Atarashii Gakko live in Washington DC! AJ Hartley reviews the show and tries to give them a book...
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- čas přidán 16. 11. 2023
- AJ's AG chat #13
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羨ましい！！ 僕は足にちょっと障害があるので、今や人気者となりスタンディングで観客が踊っている彼女たちのライブを体験することは難しいだろうと嘆いております。
もっとアンテナを張って数年前のAGならば観られたものを・・・と残念な気持ちですが、これはもう仕方がありません。
教授含め、ワシントンの皆さんが楽しい夜を過ごせたようで何よりです。
これからもアメリカでのAGを現地の人々が歓びと共に迎えてくれますように！
いつか彼らのライブを見られることを心から願っている。DCではサイドバルコニーに席があった。同じような会場でチャンスがあるかもしれない。観客はとても熱狂的だったが、攻撃的ではなかった。障がいのあるファンを受け入れることに熱心なグループだと想像するが、日本ではどうなのかわからない。いつか彼らのライブに行けるといいね。それまでは、少なくとも新年の『紅白』で彼らを見ることができるだろう！コメントありがとうございました。
ワタシも若くない。彼女たちの青春とパフォーマンスに感動する。SUZUkaは現在のコールアンドレスポンスや１６歳からメディアでのリアクション、発言が別格。それは当然として脚光の当たらりづらいほかの３人の評価をありがとうございます
どういたしまして！4人のメンバーはユニットとしてとてもうまく機能していると思う。ずっと一緒にいてほしい。
Thank you for loving AG.
I didn't know that SUZUKA was picking up the professor's book during this live performance. I was always watching the professor's videos, so I felt happy as if it were my own.
I think there's a lot of excitement at outdoor live performances. However, AG seemed to enjoy the feeling of unity with the entire audience more at smaller live houses.
It's wonderful that everyone who was there had a happy night😊
Thank you! Yes, the feeling between band and audience seemed mutually supportive and joyous.
I am glad to know that you got to give them your book and to see Suzuka holding it cherishingly on stage. I was worried, too, at first about the smallness of the stage, but when I saw the pictures of them and the audience together taken at the end of the show, I felt the real closeness between them, which would have been possible only in small venues like this.
Exactly. I'm sure they are great in a big venue too, but the intimacy here, the sense of direct connection and engagement was unforgetable. Thank you!
I’m amazed by the fact that AG catches the heart of wide generation of audiences and there are multiple comments posted by Japanese celebrities who went to the Tokyo Arena concert who are a comedian, actor and TV anchor in 40s, 50s and 60s and I can tell that they enjoyed the live performance feeling young like you. I’m also crazy about AG and wish I could’ve gone to the concert in Toronto but I’m happy to hear your experience of AG concert and thank you for taking your time to express your love. This video meant a lot to me!
Thank you so much. I appreciate that. Yes, they seem to tap into something a lot of us connect to regardless of age, sex, race etc. I was noticing how diverse the crowd was. I need to think about why this is some more and maybe make a video talking about it, about why--at least for me--I am drawn to certain elements of Japanese music/culture. Will think.
The figure of a fan is so often portrayed as something silly or futile, and what is so nice about this video is that it shows it is actually about human connection, being brave enough to be vulnerable, to look at our own feelings, and engaging with art in a strong way. That was beautiful.
That is beautifully put. Thank you.
This is part of the wisdom of groups like Atarashii Gakko - they support the audience as much as the audience supports them.
Wow! Best (metaphorical) seats in the house! They really are a group whose appeal during live performances is much higher than audio only
It was electric. Funnily enough, I actually listen to them--esp their first 2 albums--more than any other band, but their on stage energy is undeniable. Cheers!
I teared up during the end part of your video.
Thank you sir for supporting AG! ❤
Yeah, me too :) Thanks!
Awesome review, and "fantastico" footage from the DC show! I attended the Chicago leg of their tour this past week. It wasn't my first time watching them live (I'm a bit notorious for being the person who screamed "SHIKEN ZENYA!" at ther San Jose show last year), but it was just as invigorating and as thrilling the second time around - even more so because they were performing in an intimate venue, much like in their early days. What you said about connection was very much true at our show as well - the group is so good at engaging with the crowd and keeping the energy alive with their electrifying performances, that you really do embrace the "seishun" of living in the moment with them. With how much they've blown up in popularity both in Japan and on the world stage, I'm sure they'll move on to bigger venues in the future, where opportunities to be this up close and personal with them will be a rarity. So it was such a privilege to bear witness to the behemoth that is AG! and be present with them in this tour, and I sure as hell would do it again - even if it's in the nosebleed seats of a stadium.
