Gigs gigs gigs

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster 4,908]

Who you seen recently?

I went to see Polysics on Saturday (as Facebook friends will know). I've seen them twice in the UK but in Japan it's VERY different. Mental crowd, mosh pits, crazed arm waving and chanting along. Some entertaining shtick towards the crowd at various points discussing food and weather mostly. 650 people there.

Now they're down to a 3 piece they move around instruments more. Fumi (the bassist) played drums for a couple of songs (so they had two drummers and the guitar), Yano (drummer) played guitar for a couple of songs (so they had just 3 guitarists) and Hayashi (lead) played an arm mounted keyboard for a track...and for another played keyboard by hitting it with a baseball bat.

All in all very energetic and very entertaining. Great venue too, reminded me of home and their sponsor beer is Heineken! Hoorah!

Here's some clips of the same tour, just in a bigger venue in Tokyo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxDWRo_hgsY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFF4BNPJHGs

[Ruki 3,650]

I'm going to see Blink-182 next month with Rancid and Against Me! ^_^

[SRN 2,024]

On Friday, I am going to see Boris at Vega, supported by Russian Circles and Saade (whoever that is). It is going to be really awesome because I am huge Boris fan and it is the first time I am ever going to see them live. A week later I'll head to Finland for Tuska, where I am seeing a fuckton of metal (the bad word, right Sousa?), including Meshuggah, Kvelertak, Church of Misery, Amon Amarth and other, going to be awesome. Then, when I get home, it is just a few weeks before I'll head to Aarhus to watch Battles live so basically the summer is going to be super gig heavy for me. Can't wait!

[DFF 1,002]

Outside of festivals, I've only been to a few gigs so far this year. At the beginning of the year I saw Anathema + North Atlantic Oscillation at the 02 Academy in Sheffield. It was a great little gig, and Anathema have some outright moving songs.

In an awesome twist of fate, I managed to find a decent video of my favourite song from that gig:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWpc_B04FqU

Then I had two gigs in four days at Corporation in March. Firstly, to see Sonata Arctica + Labyrinth + Triosphere in what was a solid gig. Then I saw one of the tightest, brilliant sets I've ever seen with Accept + Wolf. Both bands were on fire!

Just before Download, I got to see Anvil again when they also played Corporation, supported by the excellent Stone Run and the decent Blue Hearts.

Finally, and most recently, I saw X-Japan at the Shepherd's Bush Empire.

As for upcoming gigs, I'm planning to see Turisas, Alice Cooper, Royal Republic and Tyketto before the year's out. I'll probably see Mr. Big in Manchester too.

[Bobfoc 4,208]

Outside of festivals, I've only been to a few gigs so far this year. At the beginning of the year I saw Anathema + North Atlantic Oscillation at the 02 Academy in Sheffield. It was a great little gig, and Anathema have some outright moving songs.

In an awesome twist of fate, I managed to find a decent video of my favourite song from that gig:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWpc_B04FqU

Then I had two gigs in four days at Corporation in March. Firstly, to see Sonata Arctica + Labyrinth + Triosphere in what was a solid gig. Then I saw one of the tightest, brilliant sets I've ever seen with Accept + Wolf. Both bands were on fire!

Just before Download, I got to see Anvil again when they also played Corporation, supported by the excellent Stone Run and the decent Blue Hearts.

Finally, and most recently, I saw X-Japan at the Shepherd's Bush Empire.

As for upcoming gigs, I'm planning to see Turisas, Alice Cooper, Royal Republic and Tyketto before the year's out. I'll probably see Mr. Big in Manchester too.

How did the X-Japan show go? I quite like some of their material but I've only ever seen footage of them in front of Asian audiences.

[DFF 1,002]

Outside of festivals, I've only been to a few gigs so far this year. At the beginning of the year I saw Anathema + North Atlantic Oscillation at the 02 Academy in Sheffield. It was a great little gig, and Anathema have some outright moving songs.

In an awesome twist of fate, I managed to find a decent video of my favourite song from that gig:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWpc_B04FqU

Then I had two gigs in four days at Corporation in March. Firstly, to see Sonata Arctica + Labyrinth + Triosphere in what was a solid gig. Then I saw one of the tightest, brilliant sets I've ever seen with Accept + Wolf. Both bands were on fire!

