My orchestra is accompanying Puccini’s La Boheme in August, and my orchestra-mate lent me a 1993 video recording by the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden.  Perfect for a grey Friday night with crackers and tea (that is my new heart-shaped tea strainer from Franc Franc).  Who wants to join me?!

Today was White Day and Pi Day, but I didn’t eat white chocolates or pie.  Instead I was waiting in line for day-of tickets for the otherwise sold out POLYSICS show at the Budokan (which can seat 14000 people).  I really wanted to see this show because I keep missing chances to see them live, and because Kayo is my favorite member, and it would be her last concert with them.

It was SO worth the wait.  Being in line seemed like no issue because the crowd was amazing.  Almost everyone was wearing some kind of orange- tights, shoes, hats, or in the case of the girl right next to me, perfectly normally dressed but with orange nail polish with perfectly painted stylized black “P”s on a few random fingers.  And of course, orange boiler suits.  There were mini (5 years old) and micro (baby) POLYSICS in orange boiler suits. Kids in Japan are always SO cute and make me feel like making babies soon, but these children were BEYOND just normal cute.  Gah!  And as for boiler suits on adults, it would be a lie if I said that they don’t do a thing or two for me.

The concert itself was incredible.  I’ve been to my share of concerts but no one I’ve seen has ever put on a show in the way that POLYSICS did.  The energy was contagious and endless- I was screaming and jumping up and down and dancing but just got more excited over time rather than tired.  The lighting and effects were perfect (psychedelic background animations, explosions of glitter and balloons).  Even the few of their songs that I wasn’t so fond of became amazing live.  I read in an interview that they’ve never played in such a large venue just by themselves, but I wouldn’t have guessed it.  They had such good chemistry with the whole crowd– the interaction was so natural and easy.

Kayo was so freaking cute.  She led the crowd in little hand dances, played the recorder and the keytar, and at one point she broke out golden pom poms.  Hiro was INSANE in a great way.

It was bittersweet at the end.  There were 3 rounds of encores.  Kayo announced “Thank you for everything up until now.  I love POLYSICS,” in a robot voice.  Everyone was screaming her name, and the group gave her a bouquet of flowers, and she bowed so properly.  Even though I’ve only been a fan for about a year, I almost felt teary about all of it.

What a day!  Best wishes Kayo, we love you, and you will be so missed!

I went to see Shonen Knife in Shindaita– they are touring to promote their new album “Free Time”.  It was such a fun concert.  The crowd was really rowdy (even trying to crowd surf in that tiny tiny club) and knew all the lyrics.  The girls themselves were so full of energy.  I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a group that was so obviously having fun on stage.  Ettchan the drummer had a constant huge grin on her face (and looks adorable in her long newly fringed blonde locks.)  Despite the ubergirly outfits, glitter on their faces, and lighthearted lyrics, when it comes to rocking, these girls mean serious business.  They’ve been playing these pastel-colored instruments for 28 years, impressing even Kurt Cobain, after all.  When I’m 49, I’d be happy to be half as awesome as Naoko (yes she’s 49!)- what an amazing woman.

under the sea
in an octopus’ garden with you.

adobe illustrator, wacom graphire tablet

I think this is one of the most pleasant songs ever. When I hear this song, I think of having tea with an octopus.  I imagine he’d be such a thoughtful host, pouring tea for some guests while passing out petit fours to others, all while telling stories and gesticulating animatedly, and that was my inspiration for this drawing.  (You can click it to view the full-size)

I love this muppet rendition of Octopus Garden, too.

Without question, my heart belongs to the noodles.

Listen to their new track (recorded in San Francisco <3)

I don’t need any somebody.
I don’t need any somebody.
You’re my electric sun.
You’re my electric sun.

The noodles are my favorite Japanese girl band, my musical heroes.  Their sound is noisy, abrasive, full of feedback and distortion, but through all of that it is very decidedly sweetly melodic and girly.  And the chord progressions they use always surprise me the tiniest bit.  They’re not rocker chicks in the style of Avril Lavigne.  Their magic isn’t flashy; neither are they girly superheroines that ride around in pink vespas, defeating evil with soley with their cuteness.  Their magic is the modest kind that masks itself as every day coincidence, the kind that resides in favorite pair of comfy underwear and gives you good luck, or the secret ingredient in fudge topped sundaes that sublimates your worries away.

Even though Yu had never heard of them before, she cheerfully agreed to go with me to their show at a small live house in Shimokitazawa.  She remarked on how cute they spoke.  The lead singer looks a bit like a doll, with honey colored hair and enormous eyelashes; she sings super loudly and charmingly slightly out of tune.  And then in between songs, returns to using a soft whispy voice.  This will be their 10th year– they’ve been singing since 1999.  The Pillows (I sort of think of them as brother and sister band, since they’re under the same record label, tour together, and the Pillows are the more guyish version of the melodic/grungy genre) lead singer was there too, to celebrate the annivesary, and sing 1 song with them.

AHHH it was such a good night.  We finished it off by having spicy fried chicken sandwiches at McDonalds– and it was somehow the absolute perfect ending.

You can catch a video of a San Francisco live-show experience here!