Category: neat things!

These things are neat!

Maryland Renaissance Festival “Day of Wrong”

I went to the last day of this year’s Maryland Renaissance Festival, which is traditionally the “Day of Wrong”, where people come dressed in anything but medieval costumes, although some choose to dress in a mashup of historical and modern, like the “Scottish Stormtroopers” or the “Iron Man knight”, most are just regular cosplayers (as if “cosplaying” is a “regular” thing! =^_^=). I captured a few of the folks, including some cosplay friends, as well as the general ambience of the place. It was a beautiful day, sunny but kind of cool, perfect for an Autumn day.

And so, hasten thou to ye Faire, and enjoy!

Let the Merriment commence!

“Welcome to Tokyo” Olympics promotional video by “World Order”

There’s a musical group in Japan called “World Order“, started by a former kick-boxer and now choreographer and composer (why have just one career?) named Genki Sudou. The group has made several music videos, and their signature style is to dress in expensive business suits and march in robotic unison through crowded streets in Tokyo, followed by pop and lock dancing to music composed by Sudou. They’ve been featured in ads for some companies in Japan, as well as performing in different places around the world.

Since Tokyo won the rights to the 2020 Summer Olympics, “World Order” made a “Welcome to Tokyo” video, where they perform their song and dance in various famous (and not so famous) places in Tokyo, such as Akihabara, Asakusa, Ginza, Roppongi, and Tokyo Tower. It was neat seeing this, because I’ve been to most of the places they perform in this video, which makes me wish I had been there when they were recording this! Seeing familiar places also makes me want to go back again, although with my current employment situation that’s not going to be possible for a few more years.

At any rate, here is “World Order” performing their song “World Order” in Tokyo.

Enjoy!

Power tools dubstep…

One of my favorite Youtube artists is Joe Penna, the “Mystery Guitar Man“. I’ve posted about him before, he’s a master at taking small video segments and literally “playing” them as notes in pieces of music. He’s also experimented with stop-motion animation, odd mechanical contrivances for making music, recreating old technology, and other unusual things. He’s worked solo and collaborated with other musicians and Youtubers to create short musical video pieces. His enthusiasm about the technology of video and music is undeniable, and he always looks like he’s having tremendous fun creating his works.

This video he made has been out for a little while, but I recently re-discovered it while roaming Youtube. I kind of like some music called “dubstep”, but not in any great way (some performers make pieces that go on for a good part of an hour, and that’s way too long for me). This short clip is kind of an interesting take on the genre. Using only video clips containing the sight and sound from various tools he used while building a sign for the sponsor of this video, he manages to make a very presentable “dubstep” piece.

Enjoy!

Katsucon photos have moved!

I have moved my photos from Katsucon 2012 and 2013 over to my new portfolio site, Lexonia.net

I have gone in and cleaned up a lot of them using Adobe Lightroom, and I think I made them much better, plus I added quite a few to the 2012 photos!

Here are the links to the photos on the new site:

Katsucon 2012
Some random con scenes
Cosplay photographers, capturing the captors =^_^=
Cosplayers I encountered
A photoshoot with some friends who love to cosplay Final Fantasy characters

Katsucon 2013
Before the convention
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

Ikimonogakari, a nice J-Rock band

Doing my usual late-night Youtube surfing, I came across several videos featuring a Japanese light-rock band named “Ikimonogakari.” The first song I heard was a live version of one of their songs, “Kaze ga fuite iru” (風が吹いている, “Wind is Blowing”), which opened with the lead singer spotlighted, and the members of the band joining in, before going into a full stage performance. The style of music was very light rock, kind of late-60’s or early 70’s pop, but the lead singer, Kiyoe Yoshioka, really brought a lot of energy and heart into the song. Her voice and range was so impressive I had to look for more performances by them.

This one that I found is a perfect example song for the band, which is really only the three, Yoshiki Mizuno on bass and Hotaka Yamashita on guitar and harmonica. THe song is “Sakura”, their first single, and even though this version goes into full orchestral mode, the beginning with only the three in the spotlight really shows their ability, especially Yoshioka-san’s impressive vocal range. I’ll be keeping an eye out for their CDs whenever I can!

楽しんで、ください！
(Enjoy!)


Update:

Thank you Sony Entertainment, for blocking this video from being shown in the US. (tch)

Dick Dale and Stevie Ray Vaughan – “Pipeline”

This is guitar work of the highest order! One of my favorite “surf” songs, performed by Dick Dale and Stevie Ray Vaughan for the 1987 movie “Back to the Beach”. Two guitar greats, one fantastic song, and a high-energy performance that won them a Grammy nomination. This video show them performing the song, with lots of scenes from the movie interspersed.

They just don’t make them like this anymore, although Dick Dale is apparently still touring in his 70’s!

Enjoy!

Shakespearean “Who’s on first?”

So, in honor of the discovery of the “original” William Shakespeare’s Star Wars, I got it into my head to look for other “original” classics by the original classic. What strange notion caused me to think of “Shakespeare’s ‘Who’s on First'” (which was later performed by Abbott and Costello) I have no idea, but I discovered a pair of actors who perform that very thing!

Verily, prithee direct thine attention hither, that thou mayest indeed partake the wit and flummery of said thespians, as they parlay with merriment and tomfoolery the verbal antics of a pair of ballers of the basest kind!
(apologies for the degradation of the video towards the end, it’s the original uploader’s problem)

Mayhap, enjoy!

“Old Hippy 3” – Bellamy Brothers

I wasn’t old enough to be a hippy, by a few years, and I likely wouldn’t have been one if I had been old enough, but I can definitely feel the weight of the years since then. The Bellamy Brothers first recorded “Old Hippy” back in the early 80’s, then did a sequel in the 90’s, and this looks to be the third. The first one gave the point of view of a 35 year old, then a 45 year old, and now a 55 year old. Interestingly enough, the opening verse is spot on, “He turns 55 next Sunday” and I turn 55 two Sundays after this post. Most of the other parts of the “old hippy”‘s life, I can’t relate to, never having been married I have no grandkids, but my brother and sister do. I do relate to the feeling of trying to be closer to God, and being more reflective in seeking the quiet times. There are parts of the song that are universal, too, to anyone stuck in middle age.

The man who made this video recorded a ride on his motorcycle one Easter day, and it’s a great accompaniment to the song, as he looks to be about my age.

At any rate, enjoy this, even if you have to turn the volume up more than you used to!