Aural Candy / a j-rock blog

News: miyavi in NYC?!~

nobody@vox.com(Aural Candy) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:21:27 -0500

JRock Revolution is conducting a poll regarding whether to have miyavi do a live in New York City or not! I'm shocked (and of course utterly pleased) that NYC isn't getting screwed over once again because of a certain West Coast city that I shall not name (*points accusatory finger* =P).

If you live anywhere close to NYC, go vote!

At this point, I might as well admit that I'm now a full-fledged miyavi fan (musically, not fandom-obsessive-ly). I really hope that JRock Revolution give people enough time (at least 2 months!) to prepare and fit the concert into their schedules. Not everyone can pop over at the drop of a hat because, you know, we actually have lives outside of J-Rock like work, school, and whatnot. There are classes to attend, money to be made, so please be considerate JRR!

Now I'm off to wince over how Japanese anime/manga fandoms had totally infiltrated even original fiction writing. Why do I find Saint Seiya, Detective Conan, Naruto, etc. references everywhere?!

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the GazettE 2007 Europe Tour Roundup

nobody@vox.com(Aural Candy) — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 01:20:53 -0500

I was going to write this entry earlier, but somehow when browsing the GazettE's homepage, I got distracted by the band's new image and started making icons out of the new photoshoots. ~~Ruki possesses the most enchanting lips and I'm only human.~~

Let's try this again....

Our Gazemen have returned to Japan after what looked like a kick-ass Europe tour. The fan reports have quite a number of interesting observations.

Berlin: 01 | 02
Cologne: 01 | 02 | 03
Munich: 01 | 02
Paris: 01 | 02A | 02B
London: 01 | 02 | 03 | 04
Helsinki: 01 | 02 | 03

Aoi's lip ring

Lip ring-less Aoi

Quick, what are the first things that pop up in your mind when you think of the GazettE members? More likely than not, they're Ruki's neck marks, Uruha's thighs, Reita's noseband, Kai's smile, and Aoi's lip ring! I'm dismayed he decided to get rid of his trademark. Aoi just isn't quite Aoi anymore without his lip ring. Why did he all of a sudden want to change his image? This is going to take a while to get used to, alas. May his lip ring rest in peace.

Fanservice
Ah yes, the ever controversial fanservice. I confess, I've always wondered what... activities... the final edits of Gazette live DVDs cut out. Whenever songs like SILLY GOD DISCO were performed, the camera always swerved away from Ruki and all you could hear were high-pitched mass screaming from the audience. Goodness, what in the world got the fangirls so excited? My inquiring mind was dying to know. Thank you European fans for satisfying my curiosity. I don't know whether to laugh or bang my head on the desk when reading about the exact activities Ruki engaged in to get the ladies riled up at lives.

Ruki fanservice

Fan behavior
Well, I'm proud of the GazettE fandom! I understand that at the band's first stop in Berlin, quite a number of fans got overexcited and screamed inappropriately during Taion. The news quickly spread on the net and, as if wanting to prove to Gazette that European fans know how to behave, everyone actually stayed quiet and listened respectfully during Taion at the band's subsequent stops. Great job, fandom~ you're wonderful!

Tour bus

the GazettE tour bus (photo by evespikey)

Holy mother, Gazette actually had a branded tour bus/truck! The band really pulled all stops and I'm flattened that that huge, conspicuous thing actually paraded all around Europe. I once again bow down to PS Company's marketing talents. PSC isn't my favorite J-Rock artist management agency for nothing. Highest regard from me, PSC. I tip my hat to you.

And finally, here's a fan-shot video highlighting the London live. Listen to Kai's "thank you so much" at the end.

the GazettE live at London Islington UK

Now, please pleeeeeease come to the United States, Gazette.

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News: Dir en grey Brings Back Old School Deg

nobody@vox.com(Aural Candy) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:50:16 -0400

This just freshly came up on my LJ friends page. According to hotarubi of the community dir_en_grey, below is the set list of Deg's fanclub-only show at CLUB CITTA (part of the band's fall tour this year).

