Gigs in January 2015

This month Hikashu will perform two gigs in Tokyo. One is Shubuya with other musicians, and the other is solely their own, in Kichijoji.

The Shubuya gig is an interesting one - there are other two acts who has been active for years. Endo Kenji, nicknamed En-Ken, is a singer-songwriter who's been around for quite some time, even longer than Hikashu. He debuted in late 1960s as a mellow folk singer, but later reinvented himself as a power rocker. At this gig he will appear as a solo act - just himself and an acoustic guitar - but last time he performed, as a solo, along with Hikashu, he said "trying to be louder than Motorhead" on stage. Well, he performed fiercely and everybody were impressed. Also Yamada Koji, the other act, has a long career and his own style, which is very interesting.

The Kichijoji gig is billed as commemorating Makigami's birthday, actually it's a few days later, but anyway it's going to be interesting because they are likely to play selections from the forthcoming album, like last time.

Trailer of the movie "En-Ken vs. Nippon Budokan" (2005)

January 15, 2015
"Endless Legend"
@ La Mama
Shibuya, Tokyo
other act: Endo Kenji, Yamada Koji
open 18:30 - start 19:00
adv 3,500 yen - at door 3,800 yen

La Mama, Shibuya, Tokyo




January 23, 2015
"Makigami's Birthday Party"
@ Star Pine's Cafe
Kichijoji, Tokyo
open 18:30 - start 19:30
adv 3,900 yen - at door 4,300 yen

Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji, Tokyo

Happy New Year 2015

season's greetings from the band

 This new year looks pretty promising for Hikashu fans. First of all, new album is coming soon, even sooner than we all expected.

The album, tentatively titled "Ikitekoi Chinmoku," [Silence Be Alive] was recorded last November during their stay in New York. The two-days session turned out very well and the result is, according to Makigami, "very satisfying." The band is still working on the recording, but it's just adding little tweakings and no need more than that. Yes, it's supposedly almost completed right now.

Unfortunately, we cannot tell about how it sounds like. But the band premired two songs from the album at Kichijoji gig last November. One is a ballad, and the other is a utterly complicated song structually. The latter even reminded us of Captain Beefheart. Very interesting indeed.

So when it's out, you ask? Well, the band says it's April. Anyway, you're not supposed to wait so long.

Speaking of April, Hikashu is going to tour in Russia that month. It's a very long one - two weeks throughout the country. The audience in Russia has been very supportive to the band. And Hikashu is looking forward to meeting them again.

Regarding touring, the band plans to do a tour of Kyushu, southern part of Japan, in March.

As of the member's solo activities, guitarist Mita Freeman will be 60 this summer and he says he will hold a special concert series for commemorating that. As well as being a great musician, he's a quite character so it's going to be fun.





Other than that, right now the band announced only two other gigs in January - both in Tokyo which we'll cover later - but the band will be pretty active this year. You can count on that.

We wish this new year will be a pleasant one for all the fans.