Looking forward as always to your next video! Thank you for doing what you do for our ever-growing AG! overseas community.
Ah yes! I remember you :) Appreciate the comment and support. It's too bad there isn''t a dedicated fan site (other than fab groups etc) where we can pool data, history of the band etc. The Wikipedia is very limited.
The feeling of euphoric connection with an audience and the artists is the essence of great live performance. AG are simply fantastic entertainers and they can achieve that wonderfully in small venues, but I'm sure that it's different at bigger concerts. My stand out moments at live performances are theatrical, but it's the same feeling as I think you had with AG in DC.
Agreed. Thanks!
日本人にもコミュニケーション能力が高い人がいることを証明してくれている。観客の反応もいいですね。
アメリカ合衆国にこんな感じのグループいるんですかね？
アメリカにはこれに匹敵するバンドはないと思う。これはユニークな現象だ。
Great video Andrew!! So happy you were able to see AG live! It's definitely on my bucket list..but also happy for your proud papa moment seeing Suzuka clutch your book to her chest . I think she just might read it!! I know I'd be happy as a clam knowing they got to hold my baby (book) and hopefully experience it .. really stoked for you I know you put a lot of heart in everything you do, the same as with your videos.. keep up the good work.. we appreciate you ..!
Thanks so much! You are right :)
最後に「本当にありがとうございました！」と日本語で言ってくれるオーディエンスに「本当にありがとう！！」と言いたい(^_^)
そう、ビデオでは危うくカットするところだったが、熱意と敬意が伝わってきて気に入った。ありがとう！
Sugoi, AJ! I attended this show as well, and your reaction is spot on. I've seen multiple live videos of AG, and none match the explosive energy as actually being in the room with them! They were dynamic from start to finish, and I enjoyed them even more than I thought possible. My big mistake was not buying VIP, which is something I almost always do. Won't make that mistake again!
Arigatou! 🤘🤘
Thanks! It was such a great show. Yeah, given the relative low cost of the VIP ticket, I recommend it if only for the fact that it gets you in early. I'm sure they'll be back on a wider tour, though I would expect ticket prices to go up. They clearly had no problem selling out this tour.
彼女達のLIVEを観てあなたが感じた”青春“は、まさしく彼女達が伝えたい答えです👍
感じ取ってくれてありがとうございます👏
観客に求める精神については、あなたの言う通りだと思う。ありがとう！
That was incredibly wonderful to watch, especially when you showed the clip of Suzuka getting your book! How heartfelt that was- gosh. I never imagined how impactful it actually is when someone you admire got your gift for them, even if they don’t know it’s from you.
Wonderful commentaries, thank you for your contribution to the english side of AG! fandom! Hope you have an awesome day!
That is so kind of you. Thank you! You have a great day too.
That was such an amazing moment at the end when Suzuka held your book! I can only imagine what you felt.
Right? It really was pretty special. Thanks :)
I just saw them in St. Paul, their final US show of the tour. Similar experience to yours, about 500 capacity venue. (But we didn't get Giri Giri, which I am sad about.) I was very surprised how energetic they still were after so many shows and travelling. They danced like they they had been cooped up for a year!
Indeed., What did you get instead of Giri Giri? I had hoped to get Suki Lie.
@@AndrewHartley Yes, we did get Suki Lie. I'll have to look at the set lists later to see what else might have been different. I was focused on "seishun" during the show. 😄
@@Retec I'm a little jealous :) Not because anything they did in DC was subpar, but because I do love that song, esp. its little jazzy break in the second half.
@@AndrewHartley Well I guess we'll just have to trade shows next time! 😁
I saw them in Chicago and we got Woo Go instead of Giri Giri, but we did get Suki Lie. 500 capacity venue and it was phenomenal. Your video sums up exactly what I experienced. I hope they come back.
