Happy

The past couple weeks have gone by too fast. I've spent countless hours importing music into my computer and iPod and have neglected updating this blog, so I'm just gonna breeze over the highlights of the past couple weeks for posterity's sake.

Last Friday (11/12) I went to Yokkaichi with my friends Toku, Miho, and Shaka to see Kei, the local improvisational guitarist who played at my Halloween party. Kei was playing with a special guest from Argentina named Fernando Kabusacki.


Kei


Fernando Kabusacki with red shoes

They played in a really interesting log cabin cafe called Galliver with tables made from sliced tree trunks and the menus were made from old vinyl record sleeves. I think our menu was made from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.

The show itself is impossible to describe, but it was really amazing with heavily distorted guitars, computer effects, and even snippits of the O' Brother soundtrack thrown in for good measure.

That Monday (11/15) I went to Anjo, on the eastern side of Nagoya, to see my friends Big Frog from Tokyo play to a packed house of over 300 people, while Richard J snapped some amazing photos of the event.


Big Frog


Smile

This was a full on rock n roll party that saw Big Frog light the club on fire with enough high octane rock to make the members of Led Zepplin scowl. They left me, my friends, and the large rowdy group of Japanese aliens from the 4th dimension partying behind us, in tatters.


Shimi & Sato


Maccos in the driver's seat

As an encore, they brought out members A-Funk Syndicate, a local Southern rock band, to play a cover of the Band's The Weight.


A-Funk Syndicate sitting in

One of the highlights for me was actually when the show ended and the after show music was Pat Boone singing a Sinatra style version of Crazy Train. Classic.

This past Friday (11/19) I went into Nagoya with my friend Shaka because there was a free trance party in the middle of downtown Nagoya.


Trance Party

Trance is not really my thing, but the location in the middle of the city made for a great setting and atmosphere. It always amazes me the type of people that show up at these kind of parties. I met one really short, old Japanese guy who spoke Spanish to me because he'd traveled in South America at some point in time.

There were other young people there dressed in very outlandish and colorful outfits that seem to break the mold of conservative Japan.


SpiderMan


Fire Dancing

Sunday (11/21) I met Crazy Will in Nagoya and went shopping. He wanted to buy an iPod, so we pooted around a computer store for a bit, and he came away with a 40GB device that I'm sure he's gonna love.

Later in the afternoon we went to Kiso San Sen Koen (Three Rivers Park) and met a group of tri-athlon members from my gym. They ran a marathon relay race that morning and were celebrating with a BBQ party by the river.

We had a great time chowing down on lots of food and playing baseball and a knock-down drag out game of dodgeball with everyone. All the kids (big & small) joined the fun.


SunGarden BBQ

Later that night Will called some American friends living in Ichinomiya to come to my house to hang out.

Steve, Jim, and Cordelia came by about 8pm and brought a few bottles of sake with them. We heated it up, drank, listened to music, and chatted about everything from life in Japan to American politics. Eventually more friends came by to share in the fun and we had a full on party happening.


Party People

Will had a blast DJing off my iTunes and eventually started wresting with Jim in my living room. Things got a bit unruly when the spilled wine on my beige bean bag chair and knocked my paper doors off the sliding track, but it was all in good fun and nothing was seriously damaged.

Late in the night we decided to walk down the street to a large abandoned Pachinko/Bowling center that's completely bombed out and looks like it belongs in Baghdad rather than Peace Town.


Bombed-Out Pachinko Parlor


Steve by candle light

Steve, Jim, and I took a flashlight and a few candles and went exploring with two young Japanese that were scared out of their minds. The girls were so petrified that it kind of hindered us boys having fun, but in the girls defense the place is very creepy.


Bombed Out


Baghdad Bowling

After that it was very late and everyone was pretty exhausted, so we called it a night. I'm not sure if anyone had any nightmares, but I know I slept really well.