Thursday, May 31, 2007
The Latest Show on Earth: Japan
The Live Earth juggernaut has made it's way to Japan, a country which is less concerned about having a carbon footprint the size of Godzilla as it is about, well, Godzilla. They're being a bit greedy about things and having not one but two concerts, thus doubling the amount of natural resources used and, if our maths is correct, hastening the onset of irreversible destruction of the polar ice caps by twenty years. Our maths may not be correct. Anyway, here's who's lined up for the gigs at Tokyo and at Kyoto:-
- AI - Like everything in Japan, this band is made up entirely of robots who craft a beautiful electronica soundscape inbetween enslaving the human race and requiring rebooting every thirty minutes.
- Ai Otsuka - She's a purveyor of bubblegum J-Pop par excellence - or whatever the equivalent, slightly more appropriate Japanese phrase is - and she's called her Best of compilation Ai Am Best. What's not to love?
- Ayaka - She gained her fame when her debut I Believe was used as the closing theme to the top rated Japanese drama Rondo, which we reckon makes her the Japanese equivalent of Robson and Jerome.
- Cocco - Will be enthralling concertgoers when she makes her entrance by appearing out of an inkwell.
- Genki Rockets - They are, in our always correct view, a Japanese
- Buggles, which we're sure you'll agree is a very good thing to be indeed.
- Kumi Koda - We, frankly, could make head nor tail of her website, but we have ascertained that she's got both a credit card in her honour and has designed a kimono collection. In your face Lily Allen!
- Linkin Park - Hang on! We know them, they're not Japanese! They're just, well, shit.
- Rihanna - And so's she! Not Japanese that is. Rihanna is pretty good, actually, even if she can't spell her own name properly.
- Rize - Rize appear to be a Japanese rock band fusing reggae, rock and rap. In other words they're the Japanese Linkin Park. Or, to put it another way, not really worth wasting your time over.
- Michael Nyman - Orchestral blokey, we once saw him do a gig with The Divine Comedy as part of the Edinburgh Fringe. This piece of information may not be interesting but it is 100% true, so is worth treasuring for that reason alone.
- RIP Slyme - Here's what we said about their Hot Chocolate single on Stylus about a year or so ago: "Horn stabs! There’s not enough horn stabs in music these days. Or melodicas, either, but that’s a debate for another day. Depending on your frame of reference, Hot Chocolate is either a drink that gains popularity as middle age arrives thanks to its sleepiness properties or Errol Brown’s pension fund. This takes its inspiration from neither of those things, instead being an upbeat slice of J-Hop which isn’t recommended for pre-bedtime listening as the restless legs it causes will have you kicking your covers about all night long.". It's safe to say that we liked them.
- Yellow Magic Orchestra - Early Japanese electropop who were a major influence on Towa Tei of Deee-Lite fame. It's safe to say they're probably quite good as well.
Labels: Japan, Lists, Live, Live Earth
