"Keep your dreams. Don't sell your soul. Be careful." Wise words uttered by Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie long ago on Xtrmntr (2000) and duly followed by many artists. And after a particularly arduous, yet satisfying 4-day Fuji Rock Festival weekend replete with incessant rains, mud to slop through amidst a breathtaking natural landscape, The Go! Team, The Magic Numbers and The Futureheads again showed they wouldn't forget Gillespie's words days later, continuing their unbridled creative spirit proudly within a blistering Tokyo in forging their own hot August night for The Dawn Of A New Wave Volume 2 showcase.
Tackling the most difficult slot of opening this triple-bill, the old-school hip-hop, dance rock sextet extraordinaire The Go! Team take firm command of an at first rigid house, shaking its walls and the realities of those inside with their delectable 10-sliced set. Harnessing the unstoppable power of their debut album Thunder, Lightning, Strike (2004), Ninja (vocals, emcee), Silke (guitar, keys, vocals, drums), Sam (guitar), Ian (guitar, harmonica) and Ky (drums, vocals) quickly loosen up the interiors of the rather austere Liquid Room with the kind assistance of Simon from Stereolab (filling in for bassist Jamie who was back in England gettting married). |
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| Unfazed and explosive from beginning to end as their name itself suggests, The Go! Team unleash a fury of unabating schoolyard fun from start to finish in their gang of six. Storming the stage, the unspoken camaradarie is apparent as they collectively tear through the blaring 70's cop show theme of "Panther Dash" that has Ian hard at work on harmonica into the jaunting sunny grooverider "Get It Together," conjuring up memories of cotton candy, cold drinks, hot dogs and easier times of childhood. Bringing the early 80's electro pop/ rap blend to life, Ninja leads the "Go! Team! " chants with her fists in the air being duplicated all around as the floor bounces up and down, later getting all inside to wave their hands in the air from side to side for a sea of love awash "Everyone's A V.I.P. To Someone." Seizing Japan for its testing ground, they unleash a new song that's without a title with Ninja urging all to email them their song title ideas. Closing on their burgeoning hit "Ladyflash," a collective "Yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah!" engulfs the whole floor as smiles of sweet satisfaction reign supreme as this Team finally cracks a hard code of self-consciousness. |
Keeping the dream alive while downshifting gears a bit, the sibling quartet of The Magic Numbers grandly unfurl their disarming tales of hope and ponderings that's helped make their self-titled debut album nominated for a coveted "Album Of The Year" Mercury award. Showing this honor is no fluke, brother Romeo (vocals, guitar) and sister Michele (bass, vocals) alongside brother Sean (drums, vocals)  and sister Angela (percussion, melodica, vocals) wholly realize the raw beauty of their shared dreams, shining brightly through opener "Forever Lost." Far from that, their loving embrace for each other and their material spills over effortlessly into others, warming all
inside. The steady stroll of assurance "I see you, You see me" and the instant classic roadtrip romp of "Love Me Like You" alongside Romeo's unabashedly shy banterings of gratitude give clear creedence of the sustainability of this soft rock revival.
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As a happy feel good glazing takes firm hold within Liquid Room, the jerky, quirky rantings of The Futureheads suddenly sound an alarm as sleepytime is over. Riding a wave from a explosive indie popularity rapidly expanding both Stateside and in the UK from their start-stop filled self titled debut, Ross (vocals, guitar), Jaff (vocals, bass), Barry (lead vocals, guitar) and Dave (vocals, drums) give good reason for a infectious popularity likened to Franz Ferdinand, but perhaps soon eclipsing them with their catchy, dissonant yet melodic group efforts, particularly on vocals, giving their bark plenty of bite that carries brilliantly live this night.
With a silohuette of their album cover draping behind them in its DIY design simplicity, The Futureheads tear mercilessly through their set in wild, playful abandon, quickly ensnaring the endearment of all. In a nonstop fashion with both wit and mischievity intact throughout, they garner an immediate and lasting audience participation-an impressive feat in a well-documented market known for its resistance. Whether through the stop-start, jaunting dissonant "The City Is Here For You To Use," the 1-2 mental tick-tock mayhem of "Meantime, " the unexpected soft hypnotic resonance of "Danger Of The Water," the drilling echoed chorus of "Manray" or the anthemic charge of "Decent Days And Nights," The Futureheads inspire a fevered reaction that's neverending as hands, heads and feet move about busily in synchronization to their wares. Finishing on the raucuous "Piece Of Crap," there couldn't be anything further from the truth in describing this foursome's set, let alone the others as it's quite clear that indeed sweet dreams are made of these.
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report by michael and photos by izumikuma |
 mag files : The Go! Team / The Magic Numbers / The Futureheads Making Infectious Post-Fuji Rock Neapolitan Love Within Sterile Walls Of Tokyo (05/08/02 @ Liquidroom Ebisu) : review by michael, photos by izumikuma |
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The official site
The Go! Team http://www.thegoteam.co.uk/ The albums  "Thunder Lightning Strike" ( 国内盤 / UK import )
"Junior Kickstart Ep" (UK import )
The Magic Numbers http://www.themagicnumbers.net/ The albums  "The Magic Numbers" ( 国内盤 (CCCD) / UK import (Limited Edition) / UK import) |
The Futureheads http://www.thefutureheads.com/ The albums  "The Futureheads" (US import / 国内版限定盤 / US import (with bonus tax / DVD) / UK import) check the albums? |
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