[Victoria Fringe Festival ’16] SMUS Shakes it Up with Disney’s Camp Rock!

CAMP-ROCK_4CNOTE: Reblogged from Two Hungry Blokes & written by Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

LOCATION:
St. Michaels
University School
3400 Richmond Road
Saanich, BC

SHOWTIMES:
Fri Aug. 26 – 7pm
Sat Aug. 27 – 2pm
Sat Aug. 27 – 7pm

Sometimes it’s tough to decide on what to take on as the first Victoria Fringe Festival presentation for the 2016 season. This year, the decision was a no-brainer and I had to see the results of what St. Michaels University School (SMUS) Summer Musical Theatre program produced. The folks involved always deliver a quality educational curriculum to teach the next rising stars the basics while having fun at the same time. On opening night, they put on the musical version of Disney’s Camp Rock.

This show highlights the musical stylings of bands like The Jonas Brothers and the modern sounds of the past decade. Like ’em or not, those who grew up to these tunes had a rollicking time with this production. James Shaw admits to not being fond of today’s music whereas I’m open; at least I keep up when he can not, thus making me the ideal candidate to look at this production. His limitations in what he likes to talk about make for better opportunities for me to talk about my fondness for modern Disney.

Opening night was not without a few chuckle-worthy moments, gaffes included; the group was able to roll with it and continue on. They also helped each other out on stage when lines were forgotten and I believe that’s the heart of what this program extols than to provide a higher calibre show other local professional theatre schools like Canadian College of Performing Arts works on. I’ve seen their production of Little Shop of Horrors years ago, and that was a memorable show to which I grinned like a Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland when rubber bands were shot towards audiences!

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Japanese Rock Group VooDoo Hawaiians to Play Tokyo’s Club251 with Doberman

VooDooHawaiiansBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Tickets are now on sale for VooDoo Hawaiians latest concert at Tokyo‘s popular Club251. The venue is located in the basement of the office building owned by Two Five One Co, Ltd in one of the most interesting and lively districts of Tokyo, Shimokitazawa. The area is known for its hungry bands and it’s loud and flashy nightlife. Club251 has hosted a variety of acts that one would consider the underdogs of the music industry, or to put it another way, artists that haven’t given in to the mainstream. SpecialThanks, Thee 50’s High Teens, Broken Doll, Earth Crisis, and The Monochrome Set are just a few groups that have played to the excitement of patrons in this sub-level venue .

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Band Maid Announces First European Tour!

BrandNewMaidBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Japanese group Band-Maid whose appearance in cute, maid aesthetics while serving skillfully played powerful music onstage, is continuing their world domination. In the past year alone they have appeared at Sakura-Con in Seattle, MCM London Comic Con in England and had multiple videos go viral (“Thrill” hit 2 million views within the first two weeks). Now in a global push Band-Maid announced a European tour to coincide after their Latin America debut in Mexico City on October 9th.

The dates are to promote their first international album “Brand New Maid” that saw release June 17, 2016. Brand New Maid is available across the UK and Europe through JPU Records. The CD version contains an exclusive bonus track as well as an extra booklet containing lyric translations and transliterations into English.

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Babymetal Shares Stage with Metal Legend Rob Halford

Babymetal2By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

At the 2016 Alternative Press Music Awards in Columbus, Ohio audiences were witness to what could be considered a major event in the music industry. Japanese music has been gaining ground worldwide especially in North America, proving music is truly universal, it is a turning point to see Metal God Rob Halford of Juda Priest share the stage with Japan’s mini-metal mights Babymetal.

Halford with Babymetal covered two of Judas Priests’ classic songs, “Painkiller” and “Breaking the Law.” For “Painkiller” Halford performed with Su-Metal before Yuimetal and Moametal joined them on guitars onstage for “Breaking the Law”.


 
Su-Metal looked absolutely estatic to be performing with Halford and Babymetal’s backing band were exceptionally pumped during this performance. I guess sharing stage with one of the legends of metal will do that to you. Alternative Press rightfully called this collaboration as one of the top 14 moments that defined the awards ceremony.

This had been a long time coming and it’s shame an event like this couldn’t happen earlier. If it did perhaps Japan X would be in the position Babymetal is now. But much of this event is owed to bands like them who toured North America before Japanese music grew outside it’s own country. Groups like Puffy and even earlier than X or Puffy, Shonen Knife, introduced Japan’s music to the masses. In many ways Japanese garage band The Blue Comets were Japan’s version of The Beatles as they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1968.

Macross Delta CD Takes Second Highest Ranking on Oricon Music Chart

WalkureAttackCoverBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

The soundtrack to the animated television series Macross Delta has taken the second highest ranking on Japan’s Oricon music chart since debuting July 6th. Within it’s first week the album Walküre Attack! performed by Macross’ voice actors under the group name Walküre, sold 78,000 copies. Walküre’s first album single, “ICHI DO DAKE NO KOI NARA” (一度だけの恋なら)/”RUN GA PIKATTO HIKATTARA” (ルンがピカッと光ったら), has sold 36,000 copies since it’s release on May 11th. The single climbed to #18 this week on the Anime CD Singles chart. It recorded a previous best of 3rd spot in late May.

Walküre Attack! was denied the top spot by pop group Dreams Come True and their greatest hits album Dreams Come True The Best! 私のドリカム

Source(s): Gwyn Campbell, Vintage Anime Fans Facebook group, and マイナビニュース.

Leo Ieiri’s 4th Album “We” Hits Retail Shelves Today!

LeoIeiriPetsBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

The 4th full-length album of J-pop artist Leo Ieiri, “We,” hits retail shelves in Japan today and it has the song “Brand New Tomorrow” — the Japanese theme to Illumination Entertainment’s upcomng animated movie The Secret Life of Pets. The movie will open August 11th in Japan.

The film is about a terrier named Max who enjoys his freedom while his owner is away from home. But this dog’s life is turned upside down when said owner takes in Duke, a stray mutt who manages to stir up Max’s cozy lifestyle.

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