Hi Professor, this is a beautifully constructed video showing true human connection between the artist and the audience.
AG is such a bundle of energy, and you captured this very well in both your video and comments. This was such a pleasure to watch and the 50 minutes flew by.
Thanks again for your marvelous content.
Wow, thank you. I really appreciate your support of what I do here and your genuine engagement with what I post.
Tokyo Calling is such an adrenaline filled song. There's no way it wouldn't be amazing live especially coming after the techno high of the Pineapple Kryptonite remix dance. Imagine how incredible it would be if they had the resources to perform it like they do in Japan with their full squad costumes from the music video and backup performers.
Yes. That would be great. But I have to say, I loved the stripped down, intimate version we got.
Shes so amazing vocalist vocks really great song and dance! parfect scampering!!🎶⚡☝🏻🤘🏼👍🎉✨🌠🌟
Indeed :)
Thank you for uploading this. Try to catch everything of them. This contains much interesting thoughts an live experieces for those who cannot go to a concert.
This is by far the best video to catch the athmosphere of an AG live venue.
Many thanks again!!!!!!
My pleasure. Thank you!
Suzuka is a force of nature.
She absolutely is.
I make a point of commenting, I loved you, you seem so nice, you spoke with such kindness, I could see that it's not just you and me who really likes the band
That's kind of you. Thank you :)
Amazing…. Happy for you 🤘🏽🎼
Thank you so much 😀
I've watched several videos of the Seishun Tsuahh, but yours is the most enjoyable and engaging one to watch, thanks and well done!! I didn't know there's such thing as a VIP ticket... guess it was very expensive but am sure it must have been well worth it! I'm so envious of you and others who were fortunate to see them live in sunch intimate venues rather than big outdoor festivals. I live in the UK and hope they'll do a similar tour in Europe next year although 88Rising might not be focusing on this part of the world yet. I'd certainly buy a VIP ticket and be first in line on the day!
You know, the VIP ticket was only $100, comparable to a lot of ticket prices these days. The huge advantage was getting into the venue before general admission line, so I recommend it if you want to be down front. And thanks! Appreciate the comment.
Wow, that really looks like an amazing gig - I'm glad you enjoyed it and you could hand them over your book. I'd love to see AG someday as well so here's hoping they make it to Europe/Germany someday. As I've already said your videos helped me getting into AG's music because at first I wasn't to keen on their sound and it took me quite some time to discover the beauty and strength of their songs and performances. They're probably my no. 2 or 3 japanese artist right now.
That's fantastic! Then my work here is done :) Cheers!
I really hope you get to see them some day. So glad my videos played a small part in winning you over :)
Awww. I was there too, wish I would have known you were there, would have been nice to meet you.
Next time!
Envy
Envying
You
A poignant and heart felt review. I too am no longer young, but being at the NYC brought me back to my youth performing and supporting musicians. Best show of the year for me. Second to Otoboke Beaver... these ladies are hitting NC in March - Carrborro and Charlotte
Thanks! I know that feeling.
Loved the video, AJ! The whole place was alive, and I definitely feel that what we all experienced that night in D.C. will be etched in our minds for the rest of our lives. What an amazing experience it was!
Also... I definitely saw myself in your video. I was basically blocking your view of Suzuka from the back right side of the venue. Sorry, everyone! 😬
Ha! No worries. I got to see her plenty, even when she wasn't climbing all over us! A great night indeed.
I think once 88rising picked them up in 2021 (around the time Pineapple Kryptonite came out) they really promoted the girls hard and it shows by the reaction internationally. They didn't really break out in the US until then as far as I know. I feel like the sound of the music also shifted a bit to be more compatible with the 88rising brand. Some more bumpier beats. Songs like Tokyo Calling, Suki Lie, Pineapple Kryptonite sound different than their earlier stuff.
Yes, I agree. I was just early enough in my fandom to watch the transition in real time, since I was familiar with the first 2 albums before the move to 88Rising. I don't think the US breakout really happened until early this year, though they made a lot of US fans for Pineapple Kryptonite on. I wish I had numbers for their Japanese sales prior to this year. I think their breakout there in terms of mass appeal is more recent than most Western fans realize.
