Calendar 2010 - Delicious Bump Show

Delicious Bump Show
The Pillows, noodles, monokuro, and POP CHOCOLAT

May 21st - Slim's in San Francisco
May 23rd - The Glasshouse in Pomona 

Source: Official Site

Videos of the Week 8/9/09

The Pillows "Ameagari ni Mita Maboroshi"


Starting of this week's post, here's a new video from everybody's favorite, The Pillows! I can't really say too much about the video, as it's a pretty standard performance video. But the song is ok and has some nice bits sprinkled in here and there. I personally like their more upbeat, rockin' songs, but just about everything they do is pretty great.

OK, enough with the serious stuff. Hit the jump for a few more videos in a decidedly more wacky vein.



Shonen Knife "Super Group"


Just in case you missed this Shonen Knife video that I posted recently in the listing of their upcoming US tour, here it is again! It's a super fun video that can be watched over and over. What's up with the bears and tigers fighting in the background??? I can't wait to see them live!

"Teaching Techno"


OK, I admit, this one is just weird. Back when I was looking for YMO videos, I found this one. It cuts up their live Soul Train appearance to the beat of a techno track. It's just plain old awesome.

"Stereo"


Here's another one from the same artist, this time featuring a bunch of old-school Japanese tech videos and some hot disco action. Something about it just mesmerizing. Probably the hard-hitting techno track. I could easily post all of this person's stuff, so just check out their channel.

The Orion Experience "Nippon Ga Dai Suki"


Here's a non-Japanese video that's all in Japanese, so I suppose the point is moot. Anyway, it's super awesome! The band The Orion Experience is called in to fight a giant pink monster. It's amazingly colorful and fun. I love the shot of the guy protecting his hot-dog from the monster. The song sounds like it could easily be on the next Puffy Ami-Yumi record. These guys really hit the mark. Great job!

The Predators

The Predators are probably exactly what you would expect to hear from a band influenced by Nirvana and fronted by the singer for The Pillows, Sawao Yamanaka. Namely, rough edged songs, played simply, but with the same good natured happy glow that seems to surround just about every track from the Pillows.

The big name band members don't stop at Yamanaka though. In fact the trio is a sort of indie super-group, with Shinpei Nakayama of Straightener on drums and Jiro from Glay on bass. While any one of these guys brings plenty of experience and hard earned credibility to the fore, together they manage to sort of cancel each other out, at least to the point that they can actually get some songs written. Perhaps it's because they stick to the simplistic song structures and straight ahead songwriting, or maybe they all just want to take a break from their more serious bands. Whatever the case, they do manage to produce some nice little grunge tinted indie pop sings.

Their first album Hunting!!!! is the more Nirvana-esque of their two short releases. Each track has the signature three chord rock sound of just about any early grunge band. The requisite out-of-tune singing is missing though, replaced by Yamanaka's easy-going voice. Basically, it's like typical material from The Pillows with more aggressive guitars and louder production. Their second album Kiba wo Misero is like the progression from Nirvana to the Foo Fighters. While still stripped down and rockin' the production is a bit tighter and richer, with the songs being just a bit poppier and bold.

While The Predators are a natural fit for any fan of The Pillows, they also offer up a bit more muscle for those wishing that The Pillows would rock out a bit more. The don't offer up any surprising twists or flashy guitar tricks, instead focusing in very catchy songs and the sort of epic positive vibes we've come to expect from the various bands the individual members usually inhabit.

BUY THE PREDATORS RELEASES HERE

Rock 'n' Roll Lay Down



Official Site

Members:
Sawao Yamanaka - Vocals, Guitar
Shinpei Nakayama - Drums
Jiro - Bass

Releases:
Hunting!!!! (2005)
Kiba wo Misero (2008)

Bakuon Drop


Live Drive


Live


CRS

The Pillows and Noodles Tour America

[I originally posted this on Japanator, but I think it's worth posting here as well.]

The Delicious label is bringing both Noodles and The Pillows to America for a mini tour this year. I've already mentioned that The Pillows will be hitting up Anime Boston this year. Well, it turns out that they will be doing a very quick pass around the American outer rim as well, playing LA, Austin, San Francisco, New York and finally Boston. The Delicious Bump Tour In USA 08 will also include the all girl band Noodles. They have been in America once before as part of the Japan Girls Nite tour produced by Benten last year.

Obviously this is great news for all of you disappointed by the previously mentioned one-night-only Boston show. Nevertheless, it's still tough for the other 98% of us who live in the rest of the country. If you make it to one of these shows, make sure to tell us all about it!

March 13 (thu) Los Angeles @ El Rey Theatre (Tickets)

March 15 (sat) Austin @ Elysium [The Pillows only] (SXSW)

March 17 (mon) San Francisco @ Slim's (Tickets)

March 21 (fri) New York @ Blender theatre at Gramercy(Tickets)

March 22 (sat) Boston @ Hynes Convention Center [The Pillows only] (Anime Boston)

Check out some of the most recent music from both bands after the jump. 

[Big thanks to Stig-san for the tip!] 

