Back in America.

If you haven't guessed, I have been back in The States for awhile now. Ten days to be exact.
I do apologize for not being more prompt with the update, and I also apologize for not finishing up my blog while in Japan.

So yeah, I survived again! Woohoo!

Hokkaido Double-Show Showdown!

Since we stayed up super late the night before, everyone had a hard time waking up anywhere near a reasonable hour. Unfortunately, we still needed to put together a bunch of CDs for the night's show. So, as you could guess, that's what we did... for hours.
BUT, before we got into the nitty gritty of it, we ate some breakfast! God damn, it was delicious!

About thirty CDs later, we finally got our butts into the car and went on our way.
One interesting thing I have noticed is that Masahiro is always answers his phone while driving. This brought to question the fact whether or not it is legal in Japan. I sort of had the idea that it may not be.. well, apparently we are criminals, because it's illegal.

Around thirty minutes later, after driving through Sapporo, we arrive in the outskirts of town, outside what looks like a large house with some taiko drums in the front window. The guys mentioned something about us staying at a Shamisen maker's house tonight... maybe this is where they meant.
Well, it turns out, we are not only staying there, but we are also playing not one, but two shows!

We spend the first hour or so settings up lights and clearing the room that is going to serve as the performance area. As that is finished up, I begin to set up the Monsters of Shamisen promotion and CD stand. I notice a certain lack of classiness to our set up, so I take it upon myself to go across the street to a mall that has a 100 Yen store inside of it. When I go in there I see all sorts of stuff, and it's pretty difficult to discern where anything is (seeing as I can't read any signage that there might actually be), but eventually I manage to find an area that has little easels for pictures. These are perfect for setting up a display. Win. And with that, the set up is complete.

The floor of the room is tatami, so naturally it lends itself to being treated with a certain amount of Japanese style. So tonight, the guys decide to all sit "seiza" (which is when you sit with both of your legs straight under you and your feet pointing behind). It only seems right.

As the beginning of the performance nears, around six thirty, people (mostly older) trickle into the room steadily. Once everyone is seated, the Monsters of Shamisen enter in via a sliding door on the left of the room.

It's pretty much the same story three hours later, except this time they are a little more wild with their set list, and Kevin goes completely feral on his solo piece he plays. Also, as an encore, I come in and play "Far Beyond The Sun" with the crew. The crowd loves it. In fact, they love the Monsters so much that they pretty much annihilate my CD display and buy them up; even have them autographed.

The remainder of the night involved everyone eating snacks, getting drunk, and playing shamisen until around four in the morning.
At around that point, when it was just Mike, Masahiro and I awake; I wanted to go for a walk because I had a headache (and the cold air always helps).
So, I hit the street. I depart with no real intentions of where to go or what to do, but I am instantly captured by a giant building with larger-than-life paintings of classic American movies; who wouldn't be?
It turns out, the place is super cool. It has musical instruments, an arcade, old action figures, magazines, and best of all OLD CLOTHES! Woohoo. They have a huge huge huge collection, ranging from vintage plaid shirts to not so vintage hip hop hoodies. I spend quite a long time there, and end up buying a cool yellow and green sweater.
By this time I am definitely ready to pass out, so I go home and quietly get into bed.