Karl's Corner - 09/15/2008

500px|09/15/08 Troublemaker Tour Show 5: Tokyo Yoyogi Gymnasium 
NEW CONTEST NOTE: Folks here's a way to win tickets to see weezer - but this contest will end on 9/19, so don't take a nap now! 
Place an order in the new online weezer merchandise store from now until 9/19 and be entered in a contest to win two tickets to an upcoming Weezer show and a backstage tour. Note that no transportation will be provided, your tickets will be to the venue closest to you and you get yourself there to rock out. Click here for the details.
Today was the second of the two "Weezer Festival" shows that feature opening bands who all share the Weezer spirit. Todays show at the huge gym was sold out, over 9000 people came to rock. 
As today was the biggest show of the Japan Tour, it was handy that there was no travel to deal with - no trains, no planes, and only a few automobiles to go the short distance from the hotel over to the No. 1 Gymnasium at National Yoyogi Stadium. It was a relief for all to actually have time to prepare and soundcheck, and the vibe was busy but under control. After soundcheck the band did a bunch of press for various Japanese magazines and papers, while Going Under Ground and Asian Kung Fu Generation did their soundchecks. 
After a walk to the nearest Mos Burger for a late lunch, it was back to the stadium. Outside things were chaotic, with some sort of holiday going on this day (Elder's Day?), meaning all sorts of parades and outdoor music events going on in the parklands all around the stadium. Mix in 9000 weezer fans converging on the area and it was quite a scene.
Once again Going Under Ground and Asian Kung Fu Generation brought the rock and the totally sold out place was going nuts. Its too bad they insist on seated floors at these big arenas in Japan, but the energy in the place was still very high.
Then it was time for weezer, led off by a comparatively big Hootenanny, with about 15 fans (plus an opening band member sans shirt, haha). Great brass and woodwind section today! And a really strong 6 man guitar team holding it down. Going into this tour, no one knew if it was possible to have a hootenanny in such a big place surrounded by an audience. So many things could go wrong. But, while things were a bit chaotic at times, the lesson learned was that its definitely doable, and not only that, its a stoker!
Here are some pictures from the show (click on a picture to see it bigger):
Post show there was a tour wrap up dinner at the delicious and famous Gonpachi restaurant, followed by a wild karaoke session at a nearby karaoke place, with Pat and Scott along with record company people and others (incl yours truly) busting out everything from "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" to "White Room", "Witchita Lineman", "Walk Like An Egyptian", "Feel Like Making Love" "Never Tear Us Apart", "Just What I Needed" and "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (my pick). 
Finally, Weezer and co. would like to send out a huge thank you to the Japan team who made the tour such a big success and a fun time to boot! Thank you and see you next time!
THANK YOU:
Naoki Shimizu
Ken Kamenoi
Aska Mizogaki
Layli Odamura
Naoto Seki
Yukihiko Soga
Mamoru Abe
Masahiko Kobayashi
Hiro "Hadja" Yoshizawa
IEC
Noritsugu Maehara
Junji Kondo (Universal)
Pelc Enterprise (merchandise)
...meanwhile...
There is a nice article with quotes from Rivers and Pat about the recording of the Red Album in the new issue of Mix Magazine, now in stores and online here.
Weezer Tribute Band Alert: 
El Scorcho are playing 9/19 at Andrew's Upstairs in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, with Behind The Sun, and on 9/20 at Under The Couch on the Georgia Tech campus, where "we're bringing back the popular Weezer Karaoke set!"
Category:Karl's Corner - September 2008