Anisong @ AFAX: The Aftermath

Anisong Day 2 breakdown:
7.00pm-7.50pm: angela
7.50pm-8.20pm: Equipment set-up and instrument tuning for SCANDAL
8.20pm-9.10pm: SCANDAL
9.15pm-10.05pm: May’n

The Anisong concerts on November 13-14 were not the first live concerts that I attended. The (dubious) honour goes to Video Games Live (back in 2009) and Beatlemania (don’t ask).

It is however, the first concert in which I sat at the front row, within eardrum-shattering distance of the speakers. It is the first concert where I took out glow sticks and waved to the beat & rhythm like some retard. It is the first time that I screamed so loud until my throat turned sore (and it’s still sore now — I can feel a flu coming).

On day two, I completely forgot to bring my earphones to the concert. My virgin ears were treated, for the first time, to full-frontal, 100+ decibel audio with no shielding or protection.

And then SCANDAL came out to perform. All hell broke loose. Even the maids and butlers from the School Days Cafe were in attendance, screaming out loud and pumping their fists as if their lives depended on it. The safety barrier that seperated the front row from the stage was useless; I do not know how so many fans managed to cross over it, creating another new, make-shift row of seats in front of us.

The best part of it all? Glimmerous.Fop (aka this writer’s nickname), the King of Noobs, had never listened to their songs before. However, he will always appreciate any genuine band group that plays proper musical instruments. In SCANDAL’s case, they are a female band whose members are made up of high-school girls.

I think I can finally understand the appeal of K-On!. And yes, much like how Ritsu Tainaka and Ringo Starr are often the most overlooked members of their respective bands (because the guitarists and bassists usually steal the show), Rina Suzuki (the drummer for SCANDAL), was definitely the star performer for SCANDAL on Sunday night.

Her energy was limitness, and I could tell from the constant smile on her face that she was really enjoying the thrill of performing live on stage. She even managed to incorporate some headbanging into her playing routine, all without ruining her beautiful hair or smile.

Miss Suzuki, you should try volunteering your services to a few of the many Scandinavian Rock/Metal bands out there. It’s so rare to see such a technically proficient, headbanging female drummer. Rock on girl, rock on. \m/ \m/

angela, a band-duo who performed in cosplay attire, also played on Sunday night. They went up on stage first before SCANDAL brought the roof down. The highlight of angela’s performance was when guitarist Katsunori Hirasato leapt off the stage to land on the concrete floor below — a full 1.65m plunge. With guitar in hand.

Rounding up the Anisong concert, and to bring AFAX to a close, was May’n (May Nakabayashi), who was performing in Singapore for her third consecutive AFA. There was a short interlude mid-way through her performance, where a trailer for her upcoming movie-documentary was played.

According to the stage emcee, the 3-D movie will be shown in Japan early next year, and there are plans for the film to be distributed locally in Singapore. There’s footage of Singapore included in the movie — shots of Marina Bay Sands and the Sentosa Merlion. I think we now know the reason why May’n is so eager to come back and perform every year.

She reminds me of a younger Masami Okui or Megumi Hayashibara: an incredibly talented singer and performer with a powerful voice, propelled to popularity by the anime fandom.

This year’s Anisong was without a doubt, the best SG$200 I’ve ever spent. And I do not even consider myself an otaku or serious anime viewer. But I am a fan of Japanese-styled pop-rock (and cute headbanging drummers). So there, score one point for the amazing ability of music to bring legions of nerds and fanboys/fangirls together.

See you all next year. “MOETSU!”

Tags: Anime Festival Asia, Music