Category Archive for Visual Kei + Music
KAGRRA DISBANDS, VISUAL KEI BAND BREAKING UP IN MARCH: FINAL CONCERT TOUR & CD. HARAJUKU COSPLAY BRIDGE, HALLOWEEN COSTUMES & CRAZY STREET STYLE.
Oh SaTaN. Many of you sent me messages yesterday about Kagrra — the latest Visual Kei band to be pulling a Journey and going Separate Ways. After a ten year run, Kagrra is saying sayonara with a final album, Hyakkikenran, to be released February 2nd. Their final tour will start on February 13th and finish March 3rd at C.C. Lemon Hall in Tokyo.
Reader Shadowpal2 sighs, “Is this normal? I mean just looking in the year 2010…there has been countless disbandings and hiatuses…(hiati?)” Just this week, J-rock bands Valluna, nil delete heads, ALiBi, ZEST, Bi;shop and DISQLOC called it quits.
“Anyway… I call it something having to do with companies. This is just getting ridiculous. Honestly makes me want to buy a one way ticket to Japan and just head from the airport to the Ridiculous store.” What do you think?
On a happier and cuter note: Harajuku girls in Halloween costumes! After the Goth wedding, my spooky crew went to Jingubashi (the famous cosplayer bridge) in Harajuku to see and be seen.
As I mentioned before, the iconic Harajuku bridge is usually empty these days. Even on Sundays, you won’t find very many flamboyant cosplayers hanging out on Jingu-bashi (located to the right of the station).
However, on occasions such as Halloween, the ghouls come out to play…
Tourists swarmed us like paparazzi. We retaliated by shooting them back.
Also on the bridge: Heil Hitler? Not exactly. In Japan, the swastika is called manji and represents represents Dharma, universal harmony, balance.
The kawaii award goes to these two…
It’s fun spending October 31st in Harajuku. But for us spooky kids, every day is Halloween!
Thoughts on the latest round of Jrock band breakups? Who do you think is next? How about Harajuku cosplayer fashion — is it dying? I personally think it’s moved to the club scene…
Japanese Word of the Day: Housou = Broadcast
Song of the Day: Aion – Gasp For Breath (Forefathers of Visual Kei!)
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VIDEO: CANDY SPOOKY THEATER LIVE HALLOWEEN CONCERT, TRICK OR TREAT, TOKYO JAPAN. VISUAL KEI HORROR BAND.
This is Halloween, This is Halloween! I spent October 31st at the Candy Spooky Theater and SaTaN concert (at Meguro Rockmaykan in Tokyo). Wish you were there? Never fear: we filmed a video of the Trick-or-Treat-tastic performance.
Introducing “our latest victim,” Sebastiano Serafini! ( セバスティアーノ セラフィニー ) He’s never been to a Visual Kei concert OR made a video with us before, so Yukiro and I gave him the full bloody treatment. (You’ll be seeing more of Sebastiano on this blog; stay tuned…)
Jack Spooky kindly put us very serious reporters on the guest list. Candy Spooky Theater is known for its Visual Horror look and theatrics, and killed it on these fronts. But the music was also surprisingly strong: the band went from a ballad to jazz to disco electro, nailing each genre and making it their own. Oh, the energy! Jack flailed around the stage in a skeleton dance; bassist Peggy Giggles strummed so hard that blood streamed down his hand.
The highlight was when SaTaN joined their comrades on stage to sing “This Is Halloween” from Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas. Watch the magic in the above video and here.
Almost all of the concertgoers were female, as always. Quite a few dressed extravagantly for the special Halloween show.
Candy Spooky merchandise, amidst pumpkins.
Next, I’ll post a video and review from SaTaN’s final show with the four original members. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel so you won’t miss out!
What do you think of the Candy Spooky Theater footage? Did you laugh at the “I am Sebastian” moment in the video?
PS: congrats to Spooky Sally and Shira, winners of the Iron Fist zombie shoes contest!
Japanese Word of the Day: Girigiri = Barely, a close call
Song of the Day: Candy Spooky Theater live in Tokyo, October 31st 2010
LA CARMINA
