It’s a Jrock / Visual Kei announcement day! First, Kanon Wakeshima’s new album, Lolitawork Libretto, is finally out (pick it up here). To celebrate, I’m holding a giveaway contest with her record label Maru Music. Meaning you can win Kanon Wakeshima postcards autographed by the Gothic Lolita doll herself! Read on for details, and for exciting updates on the X Japan and D’espairsRay tours.

Kanon Wakeshima sings and plays Baroque cello, and is the prodigy-protegee of Visual Kei god Mana (Malice Mizer / Moi dix Mois). Above is the PV of her new single, Lolitawork Libretto, with French storytelling by Solita. Both her classical songwriting and Gothic Lolita princess dress are entrancing.

Here’s your chance to enter her lovely Lolita world — you can win an autographed 4-piece Kanon Wakeshima postcard set! Three of the postcards are photos of the adorable artist; one showcases an original artwork by her. And one of the cards is signed by Kanon Wakeshima herself.

HOW TO ENTER THE CONTEST…
† Amazingly, Kanon began playing cello at age 3. How about you: what was your earliest encounter with a musical instrument? Please leave a comment in this blog post, sharing your story. If you don’t play any instruments, let me know what you’d like to learn and why.
† Please promote the contest in a blog or forum post, or link to it via Facebook, Twitter, Stumble or other social network. Include the link or username in your comment for verification.

Contest is open worldwide and ends Tues, August 3 at midnight Pacific Time. You may only enter once and must fulfill both requirements to be eligible. Winner will be picked at random. Email Carmina if you have questions.

I previously shared the news that Visual Kei legends X Japan will be touring North America in the fall. Here’s another exciting update: the band’s former bassist Taiji Sawada will join X Japan on stage as a special guest! He’ll appear for two concerts, held August 14 and 15 at Nissan Stadium in Tokyo.

It’s been 18.5 years since Taiji and X Japan last played together. Don’t you love the band’s hair-raising look in the 1980s? It seems like the increasing interest in Visual Kei outside of Japan is encouraging bands to reunite. And if the Kozi-Mana-Yuki love at the July concert was any indication, Malice Mizer is next… fingers crossed!

Finally, Askew Magazine has teamed up with D’espairsRay to create a special tour booklet. I’ve seen a preview, and it’s ultra-professional and made with love. The booklet contains entirely original photography and an in-depth look behind the creation of Monsters and the “Death Point” music video. This special edition item is only available via the merchandise table at D’espairsRay concerts in North America and possibly Europe — so head out to a show! And good news for fans who bought tickets to the cancelled shows (Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta) — Askew will send you a booklet for FREE (if you have proof of purchase and cover the shipping/handling). Head over to Askew Magazine’s site for more Visual Kei goodies.

Anyone pumped to see D’espairsRay live? Come enter the Kanon Wakeshima contest by commenting about your first musical experience and spreading the word on the giveaway. (I’ll get the ball rolling.)

Japanese Word of the Day: Zetsubou = Despair
Song of the Day: TAIJI with HEAVEN’S (from “The Birthday Eve” show in Tokyo on March 26, 2010).

How about a run-down of Osaka’s best Visual Kei joints? There’s a large Jrock / VK music store in Shinsaibashi’s Big Step building (it’s the Visual dot on my Osaka shopping map). At the entrance, you can pick up free flyers plastered with the faces of your favorite Visual rockers.

Last May, Deluhi and Mix Speaker’s Inc were well-ranked in the Top Ten. Their Tokyo concert proved that they could deliver live as well (you can read my full show review here).

The Vambie demonstrate two cute new Asian poses.

Kansai is also home to several head-banging bars that blast Visual Kei music. In my new CNNGo article, I write: “When bands tour Osaka, they frequently stop by Territory, DJ Taiki’s occult shop in Shinsaibashi. Then they might walk around the corner to Moonwalk, a bar that pumps Marilyn Manson and Japanese glam metal to a young, heavily pierced crowd.”

Yukiro and I randomly found Bar Moonwalk after we left DJ Taiki’s haunt. We saw a sign that said “All drinks 200 yen” — and then glimpsed the eyeliner-smeared bartender above (named Kouta) – and that sealed the deal. Kouta is the bassist in a new Visual Kei act, which also has a Swedish member. Even though the band hasn’t even started rehearsing, he’s got the look down. And just like Fu-ki, he brought over free drinks… three shots, for all of us!

