2011/09/15＊Takuro
「ZEPP halfway point」
Our ZEPP tour that started off with a show at Hiroshima QUATTRO has reached the halfway point today. It was a wild show tonight, too. It was completely packed all the way to the back of the venue and there were lots of people on the second floor standing up and dancing as well. Thanks to everyone who came. Let’s make it a hot show tomorrow, too. Dance your butts off and make lots of noise for us.
Since we had some free time on our way back from Osaka, we visited the spring-summer exhibition of lessthan*. It was really cool this time around as well. The designer Mr. dop took pictures of me modeling their T-shirts, so I’ll upload them here. The first one is a hand-drawn illustration by dop.
save THE QUEEN print.
This queen has some tricks up her sleeve.
In the previous picture, the lessthan staffer you can see in the mirror sure is stretching his achilles (lol)
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And here’s a bag with a guy’s face I got as a present for having my pictures taken. I’m already using it. I’ll also be playing our show tomorrow wearing lessthan’s T-shirt and pants! We’re going to be fired up for the second half of the ZEPP tour, too! See ya there!
2011/09/14＊Takuro
「Two nights before Nagoya」
We played Hiroshima, Fukuoka and two days in Osaka, with our first show in Nagoya scheduled for tomorrow. It’s not unusual for us to play two unrelated shows on consecutive days, but playing Zepp two days in a row is something we haven’t done before. We’re having so much fun right now. The audiences and our live performance seem different, too.
By the way, I wonder if you all watched the Kamome PV? Just now turning on the TV in my hotel room, they showed a glimpse of it on some music program. Also, the last time I talked about this, I was mistaken when I said the choreographer was dancing in the video — it was, of course, the dancer who was doing the dancing. Apologies for that. This is going to be half excuse, half self-praise, but anyway. Not only does the PV this time not feature the band, it was first finished without us meeting the director or even going to the place of the shoot. We were in the middle of our tour, see. But even regardless of all that, combining the director’s ideas as well as our own image of the song, we received several versions of it that we checked out during our tour, and it was pretty much perfect from the get-go, with basically nothing we didn’t like about it. It only took a bit of brushing up to create the finished product that you’re now watching today. Watching it for the first time and seeing how little the gap between the finished product and the image we had of the song was — or rather, seeing just how awesome the synergy of the music and the footage was — we were all taken aback and just going “…amazing!“
And thus the PV for Kamome was born, combining its power to excite, the immense ability of the director who was able to catch that on film and the power of the choreography and the dance itself. AKB48 and EXILE, Girls’ Generation and the other K-POP artists, etc, they all have a number of PV’s where they dance in groups, but as of September 2011, a “PV with nothing but one person dancing solo throughout the song” is, to my knowledge, something found only in Radiohead’s “Lotus Flower” (or, well, just Thom Yorke rather than a dancer) and 9mm’s “Kamome”. And I think they’re both beautiful videos. If CS has a category for “solo dancer” PV’s, I think this’ll probably guarantee us a nomination, right? So it’ll be a confrontation with Radiohead… fufufufu… well, there’s probably no such category though.
Sorry this got so long. If you read this far and have yet to see the Kamome PV, definitely do search for it on YouTube or so and watch it, please. And for those of you who have seen it, feel free to watch it again. With that, let’s meet at Nagoya tomorrow.
2011/09/06＊Takuro
「Tour restart」
The staff already posted a blog regarding the “Kamome e.p.” that goes on sale tomorrow, but I thought I’d just write a little supplement on that.
Please go and watch the PV. This time around the members aren’t present at all, with only a female dancer being featured throughout the video. The choreographer (sic) was, naturally, dancing. I think it’s a really beautiful video. With any luck, you might see a commercial of it. You can probably also see it on EMI’s website.
Also, the second leg off the tour kicks off tomorrow at Hiroshima QUATTRO.
This past week has felt like a dream to me for some reason (even in spite of Senkou Riot — a full Yaon at nighttime is an awesome sight). I can’t remember August turning into September very well. I’ve just been listening to the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album. I do clearly remember the heavy rains coming down on Western Japan though (we haven’t been to play any shows in Mie or Wakayama yet, but I know 9mm has a lot of fans over there and I also have lots of friends and acquaintances from that area). But as we were commuting to Hiroshima today, I realized “this feels just like always… yep, this is it“, thus managing to return back to normal. We never went on a break, but we did have reduced activities. Which means it’s not just a restart, but a return to activity. Return to tour activity. I dunno, but I feel fired up. At any rate, I’m looking forward to the show. With that, later. See you in Hiroshima.
