Category Archive for Nightcrawling
BEST KARAOKE TOKYO: SHINJUKU PASELA. FUNNY JAPANESE SONG LYRICS MISTAKES, TRANS-X LIVING ON VIDEO ITALO DISCO.
Vampires everywhere! In Tokyo, Halloween is every day of the year. (Or, the truth is, I’m still going through photos from last October). The Los Angeles Invasion with Sebastiano Serafini (virgin-victim turned Visual-deathrocker) is coming right up… I know you’re dying to see the scandal.
We spend a bit too much time in Japanese convenience stores. Yukiro got the Versailles Destiny CD as soon as it came out. Did you like this release?
Classic Dravarious, in evil queen makeup and lace-up, drop-sleeved clothing.
I was working with the Norway TV crew (co-hosting and arranging a show in Tokyo with Pirate Naomi). We rented out a large room for karaoke at Pasela Shinjuku, but didn’t end up needing it. Waste not, want not… so my spooky friends and I took over the tambourines.
In Japanese karaoke parlors, you search and choose songs using this gizmo. There’s a telephone in each room, which you ring for food and drinks.
Pasela is famous for its bizarre toast desserts. The pumpkin face melted quickly into a mush… (Here’s a big photo post about Halloween and pumpkin food in Tokyo.)
You all know I’m an Italo Disco obsessive. So I was ticked pink when Trans-X tweeted me (Electro/HI-NRG father and creator of smash hit Living on Video.) He’s still active, releasing a CD this year and heading the LovRecs label.
A funny story… We attempted to sing Trans-X – Living on Video at the Japanese karaoke parlor. But the lyrics were way off: “Stomp!” instead of “Stop,” and other ridiculous mistakes. And the video was a cheesy montage of an unattractive couple! As you can see in the reflection, we were falling over laughing.
Ten minutes later, we were still cracking up about the Trans-X transgression.
The karaoke parlor, Pasela, was decorated like Halloween-town. I’m wearing Sex Pot Revenge t-shirt and headdress by My Velcroe (by Emily Blong), to which I added a white rose ribbon.
Want more Japan karaoke coverage? Here’s a feature about Pasela, with a list of suggested karaoke songs.
What are your favorite karaoke tunes? Have you ever come across funny English Fails in Japan or elsewhere?
Japanese Word of the Day: Kangofu = Nurse
Song of the Day: Miss Kittin & The Hacker – Frank Sinatra (Suggested by Miss Rose.)
SHARE & COMMENT
STAR CAFE TOKYO: VISUAL KEI & HEAVY METAL JROCK BARS IN KABUKI-CHO, SHINJUKU. CURE MAGAZINE, POKEMON PILLOWS & TOYS.
Where am I? In a retro toy store with Luke of Chaos Royale? Not even close. We’re in Star Cafe, the Visual Kei bar in Kabuki-cho where spiky-haired groups like Anti-Feminism drink after playing a live. (For the record, they didn’t understand the meaning of the band name when they picked it…)
How typical of Japan… the cute and the hardcore, blended together seamlessly.
Naomi and I had a full day of shooting with Norway TV, but we still had energy left for an after-after-party. We decided on the vintage whiskey.
There’s a rack of Cure Magazines, so you can do shots while flipping through the pages.
Lolita rose headdress: gifted from My Velcroe by Emily Blong. (I wore it on the Norway TV shoot… more photos to come.)
Skull t-shirt: Super Lovers, from Closet Child
What’s the proper thing to do when a customer falls asleep at the bar? Take photos involving Cookie Monster and V-fingers, of course!
Star Cafe is well-stocked with alcohol and J-rock DVDs.
Mistress Maya, “Queen of Kabuki-cho,” comes here frequently.
Visual Kei band posters cover the walls, like in my bedroom.
STAR★CAFE is located at 2F 1-11-5 Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo.
How to get there: walk toward Studio ALTA from Shinjuku station (East exit). Cross the main avenue (Yasukuni Doori), walk in a front street (Kabuki-cho Ichibangai), and you will arrive at Shinjuku Koma Theater. Opens 11:00pm.
Want to see more photos from Tokyo Visual Kei bars? I visited Visual Kei Bar Zin, Fu-ki’s Bar Midian, and Osaka’s Moonwalk and Rock Rock.
What type of bars do you prefer? In addition to headbanger bars, I love retro/absinthe/burlesque establishments…
PS: come read my latest CNNGo article about 10 extremely extreme sports involving yaks, angry bulls and the North Korean border. Also, my CNN picks for best travel destinations in 2011. Sichuan, Himalayas, Bolivia and more.
Japanese Word of the Day: Sonzai = Existence or being
Song of the Day: Anti-Feminism – Tokage
LA CARMINA