Osaka’s most famous hard rock / heavy metal hangout is Bar Rock Rock; Alice Cooper and Motley Crue are among the celeb customers. And don’t forget Midian, run by the ex-member of BLOOD: “Like a Goth Elvis, vocalist Fu-ki is alive and ominously wielding an ice pick behind the counter of his Bar Midian.” (You can see photos and in-depth directions to Fu-ki’s bar here).

Come read the rest of my CNNGo article about Osaka’s rock bars here. Please rate and “Like” it so that CNN will publish more articles about Visual Kei and boy-on-boy antics.

Wahh, my Scottish Fold’s fancy outdoor playpen featured on the Catio Showcase blog! “This isn’t the kind of catio for rambunctious cats, but Basil Farrow is quite well-mannered (no jumping or escaping), plus he is always supervised on his catio, I’m assuming by his bodyguards.” That’s about right…

Have you been to any of Osaka’s Visual Kei bars or record stores? Which bands would YOU rank in your top ten? Thanks for supporting my CNNGo article with a Like.

Japanese Word of the Day: Goumon = Torture
Song of the Day: Malice Mizer – Beast of Blood

Last Saturday, Malice Mizer’s three founding members (Mana, Kozi, Yuki) reunited on stage for the first time in almost a decade. The Deep Sanctuary II concert was a profoundly moving experience -– not only for the audience, but for the band members as well. The trio performed Beast of Blood. They hugged. Mana cried. And Yukiro and Count de Sang were right smack in the front row, witnessing it all. Let’s hear their story. (All photos by Yukiro.)

COUNT DE SANG: The brilliance of the July sunlight added a dreamlike quality to the Akasaka Blitz venue. In spite of the bright rays shining down around it, a kind of dark energy seemed to be gathering force as black-clad figures swarmed toward the building where history was about to be made.

YUKIRO: It was great to see so many wonderfully dressed up fans, even though the weather was hot and the wind messed up our hair and make-up. I was wearing a classic Dravarious look, and Count de Sang was of course wearing only Moi-meme-Moitie: we counted and it was about 10-12 items. He bought a Dark Sanctuary II shirt for 4000 yen.

COUNT: My fellow darklings and I found our way to the front row, directly in front of the platform where Mana was to stand in all of his darkly effulgent majesty. But first, Közi was determined to get the party started with one Hell of a performance.

YUKIRO: After we waited almost an hour and a half in the heat, Kozi’s band went on stage. Drummer Cha-ji had extremely sick make-up and his energy was beyond comprehensible. He gave 200% all the time even in the slow songs — and the guitarist played barefoot! Kozi looked fresh and younger, and had a cool hairstyle: a teased, forward-bended brown Mohawk, and he had fashionable black and red garments wrapped around him.

COUNT: While last year’s Deep Sanctuary left me with the distinct feeling that Közi had somehow lost his musical edge, this year I was blown away by the high-energy, nonstop onslaught of pure delight as only he can deliver it. Közi brought the venue to a fever pitch as he mentioned the day’s special guest…Yu~ki!

YUKIRO: Kozi called him “Hakushaku” so we had to scream HAKUSHAKU! They were referring to the vampire movie they did.

COUNT: The next song was announced as the piece that Yu~ki composed for Közi’s album. It was a beautiful performance, filled with power and emotion, and it left everyone breathless as Moi dix Mois prepared to take the stage.

YUKIRO: They switched the background to a Dix-pentagram and we waited, hot and smushed from every direction. When Mana entered, everyone screamed MANA-SAMA and went crazy. Mana was wearing a scandalously short skirt with a black and blue transparent fabric over it so you could see his gorgeous legs. He had, of course, everything in black and blue and a shining blue cross on his stylish black guitar (he switched to one with a red shining cross for the last song). K and Seth and the other two were all in black and red as always, but their clothes were awesome. They’d put a lot more effort in their outfits this year.

COUNT: The tight lineup gave a solid performance that skillfully blended classics, such as “Ange” and “La dix croix,” along with standard Seth-era pieces like “exclude” and “Metaphysical.” The ritual song “dispell bound” and “Immortal Madness” served to bring the entire audience together as one with the band. The set list also included two unreleased songs and one all new piece, which are set to appear on the new album (slated for early October of this year). Whetting the audience’s appetite even more, Seth informed us that “the Count” would not be resurrected unless we called for him loudly enough. And so, with shouts of “hakushaku!!” the long-missing bassist of the legendary Malice Mizer was called forth from the darkness.

