, always
brought some joy to the mix. After about five songs they all switched instruments.
Yukari took over the drums, which wasn’t an improvement. Leo moved to keyboards,
and Ariko moved over to a small box which she manipulated to play recordings
and add effects. She handled it artfully, always returning to the recordings
exactly on the beat, and it was nice to hear the band stretching their range
in a playful manner. After about four songs in that set-up, they swittched back
to the original two bass set-up, and closed out the show with another five songs
or so. Yukari really seemed to loosen up toward the end of the set, and the
band got into some stronger rock grooves. Yukari’s bass led those songs,
but her bandmates were right behind her. My favorite moment, was when I realized
that part of a multi-structured song--their structures generally tended toward
the unpredictable--was a cover of JACKSON FIVE’s ‘ABC’.
Brain Failure/Hang On The Box/Peelander-Z/Noodles/Gito Gito
Hustler/The Spunks--Siberia--10/23/03
I was told that CMJ pretty much rejected
the idea of an Asian Night. That at the last minute Siberia, partially because
they wanted to be involved with the CMJ festival, volunteered to host the Asian
Night. I also heard several young men with big smiles on their faces congratulating
themselves, after seeing several of the bands, because, “We made the right
choice!” You’ve got to wonder though, why anybody would put an Asian
night on at a place with no stage. Siberia doesn’t even have a drum stand,
so it was pretty much a night of watching the bands, seven of them, between
other people’s heads. In spite of that, it was a great night!
NOODLES were up next. They had the
same formation as GITO GITO HUSTLER, four women with two guitarists, but they
did not have that band’s energy. In fact, Junko, on guitar, and Ikuno,
on bass, almost seemed to wish they weren’t there. They regularly hung
their heads, and generally stayed in a very small area of the stage. They gave
us no reason to complain about their playing, though. The band was tight, and
served up an interesting variety of somber songs, most of which seemed to involve
the imperfections of life and love. The drummer, Ayumi, was working it, and
kept the songs moving along, and they did pick up the pace a bit toward the
end of the set. Yoko, on vocal and guitar, was the front woman, and though she
didn’t bother talking with the audience much, she was obviously putting
her heart into it. She regularly closed her eyes when she sang, and it gave
the impression that she was keeping in touch with the truth of her soulful message.
They are a unique band, and though their lack of presentation leaves their songs
to speak for themselves, their material is strong enough to hold its own. Many
of their strongest songs were structured around walking guitar lines, and as
their set came to a close, it seemed they had saved their best material, and
one of their hardest rockers, for the end. They could use some work on their
presentation, but they concentrated on playing their material, and they earned
our respect.
Japanese Girls Samurai Tour ‘04: Bleach/Petty Booka/Noodles/Kokeshi
Doll--Knitting Factory Tap Room--3/23/04
NOODLES set up quickly, and
the opening guitar chords of the first song surprised me. They opened with some
of their strongest material, and the first few songs seemed more polished than
I had remembered them. The bassist and lead guitarist still seem to be wishing
that they weren’t there, and concentrating on their instruments in an effort
to forget the audience. Yoko, the lead singer/guitarist, seemed much less somber
this time out, and actually was showing a certain amount of exuberance. Ayumi,
on drums, kept the beat lively, and the band was putting the songs across well.
The mournfulness I remembered seemed to have been replaced with a certain amount
of catchiness. About four songs into the set they surprised me again by covering
The Buzzcocks’ ‘Ever Fallen In Love’. Yoko sweetly confessed
her fondness for New York and the audience, and the joy kept growing. A few
of the numbers in the middle of the set seemed to drag a bit, but the simple
early BEATLES-style guitar solos and the warmth of the arrangements carried
them through. They wound things up with a few more winners they had saved up,
and brought their set to a solid close.
Pillows/Daddy/Noodles/Future 86--Pianos--3/20/05
When NOODLES began their set,
I edged up to get in a good position for photos. I was interested to see how
their sound might have changed since their lead guitarist had left the band.
Their sound is a bit more sparce now, but it kind of fits their alterna-pop
sound, and they seem to have worked a bit more on their back-up vocals. Sometimes
all three of them were contributing vocals, and all three of them talked with
the audience at various times. Yoko, the singer/guitarist, pointed out that
this was their third time in New York City. “I love New York City. I want
to live here!” she continued. At that point I overheard somebody behind
me say, “I’m starting to like this band!” Later, while Yoko was
tuning up, Ayumi, the drummer, slyly waved to the audience, and said, “Hi!”
Then she asked, “Are you high?” She paused, and then with a smile
continued, “I feel fine, too!” The songs are still sweet and passionate,
and Yoko sings them with feeling. The bassist, Ikuno, still tends to hang out
toward the rear of the stage, when she’s not singing, but Ayumi keeps the
beat energetic, and the band, who’ve been together now for ten years, are
tight. At one point, I saw Ikuno a bit lost, and trying to figure out where
in the song they were, but by the time Yoko took the song back into the next
verse, Ikuno was right with her, and Ayumi had kept the beat coming steady and
strong. They’re a charming band.
