Children of Bodom
Finnish Melodic Power Metallers
Jul 9
Namba Hatch, Osaka
This band is a real gruesome bunch, take a peek at their
MySpace page and you'll be greeted by a full page,
blood-splattered scene of a scythe-wielding Grim Reaper.
Musically the band do have a lot more to offer that your
standard power thrashers and to be honest if the vocals
were a little less harsh then they may well grab a bit more
of the commercially inclined fan contingency.
The guitars are fast and furious, their lead work is spot
on (a mix of classical and blues licks) and the rhythm
section is second to none. Surprisingly the band also uses
some prog-rock style keyboard melodies, which add an
unexpected but interesting side to the band's music.
Formed in Espoo, Finland they derive their name from
the Lake Bodom murders (the strange incident in which
four friends went camping by Lake Bodom in June 1960;
three of the friends were murdered whilst sleeping and
the fourth was charged but found not guilty of the deaths).
Time: 7pm • Entry ¥7,000/¥7,500
Tel: 06-7732-8888 • Metal
Marty Friedman
Internationally-Renowned Rock Guitarist
Jul 9
Club Quattro, Osaka
Ex-Megadeth guitarist Martin Adam Freidman not only speaks
Japanese fluently but is a resident of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Pretty much
a self-taught guitarist Freidman first became known whilst playing
in the thrash metal band Cacophony alongside fellow guitarist
Jason Becker in the late 80s. With their neo-classical synchronized
twin lead guitar harmonies that set them aside from the
onslaught of US thrashers that emerged during that period it
is a shame that the band split after releasing just two albums.
From there Freidman spent nearly ten years with thrash metal
legends Megadeth, his debut with the band being the platinum
selling classic album Rust in Peace. In 1999 he left the band
stating later that he had tired of playing metal though quite
contradictory in another interview he claimed that the band
were not aggressive enough.
Since Megadeth, solo life has been quite sweet for Freidman
and he also appears regularly on Japanese television. In the past
few years Marty has collaborated with a number of Japanese
recording artists. No doubt with the knowledge acquired from
being deeply involved with Japanese music he has also released
a book Ii-Jyan J-Pop - An insiders view of the Japanese music
scene.
For fellow guitarists who want to know about Marty's gear he
plays an Ibanez guitar strung with D'Addario 10-52s through an
ENGL Special Edition amp.
Time: 7pm • Entry ¥5,000/¥5,500
Tel: 06-6281-8181 • Metal Guitar
Eddie Gomez/Steve Kuhn/Billy Drummond
Jazz Supergroup-trio
Jul 22
Mister Kellys, Osaka
Puerto Rican jazz double bassist Eddie Gomez, born in 1944, is best
known for his work with the late Bill Evans between 1966 and 1977.
Growing up in New York, Gomez first picked up the instrument aged
eleven and at thirteen enrolled at the New York City High School of
Music and Art. Gomez, during an eleven-year period toured the
world with Bill Evans and earned two Grammy's out of their many
released recordings. In the biography of Bill Evans (How My Heart
Sings, Yale University Press, 1998) writer Peter Pettinger describes
Gomez's playing as ‘technical brilliance, cello-like clarity of tone, and
hints of healthy aggression mixed with an extroverted lyricism'.
New York jazz pianist and composer Steve Kuhn has worked with
Stan Getz, John Coltrane and Art Farmer among others. Kuhn first
started playing the piano aged five and even though in the sixties he
was hugely influenced by Bill Evans he managed to assert his own
vigorous style on the international jazz scene.
Born in 1959, drummer Billy Drummond of Virginia first began
beating the skins at four years old and in a recent Modern Drummer
magazine article he was described as having a ‘surprising, adventurous
approach … he arrives as one of the most promising leaderdrummers
in jazz'. Drummond over the years has worked with some
greats of jazz including Toots Thielmanns, Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz
(who, incidentally, is playing at Osaka's Billboard Live this month on
the 16th to 18th) and Freddie Hubbard.
Time: 7pm/9:30pm • Entry ¥8,000/¥8,500 • Tel: 06-6342-5821 • Jazz
Jason Mraz
Versatile US Singer-Songwriter
Jul 30
Namba Hatch, Osaka
Thirty-one year old US singer songwriter Jason
Thomas Mraz has been called an "eclectic
artist with multiple varied stylistic influences".
In fact his varied influences range from rock to
hip-hop through folk, pop, jazz and country.
The list of names that Mraz has played with only adds to his prowess (Rolling Stones,
James Blunt, Bob Dylan, Alanis Morrisette, Dave Matthews Band … ) and bearing in
mind that he has only released three studio albums in six years (Waiting For My Rocket
To Come, 2002, Mr. A-Z, 2005, and We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things, 2008) he has
come a long way in a very short space of time.