YUKIRO: Of course they did the DIX ritual with the audience, and Mana gave a lot of energy, headbanging and spinning like crazy. It was wonderful to observe from up close.

COUNT: As the curtain closed on Moi dix Mois’ final song, the anticipation was nearly tangible as the entire audience stood with bated breath. The stillness was broken with only a few tones, soon followed by countless shouts of delight as the haunting melody of “Saikai no chi to bara” reached our ears. The curtains opened, and I saw a sight that I had never expected to see in my lifetime…Mana, Közi, and Yu~ki, on stage together for the first time in nearly ten years.

YUKIRO: Yuki to the right, Mana on the left and Kozi in the middle, each one with a red rose in his hand. Yuki wore a hat and his nostalgic Malice Mizer make-up. This sight was too much for me: the audience and I screamed my lungs out. When Kozi started to speak, we screamed so much that he wasn’t able to. It was so supreme and divine, it was like GOD himself had appeared in front of you and you just never wanted it to end. Pure ecstasy. There are no words to describe the feelings I had. It was too much; I could die happy now.

Mana started to cry and that was too much for me and I burst into tears again. But they suddenly got a hold of themselves and started to play a normal rock song, a bit Motley Crue-ish. Kozi’s singing is really amazing. They don’t need Gackt or Klaha; they could work as the three legends.

COUNT: The friendship and camaraderie between the three simply radiated from the stage. I was dumbstruck, and could only be carried along by the force and emotion of the music.

YUKIRO: After that song the most amazing thing in my life (so far) happened. They announced they were to play “Beast of Blood.” The audience held their breath for a nanosecond to comprehend what Kozi just had told us – and then we screamed more than we ever did! It was amazing; everything I’ve ever wanted it to be. Kozi could sing it as well as Klaha, and they had an air fog cannon bomb in the last chorus. The audience screamed “Malice Mizer” which felt magical. All we had been longing for, for the last 8-9 years, was right in front of us.

YUKIRO: When they were supposed to go off stage, everyone screamed and screamed so they changed their minds and went back and did a GROUP hug. Mana jumped on Yuki and Kozi; it was heavenly to see. We all started to scream “encore” and they went out one more time, but Kozi sad that they didn’t had any more songs to do — so they just thanked us and did one more group hug — and you can see that they were really feeling it themselves. I was speechless and in a shock, and about to faint, emotion overflowing. I couldn’t have dreamt of a live this good.

COUNT: The curtain closed on what was certainly an all-too-short reunion, but as the three gentlemen of Malice Mizer left the stage with their arms around each other, I think everyone present sensed a certain amount of hope for the future. According to Mana and Közi, malice and misery are the very essence of this life itself, and as long as we live on, the darkly beautiful spark of Gothic romance that Malice Mizer inspired in all of us will never die.

Thank you to both of you for the heartfelt reports! Did you get chills up your spine as you read about the powerful moments? What do you portend for the future of Malice Mizer?

Japanese Word of the Day: Eda = Branch (of a tree)
Song of the Day: Malice Mizer – Bara ni Irodorareta – Saikai no Chi to Bara (“Because here they stand like they did yesterday at the concert.”)

Who loves kawaii Japanese nail art? I gave myself a cute manicure, inspired by these Giles Deacon nail art photos. I think the googly-eyed faces look a bit like Moomin, the Swedish hippo-like character. Using Daiso nail art polish, I painted white ovals and a black dot on top to create the eyes. Don’t forget to let the layers fully dry and apply a sealing top coat.

Blasting, flowing news: Yukiro Dravarious will be making a scandalous musical debut at Midnight Mess (Tokyo’s longest running Goth/Industrial club party) on July 31!

Tell me all about your project: how would you describe the concept and experience?
I would describe Dravarious as an art form that lets the audience get a taste of variation in music, visuals and of course elegance. Classical goth, Extravagant, Fashion-forward, Visual Kei, opera, tragedy, misfortune and scandalousness! I’ve always been a big Visual Kei fan so naturally I wanted to do something similar but with my own touch to it. The music I’m going to play is mostly covers, but also 1-2 original songs. Of course I’ve re-done the covers to make them more fascinating. I’m thrilled about finally entering the stage with my own project and it feels absolutely Freaking Fabulous.

