Thursday, January 19, 2006
I just spent one of the wildest nights on Wed at NUS LT 13, rocking away with some of the most awesome local J-rock bands at the inaugural JMC J-rock festival!
\(^0^)/ *throws hands up and headbangs*
Aries Kaiser kick-started the event with five L'arc en ciel songs. I'm no big Laruku fan but their rendition of the songs were pretty good. Next came Requiem, which performed four Dir en Grey songs and one Glay song. The band performed mostly songs from Diru's Six Ugly and Vulgar albums but I'm afraid the female vocalist could not do justice to Kyo's distinctive singing/screaming/growling/unintelligible muttering style... The instruments were also a little out of sync. But apparently it was their very first gig, so one must commend them for their courage in tackling THE GREAT DIRU in public for the first time (ok, I am being a blatant Diru fan now).
Marionette went vintage with Luna Sea and Kuroyume songs, and looking at Ivan and his lovely punk outfits was enjoyable as usual. Their original composition Marissa was also pretty impressive. Please remind me to buy a copy of their CD if they release one.
However, the band that was the real surprise was Myidarre. Apparently, this was their first gig as well but the band was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. The vocalist had the most beautiful voice I have heard for a long time in Singapore. It was pitch-perfect and emotionally convincing with the clearest lucidity. The band was quite good with their renditions of Raphael and Luna Sea songs but the song that really won me over was their original composition Entropy. I don't think it had anything to do with thermodynamics but it was a really moving J-rock style song that made me fall in love with the band instantaneously! All they need is to polish their playing a little more... and that means another band to buy an album from! ^___^
The closing act was Lucify, and true to everything I have been hearing from the SGjrock forum and Ryu, they really know how to bring the house down! Their performance was so natural and energetic, it got both fangirls and fanboys to rush up to the stage to do some major headbanging. What an end to the whole event!
Post-event, I had a discussion with Brandon about the various bands. He claimed that Aries Kaiser was the best technically, whereas Lucify's chosen pieces were actually easier to play. This question of musical value has actually been a very controversial issue in the forum. Some fans (most likely male) are unhappy with the current state of J-rock, with its explosion of I-look pretty-but-I-can't-make-any-decent-music VK/pop bands and fangirls who like such pretty bands more for their looks than for their music. These fans have expressed themselves on the forum, rather strongly in some cases, that emphasis should be on the music, and implicitly suggest that the more difficult the song, the better the band is.
I'm not very musically-inclined (I gave up the piano at Grade 4 after struggling for years) so I can't really evaluate bands on their technique. But to me, what matters most is that the band takes its art seriously and gets the "feel" of the song right. I know it's very dodgy to say that but a song, even if it is one with a simple arrangement, is a good song when it "feels" nicely put together.
And I wouldn't discount the band's image either; it's one of the reasons why I like VK and not Western rock bands that tend to consist of beefy, scruffy guys who look like they haven't washed their mangled tresses in a month... Ok, I know I'm in for a beating by Western metal fans now... ^__^;
And now, for something fun. the space between words will be giving out special awards to commemorate the first-ever JMC J-rock festival (and hopefully there will be a second time...). This is just for my entertainment and your's so please don't come after me with an axe if you don't like what you see. That's my disclaimer. And now, on with the prizes...
Black Metal Death Awards (in honour of Mana and incomprehensible interview answers; very nonsensical but very VK!)
1) Most Gender-Bending award:
Goes to the vocalist of Myidarre. When he/she came onto the stage, I thought he/she was a he. When he/she started singing, I thought he was a she. After talking to Ryu, I know now (or maybe I don't really) that she is a he. But whatever he/she is, he/she rocks! And if he's really a she, then I'd admire her as a really cool, one-san type of girl with a lovely deep voice. If he's still a he, then he is VK. Truly.
2) Most High award:
Definitely goes to the members of Lucify. They were romping around, kicking their feet in the air and sliding around on the stage like a bunch of acrobats. Not to mention singing and playing instruments at the same time.
3) Most Unusual Dress award:
The MC, Kai. He was wearing blue jeans beneath his yukata... weird. Myidarre's costumes were unique but the sessionist drummer was wearing some strange red hat to fit in with the colour combination. Bad fashion mistake.
4) Most Outstanding Person award:
Goes to Keith of Marionette. He really looked outstanding on stage amidst his shorter counterparts.
5) The Least Thing You Expect to Happen at a University Concert award:
The male fans who moshed during Lucify's performance. They were pretty violent and looked like they were partly dancing and partly pushing each other around when headbanging, and the staff from CFA was pretty displeased about it. I know that they weren't really fighting 'cos I have heard how violent male fans can be at lives in Japan. But there were glass panels near the stage so it was dangerous. And one does not do such things in an LT in an university...
kaoru said at 9:40 AM
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