Now they have reached 50 M views on "The first take" with
"Otona blue" thats really phänomenal😮❤
Amazing!
great review professor ❤❤
Thanks!
GREAT!!!! 👍👍
It's great that you were able to get them a copy of your book. I hope they one day read it! I may have to check it out for myself. I did the VIP experience in NYC and they are just incredible live. They just go above-and-beyond to connect with the audience. I'm already looking forward to their next US-tour!
Totally agree. I may be back in Japan this summer so I'm wondering about the possibility of seeing them there, but yes, next US tour for sure. Hopefully I won't have to travel so far :)
You should absolutely read it :) If you do, let me know what you think.
@@AndrewHartley I just picked up a copy off of Amazon. I definitely will!
Suzuka seemed pretty interested-- she definitely left for a second and was focusing on the art work-- in the book to me. I don't know, she might be enjoying right now!
Right? I can only hope :)
Great story telling - really enjoyed it.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Awwww, that's awesome! You got to see them live! Waiting for my opportunity to come! What a thoughtful gift too!
Thanks. Hop you get to see them soon!
I really enjoyed your review of the show. Thanks for it. It was great that Suzuka got your book.
Glad you enjoyed it!
素晴らしい👍ありがとうございます😊
どういたしまして。ありがとう！
Hi again. I have now gone through your whole AG series up to this point. And I must say, I'm loving it. Looking forward to the next instalment. You were asking your subscribers for other videos to review. Well, I would love it if you could review the Thumva live stream they did at Plustokyo in 2020. As this is a 30 minute performance, and it includes songs you have previously delved into, I'm suggesting you could look at the overall presentation and performance from a theatrical point of view, in terms of staging, the transitions between songs, the overall performances of the songs, how the group presents itself to the audience, the amount of rehearsal this would have taken, even the minor gaffs and how they responded to them. I consider this to be one of the best live stream performances I have ever seen, considering how tight the choreography was throughout, and how good the live vocals were (although I'm on the fence that Koi Bumi may have been lip-synced.) In particular, I love the cicada/Fujiyama transition into the speech, rap and last song (which to me was the height of the performance), pure genius, and not to mention the super kawaii way they exited off stage. I would value your input and assessment as I know your insight would pretty much mirror what I feel, but give much more eloquence to it.
Do you have a link to the show handy?
@@AndrewHartley czcams.com/video/D7-t4cFiDuQ/video.html&pp=ygUWYXRhcmFzaGlpIGdha2tvIHRodW12YQ%3D%3D
That was Great! Thanx!
You're welcome! Fun night.
Oh wow! I was there too! Been an AG fan for a few years and was so excited to see them live finally. Loved watching your reviews of their songs when I was first getting into them! I'm a little claustrophobic so I hung out closer to the back so my view wasn't the greatest. Thankfully I'm tall so I could still see a bit.
Probably the highlight was when suzuka went into the crowd during nainainai, she walked right in front of me and brushed up right against me when she went up to the little table with all the sound stuff on it! The sound dudes looked so done with her antics when she walked back up haha. Was so happy because that was the song that got me into them!
Listened to them the whole (short) drive there. I was so happy when they played Candy and Fantastico because I thought while listening to it in the car "there's no way they'll play these, but it sure would be neat!"
I got there about 40 mins before the doors opened and there was a japanese family in front of me. Someone parallel parked in an incredibly tight spot beside us and they all clapped and cheered them on.
That's very cool. It was such a positive atmosphere, wasn't it? And yes, I wondered how the crew dealt with Suzuka's wanderings. The security guys must have been having fits. Fortunately the crowd were--so far as I could see--supportive and respectful. Still, she may have to rein that stuff in to stay safe. Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, thank you for the beautiful video!😀
I think that they will read your book. First and important point is that they think about why the book was presented.
If they think that, Mizyu may find author's (i.e. your) information, and she may reach here, your CZcams channel.
Before, Mizyu found CZcams channel of Karin who is big AG fan. And Mizyu already knew her when dancer Karin miraculously met AG at dancing studio.
So, when Mizyu find your CZcams channel, they find the author is AG fan because the channel is full of your love for AG, and they find that the person who presented the book is you who is the author. I think that they are glad, and they read the book 😄
I love this idea and hope you are right :) If I ever hear from them directly, I will post it (you will probably hear my shriek of delight from wherever you are).