Not everyone knows you write and perform music. How did you get started?
In my teen-days I had a dream of becoming a singer. I went to different auditions around the country but I was immature and didnt know how to sing. So I started to take lessons and even went to a musical school, then started making my own music. Lyrics and poems have I also written for a long time. But since I moved to Japan I put the songs on a shelf and focused on my model career, which seemed more appealing at that time. This year I started to take vocal training again and I’ve been so much happier since. I can’t really play any instrument (except piano) so I make it all by computer, with help from my dear friend Sebastien who’s been supporting me all the way.

Tell me about how you worked with Sebastian.
I told him what kind of feeling and atmosphere I wanted with the songs, and together we tried 10000 of different sounds until I was satisfied haha. He is very good to work with. Whenever we had technical issues he did quick research and fixed them smoothly.

Like Lady Gaga, fashion must be an important part of your performance. How do you integrate style into your performance? What can the audience expect?
Fashion is very important to keep the audience interested in watching you. You can’t just wear some old T-shirt or whatever. I think that its almost an insult to the audience who paid for their tickets to not dress up; if they wanted to just hear the music they’d might as well listen to it on their computer. A live show is really important if you wanna be successful. Lady Gaga knows this and that’s why she always puts 100% energy and effort into it. I can’t deny that I’m taking inspiration from her. I’ve designed some of the outfits I’m gonna wear for the show myself, and the result is stunning.

The promotional photos are stunning. SO Visual Kei, with the blue-black roses and disappearing nose. Who is the photographer, and what was it like working with her?
Thank you, I think they really captured the essence of DRAVARIOUS. They were taken in the notorious “Studio-Violet” in Shinjuku (same place were most Host/VK-boys take their promo photos for magazines) by the legendary host photographer Alice. She’s extremely talented and the photo-session went by ghastly fast. She’s a friend of mine and also designs the Tokyo Decadance flyers, so I’m so glad she had time to shoot us before the live.

The lady in the photo, Maria – what is her role in the performance?
She’s my dancer and partner in crime. She’s an official member of the band and hopefully I’ll get one more dancer for the show. I did her make-up for the photoshoot and it suits her supremely.

What are your next goals? How would you like to take this project further?
If the live goes as well as I want, I’ll try to get more gigs and we are in negotiation with a film-team to shoot our first music video. Also Sebastien said that he would help me with the music again, so I can start doing more original songs. My true goal is of course world domination. Mohahahhaaa!

I can also reveal that I’m scheming to perform a vulgar act never done before on stage. And it will be a one-time-only act because I don’t think I’ll ever do it again. It will be a great show and people will not be disappointed if they come.

So come to Mistress Maya’s Midnight Mess at Shinjuku Club Marz on July 31, and see Yukiro in all his glory! Seileen (DJ SiSEN and Selia’s group) is celebrating their album release, and Roge from Bar Tram will be doling out Skull Absinthe at a special booth. For prices, directions, a map and more, check out my Tokyo Goth club guide.

Will you be there, in person or in spirit? If you have questions for Yukiro about his music and concept, please feel free to leave a comment!

Japanese Word of the Day: Kimon = Demon gate
Song of the Day: Seileen – Yokubaku

Japanese teenagers wearing “I ♥ Satan” t-shirts? V-fingers for the Devil? This ain’t no gathering for devil-worshippers, but at a Darkest Labyrinth Visual Kei concert headlined by SaTaN. (Or as they pronounce it, Sah-tah-nu.) GPKISM, Calmando Qual, LIX and Omega Dripp also performed, and I documented everything on video — so scroll on down for the story.

SaTaN has devoted following that showed up in band t-shirts and head-whirled like windmills. Ironically, instead of blood-dripping black roses, a fan left the band pretty pastel flowers and balloons.

Meguro Rockmaykan in Tokyo is a tiny venue; we could hardly squeeze past the merchandise tables. Wish you could get your hands on these CDs? HearJapan now stocks MP3s and releases from Darkest Labyrinth and Starwave Records! Come get your J-Goth-Rock fix from their online store.

