Now, before I start to actually blog this post with all the decorum and professionalism of a person who goes by Maniac online, allow me to acknowledge that this is so incredibly far from being a hey-look-what-I-found moment, but a I-know-you’ve-been-bugging-me-about-this one. Who hasn’t brought up Wagamama Kiite (Twitter) at some point in the last couple of months? And I get it, they have a sound and a fun name. They should get attention!
So here’s attention. In fact, attention ever since you started to point at them and scream, you animals, because I don’t know when I started to Twitter and Soundcloud follow them, but it was definitely long enough ago to forget that it had happened, and now look, there’s a new track on Soundcloud, platform of champions, and we’re going to sit here together and enjoy it:
I wish that I had something interesting to say today about Sozelica’s oddball retro alien-invasion idol+ project, but the fact is that encountering new material from Melon Batake a Go Go is like stumbling into a perpetual motion machine that, rather than run without additional inputs of energy, actually serves to render anachronistic paradoxes into music form. You’re left slack-jawed, not in awe of the thing’s beauty and/or power, but in its encapsulation of multiple high-camp eras at once, kind of like watching Tim Burton’s Ed Wood 20-odd years later.
Also, “IDOL CATS” is a brilliant title that must make Papermaiden very happy, and I’m wondering if it’s a deliberate nod toward Brian Setzer or just a coincidence:
Good morning! I trust that everybody had a good week, especially those of you who hit up the 2&-Zekkyou-Necroma dates in the UK. My message to you? FEH! Why does England keep getting all of the nice things? All they ever gave the rest of us is an overly complicated language and the beginnings of crippling caffeine dependency. FEH, I say!
The lesson here, though, is that if you want idols to come to your country (and even your town!), you’re probably going to have to organize it yourself. Just ask the cats at Orion UK. The good news is that almost anybody can make a contribution to those kinds of efforts, whether it’s on your own, working with friends, pulling together resources via a club scenario, or what have you. It of course speaks to the need to make more idol fans and get everybody better connected, as a good network is a great resource.
Anyway, you’re not here for my opinions on how to make these tours more of a reality; you’re here for the rundown of randomness. Go play the Fun (it’s good, but it needs your participation!), then go look at the final Oshi Digest for Sari before things get really out of hand here in a little bit, and think happy thoughts about how you might be able to contribute to idols right in your virtual back yard being a reality.
And What If I Don’t Want Idols in my Back Yard?
My favorite penguin ex-idol continues to do neat musical things:
Idol-unrelated, but I can’t stop watching this video by Bloodywood for any of a number of reasons that begin with South Asian Roger Miret on vocals and includes not long after the wonderfully Bollywood dance ensembles:
— Christian Winsall (@toxicbreakfast) June 5, 2018
I feel badly for constantly forgetting to finish writing the post about this Sorano Aozora summer single, but at least I can bring it to your attention before it goes on sale:
I give up! 2018 wins. I spent the better half of last year complaining the rock idol was passe and eventually going to be just some dang thing, and how does the universe respond? By laying it on thick, that’s how. Hakuchumu.Toricago.Wyenra. Just to name a few!
And now, after once again doing that ever-so-crafting trick of looking up idols who appear on other idols’ Twitter feeds, I give you the latest entry from Osaka (ofc), a polyglot rock unit that I frankly couldn’t be more excited about. Listen to this loudness:
Well, team, save for some Weekender references (one of which about to be double-dipped below), it’s been a tiny little while since our last taste of NEO JAPONISM, but they’ve actually been cranking out performances and building a respectable little fan base. They’re going places, and it’s cool and good, because idols’ success is always worth rooting for. The other day, they went so far as to give us a new song that, if you’ve read the title of the post, you may surmise as being something that I enjoy!
Listen to that thing go! I love a rollicking punk ballad that verges on anthemic. There’s a lot happening! Here’s the rest of the good stuff: Continue reading →
— DDD〜Discovery iDol Depot〜 (@dis_ido_dep) June 5, 2018
Pro tip, friends: There are lots of ways to stumble over new idol stuff, but the most reliable will always be what other idols tweet about, especially when it’s groups promoting mixed shows. In this case, it was POPPING EMO that stood out in particular, because what a name. A few clicks later, and: Continue reading →
Happy Saturday! You’ll all have to forgive me the lack of typical Weekender exuberance; I’m writing this in the aftermath of seeing my favorite current band put on one of the most singularly intense, celebratory, violent performances I’ve ever encountered. And that’s to say nothing of the (very good!) other bands on the bill. Just … if you can catch Code Orange, do it, preferably while heavily armored.
Let’s get down to business then. Did you play the Fun yet? Are you prepared for the first real weekend of Calendar Summer? Are you as impressed by the sudden very good run of idol as I am? Is it possible to ask too many mostly rhetorical questions?
It’s bad and it sucks when idols graduate and, from that, groups disband. Yeah, sometimes it’s for a good reason; more often than not, though, it’s just a bummer for everybody involved. So it was a pretty substantial while back now when PIIIIIIIN declared that they’d be hanging ’em up — it was unexpected, nobody seemed terribly thrilled about the move but not so invested as to try to stop it, and a bright light flickered out. I even eulogized the PIIIIIIIN experience!
And then, because the entire world is upside-down right now, it was announced that aPIIIIIIIN was going to be making a comeback. Yesterday, that happened. This was the set list for the re-debut, and presumably also their musical content for the time being: Continue reading →
This is a post that’s taken most of a week to come together, and I have a feeling that it’s still insufficient, so bear with me, don’t get mad if details are left out, and please do enjoy the tracks to follow.
So. Alloy. They’re pretty good! They’ve also dealt with their share of turnover, as one would expect in idol. Par for the course! Also, if you happen to be a fan of Alloy and/or specific members thereof, completely and irrevocably devastating. Why anybody likes idol, I will never understand.
Nonetheless, the whole point of this is that Momoko’s graduating, like imminently, and the group dropped a couple of tracks to commemorate. Last of the current regime: Continue reading →
Good morning, friends! I don’t know about where you are, but here, this weekend — Memorial Day weekend — lasts three days and is the unofficial kickoff to summer. I am apparently doing lots of things over these three days! Neat. None of those things are apparently going to live shows. Bummer.
This is a really good Weekender, though, and I hope between it and a couple of other things, you’ll have plenty to entertain you up to and through Monday. Also, play the exquisitely good Fun and keep Kerrie happy, and brace yourself for a summer that’s already feeling like it’s going to be a great one.
I Fear the Sun
Hey. Hey! Very cool French idol group Amaitsuki is getting the chance of a lifetime:
【Angerme Opening Act Contest】
As announced today, Amaitsuki will be performing as opening act for Angerme's Paris live on June 3rd! We were able to do this thanks to everyone's support, so thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts.
Thank you so much and see you there!
— Amaitsuki・アンジュルムパリ公演OA出演決定 🇫🇷 (@amaitsukiland) May 25, 2018