SE
01.REPETITION OF HATRED
02.凌辱の雨 (Ryoujyoku)
03.LIE BURIED WITH A VENGEANCE
04. ugly
05.ROTTING ROOT
06. Deity
07.DISABLED COMPLEXES
08.THE FINAL
--
09.蝕紅 (Shokubeni)
10.DOZING GREEN
11.CONCEIVED SORROW
12.dead tree
13.GRIEF
14.Merciless Cult
15.THE DEEPER VILENESS
EN1.理由 (RIYUU)
EN2.鼓動 (KODOU)
EN3.AGITATED SCREAMS OF MAGGOTS
EN4.朔 -saku-
EN5.羅刹国 (RASETSUKOKU)

Wow, 4 songs from MACABRE and six Ugly. This is the first time in quite a long time that Deg has played so many songs from their older period!

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Report: BOREDOMS / 77BOADRUM @ NYC Brooklyn Bridge Park [07.07.07.07:07]

nobody@vox.com(Aural Candy) — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 23:32:14 -0400

Wow, this is the first live report I've ever written for this blog. Before we begin, for an explanation of the significance of this BOREDOMS concert's timing (07.07.07.07:07), see the concert information site. Happy 七夕!

By the way, no actual pictures from this evening because I was a retard who brought a camera but forgot the memory card at home.

To tell the truth, I almost didn't go to this event. At 4pm today, my friend and I were trying to decide between the live and the Museum of Sex while standing at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge (Manhattan side). We flipped a coin and the Boredoms won, so off we went onto the Brooklyn Bridge.

BOREDOMS

Once we reached the Brooklyn side, we saw that a small crowd of people already gathered at the observation platform on the bridge looking down at the park. I sidled up to them and glanced down: cool, the 77 drum sets were all set up and... oh shit, the line went around 2 blocks! This is what happens when you have a free outdoor event. Everyone and his mother comes. Even though I RSVPed, there's no freaking way I'm going to stand in that looooooooong line to get into the park in the blistering New York summer heat. I know next to nothing about the BOREDOMS, so I owe them no allegiance. I considered the situation and came up with the following possible plans of action:

A. Turn back and go to the Museum of Sex.
B. Watch the concert right there on the bridge, but the sound's going to be garbled because of the zipping traffic on the bridge.
C. Go to the adjacent park that's only 1 alcove away along the East River's Brooklyn waterfront. We won't see crap, but we'll hear very well.

Guess which one we ended up picking? So, we got off the bridge, cut right through the line, and entered the adjacent park. We could see the crowd gathered for the live right across the water. To make sure we got within good hearing range, we carefully picked our way over the river-side rocks and took a seat there. For those of you who've never been to Brooklyn Bridge Park before, the picture below gives you a good idea of our vantage point. It was taken very close to where I sat today. That extension of land you see right before the bridge was where the concert took place.

Brooklyn Bridge Park (haleymonster.com)

So, we settled down on the rocks and waited for 7:07pm to arrive. As the starting time edged closer, more people joined us on the rocks. It turned out that the park reached full capacity and the people still in line were turned away. We actually saw 3 guys break through the park gate and make a wild dash for the live area while 5 cops chased madly after them. We all cheered for them, but the cops wouldn't give up. 1 guy got tackled right before he was able to flip over the barrier. A shame, truly.

Anyway, the live started promptly as the hands of my watch hit 7:07. A roaring tide of drumming swept across the waterfront to the cheering and applause of the audience. The intensity picked up and Eye's shouting echoed over the waves. This was my first time listening to the BOREDOMS's performance. I was honestly surprised by how... elusive their music is.

BOREDOMS / 77BOADRUM

(videos not shot by me, obviously)

I have difficulty properly describing the music. The melodies of the songs, if you can even call them that, were formless, hard to put one's finger on. The sound was driven mainly by the tribal beat, the relentless pounding of the 77 drummers. As I stared at the light from the setting sun sparkling over the rippling waters of the river, I kind of entered a strange sort of trance. "Light, ripple, orange, pretty, yay~!" I swear I wasn't high on anything. Somehow the music put me in an odd mental state. It was psychedelic, trance-inducing, and slightly creepy at the same time.