2011/09/04＊Takuro
「The night before Senkou Riot」
Tomorrow it’s our turn to perform after the teen finalists. Seeing the dreadful news on the typhoon, they couldn’t really say anything about how bad it’s going to be in Tokyo. According to the weather forecast, it’s apparently going to be raining just when 9mm’s playing. I’ll go to sleep after praying that it somehow clears up, or at least that it doesn’t pour down on us, or that even if it does it wouldn’t be too bad. I just hope the event will be a success. With that, let’s meet at Yaon.
2011/08/25＊Takuro
「Our show at Okayama Pepper has ended」
That is to say, that was our last show at a live house for a little while!
With that, we’re having a wrap-up party. Cheers to everyone who came to see us!!
Sapporo ☆
2011/08/20＊Takuro
「It’s been a while & Monster Bash (day one) is over」
While on tour, we’re always commuting between the shows. Or perhaps I should say, it feels more like we’re playing shows in between all the commuting… is what it feels like to me. I’m weak with vehicles (and moreover, I’ve found out that anti-travel sickness medicine is no good for me) and so I no longer have any techniques to fight it. I just go with the flow. Let it be. So, I just try to absentmindedly pass the time. If I sometimes get cocky and try reading a book or something, I’m instantly screwed (also, I’ve lately developed an even more dangerous habit of trying to read at times when I’m feeling down). I know, I know… but that what it’s been like every day, so lately I’ve unconsciously become lazy with updating the blog… I see, so that’s why… With that, I’ll leave it here for now. Good talking to you again. 9mm’s tour continues on while receiving high praise!
Today we played at the first day of MONSTER baSH. I’m not exaggerating when I say the venue was absolutely packed to maximum capacity with people. We had a wonderful time. Thank you very much everyone. Let us definitely meet again.
Only three dates to go on the tour! Next up is Miyazaki～!
The entrance to our dressing room.
Sitting there is a staff member.
Some Monsters here, probably watching cocco’s show.
2011/07/20＊Takuro
「SOUND SHOOTER in Sendai」
The day before heading up north, just past afternoon yesterday, we went to Rui Hashimoto’s photo exhibition in Sendai. The four of us. It was crowded with people. It looked like everyone there was a music fan, there were people bringing their children with them and so.
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Just before parting with SOUND SHOOTER.
What he’s holding there is “THE FUTURE TIMES”, a magazine recently started up by Goto from ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION. The message of it is “let’s speak about the future.” We got copies to take with us, too. For people in Sendai who want to read it, they’re distributing them at the photo exhibition, too, so please go and have a look. 9mm’s pictures, too, are of course on display!
Now then, my time’s up.
We have a show today, too!
2011/07/19＊Takuro
「My birthday and our show in Sapporo last night」
Just as I was thinking “I guess this day finally came this year, too…“, I noticed the date had already changed to the next one. Anyway, I turned 28. Thank you for the congratulations. Last year I got like maybe two congratulatory mails, but this year I’m somehow receiving loads～ (lol) Thanks all. Just like everyone else, the young and the old, men and women, friends and strangers, family members and lovers, fans and staff and whomever, every year I receive presents and congratulatory words, and I feel happy but unworthy for it and, what I guess I’m trying to say is, it makes me feel really fortunate and lucky. My return gift is the band (or, pretty much my whole life basically) itself. I hope you’ll let me just borrow this space here to express my thanks. Thanks, thanks. And to everyone who congratulated me, I also congratulate you on your birthday. My sincere congratulations～ (a very deep bow).
With that, allow me to raise my head! We have a show in Sapporo tomorrow! My first as a 28-year-old! The venue this time is the biggest in capacity we’re playing on this tour!! (sweating profusely). From what I hear with the venue being sold out like this, it seems like it’s going to shake quite a bit. Everyone, even if my first words of the evening were to be “everyone, please be quiet“, you all need to promptly stop making noise and please be quiet, okay? No, I’m serious. (lol) Nah, let’s just get started with the show and have some fun, shall we!! (wry smile that turns into a burst of laughter). I’m counting on you guys!!
We just had Sapporo ramen with everyone. This is perfection. With that, later!
Birthday ramen
…is what you’d call this, I suppose.
2011/07/04＊Takuro
「Movement Moment Tour 2011」
Now then, our tour is going to start!
We’re kicking it off here at the Yokohama Lizard.
The doors are going to open any minute now!