Just before Download, I got to see Anvil again when they also played Corporation, supported by the excellent Stone Run and the decent Blue Hearts.

Finally, and most recently, I saw X-Japan at the Shepherd's Bush Empire.

As for upcoming gigs, I'm planning to see Turisas, Alice Cooper, Royal Republic and Tyketto before the year's out. I'll probably see Mr. Big in Manchester too.

How did the X-Japan show go? I quite like some of their material but I've only ever seen footage of them in front of Asian audiences.

It was absolutely amazing mate. The crowd was pumped, and X were on top form. They played all their new(er) songs (Jade, Born to Be Free, I.V.) except for Scarlet Love Song - and then did a kind of best of selection.

In fact, here's the setlist:

New Intro S.E

Jade

Rusty Nail

Silent Jealousy

DRAIN

Kurenai

Born To Be Free

I.V.

X

Encore:

ENDLESS RAIN

Art Of Life (2nd movement)

Forever Love S.E

Was definitely worth the trip down and I'd love to see them play a longer set. I think this was kept to a short/average length gig at a small venue as they had no idea what the turn out would be like. Hopefully the popularity of the gig will hav alerted some festival runners and they'll get offered some slots in the next few years.

[RPS 12,273]

Saw Erykah Badu and Neon Indian this past weekend. Both shows were great.

[tristy 2,911]

I'm seeing Portishead in October

[LittleDaniel 6,579]

I'm going to see Blink-182 next month with Rancid and Against Me! ^_^

http://www.flickr.co...ool-1676117@N25

[SRN 2,024]

I'm seeing Portishead in October

Jealous!

[GoGo Yubari 28,572]

Got to go to the first show of Cibo Matto's reunion tour last month. It was fantastic. It started off feeling a little karaoke but once they got going they kicked so much ass. Plus their dynamic is just really fun to watch (Miho Hatori did most of the talking and stage banter with Yuka Honda occasionally chiming in or correcting her on a date because Miho isn't so great at dates). Biggest complaint is I felt it could have been a couple songs longer (I would have loved to hear "King of Silence" but they got most of my favorites). Here's a clip of them doing "Birthday Cake" (one of their most recognizable songs because of Jet Set Radio Future) near the end of the show.

As far as upcoming concerts, I'm definitely planning to go see Weezer next month since they're doing The Blue Album and Pinkerton in full on one night (as opposed to their initial, stupid plan of doing one each night), which means it's not going to be bogged down by all their awful songs post-2002. Possibly Rasputina next month because it's been four years since I've seen them, and I'm probably going to go to a local music festival in September.

[High Overlord Cloudfang 16,849]

'Bout a month ago I saw The Black Dahlia Murder w/ Beast In The Field, Legions Await & Vore. Pretty mental show, especially once TBDM came on -- from that point on I spent my time braced against the stage (I was right there by the stage through all four acts), trying to not to trip or fall from all the moshing and shit going on behind me. The rule at the venue I was at was something to the effect of "no pits or moshing allowed", so you'd see people getting thrown out every few minutes and once TBDM came on their.. rhythm guitarist, I think? Made a crack on the security about not letting people have fun.

Also, there's some videos of the opener, Legions Await

BONUS: I'm in this video! Well, the back of my head. A little to the right of center in a white tee.

EDIT:

I should become a youtube sensation aaaaaaaaany day now.

[supergrass 23]

Recently went to see Kitty Daisy and Lewis at Dingwalls in Camden, which was a very good show. One of the best bands to get drunk and have a dance to. Also caught them doing an instore gig at Rough Trade in London the next day promoting their new album.

Also went to see Arctic Monkeys in Oslo, and The Kills in Glasgow and at the Roundhouse in London. And The Horrors a couple of times, and possibly again tonight.

These are the four bands I'm currently stalking, most are appearing at Rock en Seine in Paris which I will also be at.

[Apsham 10,366]

Aside from local shows for my friend's band Oh No, Theodore! - I've recently been to The Pixies and The Hold Steady, both were amazing shows.. and coming up I have Steven Page (formerly of the Barenaked Ladies) and hopefully Matthew Good for his October 14th show. The girlfriend wants to go to the Dropkick Muprhys but it's conflicting with something else right now and we're unsure.