Part of the reason behind Mraz's apparent lack of studio releases seems to be that he
spends most of his time touring, and maybe in an attempt to keep his fans happy with
new releases, he openly supports taped bootlegs of his shows.
On his latest album, which Mraz claims to have penned during a time in his life when
he rediscovered himself, he says "by moments of self realization, self empowerment and
self improvement." and goes on, "I was happy to be able to write an album at the same
time I was coming back to Earth." And the result, a breezy laid-back affair that's as good
as a nice piece of subtle background theme as it is to just sit and listen to purposefully.
Welcome back to Earth Jason.
Time: 7pm • Entry ¥6,000 • Tel: 06-6535-5569 • Singer-Songwriter
Live Listings July
Air
7/1 @ Taku Taku, Kyoto
6:30pm • ¥3,500 Tel: 075-351-1321 • J-Art Rock
Rage
7/3 @ Club Quattro, Osaka
7pm • ¥6,500 Tel: 06-6281-8181 • Metal
Bennie K
7/3 @ Zepp, Osaka
6:30pm • ¥5,775 Tel: 06-6341-3525 • J-Urban
Soil & Pimp Sessions
7/3 @ Taku Taku, Kyoto
7pm • ¥3,800/¥4,300
Tel: 075-351-1321 • Funk
Joan of Arc
7/6 @ Sunsui, Osaka
5:30pm • ¥3,500/¥4,000
Tel: 0570-02-9999 • Indie Rock
Puffy
7/8 @ Namba Hatch, Osaka
7pm • ¥5,000/¥5,500
Tel: 06-6341-3525 • J-Pop Duo
Marty Freidman
7/9 @ Club Quattro, Osaka
7pm • ¥5,000/¥5,500
Tel: 06-6281-8181 • Rock/Metal Guitar
Children of Bodom
7/9 @ Namba Hatch, Osaka
7pm • ¥7,000/¥7,500
Tel: 06-7732-8888 • Metal
Keiko Nakanishi
7/13 @ Namba Hatch, Osaka
5pm • ¥6,000 Tel: 06-6357-4400
• J-Pop
Da Pump
7/13 @ Zepp, Osaka
6:30pm • ¥5,775 Tel: 06-6357-4400
• J-Pop/Hip-Hop
Kenny Garrett
7/15 @ Billboard Live, Osaka
6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥5,500/¥7,500
Tel: 06-6342-7722 • Jazz Fusion Sax
SS501
7/16-17 @ Namba Hatch, Osaka
7pm • 7,800 Tel: 06-6352-7301 • Pop
LeeKonitz Trio
7/16-18 @ Billboard Live, Osaka
6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥6,000/¥8,000
Tel: 06-6342-7722 • Jazz
Kobe Metal Night ft Iron
Maiden, Def Leppard, Guns
& Roses and Black Sabbath
cover bands
7/20 @ Vait, Kobe
6pm • ¥1,500/¥2,000
Tel: 078-392-6655 • Metal Covers
Steve Kuhn/Eddie Gomez/
Billy Drummond
7/22 @ Mister Kellys, Osaka
7pm/9:30pm • ¥8,000/¥8,500
Tel: 06-6342-5821 • Jazz Trio
Belinda Carlisle
7/21-22 @ Billboard Live, Osaka
6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥8,500
Tel: 06-6342-7722 • Pop Vocal
Scott Matin
7/24 @ Mister Kellys, Osaka
7pm/9:30pm • ¥5,000/¥5,500
Tel: 06-6342-5821 • Latin/Funk/Soul
The Pillows
7/24 @ Namba Hatch, Osaka
7pm • ¥3,675/¥4,200
Tel: 06-6341-3525 • Rock
Fuji Rock Festival ft. Travis/
Primal Scream/Ben Folds/
Kate Nash/Ian Brown/Feeder
7/25-27 @ Naeba Ski Resort
Ticket Enquiry (in English)
Email: english@ganban.net
• ¥39,000 – 3 day ticket
• ¥16,800 – 1 day ticket
• accompanied under 12's free entry
• Car parking - ¥3,000 per day
• Campsite - ¥3,000 per day / person
Sadie
7/27 @ Varit, Kobe
6pm • ¥3,300/¥3,800
Tel: 078-392-6655 • J-Goth/Rock
Stacy Orrico
7/28 @ Billboard Live, Osaka
6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥6,400/¥8,400
Tel: 06-6342-7722 • Pop Vocal
Jason Mraz
7/30 @ Namba Hatch, Osaka
7pm • ¥6,000 Tel: 06-6535-5569
• Singer Songwriter
Summer Sonic 08 ft.
The Verve/The Prodigy/
Sex Pistols/Coldplay
8/9-10 @ Maishima Summer Sonic Osaka Site
• Day 1, 9am • Day 2, 11am
• ¥26,000 (2 day ticket)
Tel: 0180-993-030
Compiled by Phillip Jackson
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