Thanks for posting. Love Tokyo calling.
Me too!
Thank you for the review! Greetings from Germany!
My pleasure!
i could feel the electricity AG brings and hear it in your voice. What a wonderful experience you got to go and also give Suzuka your book! thank you for sharing this adventure with us!
My pleasure! Thanks for the comment.
有難うございます🙏✨AGはいつもLIVEを楽しんでます。そしてLIVEで毎回ファンとcoolでhotな交流をしてる🥰また会いに行きたくなりますよね。幸せな空間がそこにある。
まったく同感だ。バンドは観客のエネルギーで成長しているように見えた。素晴らしいポジティブな雰囲気だった。
I would die if it were my book. happy for you!!
Thank you!
I guess I got to the party too late and missed getting to see AG live at the Black Cat even though I live in Annapolis. 😥😢😭 Thank you very much Andrew for this video. I hope AG will enjoy your book and will make the DC / Baltimore area a regular stop on their next tours. I'd really like to see their show! 🤞
Well, I'm pretty sure you'll get another chance. The tour was a huge success and I expect they'll be back. Hopefully they'll do more shows over a wider area rather than simply play larger venues.
@@AndrewHartley I certainly do hope they come back to the DC/MD area! Hopefully, somewhere that has just a little more room for them to dance (and tumble?)! I have another question - I don't speak Japanese (At least not yet...) but I (out of respect) would like to know how to correctly pronounce Atarashii Gakko!. How does one pronounce their name phonetically in English?
@@stevejarred6484 Pretty much as it looks. The key is the long "i" at the end of the first word, a bit like the vowel in "skiing" (but not 2 separate sounds: one which is double the length of one).
Thank you for the show review and glad you had a great time. From your video it seemed there were a lot of (loud) young girls present. Also, in your video at 20:00 when Pineapple started it seems like the band Hanabie sampled that part for their song "Be the Gal" at the start of their video (00:23) and also near the end..
Hadn't processed the Hanabie sampling. Will look into it. Thanks! And yes, it was a very diverse crowd in terms of gender and race. I should have said that in the video.
First, the footage from your phone you posted was absolutely fantastic! I'm 67 myself and a big fan of Atarashii Gakko. I too love Babymetal, so I ask do you love Band-Maid as much as myself? I have to see all that three groups. I'm looking forward to checking out your work. I may try to connect with you on Facebook. Thanks for sharing your family's experience seeing AG.
Sounds good. I confess, that most of the other hard rock/metal bands from Japan that people associate with BM don't really do it for me, but each to their own. I prefer the jazzier sounds of groups like Polkadot Stingray. But I love both BM and AG, so we can drink to that :)
I started with Babymetal, Band-Maid is a little lighter heavy metal. But, AG is the best!
They are fearless.
For comparison, this was the setlist we got at the Roxy Theater in Los Angeles (August 18th, 2022):
Saisyu Jinrui
Shiken Zenya (Night Before The Exam)
NAINAINAI
Candy
Otana Blue
Koibumi
Fantastico
Koi no Shadanki (Love Breaker, w/skit)
Koi Geba
WOO!GO!
Intergalactic
Pineapple Kryptonite + Yohji Igarashi Remix
Tomei Boy
Sekigae Gattuso
Free Your Mind
ENCORE: Happy Hormones
Nice. I confess to feeling jealous that you got to see songs like Koi Geba, Koibumi and Tomei Boy. I suspect I'll have to go to a show in Japan to have a shot at hearing those live.
ステージと観客を隔てる“何か”がなくても秩序を保てる事は素晴らしい事だと私は思ってますよ。
万単位のコンサートを毎回開催して維持する事よりも小規模、中規模、大規模、合同ライブ等を混ぜ合わせて経験値が高まると私は考えてます。
空席が目立つライブやコンサートは、主催者側、ステージ側、観客側の三者とも不利益を蒙ります。
まったく同感だ。会場の大きさや技術的なキャパシティの違いによって、こんなにも違う体験ができるんだ。最初は小さなステージと限られた照明システムに少しがっかりしたが、AGが登場すれば、そんなことはどうでもよくなった。むしろ、それが体験をより良いものにしていた。このような親密な空間で、グループとの間に大きな障壁もなく、彼らを見ることができたのは本当に幸運だったと思う。日本でのコンサートに行ったとき、ステージと客席の間の強制的な距離に戸惑った。素晴らしい時間を過ごしたが、余計な距離は必要ないと思った。
Quite clearly everybody was having a lot of fun to the point where you'd be forgiven to believe that band and fans alike are under the influence of powerful psychoactive substances. What impressed me most, apart from the insane energy, was the crowd singing along in what was for many of them a foreign language.