[New Damage 1,872]

My last gig was Alexisonfire in November. Alter Bridge & Black Stone Cherry are coming in November and Puddle of Mudd with SOiL (with their original singer who is now in Drowning Pool) are here in October. I want to see both, but chances are no one else will despite me going to a gig with them when I didn't particularly want to.

Though chances are my next gig will be at the start of August, and it'll be The Feeling. Because it's free. Last year we had Feeder.

[Skummy 36,022]

I haven't been to a "proper" gig since December, but a ton of local acts and fairly minor English bands I've booked. The last one was ATP's Nightmare Before Christmas...and before that, the last gig, rather than festival, was Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster for the umpteenth time.

Next month I'm off to see The Tiger Lillies for the third time - at Soho Theatre, so should be amazing - and the following day I'm going to Field Day, so I'll be seeing some of this lot; Ariel Pink, Anna Calvi, Cloud Control, Electrelane, Faust, Gruff Rhys, Jamie XX, John Cale, Justin Spear, Konono #1, S.C.U.M., Sun Ra Arkestra, Bookhouse Boys, The Coral, The Horrors, Warpaint, Wild Beasts and Willy Mason.

Weirdly, considering I don't like them at all, this may end up being the third time I've seen The Horrors.

[Hobo 10,600]

I went to see the Mountain Goats in May.

I got a high five from John Darnielle. ^_^

[LittleDaniel 6,579]

Did he crowdsurf? I've seen him twice this year and he's crowdsurfed at the end of both shows and I want to know whether this is just his thing or not.

[db07 491]

Haven't been to a concert since March when I saw Foo Fighters in a secret gig in Sydney, which was PHENOMENAL!!!

Got The Hives in a couple of weeks, Chris Cornell acoustic at the Sydney Opera House, and Foo Fighters at the Sydney Football Stadium in December.

Edited July 16, 2011 by db07

[SRN 2,024]

Right, yesterday was Boris, Russian Circles and Saade. Holy flying shit, it was an amazing concert. The opening act, Saade, only had half an hour to play but they fucking tore the house down with some really quality catchy stoner rock; their drummer was tearing up that kit also. Russian Circles then came out heavy and hard, loud post-rock, and the crowd were really into it; it seemed a lot of people came to see Circles and not Boris because, as they came out, people sort of died out (except me and my buddy who were head-banging like crazy). My ears are still ringing after a dragged out version of Aileron that lasted 20 minutes, instead of the usual 13, and my neck is hurting like hell after going berserk when they played Pink.

Generally, Boris are really really awesome live. Only gripe I had was that the vocals were absolutely drowned in all the noise and distortion. You couldn't hear them at all. But who cares, its Boris; they had like 30 pedals scattered out on the stage and they absolutely destroyed VEGA; fuck me, this was an amazing way to kick off my vacation.

Loot from the gig; the 2011 edition of Heavy Rocks on vinyl, Klatter 1 collaboration with Merzbow also on vinyl and a Saade t-shirt and "You Are Coming Home" CD.

[LittleDaniel 6,579]

I walked around Baltimore last night while Fantasia (?) played a free concert in a park. Does that count? I don't even know who Fantasia is.

But next week I'm seeing Good Luck and the Max Levine Ensamble (who I must have seen about ten times at this point)!

[tristy 2,911]

When it comes to Boris, I think the last thing I would focus on is the vocals. Not a big part of the music, to me.

I have the chance to see them in October, it's either that or Portishead. Or neither of those, and just go to the Voodoo festival in New Orleans.

[SRN 2,024]

When it comes to Boris, I think the last thing I would focus on is the vocals. Not a big part of the music, to me.

I have the chance to see them in October, it's either that or Portishead. Or neither of those, and just go to the Voodoo festival in New Orleans.

Oh no, sure, the vocals aren't that important but still, it is the full experience of hearing every facet of the band. I could hear some muffled stuff but yeah.

[tristy 2,911]

I guess the strange warbling of Japanese vocals would be sorely missed live. I can sing along to a lot of the songs on Pink, but it's just in gibberish.

[SRN 2,024]

This is like talking to people on /mu/.