Hyper Japan Weekend

It's been an action-packed couple of weeks. Starting on Friday, 25th July at Hyper Japan, I met up with my favourite Japanese band, Broken Doll.

Right to Left: Kensuke-san, Yuu-san, Myself and Sachi-san at Hyper Japan. 25/07/14.

I heard of Broken Doll after reading an article by Tom Smith about the release of their album 'Reach for the Sky' on the Japan Underground website. Being a former skydiver, listening to the title track sent my heart giddy with delight. I also read an interview with Kensuke on RiceburnerFM which resonated pretty deeply with me and I must say I admired the sentiment of this album.

I had started drafting a book about human body flight some ten years prior; the central theme was about the neccessity to believe in fairies in order to fly. Proper grown-ups talk about exiting the aircraft, accelerating to terminal velocity and freefalling. The people I loved the most in skydiving were the ones who had a childish grin on their face - we never exited the plane, we entered the sky; we wern't falling, we were flying. I had stopped skydiving in 2003; I became something of a Captain Hook for a few years! However, after hearing Reach for the Sky, I found myself returning to the sky once more. I think Sachi is Tinkerbell-esq; she sprinkles pixie-dust on our souls and this affords us to fly once more. So I started flying again and that had me smiling a lot more too!

Freeflying with my friends over Taupo, New Zealand, 2002.
Left to Right: Herman (the German troll), Myself, Jon Williams (FO2)

"How do you go to Wonderland? You already have the key to happiness."
- Broken Doll, Reach for the Sky.

I went to the Hyper Japan After Party on the Friday night at the Comedy Pub in Piccadilly. Huge thank you to Paul Woodhead for organizing this event. As I'll be heading off to Japan soon enough, I asked a few friends to come along and enjoy it with me. I loved the fact that they were able to come along and see why I've fallen in love with Japanese culture. It was also great to catch-up friends I've made through Japanese meetup groups too; I haven't been to London for quite a while and I'd forgotten how much fun I have when I'm with this crowd!

Yana from Yanakiku, Comedy Pub, Hyper Japan After Party 25/07/14

I stayed up in London with my friend Catti on the Friday night and after a lazy morning of cups of tea and watching Yanakiku videos, we headed over to Earls Court for the second day of Hyper Japan. We had just come out of the tube station when Catti spotted Yanakiku across the road. It was so funny because we were like a couple of gushing teenagers who'd spotted their idols and ran up to them excitedly yabbering away in English and Japanese. We're not sure who the person who took our photo with Yanakiku was, but even though it probably wasn't, we like to think it was one of the girls mums. 

Yana, Me, Catti and Kiku - Outside Hyper Japan, 26/07/14

Then we went and joined the long queue for tickets and eventually, after instigating something of a small queuing rebellion (to take shade from the sun) we made it through to the lobby. That's when I heard Catti say something about Broken Doll and I looked round to see that they were in the lobby. So I went over to find that they were heading off from Hyper Japan, but would be playing at the Namco Funscape in Westminster for the second After Party courtesy of JPU Records. I should have recognized Tom Smith when I saw Broken Doll in the lobby; but to be honest, I was too busy gushing that Broken Doll were in London. Later on, it occurred to me that I'd missed the opportunity to say, "Thanks for writing that article Tom!"

Meeting Broken Doll in the lobby of Hyper Japan. 26/07/14

Catti and me had a great time at Hyper Japan and afterwards, I was feeling a bit frazzled, so thought I'd go back home, have a shower and then head back into London for the after party. Only, just before catching the train, I changed my mind and decided to try out a Japanese restaurant that I've often walked past and thought, "it looks a bit expensive" so never bothered eating there. Of course, when I actually checked out the menu, their prices were quite reasonable. So I had a delicious Japanese curry and felt completely rejuvinated and ready for the second Hyper Japan after party.

Broken Doll - setting London ablaze with magical kawaii sparkle power!
Namco Funscape, Westminster, London - 26/07/14 

Another top quality evening of fantastic Japanese bands, another fabulous audience and another great venue - the Namco Funscape. I loved seeing Yanakiku perform again, I think I'd got one of their songs, 'Orihime' stuck in my head the whole day; but also everytime I've seen a lettuce since the first time I saw them perform, I can't help but giggle to myself.

Broken Doll put on an absolutely superb show; any doubts that they're not poised to take the world by storm with their unique blend of pop-punk-kawaii-candy-electro-rainbow-unicorn-rock-uniqueness were well and truly put to rest that night. Having originally got into their music via the 'Reach for the Sky' album, I bought both 'Get Crunk' and 'Star Filled Night Sky' albums. They are progressing into a new sound and I've got to say, I'm loving the latest singles. Check out: I Miss You and Samishikunanka Nai - or better still, buy a signed mini album, "Kawaii Rock Anthems" that they released for their UK Tour.

Luckily, the battery for my camcorder ran out just before they played "Reach for the Sky." Not that I needed an excuse, but when they play that song, it just seems criminal for me to not jump around in utter ecstacy! So, right on cue, with a flat camcorder battery; I just had to lose myself in the sublime joy of being at a Broken Doll gig! What more can I say, having Broken Doll play in London still feels like it was all a dream; one that I hope becomes re-occuring!

Broken Doll Live at JPU Records Hyper Japan After Party

Namco Funscape, Westminster, London. 26/07/14