 |  | Japan Duet Tour -- June 10, 2006
| 2/23/2019 2:20:17 AM - June 10, 2006 -- Up at 4:30 a.m. On this trip, I've had 8 hours of sleep, then 4-5, back and forth. At this point, since it's my last night and with a 1:00 a.m. performance looming, then leaving at 6:30 the following morning, it doesn't seem worth it to try and force myself back to sleep so I succumb to my messed up inner clock that hasn't a clue what time of day it is and wait for the nearby Starbuck's to open for breakfast.
Did a little gift shopping and got a Power Ranger megazord for Nikita that I remember him eyeballing fiercely the last time we were in Japan. The manager for tonight's club "Troop Cafe", Ueda-san, came to pick us up with another guy, Shozu and off we went -- just a half hour drive. The whole ride over, we talked about the big earthquake that struck in '95, each sharing stories of relatives or friends, asking the 2 where they were during the quake and what followed in the devastating days afterwards. It's amazing to see how the city has rebuilt itself so quickly -- the last time I was in Kobe was in '96, just over a year after the quake, and I was in awe over how little of the destruction remained visible. In comparison, New Orleans is still far from resurrection after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. There is the parallel of 2 cities devastated by Mother Nature, and yet how each government and its people have handled its aftermaths is worlds apart.
I was able to take a 2-3 hour nap before sound check at 8:00 p.m., then we were taken to a really great Japanese restaurant. I let myself have some sake being that it was the last night; the food was great and Ueda-san and Shozu were a load of fun to hang with.
The performance went really well, thanks to the vibe from the packed house. They were all in great spirits and seemed to be hardcore fans, with a few strays (people who just ended up at the club without a clue to who or what I was, which is okay). I had prepared a program of mainly recognizable, high energy tunes and the audience was totally into it, singing along from the get go. The girl next to me started literally bawling when I sang "Lovin' You." At least this time I hit the high notes.
The truth of the matter is if I have a tour of just late night DJ clubs, it gets old real fast for me. I don't like the smoke from cigarettes, the hype can be draining, and usually the sound is compromised and I end up pushing myself more trying to meet everyone's energy, which isn't the best for my singing or voice. I won't even get into how sleep deprived one can get. But this tour was perfectly paced with the 3 nights of performing in front of a sit down audience at civilized hours where we were able to be more musical, then end it with the club with such an energetic atmosphere, and ultra sweet note, was a definite high point.
Overall it was great. Thanks to all the clubs, managers (hello Shangrila manager, were you there?!), Nyoro and Higuchi-san,and to all the people who came and showed support.
Peace | | Monday's Tour Blog |
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