X JAPAN

[StephenSLR]

D'espairsRay is playing in Chicago tonight at the Bottom Lounge.

Wish I had known, I went to Wacken in 2006.

I ended up going to Summer Slaughter, got there just as Decapitated were about to go on.

The woman told me it was $30, I said was there any discount, I was from Australia and just found out about the show, she said to ask at the box office.

I hung around for 2 seconds then asked where the restroom was.

She said, 'Go upstairs sir', she let me in free.

Off to Springfield Illinois tomorrow.

s

 

[sh0kr0k]

X JAPAN's new album -- with English lyrics -- will be released in the fall followed by a U.S. tour.

 

[sh0kr0k]

Still don't think X JAPAN are important/popular/whatever?
Here is a piece from ABC News that aired nationally tonight: click - bet you didn't know half of this ;-)

 

[Diabolik]

If you get up near Peoria, IL send me a PM and we can meet up.

yeah....Pate is the Ed Gein of the PP forum.

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

yeah....Pate is the Ed Gein of the PP forum.

He's gonna end up as a lampshade in Pate's apartment.

 

[Dominick_7]

X JAPAN were completely spectacular! The set started late and ended early so they really only got out about 45 minutes, but it was high-energy and precise. Toshi's vocals echoing across Grant Park were splendid and it all seemed so surreal! I met so many fans and everyone was real eager and full of energy. I'm so happy everything went smoothly and they received a great reaction from the audience, many people shouting "We Are X" and then saying "that was so cool, I had never even heard of these guys before!" Well done, X JAPAN!

JrockRevolution.com put together an "Xperience Fan Package" which included an X JAPAN shirt, wristband, postcard, spirit/thundersticks, and a JRR tote bag. That really made a big difference and allowed us fans to show even more appreciation for the band. Once I got to the stage, I saw that everyone had paper hearts on sticks with "X JAPAN" and some other writing on them. I asked where they got them and someone handed me one saying a fan group had them made to pass out. The rest of the text was along the lines of "For Yoshiki - we love you and congratulate you on your U.S. debut" - that paper fan saved the fan because the heat and sun were brutal.

No other shows were announced. Now off to catch Soundgarden!

I'm watching the clips on Youtube in HD, thanks for your posts on it! Toshis voice was great! I CANNOT WAIT to see them live in their US tour, provided it occurs as planned. So sad I missed them in Chicago.

 

[Dominick_7]

Pretty funny review in the Chicago Tribune:

Wow that person seems to have a really hard time finding much good to say..

 

[Dominick_7]

Still don't think X JAPAN are important/popular/whatever?
Here is a piece from ABC News that aired nationally tonight: click - bet you didn't know half of this ;-)

Really cool piece. Didn't X-Japan come to the US very briefly in the 80s at some point?

 

[Jibrille]

Still don't think X JAPAN are important/popular/whatever?
Here is a piece from ABC News that aired nationally tonight: click - bet you didn't know half of this ;-)

You know, I saw the coming up clip and thought "I wonder if they're talking about X Japan?" but I was at my parent's for dinner and missed the segment.

 

[Saladbar]

Still don't think X JAPAN are important/popular/whatever?
Here is a piece from ABC News that aired nationally tonight: click - bet you didn't know half of this ;-)

That was pretty cool, thanks for posting.

 

[KingsGene]

This quick review from the Illinois Entertainer:

"Never has the saying “big in Japan” ever been more accurate. X Japan deal in the kind of over-the-top Hair Metal that has long since gone out of fashion on this side of the pond. Apparently they never got the memo. Plexi-glass baby grand, see-through drum kit replete with gong and androgyny that still has me wondering if that bass player was a dude."

 

[StephenSLR]

If you get up near Peoria, IL send me a PM and we can meet up.

I'm in St. Louis Missouri now.

Am part of a group of people driving Mustangs down Route 66.

It gets pretty dry for Metal I guess from here to Vegas.

Thank god for satellite radio.

Metaltravelguide has some venues listed but I couldn't find them here.

s

 

[sh0kr0k]

I'm watching the clips on Youtube in HD, thanks for your posts on it! Toshis voice was great! I CANNOT WAIT to see them live in their US tour, provided it occurs as planned. So sad I missed them in Chicago.

Completely agree about Toshi's voice! Hearing his voice spread across the field in such crystal clarity was chilling and exciting! He certainly hasn't lost it after all these years!

Really cool piece. Didn't X-Japan come to the US very briefly in the 80s at some point?

Nope. They've been here to do some press conferences, panels, and other appearances. Last week Toshi & Yoshiki were at Otakon and performed a few songs (acoustic I guess?) and there have been canceled shows throughout the years. This was definitely the first time they were all here to perform together. Earlier this year they did the Hollywood thing but if you've seen the videos, lipsyncing for a video shoot on a platform 2 stories above the crowd can hardly be considered a live performance.

That was pretty cool, thanks for posting.

Glad you enjoyed it!

