Ikirukoto live in November 2010

Makigami recently uploaded a video of "Ikirukoto." It was recorded live on November 4, 2010 at Star Pine's Cafe in Kichijoji, Tokyo. Currently the number is usually played at early part of their concert. On the day, It was played after the opening, lengthy improvisation of the first set.

"Ikirukoto" is the title number of the album released in 2008. On the album, its duration is about 5 minutes, but at concert, it gradually stretched as the band played it. Occasionally they played it over 15 minutes.

The composition has a sort of open-form and now also works as a vehicle of collective improvisation. That's the reason why it tends to be played extendedly.

The video quoted here represents well how the number is played at their concert, and also included some essential elements of the band's performance, which are a) collective improvisation, b) non-verbal voice performance, c) an extensive use of unconventional instruments for rock music (like toys, thermin and mouth harp), and d) a prevailing sense of humor.

4:42 - Makigami blew a mysterious kazoo-like pipe, instead of the cornet which he usually uses at the break.

5:37 - There was a public announcement (or a message of initiation) to the audience: "Welcome to our concert. Just relax, of course I know you couldn't. Probably you all embarassed being here but there is no help. Just give it up ... The door was closed and nailed! You could do nothing but sit down and listen to this thing!"

5:48 - the band started a music like matsuri-bayashi (Japanese traditional music for festivals), and along with it Makigami quoted the famous opening remark ("Jikan Kurumade Tsutome Masho" - "We'll do our best until the due time comes") of the brothers comedy team from 1960s called Toyo Hidemaru and Asahimaru.

Toyo Hidemaru, Toyo Asahimaru



6:36 - Makigami quoted a lyrics of "Tokyo Ondo," a big hit of 1933 and still immensely popular dance tune for bon odori, a popular dance for traditional summer festival in Japan (If you would like to know the dance more, see the Bon Dance Gallery). Although it was out of context here and probably he did it without any reason, the band quickly picked it up and provided a proper accompaniment. Of course it was all done spontaneously. It is a good example that everything could happen at their concert.

A dance instruction video, using Tokyo Ondo for accompaniment.



As of musical quotation, the members practice it occasionally. For instance, there was an another example from the same concert. On "Nannimo Nai Otoko" ("The Man of Emptiness"), which is a number from the "Ningen No Kao" album, Shimizu Kazuto quoted the CM music of Kani Douraku, the famous crab restraunt chain, composed by Kida Taro. Kida is a very popular composer, who is also known as "The Mozart of Naniwa." (Naniwa is a nickname of Kansai region)

Kani Doraku CM



There is another video of "Ikirukoto" in December 2007 at the band's MySpace account. It is one of the earliest performance of the composition, fairly short and no stretched improvisation. For comparison, I provide a link to the video, here. Just take a look at how Makigami moved his eyebrows at introduction.



Ikirukoto ["To Live"]
words & music - Makigami

To live
To eat
To breath
To weep

Being here unknowingly
While not having a thing to know

To detour
To slide
To knit brows
To become worn

Dabida Dabida Sharishariba
Dabida Dabida Sharishariba

To live
To move
To travel
To dream

Turn into a flower when want to cry
Turn into a wind when being dull

To mimic
To persuade
To lose understanding
To flutter

Dabida Dabida Sharishariba
Dabida Dabida Sharishariba