Japan Girls Nite: Gitogito Hustler/Bleach 03/Noodles/Falsies
On Heat/Red Bacteria Vacuum--Bowery Ballroom--10/21/07
Wow! What a night! This special Japan
Girls Nite ‘07, brought to us by Audrey Kimura of Sister/Benten Records,
is only happening once, right here in New York, and was lots of fun, but then,
I knew it would be. The crowd wasn’t that big, but it was OK for a Sunday
night, and the crowd was enthusiastically enjoying themselves more and more
as the night went on. Interested in getting an OK to photograph the event, I
had warned Audrey that Bowery Ballroom was usually very strict about photography,
so I found it humorous when I saw a bouncer, who had that night accused me of
videotaping, pulling Audrey aside for videotaping her own show. Oh yeah, and
I think every band told us that they loved New York, though one of the guitarists
of FALSIES ON HEAT may have spit and pretended to heave shortly after telling
us how much she loved our city.
In a few minutes, NOODLES were up
to entertain us. They did this with their attractive pop songs. They’ve
been a trio now for a while, and seemed to have improved a good deal since the
last time I saw them, several years ago. Yoko leads this band on guitar and
vocals, and is supported by Ikuno on bass, and Ayumi on drums. Again, the rhythm
section is tight and keeps the music smooth and rocking at a good pace. Their
music doesn’t have a wide variety, but they do rock things up a good deal
now and then, and at one point toward the end of the set they slipped in a cover
of THE BUZZCOCKS’ ‘Ever Fallen In Love’. Early on, Yoko told
us about the beautiful view she had seen at the top of the Empire State building,
and, of course, that she loved New York. Later, while bassist Ikuno retuned,
she told us the same exact story, without a telltale smile. Just the same, Yoko’s
songs have a sincerity you’ve got to believe. Her guitar playing won’t
set houses afire, but her vocals are sweet and soulful. She’s obviously
singing from her heart, and it warms her songs and makes them real. Her emotions
are what keep this band going. It was good to see them again.
Pillows/Noodles--Blender Theater--3/21/08
It was an interesting evening.
The place was sold out. I got there half an hour after the doors opened, and
there was still a line that went about a third of the way around the block,
and it was barely moving. Thankfully, the bands didn’t start until everyone
was in. It was also interesting that it was a younger crowd than I’m used
to, which was nice, and promises a good future for Japanese rock music. Also,
it was nice because I got to practice some more with my new camera.
NOODLES were the first out, and they
got a good reception. The crowd let them know we were happy to see them. Singer/guitarist,
Yoko, soon reminded us that they had been here in October, and let us know that
they were very happy to be back in New York. I was impressed by how punchy they
sounded. Early in the set, Ayumi’s bass drum pedal was just pumpin’
away. Ikuno’s bass was pumping along, too, but, most noticeably, Yoko’s
rhythm guitar work was punching things along, too, in a way I haven’t noticed
her playing before. Her leads still tended to be slow and tentative, but her
rhythm was really propelling the songs along. The first half of the set really
rocked, and I was quite impressed. Many of the songs were quite catchy, too.
Of course, the rockin’est song of their set, as usual, was THE BUZZCOCKS’
‘Ever Fallen In Love’. After that one the set lost some momentum,
but overall it was good, and they got a very warm reception from the audience.
It was nice to see them go over so well with a sold-out audience in a good sized
place, and they invited everyone to come see them tomorrow night at Magnetic
Field.
Numb/Macarthur A Contti/Claire Lise--Pianos--10/29/06
That same fellow commented that
following MACARTHUR A CONTTI might not be a very desirable thing. NUMB was the
name of the band that task fell to. They started off with a woman on drums,
and a man on acoustic guitar. His guitar playing was quite good, with some nice
fingerwork. His vocals were very good, too, and very emotive. At some points
his vocal style reminded me of Richie Havens, though he sang in Japanese. He
often lifted his right foot up off the floor as he sang, expressing a certain
intensity. The drummer was quite emotive, as well. She was a good drummer, and
though she didn’t hit the drums hard, you could tell she was feeling every
single contact with her drums. She would lean back, raise her arms up, and then
attack the drums with another expressive volley of beats. After a few songs
they were joined by an electric guitarist. The acoustic guitarist/singer mostly
reduced his guitar technique to strumming once the electric guitarist joined
them. The electric guitarist was impressive. His playing was fluid, and often
fast. At first it seemed a kind of classical guitar style, but honestly, he
played a number of different styles, and played them all well. So well, it was
difficult to believe he was reading the music as he played it, but he did have
a booklet opened on the stool before him. At a point late in the set, the drummer
switched to a wooden box, and tapped on that with her hands for one song. The
songs and singer had very much of a folk styling, The drums added a certain
amount of rock to the mix, and her expressive drumming was fun to watch.
Japan Nite 2000: Lolita No. 18/Polysics/Number Girl/Spoozys/Mummy
The Peepshow--CBGBs--3/20/00
What a great night! I can’t
remember the last time I saw five bands in a row that were all good!
I wasn’t familiar with
NUMBER GIRL previously. They took a bit longer to grow on me, but did have depth.
Many of their songs switched gears from softer melodic interplay, some of it
beautiful, through to emphatic emotional outbursts. Both the guitarists, male
and female, were impressive, and the rhythm section were no slouches either.
I was a bit disappointed in the limited vocals of the male guitarist, and kept
wishing that someone else in the band would help him out, but when the songs
rose up and his vocals became impassioned expressions of angst, you couldn’t
help but believe him. He also won me over early in the set when he announced
to the audience that he realised he wasn’t cool. They’re a good rockin’
band and impressed me enough that I picked up one of their CDs on the way out
the door. Unfortunately, none of the other bands were offering theirs.