This quick review from the Illinois Entertainer:

"Never has the saying “big in Japan” ever been more accurate. X Japan deal in the kind of over-the-top Hair Metal that has long since gone out of fashion on this side of the pond. Apparently they never got the memo. Plexi-glass baby grand, see-through drum kit replete with gong and androgyny that still has me wondering if that bass player was a dude."

Thanks for the quote? ... And oh yes Heath is very male. Either that or I've had a thing for a chick all these years. Is Nikki Sixx a girl too? Maybe Sebastien Bach is really Shelly Bach? Too bad the naysayers calling them a hair metal throwback can't see the talent behind the image. I guess I'm not surprised. They're having a hard time saying anything bad about them as musicians so the journalists attack their image and stage equipment. Okay, whatever. They ARE a band from the 80's afterall... and the 90's.. and now the new century. I suppose I need to update my definition of hair metal since I thought that was Poison and not a band with songs like "X," "Kurenai," or even "I.V.".... *shrug*

For those interested, I stitched together my clips and uploaded them. There are scores more already on youtube, all of which are longer, but I think mine are some of the closest to the stage so far without being focused on the jumbotron. Plus I didn't think it would turn out at all so I didn't want to waste time watching the whole thing from behind my little camera. I'm a little surprised at how well they came out.

 

[sh0kr0k]

You know, I saw the coming up clip and thought "I wonder if they're talking about X Japan?" but I was at my parent's for dinner and missed the segment.

You were right! I'm glad it was posted online because I was stuck at work when it aired. The part about Yoshiki buying the studio because it was booked by Metallica is hilarious! I didn't know he did that!

 

[KingsGene]

From http://www.bravewords.com/news/144385 :

"X Japan made its US concert debut last weekend on the Lollapalooza Main Stage. Juliya and a Fuse TV crew interviewed X Japan's Yoshiki this past Sunday at Lollapalooza. The interview is part of the network's one-hour Lollapalooza 2010 special that premieres tonight, Friday, August 13th, schedule below.

Premiere:
Friday, August 13th - 8 PM / 7 PM (CET)

Repeats:
Friday, August 13th - 11 PM / 10 PM (CET)
Saturday, August 14th - 11 AM / 10 AM (CET)
Sunday, August 15th - 2 PM / 1 PM (CET)
Monday, August 16th - 3 AM / 2 AM (CET)
Wednesday, August 18th - 5 PM / 4 PM (CET)

Fox News came by Yoshiki's Los Angeles recording studio and sat down with the drummer/pianist/songwriter to talk about the band's Lollapalooza appearance, as well as X Japan's plans to come to America.

You can access that interview here. "

 

[KingsGene]

X JAPAN will kick off a seven-city North American trek at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, with subsequent stops in Oakland, Seattle, Vancouver, Chicago, Toronto, and New York.

Tickets go on sale today (August 16th) and most can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com (go to Etix.com for the Chicago date) or at the venues' box office.

Dates for X Japan's North American concert tour debut are:

September
25 - Wiltern Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
28 - Fox Theatre - Oakland, CA

October
1 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA
3 - Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Vancouver, BC
6 - Riviera - Chicago, IL
7 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON
10 - Roseland Ballroom - New York, NY

For more details, go to http://www.bravewords.com/news/144544

 

[sh0kr0k]

^ Thanks for posting that! I was out of town during the premiere but hopefully can catch one of the repeats!

Also, here's a nice article that The Q shared with me. Has some good history about the band and explains some of their current motivations:
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/2570618,x-japan-080810.article

 

[euleria]

Argh! I'll be traveling when they're in Toronto and NYC.

 

[sh0kr0k]

Oh heck, didn't see the tour dates before my reply. Thanks for posting them, I didn't realize they were already announced! Looks like another Chicago road trip is in the near future! \m/ Would love to hit up the NYC show too!

 

[skyrefuge]

Ok, the Lollapalooza sortie now makes a lot more sense when seen as the first element of a coordinated campaign to establish a beachhead on North American shores. I still think it's very odd for a band to *start* such a campaign almost 30 years into their career, but maybe they (or their management) know a lot more about the state of North American Japanese-culture obsession than I do.

It seems very ambitious. They said:

“We’d like to play clubs or small venues. We cannot do that in Japan anymore,” he says, noticeably excited by the prospect, and maybe a little relieved. He misses the old days, pre-mobs, pre-stadiums. “When we were an indie band, right after we graduated high school, we were performing for 50 people, maybe 200.

That sounds about right to me, but then they end up booking theaters here, with the Chicago venue holding 2500? Huh?

last.fm listeners from other bands playing the same venue:

Broken Social Scene: 910,438
The National: 669,547
Of Montreal: 721,872

X Japan: 120,162

Are they counting on their YouTube videos that "went viral" to translate into ticket sales? Every time I read a line about how big they are in Japan, I can't shake the feeling that it's a "journalist" simply repeating a band's own inflated PR. Maybe I should go just to satisfy my curiosity. I've already seen 2 crazy Japanese bands this year (Dir en grey and Boris), and I feel a sick desire to make it three.

Neil