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Rock and roll saved my life last night. At least, it felt like it did. Feeling completely ill, I still managed to drag myself to the Liquid Room in Ebisu for Juliette and The Licks first headline appearance in Japan. It must be hard to have your music overshadowed by your other career as a movie star, so let's not get into it here. Juliette Lewis is a famous actress, enough said. She also flat out rocks―or should I say "raaaawks!!" And the dose of rock and roll she and her band gave the capacity crowd was more than a shot in the arm, it was like a B-12 energy injection that healed this direly ill writer. 
Prior to the start of the show, I thought the loud music and strobing lights would make me feel worse, make the shit in the pit of my stomach actually want to come out, but once the music was pumping and the guitars started crunching it was off to the races, and with each power cord and cymbal crash I felt better and better.The band entered to the strains of Iggy Pop's "Night Clubbing" and then hit the overdrive pedals. Theatrics immediately ensued with the two guitar players, Todd Morse and Kemble Walters dueling it out right off the bat, axes flailing, playing with guitars behind their heads, warming themselves and the crowd up with a rollicking rock chord progression that bassist Jason Womack and drummer Ed Davis made sure was felt deep in your sternum. Juliette didn't walk on stage until just about 7:30; about the time I was ready to hit the toilets or leave. The sold out Liquid Room cheered as she made her way to the front of the stage. I was wondering how many of the crowd was there because of her celebrity status, and how she would handle it. She touched hands with some zealous fans, made eye contact with people at all sides of the stage, then she simply said, "I'm Juliette and we are The Licks," and the band thundered into "Mind Full of Daggers". When she started singing, as energetic as her band mates, she left little doubt as to who was going to be driving this bus tonight, and that bus was a straight-on-til-morning, full tilt boogie wagon in the fast lane―owning the road for the rest of the hot, sticky evening. The crowd of passengers eagerly went along for the ride. |
By song number three, "Bullshit King", she had the audience clapping along to the rhythm. Sleeveless Todd Morse did his Joe Strummer best adding to the mix, jumping and crunching along with his Gibson. Juliette's vocal cords seemed to be just warming up as her voice gained strength and confidence with each number. She prowled every area of the stage, constantly reaching out to audience members but never losing focus on the song. Her stage presence was impressive. Her black and white striped spandex pants, black and white Rock and Roll Warriors t-shirt, and colored Indian feather headband and war paint seemed so very apropos as she turned Liquid Room into a sweat lodge. Spontaneous war cries whooped from random members of the audience. I felt fine now, like a fully healed part of the tribe.She played most the songs and all of the singles from her latest album, Four On The Floor, and all of the singles from her first one, You're Speaking My Language. Regrettably, she left out two of this writer's favorites, "Twenty Year Old Lover" and "American Boy", from her first EP ...Like A Bolt of Lightning. One of them was on the set list, but for some reason they decided to skip it. |
"Let me hear your beautiful voices," she said sweetly, getting people to help her with some call and response. The crowd participated, no shyness evident in this exuberant group. Someone yelled out, "I love you Juliette!" but unfortunately it came out as, "I rub you Julieeee!". She and the band smiled throughout all of it, and those smiles got bigger as the set continued. As clich? as it sounds, they were definitely feeling the love. People even passed presents up to the stage.Apparently many of the people that had seen her at last summer's Fuji Rock Festival, because when she asked who had come out to Fuji Rock a large cheer erupted from the crowd. There was some Japanese guy at the front of the stage that for some reason had been raising his middle fingers up to her all night, probably just trying to be cool. She cooled it down a little and not offended said directly to him, "Is that fuck you for me?" Then they plowed into "So Amazing" from You're Speaking My Language to close out the main set. |
The Licks made their way back to the stage for the ubiquitous encore a few minutes later. Guitarist Morse made the most out the "Won't Get Fooled Again" Who-like opening to "Get Up" by extending the intro and swinging his arm a la Pete Townshend on the power chords. Rousing as the 70's riff styled song about a rock and roll band was, the closer -the title track from You're Speaking My Language - saw the band get rid of any extra energy they might have had left. The drummer Davis came to take lead guitar as Morse switched to the bass and Walters took to the kit. Bass player Womack picked up the extra guitar. All members of the band grabbed sticks or anything they could find to help Walters out on the drums. Juliette was banging cymbals, the guitar players were banging on toms, and Morse was banging on the bass guitar with his hands. It was a ferocious ensemble percussive end to an energetic and entertaining show. All in all this was one hell of a group effort. As far as this writer is concerned, Juliette Lewis and Juliette and The Licks are two completely different entities. While The Licks are a pretty mainstream, straightforward rock and roll outfit; when it comes to what they do on stage they are - you knew it was coming - Natural Born Killers. If you had seen this show it would leave little doubt that Juliette and The Licks are headlining shows due to their musical prowess - and not because another celebrity formed a band. Are you listening Keanu? |
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report by jeff and photos by izumikuma |
 mag files : Juliette And The Licks photo report (07/05/12 @ Shinsaibashi Club Quattro) : photos by tommyJuliette Gets Her Licks In (07/05/10 @ Liquidroom Ebisu) : report by jeff, photos by izumikuma真のロック・クイーン (07/05/10 @ Liquidroom Ebisu) : report by wacchy, photos by izumikumaphoto report (07/05/10 @ Liquidroom Ebisu) : photos by izumikuma |
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Juliette And The Licks http://www.julietteandthelicks.com/ check him? -->iTunes The latest album  "FOUR ON THE FLOOR " (UK import / 国内盤) |
previous works
"You're Speaking My Language"(UK import / US import)
"Sticky Honey"(UK import) "Like a Bolt of Lightning " (UK import / US import) "Hot Kiss " (UK import) "Got Love to Kill " (UK import) ... and more check the albums? |
 2007Juliette Gets Her Licks In : Juliette & The Licks (20th May. @ Liquid Room, Ebisu)Clap Your Hands Say Tokyo Police Club : Tokyo Police Club (1st May. @ Harajuku Astro Hall) |