BOREDOMS

Most of the audience sitting on the rocks with me had their eyes closed and nodded to the beat as the music shifted and morphed around us. Sometimes, it sounded like a plane taking off, other times, it sounded like ocean waves crashing against jaggy cliffs. As the sun dipped further below the horizon, the Manhattan skyline took on a glow against the reddish sky. The Brooklyn Bridge lit up and beamed its spherical light fixtures at the shore. The cool night breeze picked up a dash of river water and wrapped around us soothingly. Surreal? Yes, it was.

I almost forgot about the pain in my hindquarters from sitting on the sharp, hard shore rocks, but alas, I had to leave before the live ended because my friend had to return to New Jersey in time. As we walked back to Manhattan on the Brooklyn Bridge, we once again passed by the observation platform. A sizable crowd now lined the area. One girl in a pink shirt actually climbed onto the railing and if she hadn't held on to the bridge cable, would have flung herself into the air. The effect of the music up on the bridge was actually very interesting. One can hear everything just fine, but the whooshing of the speeding cars transformed the sound and gave it another dimension. It was a unique integration of noise and music.

From up in the air, I could see that the park was packed. The 77 musicians performed in the very center while the audience crowded around them, forming a circle. The audiences, all of them, inside the park itself, on the shore rocks, and on the bridge, formed a fascinating gathering today.

We eventually turned away and continued our walk back, toward the glittering Manhattan skyline as the sound of the BOREDOMS gradually faded behind us.

Brooklyn Bridge (bugbog.com)

As I wasn't in the live area to witness the performance with my own eyes, I've found a fantastic live report from someone seated right up and close to the drummers. Go read this one for a different perspective.

Readability

Gunning Fog Index 6.02

Flesch Reading Ease 78.85

Flesch-Kincaid Grade 3.72

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News: the Gazette Returns to Germany

nobody@vox.com(Aural Candy) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 19:55:05 -0400

20.10. Berlin - Columbiahalle
21.10. Köln - Live Music Hall
23.10. München - Muffathalle

www.ticketonline.de (starting on July 23)

And the rest of the world gets no love.

*kills things*

Yes, I'm a jealous fangirl.

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News: BOREDOMS in NYC

nobody@vox.com(Aural Candy) — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 14:30:19 -0400

I was at the Brooklyn Bridge Park yesterday and noticed on one of the flyers on the wall that BOREDOMS will be playing at the park on July 7. Admission is free and the event will start at 4pm.

Saturday, Jul 7, 2007
4:00 PM

Celebrating their 20th anniversary, the legendary Japanese avant-garde rock band the Boredoms will debut 77 DRUM on 07/07/07 on the lawn of the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park section of Brooklyn Bridge Park. The band will lead 77 drummers in a once-in-a-lifetime performance. 4pm until dusk. FREE! RSVP required: http://www.viceland.com/77boadrum/

Location:
Lawn, Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park section of Brooklyn Bridge Park

Contact Information:
Shannon Mayers
718-802-0603 x19
smayers@bbpc.net

I haven't decided whether I'll be going yet. I have a "date" on that day and it all depends whether he'd be willing to go with me. :D

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Mostly Off Topic

nobody@vox.com(Aural Candy) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:29:03 -0400

I work 10-11 hours daily and am dead exhausted every night. I really want to talk about the latest J-Rock releases, but am too tired to use my brain cells to write entries. I should really be replying to people' comments on this blog, but I don't have the energy to do it one-by-one. Argghhh...!

I just listened to the latest KISAKI Project feat. Jui's single, Byousha Kaze. Once again, I fell victim to Jui's alluring voice. I just can't resist that man's charms, can I?

In other news, Elec has posted all 4 of his mini-interviews with female visual kei band Danger Gang along with another excellent live report. Go read it/watch them! The special shout-outs to Go and Paul are awesome. You two (three) lucky men!