Visual Kei is a small scene in Japan, as you can tell from the size and dumpiness of this venue. 90% of the concert-goers were — as usual — teenage girls. Not many were dressed up; the cosplayers and Lolitas really only come out for Gackt, Moi dix Mois and Versailles…

However, there were some cute Gothic Lolitas and a glorious Versailles poster. To see photos of our outfits that evening, click here.

Ok, shall we watch ze video? La Carmina and Yukiro wear scandalous clothing and run into walls as they report on the Darkest Labyrinth concert. (What drugs were we on that night?) The live concert footage includes GPKISM (Gothic Prince Ken and Kiwamu), Calmando Qual, LIX and the bloody SaTaN dressed as Alice in Wonderland. Hooray for horror J-rock!

We missed Omega Dripp but arrived in time for LIX. The band was pure raw energy, smashing into equipment and flailing their guitars around like a Japanese Nirvana. Calmando Qual (above) wore spooky carnival clothes and performed adequate Visual Kei songs. Nothing spectacular, unlike…

GPKISM, who swept us away to a haunted, romantic world. Gothic Prince Ken wore a princess Lolita dress and crown, and his voice resonated over Kiwamu’s electronic programming and guitars. What an experience: the concert footage speaks for itself. We went backstage to say hello afterwards, but GPK was a sleeping beauty… so we let him stay in dreamland!

We watched about 40 minutes of the animated Alice in Wonderland movie, which was broadcast over the curtains. Then SaTaN laughing spread his wings… and what an art performance! The spooky rock band dressed as an undead Alice, Black Rabbit and Mad Hatter. They waltzed. Spat blood. Tortured a baby doll. Put us through aerobic para-para moves. At the end, everyone was exhausted but dying for more.

Words can’t describe the experience, so please come view live footage from the spooky show! If you liked it, I invite you to subscribe to my channel.

Which was your favorite band in the video? Did you laugh at our silly antics? Yukiro’s short dress was red-hot…

Japanese Word of the Day: Mikan = Tangerine
Song of the Day: Marvel at GPK’s performance in the concert video.

Excellent news for you Visual Kei headbangers! Digital music label HearJapan has teamed up with Visual Kei / Japanese Goth music labels, Darkest Labyrinth and Starwave Records. Which means you can now get your hands on releases from bands such as Luzmelt, Suicide Ali, Calmando Qual, GPKISM, Seileen (SiSEN and Selia), Takuya Angel… has your head exploded yet? Come check out the compilation CDs and digital downloads on HearJapan!

HearJapan generously gave us passes to see the darkest and glammest of these bands perform at Meguro Rockmaykan in Tokyo. We were allowed to shoot videos of the performances — and boy, were they ever bloody. Check back tomorrow for a video of GPKISM, SaTaN, Lix, Calmando Qual, Omega Tripp and more.

Before the concert, Yukiro caused scandal and drama in the convenience store. He’s wearing the ridiculously short dress he got at the ridiculous Ridiculous store in Osaka.

The floppy hat is DIY-decorated with flowers and ribbons. Yukiro’s claws are always ready to scratch young boys.

Lolita dress: Moi-meme-Moitie… in my dreams! It’s Metamorphose temps de fille; got it for great price at Closet Child Harajuku. You may recall that this was on my Classical Lolita wishlist.
Jacket with trailing sleeves: Marble, from Marui One Shinjuku
Gyaru “bunny ears” headband: from Odakaya in Shinjuku. You see these “ears” all over Tokyo.
Tights: Vivienne Westwood, from Marui Shinjuku
Epic boots are epic: Alice and the Pirates, from Closet Child Harajuku

Makeup is simple because we had to rush out the door… blue eyeliner, false eyelashes on top, nude lipstick, a gem at the corner of the eye.

But there’s always time to pose for photos! In the next post, we’ll bring you inside the Satanic concert with quality videos and a review.

14-year-old Amy sent me the gorgeous fanart on the right. It’s inspired by the Gothic Lolita outfit I wore on the CNN International shoot. I love the hime hair and kawaii eyes — you’re all so talented! If you’d like to see your Carmina/Basil artwork up here, send me an email.

Reiko Arashi also sent me a personalized trading card for Oshare Curry, her Visual Kei / Jpop social networking community. You can redeem it if you set up a profile on the site.

Have you ever been… Xperienced? (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) JrockRevolution presents a new webpage dedicated to X JAPAN’s performance at Lollapalooza. Come read the latest news, share stories on the forums, and plan meet-ups at the concert. You can also purchase an exclusive fan package with a T-shirt, thundersticks, DVD and more.

