Yesterday was Remembrance Day for me...

This weekend we had Sofia from San Diego visiting us, and consequently we (me and Inês) went around San Francisco to show her the town. It seems like she loved it. :)

During whole of yesterday several events brought back a lot of memories or made me think about my family. During the afternoon there was a special presentation of jet planes by the Bay. Every time one of the jets did one specially wicked stunt (being it a loop or a flying upside down or pass by really near us, making you feel as if you where going deaf because of the sound of the engines) I only thought about my father and how much he would love to see that (Acho que ias adorar Papá!!)
(Unfortunately, I forgot my camera at home, so I did not take any photos...)

After that I went to downtown, to Union Square, and ate, once again for me, the fantastic cheesecakes from The Cheesecake Factory, a sin waiting to be eaten. At this moment I thought about my Mom and her companion and also my sisters. They would have love that. It's just too much of a temptation. ;)

For dinner we had sushi, to be more accurate we ate Maki, better known as Sushi Rolls. At this time I could only think that I will miss this so easy access to Japanese Food when (and if) I go back to Portugal. I also thought that my younger sister would have loved this. Even if in the country that she is right now she can get easily eat it.

After dinner I went clubbing for a bit. The club itself is nothing special and yet again I had troubles with my drivers license, since most people don't believe that the person in the picture is really me (at the time I took my drivers license I was 18 y.o., I had really short hair and now it goes all the way to my waist...). So once again, I had to show my passport to prove that I really am over 21. (To be honest I find this a bit hilarious...) At first the music was a bit lame, really nothing special but after a while they started to play a lot of musics that brought back memories of my sisters and cousins from when we where little. From Madonna to Michael Jackson, going through Eurythmics and Depeche Mode.

The Depeche Mode music that they played was Enjoy the Silence (which because of more recent memories makes me think a lot of my younger sister). So, in honor of those times here is the video:

Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence

(credit to MrAerinosigor13 @ YouTube)

In the end it was a very good day. And I have to say that I think that most of my family would love to come here, specially my sisters and my cousins. :)

Juno Reactor @ The Independent, San Francisco - the video

And finally the video... it's only 3 minutes...

(credits to me @ YouTube)

Juno Reactor @ The Independent, San Francisco (23 09 08)

Words cannot describe how awesome yesterday's concert was!!! It was above everything that I expected... The band was great, the audience was really into it and the energy levels were off the roof. Pure, raw, positive energy, that lasted for the 2 and half hours of the concert.

The background canvas.

I was mesmerized by the sound, the show, the dancers and singers and definitely by SUGIZO. The man has such a cool and calm aura around him, but when he picks his guitar... I do not even know how to describe it... only seen live, that's how awesome he looked to me (but I might be biased...). For a few minutes we where also able to seem him play his violin, but it was for such a short amount of time and not the kind of music to show his skills. But I'm not complaining, on the contrary, I'm more than happy to have had this opportunity.

SUGIZO

I really lack the words to describe the show in it self and the emotional experience it was to me. There are very few first time concerts that have moved me emotionally, in fact there is only one other. That one was the beginning of my "love affair" with Lamb, but the major difference is that I really didn't know anything about Lamb and this time I already had some background information on Juno Reactor. I got to know Juno Reactor because of SUGIZO, by reading his blogs and by the background information that I found about him. However, yesterday was the first time that I payed attention to their music and I can say that this is one of the cases that live is much better than recorded. Nothing can surpass the energy of a great live concert.

From the leader of the band (Ben Watkins, he was in such a position on stage that he was almost unseen for the entire concert, except for the few occasions that he picked his guitar and came to the center stage), to the British female vocalist, the Jamaican male vocalist, the South African dancers/drummers, the drummer (I'm sorry but he is the only one I have no idea about his nationality) and, of course, the Japanese guitar player, every single one of the was giving their best and just enjoying themselves. They almost looked like a band that played together all time, for how in sync with each other they where.

The male and female vocalists and one of the dancers/drummers (this man dancing, was something beyond words...)

What else to say?! I danced and enjoyed myself for the entire concert, needless to say that today I felt exhausted but also recharged of positive energy. I was really needing something like this. Definitely in my TOP 5 concerts, and I think you can guess the position... :)

What to add... If you have the opportunity, go see them live!! It really is worth it!!

I also recorded some videos but I was to close to the speakers, so the sound is very distorted. The only exception was the first one, in which they were entering the stage (has soon has YouTube allows it I'll upload it and post the link/video here).

The first concert of the month...

Tricky @ The Independent on September 14th was the first concert of this month.

So how was it?!

It could have been better is my first comment. Supposedly, Tricky had been hospitalized earlier in the day and he had to check himself out of the hospital to go to the concert, since the doctors did not want him to leave. This said it's true that he was using is inhaler, but it's also true the he was smoking pot through out the all concert... I would say that is not a very good combination...

I'm not familiar with his music and it was the first time that I saw him live. He somehow had a more secondary role that what I expected him to have, in some musics he did not even sing. And he the ones that he sung his vocals resembled more backing vocals than main vocals. They played a curious version of The Cure's Love Cats. In the end I have to say that I liked it, but I would like to see him live again when he is supposedly not sick, to see if there is any difference. To see if there is more energy on stage, because the crowd seemed to be really in to it.

There were two good surprises that night, the first was the venue... it's a good venue for more intimate concerts (it takes about 370 persons); and I'm going there next week for another concert with Sugizo, so even if I'm by the bar I'll be close enough to the stage to have a good look at him. The second was the opening act, Sonny... an electronic group with no bass-line (or at least with no live bass player), but with a fantastic drum section and curious vocals. Here's the link for his/their myspace.

I'm sorry to say that I did not take any photos, because I did not know if I was allowed. But I now know that I can take pictures if I do not use any flash. So... I'm planning to take a bunch of photos from the Juno Reactor and Sugizo concert. :)

Miyavi

Today is Miyavi's birthday.... wow I cannot believe I'm posting about this... lol

But it has a reason... this time last year I was finishing my Master Thesis and applying to the Internship program that I'm currently in. So much has changed... it's unbelievable. Of course a year is a very long time and a lot can happen, but you only notice when you look back and think about it. Somehow, at that time, I really did not believe that things could have taken this turn. I don't why, but that is the truth. Maybe it's my not very optimistic nature.

I remember that one year ago, Miyavi's music was really important for me and the message within it was what I needed at that time. So, in order to celebrate the evolution of life:

雅-miyavi - 陽の光さえ届かないこの場所で ｆｅａｔ．ＳＵＧＩＺＯ (Hi No Hikari Sae Todokanai Kono Basho De feat. SUGIZO)

(credits to AKC925 @ YouTube)

Link to the lyrics and translation all credits go to baka_neko @ Jrock Revolution Forums