I"m feeling Summersonic ...

Hallo Kiddies! {}
First post from Osaka is simply summersonic: yesterday I spent the afternoon swanning about in the sticky Osaka humidity listening to some of my fave bands and discovering how much Japanese kiddies really dig Britpop. In Australia this brand of music only received flash-in-the-pan attention which was quickly overtaken by fuzzy guitar band SOCAL shite and over-hyped Oz pub rock. But in Japan, every 12 year old knows the lyrics to 'She Bangs the Drums' and every boy thinks Brett Anderson's androgenous style is very cool. At the festival there was a 'Britpop Backpack' competition where the prize was a mod mini decorated with the Union Jack. Anyhoo, here are the highlights of the fest...

The Tears
For those who don't know, The Tears are a new band featuring formerly estranged Suede guitarist Bernard Butler and lead singer Brett Anderson. Rock comparison: reunion of Marr and Moz of The Smiths.

Thousands of suede-tears fans packed the Sonic Shed, where I was squished amongst many petite, screaming and equally squished Japanese girls and boys * who do boys like they're girls who do girls like their boys * five rows back from the front. Had splendiferous view of Bernard Butler as he sneaked onto the stage and bowed to the audience to rapturous orgasmic screaming. Ol Bernard pretty much looks like the Bernard of Suede days, except now equipped with double-chin and flabby arms *eek!* He wore the same rainbow-coloured guitar strap of his younger days, and a black and white stripey T. Still a charmer * swoon *

Brett of course minced onto the stage last, wearing jeans and a black T, his hair cropped short but still owner of a proud fringe - which he flicked once or twice in my general direction. I was pleased to see that he basically looked as glam as the olde days with chiselled cheekbones, gauntish face etc. His singing performance was outstanding and ala Love and Poison vid, he performed lots of erotic hip-swinging and microphone cord whipping and animal dancing which titillated the crowd no end. Songs included their poppy hit "Lovers", the slick and gritty "Lowlife", the lovers-in-the-gutter anthem "Refugees" and the plaintive ballad "Ghost of You", which did indeed bring a tear to my eye. Also an unknown suede song was fished out, "Apollo 13".

Bernard's guitar was rich, layered, twisting sound and the combiantion of his guitar and Brett's shrieking gor-blimey falsetto was very nostalgic and amazing. Was rather annoyed that I wasn't at the very front as Brett came down to greet the crowd and was subsequently groped. I only glimpsed his fringe between a forest of grasping hands. I felt sorry for all those teeny tiny Japanese girls getting extremely squished in the rush to touch His Brettishness.

In short: bravo boys, and try not to break up *again*!

Ian Brown

For those who don't know, Ian was the lead singer with the Stone Roses.

I was warned back home that Ian is tone-deaf in a live performance, and this is true. But as the crowd sang almost every word to his songs, this didn't seem to matter. I was rather gobsmacked that he played mainly Stone Roses songs and only four or five of his solo stuff. So had a most excellent wander down memory lane to 'She Bangs the Drums', 'Waterfall' and 'I wanna be adored'. Many of the fans had 'I wanna be adored' temporary-tattooed onto their arms.

Ian Brown looks like a cross between a monkey and that hairy bloke from Supergrass. He aslo has scarily gaunt cheeks ala Spike from Buffy. He wore tracky dacks and every time he said 'arigaaaaatoooo' the crowd went mad with the chant 'Eeee-A! Eee-A!', that is 'Ian! Ian!'.

Other highlights

included The Little Flames, Boy - a sexy rock outfit who were a mix of Rolling Stones meets Stone Roses meets Oasis, but better than Oasis - and Interpol. Caught the last three songs of Duran Duran who were good but absolutely past it ... Simon Le Bon is quite the fatty, as are his band, and they were all wearing suits in the sticky humidity. Their stylishly gelled hair had practically melted and flopped about uncontrollably over their faces, and they were all getting puffed out playing guitar. Interestingly, when the Durans played a weepy ballad, the crowd united as one by raising their illuminated mobile phones ala candles, and waved to and fro under the romantic Vodafone light.

Due to clashing timetables, I missed Echo and the Bunnymen and most of Nine Inch Nails - where I only caught Closer. Damn the lack of brackets on this keyboard.

All in all a jolly good show and I await with bated breath the next arrival of boy bands from Britain *brettbrettbrettbrett*


{} Pedant"s note ... due to confusing keyboard which is a combination of hirigana and English, my posts from Japan might be very badly spelt or punctuated. Take note that my editorial skills have not diminished overnight.