On the other hand, you did mention many Japanese people in the audience. I'm going to pay attention to this in Cologne. Düsseldorf with its 8000 strong Japanese community (biggest in Germany and probably one of the largest in Europe) is under half an hour away.
Great to see you having your moment. And BTW: Delusion and overthinking are exactly the things that fans do, probably in parts what makes us fans. So let's just roll with it.
As always, professor, thank you for sharing your footage, your thoughts and your very youthful excitement.
Yes,, it will be interesting to see who is in the audience. I'm envious, though they just announced more US tour dates for Fall...
@@AndrewHartley I hope you get to see them again this year.
Amazing.
Thanks! It really was.
Today, AG appeared on TV program called "Tetsuko-no heya", hosted by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. I wasn't able to watch it, because I was working, but I hope you'll be able to somehow watch it via video, since it's a very famous talk program in Japan.
Thanks! Will look for it.
P.S: AG didn't do Suki Lied, A great song!
Glad to see your book was the hero of the story! When you didn't offer the book at the meet and greet, I thought: why did you tell the story that way? Very disappointing. Of course, like a good storyteller, you were setting us up for the satisfying surprise ending. I mentioned in a post on an earlier AG review that I wasn't yet "convinced" by you, but I was interested enough to see the show in San Francisco. I assumed (correctly) that the live performance would be fully convincing. It was an awesome show. I am fully convinced now, though the lack of context for the language and culture is still a barrier. (It's different with BABYMETAL - though the cultural aspect is fully there too, the central context, at one level, is METAL itself. So there's a context that I can engage with directly) It seems our venue was much bigger than yours (800 for the Black Cat vs 1400 capacity for the Regency Ballroom in SF, and they had lots of room on stage to move). And we were sold out. I wonder if it's because there are just more fans on the West Coast. This was where BABYMETAL played in 2016, for what it's worth, though I wasn't BM woke at that time. Thanks again for your youtube work!
Thanks. I'm so glad you got to see them live and the show pulled you in. What is the AG equivalent of the foxhole, I wonder: the sock hole? :) No. But yes, I see what you mean about BM and the metal culture. I do think AG have more fans on the west coast, especially in California, and my guess is because the Asian population is higher there. Gives them a cultural foothold. I was struck by how many Japanese people came to the DC show. Cheers!
I've watched video of several of their tour shows and they have certainly worked on delivering more than just a list of songs. The MC links remind me a bit of the patter between the comedian and the audience in a Christmas Pantomime and there's a great Judy and Mickey feeling of "let's put on a show on in this barn" in the way they perform with such skill and energy in small spaces with minimal technology and staging.
I'm hugely impressed by what I've seen, particularly to be funny in a foreign language. They are definitely pros, but they also have an easy charm and control of their skills that give the performances great spontaneity...their love of performing is obvious.
I do worry a bit about Suzuka doing an Iggy Pop and jumping into the crowd so much and the other members reaching in to touch hands. It can be wonderful, but can also be tricky to control. I also have a lot of sympathy for the security staff when Suzuka starts running around in the audience.
Yes, I know what you mean. The fans I saw were super supportive, respectful and invested, but I worry about who else might find their way in. Security--unlike at the BM show--was very light.
Well, at least Suzuka is not going so totally Iggy Pop that she's rubbing herself with broken glass and peanut butter! AG must have a greater sense of self-preservation! LOL! 😆🤣☺😎
@@stevejarred6484 If you've seen any of Suzuka's artwork I wouldn't be surprised with anything she does.
