2008(1): Music

I feel that 2008 was a year of musical change for me. My taste in Japanese music has become so big that it has completely taken over my previous main genre [Metal]. Although I still listen to some metal from time to time, I'm not exploring new bands as I was a couple of years ago...
Still this year brought me some good new metal bands:
- Battlelore
- Delain
- My Dying Bride [don't know why I didn't have this in my list already]
- Paramore
- Unsun

I've expanded the metal music I already had, so if a band which I already had music from, made a new album, I probably added it to my collection.
This year's new J-Music list:
abingdon boys school, Aikawa Nanase, Amano Tsukiko, Angelique, Antic Cafe, Aragaki Yui, Attack All Round, Aural Vampire, Ayaka,
BeForU, Brilliant Green (the), C-ute, Chara, Chatmonchy, Deathgaze, Fiction Junction YUUKA, Garnet Crow, Girugamesh, Hirahara Ayaka, Hirano Aya, Hora, Ishikawa Chiaki, Kagrra, Kalafina, Ketchup Mania, Kitade Nana, Kosaka Riyu, Lamentglace, Luna Sea, MEG, Mell, melody, Minimoni, Mizuki Nana, Misono, Morning Musume, Nakagawa Shoko, Nakashima Mika, Onmyouza, Otsuka Ai, Perfume, Rentrer en Soi, Saori@Destiny, Shimamiya Eiko, Shimatani Hitomi, Shizukusa Yumi, Terra, Tommy febuary6, Tommy heavenly6, Ueto Aya, Utada Hikaru, Yousei Teikoku, Zwei

I also adapted Eurobeat in my collection. It's great music while doing card games like Spider Solitaire or racing games [Need for Speed]. I think I acutally got this from an racing anime [Initial D].

some things that are not in this list but should be mentioned:
Hamasaki Ayumi, collected all her albums and remix albums.
I've Sound, collected all the I've Sound albums [I've Girls compilation 1-6, Short Circuit 1+2, I've Mania, Master Groove, dirty gift and mixed up]
and a lot of other collections are up to date as well ;)

10 concerts to see in Japan

Just a reminder for myself what I'd like to see if I go to Japan someday...
It has been on my mind to make it a concert holiday, but that would recquire several money-trees and I still haven't found mine :'(

1. Hamasaki Ayumi
2. Tamaki Nami
3. Tsuchiya Anna
4. Takahashi Hitomi
5. YUI
6. High and Mighty Color
7. Gazette
8. D'espairs Ray (again)
9. Mucc [seen 08-10-08]
10. L'arc en Ciel

J-Rock NL Con 2007

I was going to visit the Con all by myself [as I've done with some other events], but this time I did find someone who wanted to go with me [thank you, ii]. The place where it was held, was the same as with the Baal concert [one week before I started this blog]. It was actually SOLD OUT! Imagine all the people crawling about in front of the collection of Japanese stuff [CD's, DVD's, Magazines] and you have a good idea what a mess it was at the Merchandise stand :S

Anyway, there 3 bands playing at the con: Dokumi [or どくみ a Dutch band with Japanese musical influences], Hagakure [or ハガクレ] and Anti Feminism. The last two were both Japanese bands.

Dokumi has a nice sound and I think it's great that they actually sing in Japanese,but I felt the music was missing something... Maybe it's just me, so I'll just follow their progress and hope they get even better ;)

Next was Hagakure, and although I didn't know any of their music, they make that kind of music that makes you happy inside [I bought their 2nd mini album and it's nice and happy]

Anti Feminism was a bit punkish and since I don't really like Chaotic Punk, I guess this one was the band I liked least...

I had a nice time and I'll probably go again next :D

And so it begins...

I guess I'll have to start somewhere, so I'll try keeping it short [it's 1:05 AM and I have to get up at 5:00 AM :S].
I have no idea why I'm starting this thing, but I have been thinking about it for some time now...
Right now, I'm drinking beer in order to counter the effect from the Red Bull I drank earlier on [Red Bull works perfectly for driving ;)].
Anyway I just came from a D'espairs Ray concert in Utrecht [Tivoli] and it was a good concert although I went there all alone and didn't really know anyone there [poor me :S]. For my next concert I have to pay more attention to the lyrics BEFORE I actually go there, because I know the songs, but I don't know what they're actually saying [which gives a concert a lower experience level ;)]

At the merchandise stand there were 2 D'espairs Ray tourshirts. They were the same, but the color of the prints was different. Although the pink print was better to read, I chose the gray one [can't be wearing pink, now can I :O]

Might as wel go to bed now and sleep for a couple of hours...
Probably will be putting "zombie mode" on for work...
Oh well... the concert was worth it :D [except for the parking cost of 8,80 euro :@]