A belated new year post! And it has been more than a year since the last digest post.
I guess it was an uneventful 2017. I only saw two gigs last year. It would have been a few more if Michelle Branch hadn’t cancelled her UK leg of her tour, or if the venue in Nottingham had told ticket holders that Mr. Big would have an earlier curfew[1].
Also, it was the first year since 2014 that I hadn’t gone to Japan. Shock! Horror! Apart from the absence of an album release by the missus’ band[2], my Japan bucket list included a sweltering summer visit. I had hanami-ed and momiji-ed in 2014, and experienced mild Tōkyō winters in 2015 and 2016. I have a couple of festivals that I thought I should check out (although the Jidai matsuri in Kyōto is in October), and prolly check out a warmer Hokkaido. I could actually be persuaded to do a winter Hokkaido trip, not for skiing, but for sushi. Fish is fattier this time of the year. So I was told.
Hence, for the time being, it’s home-made sashimi don made from ordering sashimi and sushi rice from my friends at edo.
Speaking of the missus’ band, SCANDAL had finally released their new album this month. The hype started at the end of 2017 with the announcement of signature guitars for MAMI, HARUNA and TOMOMI by Fender (no Squier jobbies this time). As expected, the guitars now cost a few quid each which means they are still available to buy today because they are a tad too expensive even for the most rabid SCANDAL MANIAc.
Have I bought any? Let’s just watch this space, shall we.
So, what’s in store for 2018? Currently lined up are a few gigs, one of which is Pearl Jam in Berlin. And if I’m successful in obtaining tickets, SCANDAL in Hong Kong. This visiting a new city while checking out a band live may well be a new thing.
As for Japan – well, I’m hoping SCANDAL does a fan club tour which would give me a new excuse to visit Japan again. Regardless of the season. Heh.
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[1]It would have have been my first, and last, Mr. Big that had the late Pat Torpey performing live. May he rest in peace.
[2]A ‘Best of‘ record is never a proper one.