Thank you! I lived in Japan through the 90s, my children were born there. In 2020 I asked my son, who returned to Japan for University, about various Japanese bands that had recently become popular in the west. He never heard of those bands but said the biggest group in Japan was currently Atarashii Gakko. I watched a couple mvs, dismissed them as yet another manufactured idol group targeting the juvenile humor of 12-year old girls and the pedophilic perversions of Japanese males. I intentionally ignored AG whenever they showed up in my CZcams feed until I saw that Rosalia was a huge fan. Checked out one of their festival performances and was blown away for all the reasons you cited.
When they got to Otona Blue, however, I realized there was another level of satire and social commentary in their act. I understand why it is their biggest song in Japan but why is it so popular in the west - the subtitles in the "First Take" performance are so sanitized as to eviscerate the deeper humor and commentary.
In Japanese interviews the members usually break character and give thoughtful, articulate answers about their art like the thoughtful, articulate adult women they are. So it's unfortunate you did not get the chance to ask your questions.
Really? My sense was that AG didn't really break out in Japan till last year. Interesting. Yeah, I think they are really smart and interesting: an art project with punk edges and some jazz underpinning beneath the pop sensibility. Seriously good :)
Starstruck and all a blur indeed. I have shaken hands with Bjork, I have said Hajimemashite to Kaoru of Dir en Grey and Yoshiki of X Japan. Just 2 months earlier I said hello, made a joke, and asked for a picture with Melt Banana, all in Japanese. Yet when I walked into the meet and greet, I couldn't tell you my own name. I was in a fugue state, and if it wasn't for Kanon directing me, I would have looked like a total idiot.
Glad it wasn't;t just me :)
Why Mizyu Helicopter 🚁 is very cute and sweet❤
Truth.
Hi, AJ. I love your insight. Not only on AG but also on the meaning of Seishun in the context of the Band and the fandom. I discovered AG maybe four years ago through 88Rising from being a big fan of Joji and jis former alter ego Filthy Frank in my youth. Since I turned fourty I noticed some kind of disconnection between me and my friends of same age and even my girlfriend. Especially when we have a hangaround and talk about our interests and what's currently happening in our lives. Most topics orbits around work, paying taxes, the government, the news or the overhyped tv show they watched on Netflix etc. When I share things like music, good anime movies I've watched or a video game I've played with a really good story, they always give it a side eye and push it away as kids stuff. What do you think is the reason for that? It's not like that I'm the weirdo basement dweller in our friends circle with a minimum of social interactions. That's far from the truth. I have a steady job working as a park ranger and doing forestry work for my home city, I'm outgoing and have no fear to meet new people, normal stuff normal people do, I think. My reasoning would be that they grew up and forgot how to let go sometimes and just being in the moment. Or it is me and I have some sort of a Peter Pan syndrome. I don't know. I would like to hear more about your experiences of staying youthful at hart.
Best wishes for your channel and your recent book. You gained a subscriber today!
Yeti
Thanks, man. I think a lot of fans can relate. It's funny the way that things a little out of the mainstream are quietly derided, while people will happily devote hours of their time to discussing the fortunes of, say, their local sports franchise, something which--for me--speaks to them as people infinitely less. As someone who has written fantasy and sci-fi for years, I see that a lot, particularly at conventions. BUT I think those attitudes are slowly changing as our sense of what's "normal" or "mainstream" fractures and becomes more diverse/diffuse. As to the other point about such things feeling young, or having a Peter Pan syndrome (and trust me, I can relate), that's a slightly more complex and more personal issue which I have been thinking about a lot lately. I want to do a video on WHY this stuff appeals to me so much. Let me think. And welcome :)
@@AndrewHartley Thank you for the reply, AJ.
Are you into Planck Stars and Morley and Chai?
Which Morley? The one I found looks interesting but it may not be the one you mean. I have a ton of respect for what Chai stand for, but their music isn't really my thing. Not really familiar with Planck Stars though they seem a bit techno poppy for me, but I haven't looked into them deeply.
@@AndrewHartley Morley wrote this song and sung it. Anal Rai (also from Planck Stars) appears in the video. czcams.com/video/TnHppN7953Q/video.html
@@AndrewHartley another song, written and performed by Morley featuring Anal Rai in the video. Jacques Brel levels of emotion here! She just throws herself into the song. A very emotional experience. czcams.com/video/1b9mzwrXMoo/video.html