Finally, some sad news… Daisuke, vocalist of Visual Kei band The Studs and Kagerou, was laid to rest today. The cause of death has not been released. You may leave condolences on the band’s website.

Stay tuned for videos of Gothic Prince Ken and SaTaN dressed as Alice in Wonderland. Which are your favorite Starwave/Darkest Labyrinth bands?

Japanese Word of the Day: Maou = Satan
Song of the Day: GPKISM – Atheos (you can buy the single on HearJapan)

X Japan has announced a NORTH AMERICAN concert tour! As you may already know, the legendary Visual Kei band will be at Otakon convention in Baltimore (July 30-Aug 1) and Chicago’s Lollapalooza (Aug 6-8). Now, they’ve announced a full tour across the US and Canada, starting in California on October 1. The cities will include Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Vancouver, San Francisco, and Boston. (Source)

X Japan has been around since the dark ages (ok, they formed in 1982). Guitarist Hide (pronounced Hee-deh) tragically passed away in 1998 — thirteen years ago! But the band lives on, and is now finding new fans outside Japan. This spring, Marui One Shinjuku set up a special Lemoned Shop to commemorate Hide.

In addition to selling Hide merchandise, the store displayed the legend’s guitars such as the one played in Endless Rain.

While this was only a month-long special exhibit, you can always visit Hide’s Lemoned Shop in Harajuku, which sells goodies with a slightly worn or malformed aspect (hence the name “lemoned”). The boutique was also once Hide’s headquarters for his radio station, record label and tireless creative enterprises.

The logo — a bright, juicy lemon sliced in half — perfectly reflects Hide’s electric hair and showmanship.

Break out the… yen, if you want one of these rare Hide vinyls.

Fortunately, there are also affordable and cute little goodies for sale. Hoodies, t-shirts, pins, accessories, notebooks and kawaii bears. Perfect souvenirs.

Hide is alive… and on a t-shirt. Pick one up from the Harajuku shop if you find yourself in Tokyo.

We saw Kaya’s manly look… now let’s marvel at Yukiro’s! He was the model for Sembl’s new collection of Japanese deconstructed high-end mens clothing. (You can see the photos here.) The artsy video above was shot at Mt Fuji; poor Yukiro had to stumble around in icy water while chased by a shinigami (death god).

Are you looking forward to X Japan’s first “new” album in 14 years, to be released later this year? Will you be seeing them live?

Japanese Word of the Day: Higeki = Tragedy
Song of the Day: Kanon Wakeshima – Lolitawork Libretto (New PV from Mana’s cello-playing protege. What do you think of the music video and her Lolita clothing?)

How does one buy J-rock and Visual Kei concert tickets in Japan? The system is insanely complicated: fan club members often get the first batch, and instead of a Tickermaster-like site, one must brave the frustrating Japanese-only ticket vending machines at the Lawson convenience store…

Once you have the tickets in your hand, there’s still the matter of finding the venue. We circled all over Ikebukuro before being sucked into Black Hole, where Kaya’s band Kaleidoscope was headlining.

Dress: h.NAOTO Frill, from Closet Child
Green “belt”: actually a very long stocking, gifted from Sock Dreams
Crucifix headband: actually a cloth choker, gifted from Limebarb (do you sense a theme here?)
Yellow boots: John Fluevog
Rings: from various little Japanese stores

My makeup is inspired by Kaya’s “Last Snow” album cover. Whenever I need inspiration, I find it helpful to look at Visual Kei faces and try out some of their techniques.

I experimented with a rounder lip shape and filled it in with little green and purple eye liner pencils. Like Kaya, I extended the eyeshadow past the inner crease of my eye. I added magenta at the top outer corner to make the colors pop.

Yukiro can’t remember where he got his clothes, but they fit him like a glove! (I’ll post a video tomorrow with our usual “what am I wearing” segment.”)

Visual Kei bands Lix, Keith and Thomas were also on the bill, but Kaya’s band Kaleidoscope tore down the live house. There will be concert footage in the next post, so you can see Kaya’s manly look and hear his glorious voice!

Like at many J-rock concert venues, the stage is on the lower level, and the staircase is lined with pretty Visual Kei posters.

