I went to Yoyogi with a friend of mine, since we both needed to take some pictures (me for a photo class, him for a communications class). This time, I actually went into the park instead of hanging around the street next to it. The interior didn't look too promising the last time I went, but that was a Monday. This, my friends, was a Sunday.
On our way to the park, there were lots of people performing: three man bands, a single person on the piano, a break-dancing group. They were all too close to each other the music blended from one to the next as you walked down the street.
When we got alongside the park, we had to walk down the sidewalk to get to the entrance; the same sidewalk where I had met Saturday Night Bremen before. This day, there were far more people on the sidewalk--lots of people selling used stuff and bands tossed in between. There were a lot more things to see than on a Monday. Well anyhow, as we walked down this rather long sidewalk, who should I see but Saturday Night Bremen. We kinda passed slowly along and I kinda waved and Chizuru-san kinda freaked out at the coincidence. Nice people.
We talked for a bit, I introduced my friend, the subject of their upcoming live came up (of course) and I decided on the spot that I would go.
I wanted to go before this chance meeting, but I didn't want to if I didn't get anyone to go with me. So I admit it--I used the situation to try to coerce my buddy into coming along with me -.- Well, it worked, and it was off to the live we go ^^ But first, the park.Right at the entrance to the park, there were the rock-a-billies. Middle-aged men with big hair, sunglasses, leather pants, tatoos, no shame, and some...incredible...dance moves.
If outside the park was for rock bands and hip hop, then the inside of the park was for indigenous musics. Not necessarily indigenous to Japan. Indigenous to somewhere. They had people on bagpipes. I'll leave it at that.
After that came Wednesday, the night of the live (yes, it was that close). Me and my friend headed out to Shibuya and promptly could not find the place for the life of us. Fortunately, Justin's got a good sense of direction so we finally sniffed the place out and got in at the last song of the first band. The live house was...small. Much smaller than I had expected somehow. Full of cigarette smoke and whatever blasting song was playing next, with a little space given over for people. The music was so loud that it really seemed like there was no room for anything else physically or mentally. It was loud enough that there were a couple of times that I got dizzy from it.
Saturday Night Bremen was the star of the evening--they played last. Before them played some group whose name I can't remember because we barely made it for their last song. The other group, Lucy Juicy, did mostly a pop-ish, happy sort of rock with a cutesy girl as their lead. What was interesting about their music was the variety. Just as me and Justin were saying talking about how it would be great if they had a sort of metal-ish, not so bouncy song, here comes the minor key. It was interesting, this band. The instruments played really well together. The singer, I think, could've added more to the music--in short, she needed practice. She does, however, pull off a great performance and does a good job as a front man.
Saturday Night Bremen really showed off at the end. The difference in experience was really obvious as soon as they started playing. Couldn't tell you what it was. Can tell you that it was good. Then again, everyone in that room had come to see them, not the starter bands.
Anyways, the live ended and me and Justin headed back home. We didn't get to talk much with the band members--expected, I suppose, consider that I'd only met them three times. We chatted with the lead singer and the electric guitarist outside for a little bit as they took a break from loading their van.
I probably won't run into them again, as I don't really have any further plans to go to Yoyogi. We'll see what happens. If nothing else, maybe I'll get to see them whenever it is that I finally return to Japan after this semester.
