Makigami Koichi will perform in New York City next month

In december, Makigami Koichi will join Mori Ikue's weeklong performance at the Stone NYC as a special guest. He'll sit in for two date, December 17 and 18. Just check it out if you're nearby.

Makigami Koichi and John Zorn at the Stone on August 1, 2007
(photo: downtownmusic.net)

The Stone website



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Why the Christmas Concert is more than just a must-see

The other day the official flyer for Bankan Christmas, a 2-day special concert of Hikashu held in coming December, went public. It has an accompanying text, probably penned by Makigami, which is very interesting (the explanation follows):

That's exactly BANKAN;

On the way to the Izaac shrine by foot,

carelessly we just dropped in a place,

where it had Nabokov's Butteflies, index cards, and a buttered typewriter.

All of sudden, a curater went to say,

how about watching a movie.

And what the movie depicted splendidly,

the history of techno-pop,

and the chance encounter of Hikashu and the Plastics,

likening them to the birth of Mothra and the affair of Mr. Snowden.

The dreamlike two days are going to happen this year.

It must be a gift from Santa Claus.

That's quite incredible;

The original line-ups of Hikashu and the Plastics will be reunited.

And the huge fête of Hikashu songs with the wonderful cast.

This is Bankan Christmas!

First, the reference of the mysterious place: actually it's the Nabokov Museum in Sankt Petersberg where the band dropped in on the way of their Russia-Lithiania Tour in 2012. They also saw a documentary film about Nabokov's hobby, butterfly collecting, upon the recommendation of the curator. And regarding the reference of Mr. Edward Snowden, Makigami has expressed his concern about the whole affair, recognizing how important the problem is and should be treated as such.

Then what's "the chance encounter" of Hikashu and the Plastics?

This is the fact: on one evening of summer in 1979, Makigami Koichi went to a radio station in Tokyo to meet Chikada Haruo for the first time. Chikada, an influential musician and producer, had listened to the Hikashu's demo (which is later issued as "Hikashu 1978"), and already showed his interest to produce the band's record. The meeting was amicable and everything went smooth.

And at the same room, Tachibana Hajime and Shima Takemi, both from the Plastics, happened to be there. They've never met before, but for some reason or other, started chatting and soon became friends. There was something common between two groups - both having no drummer and using rhythm box instead, and willing to make something new and unique. It was a fateful encounter indeed.

And, yes, there was a strong bond between the two groups even before the beginning of so-called techno-pop movement.

The Plastics

That's why the concert is so special. The original line-up of Hikashu and the Plastics will be united and perform in public, sharing the same stage. All the things considered, it's very unlikely that this thing will happen again, especially Mr. Sakuma, the synthesizer player and musical director of the original Plastics, has been diagnosed cancer, taken some operations, and already expressed his intention to refrain from performing in public. So do not miss this thing, go get tickets (now available), since it will surely be a unforgettable, lifetime event for all of us.



Makigami Koichi, and Momo from Charan Po Rantan, taken in October.  Note the white marbles on the Go boards read HIKASHU.（ヒカシュー）

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Special Christmas Concert with a Lot of Guests, including the Plastics


December 22, 2013
"Hikashu's Christmas Operation"
@ Daikanyama UNIT
Daikanyama, Tokyo
Guests: Charan Po Rantan, Marianne Shinonome (from Kinoco Hotel) on vocals, Sakata Akira on saxophone, Kera (from Uchoten) on vocals, Inoue Makoto on synthesizer, Ohta Keisuke on violin, and others.
open 18:00 - start 19:00
adv 4,000 yen


December 23, 2013
"Techno-Pop Christmas"
@ Daikanyama UNIT
Daikanyama, Tokyo
Guests: Inoue Makoto, Yamashita Yasushi, Tobe Satoshi (all from the original line-up of Hikashu), the Plastics.
open 18:00 - start 19:00
adv 4,000 yen
venue information (Time Out Tokyo)


Daikanyama UNIT, Tokyo

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Christian Fennesz has dropped out of the Japan tour with FOOD

Unfortunately, Christian Fennesz had to cancel the tour with FOOD due to injury.

On November 14, Mr. Fennesz accidentally hurt his back and diagnosed as herniated disc. Currently he has been hospitalized in Vienna and cannot come to Japan as scheduled.

Makigami Koichi, the organizer, has announced that the tour will be carried out without Fennesz.

Get well soon, Mr. Fennesz.

An Evening with Lillies and Remains

For some reasons, November sees only one gig of Hikashu, and it's a double-bill gig with Lillies and Remains.

Lillies and Remains is a rock band formed circa 2007. Although being a new comer, the band has already a strong fan base.

LaR covered Pike, Hikashu's old favorite, on their latest album, Re/composition. Probably that's the reason why this gig was proposed in the first place.

Surely LaR will play Pike at the gig, and so do Hikashu. Don't miss it.

November 11, 2013
@ La Mama
Shibuya, Tokyo
other act: Lillies And Remains
open 18:00 - start 18:30
adv 3,500 yen - at door 4,000 yen
(one drink order minimum)
www.lamama.net

La Mama, Shibuya, Tokyo

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