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At half past eight a barrage of guitar noise began to drown out the heavy dance beats at Club 24. All heads turned towards the stage as Melt-Banana made their way out of the darkness. With his face hidden behind his trademark surgical mask, guitarist Agata began to play the intro to "Shield For Your Eyes, A Beast In The Well On Your Hand" from 2003's awesome Cell-Scape. Singer Yasuko O. lowered her head and methodically paced back and forth like a tiger ready to pounce as the intensity level in the blistering track increased. A small mosh pit erupted as she raised her mic and delivered her first bout of feverish, high-pitched wails. Flashing, multi-coloured shapes and images sped across a video screen behind the band, making the song's already extreme impact much more powerful. Having spent almost a decade and a half shredding eardrums across Asia, Europe, and North America, Melt-Banana have little trouble driving audiences to the brink of insanity with their chaotic, twisted mix of punk, hardcore, and electronica. Tonight was no different. While the last few years have seen the Tokyo quartet focusing primarily on Cell-Scape during live performances, their Club 24 gig saw them digging into their brilliant back catalogue. Vintage cuts such as "Sick Zip Everywhere" from 1996's Scratch Or Stitch and "F.D.C. For Short" from 1998's Charlie sent the mid-sized, exuberant crowd into near hysterics as they wildly bounced and screamed along to the fast-paced schizophrenic sounds.. There was no time for rest as the band blasted through a dozen songs in just over a half hour. With Yasuko O.'s voice reserved solely for spitting out lyrics at break-neck speeds, banter was kept to a minimum. Turning in extremely tight renditions of each track, all members exhibited remarkable skill and precision. Agata spun around wildly while pulling a mind-boggling array of noises from his guitar. The act's drummer and bassist Rika each pounded on their instruments with calculated fury. Yasuko O.'s animated, unique vocal stylings helped pull all the parts together, creating something truly fantastic. After ripping their way through Cell-Scape's "Key Is A Fact That A Cat Brings," Yasuko O. thanked the audience and Melt-Banana quickly disappeared as happy spectators tried to make sense of what they had just witnessed. The band have lined up concerts in Tokyo, Yamagata, Miyagi, Iwate, and Osaka in August. Possessing the ability to unleash a sonic assault like none other, if you're even the slightest fan of loud, fast music you should definitely check them out. -- Set-list -- Shield For Your Eyes, A Beast In The Well On Your Hand/ Rragg/ Sick Zip Everywhere/ Circle-Jack (Chase The Magic Words, Lego Lego)/ Ether, Twisted/ Hair-Cat ('Cause The Wolf Is A Cat!)/ F.D.C. For Short/ A Hunter In The Rain To Cut The Neck Up In The Present Stage/ Mind Thief/ Lost Parts Stinging Me So Cold/ A Dreamer Who Is Too Weak To Face Up To/ Key Is A Fact That A Cat Brings |
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report by shawn |
 mag files : Melt-Banana Melting Everything In Their Path : (06/07/09 @ Yokohama Club 24 ) : review by shawnphoto report : (06/01/24 @ Daikanyama Unit) : photos by izumikumaphoto report : (06/01/24 @ Daikanyama Unit) : photos by izumikumaphoto report : (05/09/10 @ Shinjuku Loft) : photos by hiroquiHalf Hour Of Power : (05/09/10 @ Shinjuku Loft) : review by shawnphoto report : (04/02/29 @ Shibuya Club Quattro) : photos by izumikuma |
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The official site Melt-Banana http://www.parkcity.ne.jp/~mltbanan/ The latest album  "13 Hedgehogs" (国内盤 / US import) |
Previous works
"Cell-Scape"(US import) "Speak Squeak Creak"(国内盤 / US import) "Teeny Shiny"(国内盤 / US import) "MXBX 1998: 13,000 Miles at Light Velocity "( UK import) "Scratch or Stitch "(US import) check the albums? |
