The Pillows @ Gramercy Theater 9/11/11

The Pillows, rocking.

Sunday, September 11th, 2011.  In the truest spirit of New York City, there was life, vibrancy and celebration amidst our mourning.  I admit at first I was not comfortable with traveling to Manhattan for a concert on the anniversary of the most devastating terrorist attack in human history, but at the same time I was faced with a rare opportunity and a chance to maintain normalcy.  You see, that evening I had tickets see the Japanese band The Pillows at Gramercy Theatre.  A band that had only visited America five times, and who is responsible for the soundtrack to my favorite anime of all time, Fooly Cooly (FLCL).

The crowd was extremely hyped for the show.  There's always a special energy that comes with a band that has more of a cult following than popular hits.  Before we get to the headlining act, we must give our respect to the opening bands, who both in their own way brought a lot to the show.  The theme for the evening was Japan to be sure, with two additional bands from, or with strong ties to the country.

The first band was All Ages who, for an opening act, brought a ton of energy and received it in full back from the crowd.  They featured a mix of English and Japanese lyrics and talked about their involvement with charity groups following the devastating tsunami that rocked Japan only a few months ago.  In fact, they sponsored their own charitable organization in which their fans contributed and made banners with words of support.  The band then personally delivered the messages and support to provinces in need.  All in all, I was very impressed with the group and promptly downloaded their newest album "A New Kind of Citizen".

I was already sold when I saw that hair.

 Next up on the stage was the all-female group Noodles.  They brought with them a classic rock sound.  All of their lyrics were in Japanese, but that was no barrier with the audience.  With strong yet simple rhythms and catchy riffs, it's no surprise that they had their own following on hand at the show.

We are Noodles!

Finally, the band we'd all been waiting for. The Pillows took the stage.  All of the energy that the first two acts had brought was instantly doubled as the lead singer approached the mic.  They wasted no time in plunging into their set list and riding the crest of the audience's high.

For those not familiar with the group, the Pillows are most widely known in America for the soundtrack to the anime Fooly Cooly, or FLCL, which  aired on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim in the early 2000's.  Although their fame in America is relatively recent, the band themselves has been on the scene in Japan since 1989.

Their set included many recognizable hits from FLCL as well as many other songs that their fans were familiar with.  They never let the crowd's spirit wane and put on what I would personally describe as one of the most fun concerts I have ever been to.  The only heart-breaking moment for me was in the middle of the song I'd been waiting to hear, "Ride the Shooting Star", when my camera told me that my memory card was full.  A lesson learned the hard way.  I did however get quite a few memorable moments and songs before losing camera capabilities.  All of which are available on my Google pics and YouTube accounts for your viewing pleasure.

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What I Am Looking Forward To At NY Comic Con!

 With less than one week to go, we're working out our final "plan of attack."  We have different things we are going after, so we're sharing our top 5 picks.

Wilderowens Picks

1. Mike Cavallaro - The Artist for The Life and Times of Savior 28
I never enjoyed a comic book like I enjoyed Savior 28.  This book tells the story of the fall from grace of the worlds favorite Superhero.  The art reminds me of classic Action Comics or Captain America and the story is a haunting portrayal of what happens to those we admire, especially in America.  This is the comic book that I truly enjoyed and can't wait to thank him for it. 

2. The V Panel
One of the panels I wanted to see at San Diego Comic Con that I just didn't make it into.  I think this is an awesome show that pushes some boundaries, especially for network TV.  Since the show doesn't come back until November, there may be some great spoilers for the new season. 

3. The Unbreakable Panel
This movie is my favorite Shamalayn movie, so celebrating it during con is a highlight for me.  Yes, I know that this isn't really recent but sometimes it is a good thing to remember the past enjoyments.  And, considering all those involved in the film, those "special surprises" could be pretty awesome.

4. Artist Alley
The best thing at NYCC is Artist Alley.  It is huge, filled with artists from every area of the comic world and they are all willing to hang out with you.  Every year, I pick up amazing pieces of art from artists that I love and artists that I just met.  If you want to connect with the heart of the comic world, spend some time in Artist Alley.

5. The Cultyard
I am not really sure how this will turn out but I am excited.  It is being billed as a eclectic grouping of vendors with a lot of artistic talent.  With all of the vendors there, I foresee myself spending a lot of money.


Wysefyre's Picks

1. Stan Lee, John Romita Sr. and John Romita Jr.
I don't think I need to explain much about this. These men are icons and their words and art showed me a different way to tell a story and ultimately set me on the path to geekdom. I am willing to wait outside all night, if it means I get a chance to say thank you to any or all of these men. If not, I'll settle for seeing them in panel.

2. The LXD featuring John. M. Chu
The LXD are some of the most amazing dancers you will ever see and if you're a Gleek, you'll recognize Harry Shum, Jr. (Mike aka the other Asian)as one of their dancers. The dance series can be viewed on Hulu or their website. Director Jon M. Chu (Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up 3D) will be showing a sneak preview and answering questions.

3. Anime Press Your Luck
I grew up watching games shows and this was by far, one of my favorites. It was the Whammys. They got me every time. While I'm not a huge anime fan, I think it's a perfect fit for Press Your Luck and I'm really excited to see how Sonic Whammy Enterprises pulls this off.

4. Intro to Animation Voice-Over Acting with Stevie Vallance
As someone who's studied acting, voice-over work interests me for a variety of reasons. I'm dying to know more about the process and the chance to turn myself into a "Toon" and watch others do so is going to be fricking hilarious.

5. Bruce Campbell
The man is finally coming to NYCC. Not only is he the star of the Evil Dead movies and currently co-starring on Burn Notice but he's done oodles of movies, tons of voice work and is an accomplished author. He's Bruce Campbell. baby. Need I say more?


What are you excited about and what do you think we are missing?