Holy crap.
This is one hard-rocking band.
These are NOT entertainer-dancers with a soundtrack. They are musician-artists who can sing on key and play their instruments at a high proficiency, with both skill and soul. And a metal edge. If you listen, use speakers or headphones that are capable of serious bass frequency reproduction and power, because believe me, it's here.
The lyrics are mostly Japanese, with an occasional word or phrase in English.
Okay. These are twentysomething Japanese women dressed in faux-little-maid outfits (just a smirking artistic touch, related to a trend in female Japanese bands)... who crank up the music so strongly that metal fans are among their most loyal followers. They are independent artists who were just hoping to make enough to keep playing, but then they played a Comicon event, someone with the right connections heard them and set up a large venue in London, and once that very cosmopolitan audience heard them, suddenly they were known by people from all over the world. They thought they were going to be opening for someone else, but the money offered was really good so they went. While setting up their instruments, they learned they were THE only act booked that day. They played their hearts out. But people were stepping outside and calling their friends to come HEAR this. People were coming in from all over London and new people were circulating in as soon as room allowed. So they played back-to-back sets, for NINE HOURS.
BTW, their tune "Thrill" is about this, their big break.
Hooks they've got.
When required, pop smoothness they've got.
And rompin', stompin' rock and roll they've got.
What was so impressive about them? Guess you'll have to listen and see. Some Official videos. The tagline, “Welcome home, master and princess” included there in the posting notes is often used as part of live concert opening by Miku - the sort of greeting might expect from one's Japanese maid on arrival:
Choose Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZIJ2vFxu9Y
Secret My Lips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vuca7V-5Ec
Yolo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKZbzcUdY1g
There are several other videos of Band Maid on YouTube including live concert appearances; they vary widely in quality. Some of the better quality examples:
Nowhere near High-Res, but an energetic performance of "Freedom", live in Paris a year ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36_KRDPcKLo
Typical startup with Miku (dressed mostly in white) cranking up the audience, then they slam into the first number, November 2016 Manga festival in Spain. There are three vids of their appearances there on YouTube. Notice the poster's note: "Play it much louder."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIyONnd4yMU
Same concert doing "Thrill":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia91tCY2nig
Included mostly for unique perspective of being onstage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqwo40Io_Q8
Another outdoor performance, in Japan, with some better quality video and nice closeups:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfTzZffxLsg
One more, Inazuma Rockfes in Japan. Note the plastic covers over the amplifier head units; they were dealing with intermittent rain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I55xmNTNtc&t=480s
The following links are also in the posting notes for the official band video releases on YouTube:
Official Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/bandmaid/
More info is on the band's own site. The Bio/History is barely there at all, but the page includes individual members' pics with names so you can tell who is whom:
http://bandmaid.tokyo/BIOGRAPHY
Official Twitter
https://twitter.com/bandmaid
Official Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/bandmaid.jp
Buy CD (European Edition):
http://www.jpurecords.com/artists/band-maid/
Buy CD (WORLD)
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/person/700668888
J
No comments:
Post a Comment