 2006Never Too Old To Party : Shonen Knife (8th Jul. @ Shibuya Club Quattro)An Early Summer Night's Dream : Belle and Sebastian (3rd Jun. @ Shinagawa Prince Stellar Ball)Zoobombcrazy : The Zoobombs (6th May. @ Yoyogi Zher The Zoo)F-U-N : Limited Express (Has Gone?) (2nd Apr. @ Yoyogi Zher The Zoo)Full CCCIIIRRRCCCLLLEEE : Cave In (25th Mar. @ Shibuya Club Asia)The Perfect Storm : Mono (18th Mar. @ Shibuya O-Nest)School Of Rock : The White Stripes (6th Mar. @ Zepp Tokyo)Far From Extinct : Dinosaur Jr. (27th Feb. @ Shibuya AX)Vintage Valentine : Showa Genroku Crazy Tangoku feat. Thee 50's High Teens, Salome no Kutibiru, The 50 Kaitens & The Captains (13th Feb. @ Shimokitazawa Club 251)Walk The Line : Afrirampo (29th Jan. @ Higashi Koenji UFO Club)Every Girl's Crazy About A Sharp Dressed Man : Kaiser Chiefs (23rd Jan. @ Liquidroom Ebisu)All That And Looks Too : Tristan Prettyman (22nd Jan. @ Shibuya AX)2005Merry Christmas and Happy... Halloween?!?! : Afrirampo with Oshiripenpenz and Watsui Zombie (19th Dec. @ Daikanyama Unit)Brothers In Arms : Bloodthirsty Butchers with +/- {Plus/Minus} (4th Dec. @ Shibuya AX)This Is Rock N' Roll : Oasis (20th Nov. @ Yoyogi Daiichi Taiikukan)Shake Your Rump : Rovo (5th Nov. @ Liquidroom Ebisu)Majestic Doves Battle Evil Spirits In Tokyo : Doves (30th Oct. @ Shibuya Club Quattro)DVD review : RGB : sianspheric (17th Oct.)Needs To Be Seen To Be Believed : Shibusa Shirazu Orchestra (16th Oct. @ Yokohama Thumbs Up)Shimmy Shimmy Ya : Zilli**Sweet Oriental Dance Show feat. Zilli, Eshe, Ken, Shinshi, and Mananbu (8th Oct. @ Shibuya Udagawa Cafe)Something Old And Something New : Time Bomb Records 15th Aniversary Feat. Blind Beast (Thurston Moore+Jim O'Rourke+Yoshimi), The Evens (Ian MacKaye+Amy Farina) with Ruins alone, Tamio Inoue (18th Sept. @ Shibuya Club Quattro)Half Hour Of Power : Punkrockers Bowl Vol.11 Feat. Razors Edge, Melt-Banana, Wrench (10th Sept. @ Shinjuku Loft)A Mind Is An Awesome Thing To Blow
: Fantomas & Zu (5th Sept. @ Shibuya Club Quattro)With A Little Sake Always Makes For A Good Night : Cubismo Grafico Five with Sakerock (27th Aug. @ Liquidroom Ebisu)Cool Sounds From The Underground : "What's That Sound?" Feat. Four Tet, Caribou, Mugison (20th Aug. @ Laforet Museum Roppongi)Expect The Unexpected : Metalchicks with Kiiiiiii and Asa-Chang & Junrei (16th Jul. @ Shibuya Lush)All The Young Dudes : Jude (10th Jun. @ Yokohama Blitz)The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades : Date Course Pentagon Royal Garden (6th Jun. @ Shibuya Club Quattro)The Life Aquatic With Yo La Tengo : Yo La Tengo (28th May. @ Laforet Museum Roppongi)The Little Things : Boom Boom Satellites (29th Apr. @ Shibuya AX)Interview : Insanely Brilliant : Les Savy Fav (30th Apr.)Organized Chaos : Shibusa Shirazu (17th Apr. @ Shibuya Club Quattro)Socially Aware And Ready To Party : Asian Dub Foundation w/African Head Charge (10th Apr. @ Shibuya AX)Nice And Simple : Jimmy Eat World (4th Apr. @ Shibuya O-East)Nothing A Few Sweets Couldn't Fix : Lemon Jelly (29th Mar. @ Shibuya AX)Groove Is In The Heart : Tabla Kwaiesa (6th Mar. @ Yokohama Silk Road Buto-Kan)Interview : Constantly Evolving : 90 Day Men (13th Mar)It's Party Time! : The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Benevento/Russo Duo (28th Feb @ Shibuya Club Quattro)Weekly Service : The Chemical Brothers (12th Feb @ Shibuya AX)Tattoos and a Whole Lotta Hair : EXTREME THE DOJO Vol.12 feat. Every time I Die, As I Lay Dying and Shadows Fall (7th Feb @ Shibuya Club Quattro)Geography At Its Best : ISIS (5th Feb @ Shibuya Club Quattro)To The Extreme : The Shins (31st Jan @ Harajuku Astro Hall)CD review : "Panopticon" : Isis (27th Jan)Winter Be Damned : Ash (17th Jan @ Shibuya AX)Interview : Peaceful, But Far From Quiet : Mono (20th Jan)CD review : "The Nein" : The Nein (13th Jan) |