Featuring four of J-Pop Summit 2015 music headliners Gacharic Spin, Eir Aoi, JAM Project, and FEMM. Off-the-charts musical prowess and uber-fashionable style sense unite!!! Photos by Christian Hadidjaja and Mira Musank.
J-Pop Summit 2015 once again brought a slew of performers that showed us what they’re made of. For a casual popular Japan music observer like me, the annual J-Pop Summit event is a great event to see some of the biggest names in Japan music ecosystem in person. Year after year, J-Pop Summit always deliver, giving us great showcase of talents that demand our attention.
While our schedule did not allow us to see all of the musical headliners, we got to see Gacharic Spin, Eir Aoi, JAM Project, and FEMM in person during J-Pop Summit 2015’s 2-day event. Of course we just got to take photos and did some commentary around their musical and fashion style! So let’s get to it.
Gacharic Spin
Musical Sense: It’s true that these girls rock their asses off like nobody’s business. The all-girl J-Rock group line-up includes F Chopper Koga (bass), Hana (vocal & drums), Tomo-Zo (guitar), Oreo Reona (vocal & keyboard), Mai (dancer), and Nenne (dancer). They all looked cute and smiley without their instruments, but they become wildly energetic super saiyans with magnificent musical talents on maximum power mode once they have their instruments of choice.
Songs: Sekira Liar, MORE POWER, Don’t Let Me Down, I’m Sexy, Sayonara Cherry
Style Sense: Neon lollipop extravaganza! Mix of sporty, girly, and flirty, with highlights including jester hat and shoes combo from TOMO-ZO, fringed Route 66 top from Mai and Nenne, and sexy swirly light boobs from Oreo Reona. Also check out TOMO-ZO’s dessert guitar! Hana’s blue hair looks cool as hell, too.
F Chopper KOGA (bass) - Gacharic Spin
Konishi Nenne (dancer) - Gacharic Spin
Left to right: Nenne (dancer), Hana (vocal & drums), TOMO-ZO (guitar), Oreo Reona (vocal & keyboard) of Gacharic Spin
Oreo Reona (vocal & keyboard) - Gacharic Spin
Hana (vocal & drums) - Gacharic Spin
Eir Aoi
Musical Sense: Eir Aoi’s performance style shows her infatuation with heavy metal music. She’s a superstar with a solid set of vocal pipes, rocking and pouring her heart out with each songs. She’s having a ball up there on stage.
Songs: Aurora, Innocence, Cynthia no Hikari, Lapis Lazuli, Sirius, Ignite
Style Sense: During our interview, she donned an almost all-black ensemble. On stage, she emerged with an all-white ensemble, with her trusty pair of shorts, chunky white boots, super cool white jacket, and chain necklaces!
JAM Project
Musical Sense: Impressive, powerful hardrock veterans! JAM Project’s Hironobu Kageyama, Masaaki Endoh, Hiroshi Kitadani, Masami Okui, and Yoshiki Fukuyama are THE real deal. Each of them is an amazingly talented vocalist, and they became this explosive force as a group.
Fort Mason’s main stage sound system had its own difficulties for the past performers, but it became so much more amplified during JAM Project’s set. They had so much raw vocal power unleashed on the stage, the sound system could hardly handle it. Despite having sound system issues, JAM Project never missed a beat (or pitch!) and they rocked on effortlessly for their fans, who unsuccessfully demanded for encore performance once these five vocal divas left the stage.
Songs: Dynamite Explosion, We Are, Rondo – Revolution, Believe in Nexus, Cha-la Head Cha-la, and many many more I cannot name.
Style Sense: Rocker scarves for everyone, patched jeans with high-contrast white accents for Masaaki Endoh, fiery red hair tips for Hiroshi Kitadani, back-tied up jeans and borrowed glow stick for Yoshiki Fukuyama, and sexy thigh-high boots for Masami Okui. Also, duck faces, hand signs making and finger pointing, plenty of rocker attitudes, and effortless rock singing are always in style.
FEMM (Far East Mention Mannequins)
Musical Sense: Mannequin-esque electro pop. Emily Kaiho (RiRi) and Hiro Todo (LuLa) stayed in character for the whole performance, dancing and singing as mannequins. Seeing their precise dance movements is an amazing experience in itself – have you ever seen mannequins voguing and tutting? – and their singing (in English, no less) only completes the mesmerizing sensation of watching FEMM live.
Songs: We Flood The Night (this song is still stuck in my head), Dead Wrong, Fxxk Boys Get Money, Party All Night, and Wannabe.
Style Sense: We first saw FEMM handing out their business cards several hours before they took the stage, and that’s when we got to see their style sense more closely. Super slick latex bodysuits – military combat suit for RiRi and nurse suit for LuLa – complete with hats, spiky statement necklace for RiRi, tall platform stilettos (I especially love LuLa’ red heels), and FEMM stickers. Best of all, their impeccable mannequin movements were so convincing!
Left to right: RiRi (MS-00000) and LuLa (SW-000000) of FEMM
Thanks for reading; until next time,
Musank
Photos by Christian Hadidjaja and Mira Musank.