We traded in our drink ticket and flipped through the Visual Kei flyers and magazines, and waited for the former Schwarz Stein vocalist to take the stage… Come back tomorrow for a full review and VIDEO footage of Kaya live!

Are you a Kaya fan? Did you see him perform during his North American tour?

PS: last chance to enter my giveaway contest for a swanky cat scratcher and chair! Simply comment in this blog post to win the grand prize.

Japanese Word of the Day: Jime jime = Damp
Song of the Day: Kaya – Last Snow

We met Miyavi! The Visual Shock J-rocker electrified our eyes and melted our hearts at his June 17th concert (at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom). Let’s start from the start…

Miyavi’s North American tour is called “Neo Samurai,” and he’s beloved for his vivid makeup and ever-morphing style. So I thought it appropriate to dress as a Glam Rock Samurai.

My makeup is inspired by 1970s David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust. I contoured my eyes with green eyeshadows gifted by Aromaleigh (the latest Victoria’s Revenge collection is possibly the best yet). “The real gold” is gifted from Sugarpill, and the stickers are from Daiso. The photos don’t do the look justice; in real life, the effect is iridescent.

Gold sequins and feather headpiece: gifted by Cutie Dynamite. I love her handmade hair accessories, which go perfectly with Victorian, Steampunk and Lolita outfits. This one matches my hair and clips on easily with a large hair comb. You simply must visit Cutie Dynamite’s Etsy store for more gorgeous designs.
Samurai wrap top: by Dalegare. One of the most unusual pieces I own — it has long samurai sleeves and wraps around the chest and waist. I found it in London’s Camden Market years ago.
Pants: by Lululemon. Very comfortable.
Owl ring: Juicy Couture
DIY nail art: inspired by Miyavi.

I arrived about an hour before the doors opened, and encountered a snaking lineup of devoted J-rock fans. Some had even camped out overnight!

My friend Rose was sixth from the front, looking lovely in Sex Pot Revenge. She did her multi-colored leopard hair and all her piercings herself.

Rose: Part of why I like to get there early is to meet awesome new people, who share my interests. Even though I was teeth-chattering-freezing for eleven hours straight, it was still great fun!

Asta had newly-dyed aqua-colored hair as well. We were on the guest list, so we ducked into a nearby bar for red absinthe cut with egg whites. Yes, I’m obsessed with absinthe. (Remember these photos from absinthe bars in Ebisu and outside Tokyo…)

Thanks to everyone who entered the Miyavi ticket giveaway — it was lovely to meet you at the show! (I kind of look like a Hare Krishna, hence the psychedelic Photoshop…)

I was among the eight individuals who got to watch Miyavi’s soundcheck. He was dressed all in black and wore sunglasses — but that didn’t hold him back from tapping and coaxing his guitar as if he were performing for an audience of thousands. Miyavi ran through several songs that weren’t on the setlist, apologizing in advance for mistakes (“I haven’t played these in a while.”) A needless apology — it was wonderful to hear his voice ring out in a bare room, backed only by drums and keyboards.

At 7:30pm, the doors opened and the fans rushed to the stage. At 9pm, Miyavi walked on and gave a big wave. (Photo from Miyavi’s management.)

Rose: From that second, I was totally captivated by his cute, charming and energetic stage presence! He seemed to be enjoying himself so much — I couldnt help but have a stupid smile plastered on my face the whole time. I was right up front, pressed against the stage… I had to be so I could have a close up view of his cuteness the whole time!

Carmina: Now THIS is a rock star. Everyone went nuts when Miyavi lifted his guitar behind his neck and shredded it. His English is quite good, and it was fun to yell along to his call-and-responses, like “Funky Monkey” and “What’s my name, what’s my f***ing name.” When he spoke about becoming a new father — “Already, my daughter is this tall, running around. They grow up so fast don’t they? You have to savor it…” — oh, a few tears were shed.

Rose: He seemed so happy to interact with the crowd, getting us going with his silly sexy gestures. It was so cute when he jumped up on the speaker to play up there — and did the splits, in tight jeans! I am very flexible and I can’t do that!

Carmina: Miyavi had microphone stands all over the stage, so he moved around and got close to everyone. Drummer Ryo Yamagata, with his years of jazz training, brought the heat to a boil.

Rose: I was excited to hear the two new songs he played, “Torture” and “Gravity.” I liked them very much. Now I can’t wait for his new album!

