Category Archive for Tokyo + Japan
BLACK VEIL OSAKA, DJ TAIKI'S GOTH CLUB NIGHT. KOZI OF MALICE MIZER, FU-KI OF BLOOD, DARK MARCHEN AT GOTHIC INDUSTRIAL EBM PARTY.
I’ve covered Tokyo’s Goth parties, but what’s the Osaka scene like? Four words: DJ Taiki’s Black Veil. A phenomenal deejay, Taiki’s monthly party is known as one of the best Goth/EBM gatherings in Japan, if not the world.
Our trip to Osaka coincided with Black Veil’s 10th anniversary ball, so we plastered on the makeup for a nightcrawl. Who else was there? Kozi (Malice Mizer) and Fuki (ex-BLOOD)… Read on to find out why he’s officially my soulmate!
At the very last minute, I was inspired to do KISS makeup. I used the same zig-zag shape as glam metal guitarist Ace Frehley, but instead of all-black, I mixed in red and blue.
Goth dress: h.NAOTO, from Closet Child
White Rabbit purse: Innocent World, from Marui One Shinjuku
Spider and flower rings: from Closet Child. The purple one reminds me of Jasmine You, sigh.
Red knee high socks: from LA’s 99 cent store! Amazing what you can find in there.
Mary Jane shoes: Yosuke, my favorite brand. Well made and comfortable. From EST, a young women’s department store in Osaka.
Osaka’s Black Veil always takes place at Club Neo in Shinsaibashi (the shopping district with all the Gothic Lolita Cyber Punk stores). Guess who we immediately ran into? Fu-ki, vocalist of now-defunct Vampire Visual band BLOOD. You may recall that when we visited his Bar Midian, I was wearing a Black Sabbath shirt and he was blasting Paranoid. Do you see what he’s wearing now? A KISS tie! (That’s proof that we’re soulmates, right?)
DJ Taiki also runs an occult store, Territory, and had some goods for sale at the party. In general, the fashion at Osaka’s Black Veil is more Goth-fetish-sexy than in Tokyo…
And I was impressed by the level of flamboyance. Theatrical eye makeup, undead aristocrat outfits, elaborate hairstyles.
We saw our ridiculous new buddy from the Ridiculous store (I’ll tell you about that adventure in an upcoming post). He had a subdermal implant in his hand — pretty ridiculous, eh?
DJ Taiki spun one of the best sets I’ve heard in a while. He’s not afraid to mix obscure cyber-rave with Abba, 80s Goth and Mylene Farmer. No matter how much your feet hurt, his music will grab you by the neck and drag you to the dance floor.
*** VIDEO SHOULD BE EMBEDDED HERE but YouTube removed it for violating “community guidelines.” Hold on, I’ll put it back up and discuss censorship in the next post… ***
A pretty boy with a brown emo haircut joined Taiki… who introduced him as Kozi! The ex-Malice Mizer guitarist was adorably shy and ran to the back, but not before I caught him on video. You can watch Taiki and Kozi in the video… that got REMOVED so I will put it in the next post.
(For now, check out footage of Kozi and Mana from the Moi dix Mois concert last summer here.)
If you’re seeking a killer Goth/industrial nightclub in Osaka, there are only four words you need to know: DJ Taiki’s Black Veil. You can find upcoming event dates and RSVP for a discount on the website. I have much more Gothic and Lolita coverage from Osaka around the corner, and don’t forget to check out my Tokyo Cyber Gothic club guide.
Have you been to DJ Taiki’s Territory store or Black Veil ball?
Japanese Word of the Day: Monozukuri = Producing things with skill and precision
Song of the Day: Desireless – Voyage Voyage and Tainted Love from DJ Taiki’s fabulous set.
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DELUHI LIVE! VISUAL KEI CONCERT IN SHIBUYA-O-EAST. MIX SPEAKER’S INC, J-ROCK
If I could pin a “Rising Star” badge on any Visual Kei group, my hands would be all over Deluhi. Led by guitarist Leda, the former bassist of Galneryus, the band blends heavy metal thunder and gorgeous melodies in a killer live show. They’ve got the Visual component down. (Cute? Well-styled? Check, check.) And they’ve made their entire discography available exclusively on HearJapan. (All band photos courtesy of Deluhi.)
HearJapan kindly got us media passes to the Deluhi concert at Shibuya-O-East, a popular locale for Visual Kei acts. Despite the rain, the venue was packed.
Cute ghost shirt: Peace Now, from Closet Child Ikebukuro. (Store photos to come.)
Spiderweb arm warmers: gifted from Sock Dreams.
Goth Alice in Wonderland headband: Spank, bought at Marui One.
Purse: an old Hugo Boss bag.
As for my Takoyaki-chan dangle… you’ll have to wait for my Osaka coverage!
When Deluhi ran on stage… I admit we gasped. Spiked-out hair, tight black Visual/Rocker garments, chiseled cheekbones. And could they ever play: heavy metal riffs with glam rock synth swirls, which got the audience frantically waving their hands and screaming. An unforgettable sight: a hundred teen girls headbanging, long hair swirling under the flashing lights.
Vocalist Juri showcased an impressive range that trills and then dips into a growl. And when Leda raised his guitar over the stage and shredded his solo, several girls — I kid you not — threw back their heads and spread open their arms, as if in the presence of Jesus.
Power riffs, poignant melodies… an A+ show that kept us riveted until the last note. For those who haven’t yet discovered Deluhi, start here at HearJapan — you’ll love them, I promise!
Unfortunately, after Deluhi waved goodbye, the concert went from the clouds to the gutter. Two unfunny characters took the stage… and promoted a video game for FORTY minutes. Yukiro and I hid in the lockers area and plastered crucifixes on our faces while the salespeople droned on.
Next, headliner Mix Speaker’s Inc sat on chairs and bantered with several members of Deluhi. The chat was somewhat enjoyable but… get on with the music! Mix Speaker’s Inc explained that they “wanted to do something different at our concerts.” Yukiro sneered, “They most certainly did.”
Finally, Mix Speaker’s Inc got everyone headbanging again. The band wears colorful animal-esque costumes: a black and white cat, a lion, an amazing green Mohawk (above are some cosplayers). They threw out every trick in the performance book: back flips, para para, choreographed dancing, throwing objects, squirting the audience with water guns. Gimmicky, yes, but the spectacle was entertaining and backed by strong singing and tunes.
But hands-down, Deluhi stole the show. I urge you to check out their sound on HearJapan — the label is releasing their three upcoming singles: Frontier (June 16), The Farthest (July 14) and Departure (August 4). HearJapan is offering Deluhi’s earlier material for only 100 yen per song and their most recent releases for 120 yen each — visit the store to find out more.
I’ve decided to start posting short, off-the-cuff videos on my YouTube in addition to our edited masterpieces. We tried to film an outfit post after the concert (above and here). Unfortunately, the Japanese staff came by to kicks us out of the venue — so it’s only a minute long!
Have you heard of Deluhi or seen them live? Do you agree that they’re one of the most promising bands in today’s Visual Kei scene?
Japanese Word of the Day: Artistic = Geijutsuteki (na)
Song of the Day: Deluhi – Revolver Blast (Hear more from HearJapan.)
LA CARMINA