Jimi, your life rocks. You wanna swap your life with mine? You can come to NYC, and I'll go to Saitama. XP

La-dee-da, I'm signing off, am going to bed now so I can stay awake for my 4 meetings tomorrow. X___x

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J-Rock Revolution Festival Live Reports

nobody@vox.com(Aural Candy) — Wed, 30 May 2007 01:10:31 -0400

As promised, I have compiled the live reports covering the J-Rock Revolution Festival (I prefer writing it as "J-Rock" instead of "JRock"). As of 11pm Tuesday May 29, I have read reports written by more than 30 people. The overwhelming number forced me to pick out the ones I liked instead. So now, I'm only posting links to around 10. My preferences for live reports were explained here, in what I think makes a good live report.

amouraiguise - Yes, I love details.

claim_solaris - Another quite detailed report.

coiled_iris - Is it possible to fangirl about a live report? The author is a girl after my own heart. The blow-by-blow accounts leave me a puddle of fangirl mess on the floor.

danimation - Written by a male fan.

Report

direngreyfan413 - Encounter with YOSHIKI after the live.

Report

fourscrewsloose - Great details, with photos of concert-goers.

Report

fy_sanctuary - A report with lots of photos.

Report

jrock_junkie00 - This one's got a photo of miyavi arriving in his convertible. WTF, he wears that hat even when driving?!

Report

radicalfxcker - This was written by an Akiya (of Kagrra,) fan! *hugs her*

remix_sakura - Great coverage of Kagrra,.

Day 1

Two eL's - Nice details on MUCC's performance.

Day 2

It seems that both Kagrra, and alice nine. gained a lot of new fans on Friday night. Whooo! Despite being an alice nine. fan myself, I'm still surprised by how popular they are. They seriously brought the house down, my god. Aside from the YOSHIKI band announcement, it seemed that alice nine. stole the night. I'm incredibly delighted and proud of them!

On a related note, more videos of the 2-day concert have surfaced. Keep on checking YouTube!

Edit:

Oh, and a rant. I'm shocked so many people are indifferent about SUGIZO. "Oh, I have no idea who that other guitar guy in Yoshiki's new band is." This reallly bothers me. If you don't know who LUNA SEA is and consequently, who SUGIZO is, please go check out the band's entry on Wikipedia.

Who do you think was the biggest influence and inspiration for Gazette? (I'm using them as an example because they're getting so big now.) Where do you think Reita and Uruha's performing style come from? Who the heck do you think Uruha's hero is?

It's one thing to not have heard of LUNA SEA's works, but I think a J-Rock fan should at the very least know of the band since they're so legendary.

LUNA SEA

Picture from Japanese Channel

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J-Rock Revolution Festival Photo Gallery

nobody@vox.com(Aural Candy) — Sun, 27 May 2007 20:02:39 -0400

J-Rock Revolution Festival @ LA

Concert photos taken by thejames of Flickr.

This concert-goer captured some seriously awesome pictures of the performing bands. To my disappointment though, no Kagrra,.

Go check out the gallery!

By the way, I spotted a camera man (or is it camera men) among the pictures. Think this 2-day concert will ever make it to DVD even though the cameras were probably only for the overhead screen?

Update:

More photos have surfaced. Check this link out for pictures of the bands leaving the venue.

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News: Updates on the Gazemen

nobody@vox.com(Aural Candy) — Mon, 21 May 2007 02:50:31 -0400

Here's the larger version of Gazette's new look from the band's staff blog.

the GazettE

*scrubs eyes with bleach*

Rooooooooki, what the hell man, what the hell?! And am I the only who thinks he also looks sorta ~~whore-ish~~ insanely provocative?

Speaking of provocative, the cover and the setlist for the upcoming live DVD have been determined.

DECOMPOSITION BEAUTY

Yes! Filth in the beauty, Worthless War, Rich Excrement, Taion, Chizuru, SILLY GOD DISCO, LINDA, and THE $OCIAL RIOT MACHINE$ are all on there!!! I'm so looking forward to this.

And uhh, the new album, STACKED RUBBISH special edition will contain 2 (TWO!) PVs. One of them will be Chizuru, the other one will probably be one of the new songs. The album will feature 14 songs in total, 10 of them will be new works.

4.

I just noticed this. There's now a picture gallery of all of the Gazette tour goods ever released on the official home page. It's kinda fun looking over the designs.

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