After spending a decade making music together, Arab Strap announced this past September that they were going their separate ways. As a special treat to Japanese fans, they decided to play their final gigs in Japan - a week long jaunt dubbed the "Farehell Tour 2006." Tonight's show at O-Nest marked the first of the five final concerts for the Scottish act.
The quintet emerged shortly after 9:30 p.m. to a round of cheers from the near capacity crowd. Vocalist Aidan Moffat and guitarist Malcolm Middleton, the driving force behind Arab Strap, received the loudest screams of all. Wasting little time, Middleton launched into "Stink" from their latest studio effort (and swan song), The Last Romance. Squeezing his mic stand with his eyes closed tight, Moffat began crooning his dark, sexually charged lyrics as his band mates turned out solid, hard-edged indie rock.Comprised mainly of 20 and 30 years old, the mixed crowd of local and expat fans swayed back and forth and nodded their heads in appreciation as the opening notes of the affectionately titled "Fucking Little Bastards" from 2003's Monday At The Hug And Pint filled the room. Singing with a slight accent, the great sound at O-Nest allowed for Moffat's often alcohol-fuelled tales of battered relationships and one night stands to be heard perfectly by all, with every frank, biting word cutting through the melodic music. 
When not singing, Moffat was like an avid fan on stage. With his back to the crowd he drank several beers and watched the other members play, walking the length of the stage so that he could get an up close view of what everyone was doing. To their credit the group turned out tight tracks from throughout Arab Strap's 10 year career, including rare cuts such as "I Saw You." Having spent the last few months making their final appearances in cities across Europe had the band in tip top form.While ending things when you're ahead is always admirable, after watching the group play so well, fans have the right to be a little saddened as Arab Strap seemingly still have much to offer to the world of underground rock. To those feeling slightly misty-eyed they've left behind 10 years worth of great songs to remind you of why they are one of Scotland's finest. Despite disbanding, the musical careers of Moffat and Middleton are far from over. Moffat will be releasing his third solo album, Dip, under the moniker L. Pierre in February and fans can likely expect Middleton, who has two solo discs of his own under his belt, to come out with something new in the not-so-distant future as well. |
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report by shawn photos by izumikuma |
 mag files : Arab Strap 歌い手は酔いどれがちょうどいい : (06/12/14 @ Kyoto Metro) : reviewed by kuniko Here Today ... Gone To Hell: (06/12/11 @ Shibuya O-Nest) : review by shawn, photos by izumikumaphoto report: (06/12/11 @ Shibuya O-Nest) : photos by izumikuma |
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The official site Arab Strap http://www.arabstrap.co.uk/ check 'em? --> 
The latest album  "Ten Years of Tears" (UK import / 国内盤) |
previous works
"The Last Romance" (US import / UK import / 国内盤)
"Monday at the Hug and Pint" (US import / UK import) "The Week Never Starts Round Here" (UK import / US import / 国内盤) "The Red Thread" (US import / UK import / 国内盤) "Mad for Sadness" (US import / UK import / 国内盤) "Elephant Shoe" (US import / UK import / 国内盤 / )"Philophobia" (US import / UK import / 国内盤) check the albums? |
 2006Mo' Mo' Mo' Mo'some : Mo'some Tonebender (2nd Dec. @ Shibuya AX)Good Things Come In Threes : Bleach with Ni-Hao!, Watusi Zombie (5th Nov. @ Yoyogi Zher the Zoo)Glitter And Mop-tops : The Zutons (2nd Oct. @ Shibuya AX)Twisting Minds And Tanning Behinds : Asylum Street Spankers (17h Sept. @ Shibuya Club Quattro)DVD review : I Know I'm Not Alone : Michael Franti & Spearhead (4th Oct.)Melodic Metal Monday : Dark Tranquility w/ Galneryus (1th Sept. @ Daikanyama Unit)Give Me Something I Can Dance To! : Fangsanalsatan Extra feat. The Stars, Boris, Guitar Wolf (22nd Jul. @ Shinjuku Loft)Melting Everything In Their Path : Melt-Banana (9th Jul. @ Yokohama Club 24)Never 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) |