Carmina: Miyavi did an encore, squirting water from his bottle onto the crowd. When the lights went up, Rose and I went to the side of the stage… because we were two of the eight lucky people who got to meet Miyavi himself!

Rose: I always appreciate when musicians are willing to meet fans after a show. I know if I just did a live with so much craziness, I definitely wouldn’t feel up to meeting anyone. I don’t know how he has so much energy!

Carmina: As you’d expect, Miyavi was charming and gorgeous in person. He spoke English well, with endearing “hep cat” turns of phrase. Miyavi graciously signed a tour postcard and gave us a sticker.

Need I say it was an unforgettable live? I’ll soon be posting GPKISM, Kaya and SaTaN reviews, so please bookmark my blog and come back soon. For a report on the San Francisco show, check out Kirsty Evan’s article in East Bay Express.

Have you seen Miyavi in concert? What did you love best about his performance?

PS: I added more designer items to my wardrobe clearance extravaganza, including a red and black velvet Lolita dress for only $86. The Japanese clothes and accessories are disappearing fast, so come browse my Online Garage Sale before everything’s gone!

Japanese Word of the Day: Erande kudasai = Please browse
Song of the Day: Miyavi – Aishiteru kara hajimeyou (live in concert, 2009)

I promised you J-rock eye candy… and here’s the delivery. Young Visual Kei band Luzmelt wearing what can only be described as training bras! And shorty-shorts. And a butt bustle? Regi and photographer Shiori Saito continue their epic Tekkoshocon journey by interviewing Suicide Ali about Pikachu pijamas and headbanging to their music. Read on…

Tekkoshocon brought in one of my favorite bands for the convention this year: Suicide Ali. I anticipated only interviewing them, but was also scheduled for an interview with Luzmelt, a new Visual Kei band I had never heard of before. Fortunately, prior to each interview, I managed to see the Q&A panels and performances from both bands.

Luzmelt’s interpreter knew ahead of time that she would be on break, as I speak Japanese. Unfortunately, the band seemed to have forgotten… and the result was rather comical (one almost fell off his chair and there was quite a bit of nervous laughter going on). The vocalist, Yuhma, was extremely polite, and the drummer, Miu, was absolutely adorable, always smiling. It was harder to get the other members (guitars Asuka and Kaie and bass Zig) to speak, and when they did I was never 100% certain of where their minds were. My favorite question was: “What country do you want to go to?” and the answer was immediately “London.” They also had gone to Walmart, and were fascinated by it, enough so that they took tons of pictures.

The Suicide Ali interview was extremely enjoyable, with lots of laughs and random comments from both sides. Kozi (bass) started the comedic ball rolling when he sounded out his name incredibly slowly. Apparently Hiroshi (guitar) sleeps in Pikachu kigurumi, and Goshi (vocals) swore that he saw it. Hisashi (drums) didn’t say much. At one point I accidentally skipped Goshi on a question (I thought he had answered it already)… I apologized but he had answered the question (“Favorite brand?” “I don’t have any, actually…”) the same way I’d written it on my notepad a few moments earlier. Awkward…

Time to rock out. Luzmelt opened with an energetic rock vibe, and Suicide Ali sealed the deal with their twisted “industrial metal,” for lack of a better term. Both performances were outstanding and the crowd was very involved, even trying to mimic the para-para-style motions.

Suicide Ali’s live act never ceased to impress. Goshi’s vocals were spot on and every attempt to speak English was adorable (Hiroshi forgot the word “happy”). They’re not quite as gimmicky as Mix Speaker’s Inc, but the sight of Goshi spreading his arms as though they were wings during the song “Revendish Ring” made me scream and jump around like an idiot.

Though there were some sound problems, the shows were executed nicely and the bands treated fans who lined up for autographs with respect and a touch of humor. Though I am partial to Suicide Ali, I highly recommend seeing both groups live.

Also: buy their new singles! You can get Luzmelt’s “Sacrifice” from HearJapan. Suicide Ali’s “Stitch Doll” (which is AWESOME) and the best-of album of Variable Messiah (Goshi and Hiroshi’s former band) are available from Darkest Labyrinth. What are you waiting for? Go for it!

Any fans of Suicide Ali in the house? Which Visual Kei band would you most like to see perform in America?

Japanese Word of the Day: Mijuku = Immature
Song of the Day: Suicide Ali – Revendish Ring (from the DVD)