Noodles - Grease

The Pillows - Tokyo Bambi

March Calendar

February 9-March 3
Polysics
European Tour

3-01 - Dijon/France GeneriQ Festival Vapeur
3-02 - Agen/France Florida
3-03 - Nantes/France Olympic

Source: Japanator

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March 1-8th
Maximum the Hormone

03/01 Reno, NV - New Oasis (w/Dropkick Murphys)
03/02 Anaheim, CA - The Grove (w/Dropkick Murphys)
03/03 Phoenix, AZ - Marquee Theatre (w/Dropkick Murphys)
03/04 Albuquerque, NM - Midnight Rodeo/Gotham (w/Dropkick Murphys)
03/08 Kathedral (Toronto, Ontario)

Source: Japanator

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March 7-9th
Swinging Popsicle
Convencion de Juegos de Mesa y Comics
Monterrey, Mexico

Source: Japanator

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March 8th
Pine AM
Rhode Island School of Design
Provenance, RI

Source: Japanator

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March 13-22
The Pillows and Noodles
Delicious Bump Tour In USA 08

March 13 (thu) Los Angeles @ El Rey Theatre (Tickets)
March 15 (sat) Austin @ Elysium [The Pillows only] (SXSW)
March 17 (mon) San Francisco @ Slim's (Tickets)
March 21 (fri) New York @ Blender theatre at Gramercy(Tickets)
March 22 (sat) Boston @ Hynes Convention Center [The Pillows only] (Anime Boston)

Source: Japanator

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March 14-23
Petty Booka - The Emeralds - Ketchup Mania - Detroit 7 - THE BEACHES - SCANDAL - quartz-head 02 - Avengers in Sci-Fi - Sodopp
Japan Nite Tour
(See each venue for actual line-up)

3-14 (Fri) - SXSW 2008- JAPAN NITE - Austin, TX @ Elysium
3-16 (Sun) - NEW YORK @Knitting Factory
3-17 (Mon) - Cambridge, MA @ T.T. The Bear's
3-18 (Tue) - CHICAGO @ Empty Bottle
3-19 (Wed) - DENVER @ Hi-Dive
3-20 (Thu) - SEATTLE @ Hi Dive
3-21 (Fri) - SF @ Independent
3-23 (Sun) - LA @ Knitting Factory -Main Stage-

Source: SxSW-Asia - Japanator.com

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March 15th and 16th
Haruko Momoi
Hawaii Convention Center

Source: Japanator.com

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March 15-27
Antic Cafe
Tour

03-15 - Tavastia/Helsinki
03-16 - Klubben/Stockholm
03-18 - Markthalle/Hamburg
03-19 - Columbia Club/Berlin
03-20 - Zeche Bochum/Bochum
03-22 - Georg Elser Club/Munchen
03-23 - Roxy/Saarbrucken
03-24 - LaLoco/Paris
03-25 - Underworld/London
03-27 - Bikini/Barcelona

Source: Japanator.com

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March 15-April 3
Boredoms
US Tour

3-15 - San Diego, CA - Cane's Bar and Grill
3-16 - Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre
3-18 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
3-20 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
3-21 - Seattle, WA - Neumo's
3-25 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
3-26 - Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium
3-29 - Boston, MA - Paradise
3-30 - New York, NY - Terminal 5

CONTINUES INTO APRIL

Source: Japan Media Midwest

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March 21-23
Aural Vampire - Bespa Kumamero - Nirgilis
Anime Matsuri - Houston, TX

Source: Japanator

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March 21-23
Toyko Pinsalocks - The Pillows
Anime Boston - Boston, MA

Source: Japanator

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March 28-30
Ketchup Mania - SCANDAL
Sakura-Con - Seattle, WA

SCANDAL itinerary:
3/28 (Fri)
15:00 SCANDAL live performance
17:30-18:30 Fan Meeting - SCANDAL Autograph Session

3/29 (Sat)
10:00-11:00 SCANDAL Q&A Session
11:30-12:30 Sakura-Con 2008 Press Meeting

3/30 (Sun)
11:00 SCANDAL live performance
13:30-14:30 Fan Meeting - SCANDAL Autograph Session

Source: Japanator

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February 29-April 15
MUCC - D'espairsRay - The Underneath
Rockstar Taste of Chaos US Tour

3-01 - Saturday - Memorial Hall (Kansas City, MO)
3-02 - Sunday - The Eagles Ballroom (Milwaukee, WI)
3-04 - Tuesday - Roy Wilkins Auditorium (Minneapolis, MN)
3-05 - Wednesday - Family Arena (St. Louis, MO)
3-07 - Friday - Hara Arena (Dayton, OH)
3-08 - Saturday - Cobo Arena (Detroit, MI)
3-10 - Monday - The Armory (Rochester, NY)
3-11 - Tuesday - Aragon Ballroom (Chicago, IL)
3-14 - Friday - Tweeter Center (Philadelphia, PA)
3-15 - Saturday - Convention Center (Asbury Park, NJ)
3-17 - Monday - Patriot Center (Washington, DC)
3-18 - Tuesday - Cumberland County Civic Center (Portland, ME)
3-20 - Thursday - Nassau Coliseum (Nassau, NY)
3-21 - Friday - Tsongas Arena (Boston, MA)
3-22 - Saturday - The Armory (Albany, NY)
3-24 - Monday - Gwinnet Center (Atlanta, GA)
3-25 - Tuesday - USF Sundome (Tampa, FL)
3-26 - Wednesday - Bayfront Park (Miami, FL)
3-28 - Friday - UCF Arena (Orlando, FL)
3-29 - Saturday - Mississippi Coast Coliseum (Biloxi, MS)
3-30 - Sunday - TBA

CONTINUES INTO APRIL

Source: J-Rock Revolution

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See something missing? Add it in the comments!

The Pillows

Over The Pillows' eighteen yeas (and counting) they have had, as they say, a lot of ups and downs. Easily their biggest "up" has been having three of their albums licensed by Gainax and used in the wildly popular anime FLCL. As the show made its way to the West, so did the popularity of The Pillows, exposing them to a much wider fan-base. The "downs" have mostly come afterward. After a bit of a break, then the release of FLCL and its slow burning popularity, the band's sound had time to evolve. While they have recently been signed to the massive Avex Trax label, their music seems to have lost much of the drive that propelled their earlier work. Nevertheless, The Pillows continue to release some great old fashioned pop rock and roll along with the crooning ballads.