THE SECOND ROOM
It’s 11 p.m. somewhere; do you know where your magnetic poles are?

Creative inertia, artificial pressure. One is being sucked out of me, day-in day-out, most of which by elements that rank in negative numbers on a scale of 1-10 in importance.* The other one is something I’ve had a long habit of creating too much of for myself – it’s suppose to help but it only hinders. I’ve felt much better since I gave it up.

[* List not complete, but anything at all to do with Japanese TV; celebrities; 99% of “art,” art exhibitions or artists; motorcycles, cars or motor sports; high society happenings; fine dining; or any music or commercial musician not related to Trance. I’m forgetting something, I’m sure.]

The thing is, there was a time not so long ago that I had enough left in the tank after my day job to let me come home and start typing and clicking way into the night – writing, editing video, remixing music, keeping up with e-mail, whatever. But not anymore. Not for more than a year.

Nowadays I get just about this far into whatever it is I should be doing … and the sparkplugs stop firing. Sputter, sputter, dull pop, groaning stall. I can’t explain all of what’s causing the crisis. Actually I could, but it would take too damn long. And there are so many players that you’d need a scorecard to follow it. Part of it is my fault, for not always getting stuff guaranteed in writing and trusting people even though my gut tells me otherwise.

Certainly it has resulted from a combination of things but seems to have begun when my iMac supplanted my PC. More accurately, it was when my comfortable Microsoft Natural Keyboard was replaced by the lifeless aluminum nemesis that came in the iMac box. You know, at first it looks all thin and cool, but trying to do any kind of writing on it – including e-mail -- is laborious.

Well, was laborious: My Darling Hanako and I exchanged early yearend presents today and tonight my fingers are joyously dancing on a sinfully black Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. The difference is amazing: The keys are a delight to hit; the wrist-bar is softer and warmer; the special function keys are easier to find; oh yeah, there’s a cool zoom button in the middle that’s gonna save me hundreds of mouse clicks a month. (Thanks, Honey!)

Not that this has anything at all to do with magnetic poles, and why would I bring that up? It’s unfortunate that such a sharp question will not yield any academically accepted answer, but let’s look at what we know about them.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
The locations of Earth’s magnetic poles wander as much as 15 km every year; The two poles wander independently of each other and are not at directly opposite positions on the globe; Currently the magnetic south pole is farther from the geographic south pole than the magnetic north pole is from the geographic north pole; Based upon the study of lava flows of basalt throughout the world, it has been proposed that the Earth's magnetic field reverses at intervals, ranging from tens of thousands to many millions of years, with an average interval of approximately 250,000 years; The last pole reversal is theorized to have occurred some 780,000 years ago; Scientific opinion is divided on what causes geomagnetic reversals.

So, the poles do move around, our planet does not spin all perfect like a globe and it looks like we are overdue for a reversal or some kind of significant shift. The causes are irrelevant: It’s not like we puny humans could do anything to prevent it from happening and there’s no evidence to prove that any grand deity has ever stepped in to stop one before. There’s also no uncontested evidence that a magnetic field reversal has ever caused any biological extinctions.

Now that we’re over the “if,” consider how fragile our place in the world will be when it finally does swing around again and you’ll understand how easy it was to give up artificial pressures. When reality slaps faith hard enough in the face, it’s a reminder that blind hope is a waste of electrical impulses. It's like looking up at the night sky (in Tokyo, at least), seeing how nicely that the Three Kings of Orion's Belt are falling into alignment with Sirius (the brightest star in the East), and realizing that you are looking at our world's oldest story.

THE SECOND ROOM
The Screen Flyer – My quirky little legacy in psychedelic trance

Eight and a half months is probably an unreasonably long time to go without updating my blogs. I admit this freely, but what can I say? Aside from lacking proper blogger discipline, I was distracted and more than a little burned out. So, yeah, I’ve been sidelined with other projects and “events” (big stressors, like moving house…) and by accident, I believe, I invented something, or at least was the first to do it in Japan’s psychedelic trance scene.

Let me bring you up to date. When I last updated, we were watching Sirius and Orion’s Belt swinging into alignment to mark the Winter Solstice, I had just finished a rather tiring six-part series on Psy-trance for the failed Japan Times Junior, and I was packing for a weeklong trip to New Caledonia. Upon my return from that paradise, while launching myself headlong into video editing, I had time to ponder some of the more disturbing events in our party scene over the past year. And I just could not summon the energy to devote myself to this media. There’s more, but I won’t bore you. (Being trapped in a front-row seat during a riot involving around 50 chimpilas in the lobby of Differ Ariake last winter was one of the “events” that gave me pause.)

Meanwhile, I was given a golden opportunity to experiment a bit in making promotion clips for a groovy little label and partymaker here in Tokyo. Dears Music International is trying it’s best to grow in this ever-risky environment. And I’ve enjoyed helping them out, including trying to introduce some of my own ideas for getting people back out to the party.

So at some point in the construction of the promo clip for the June 21 “Orbital – Ion Japan Tour” I decided to slip one of those ideas in and see what happened. On June 16, I finished the clip and on June 17 it was uploaded to Mixi (since Dears has an impressive following at the top Japan SNS.)

The first Screen Flyer was10 seconds of video after the credit screen – an image of the party flyer and the simple instructions in English, “Screen Flyer! Take a photo on your keitai for ￥500 off.” (For now, you can see the clip on my MySpace Video page.)

Unannounced, in English, and so close to the day of the party, it was not an overwhelming success. However, two people did show up and claimed the discount – the experiment worked. So I’ve decided to claim ownership on it as an original idea in psy-trance; I made the first video screen flyer, at least on purpose, I think.

My interest lies not in any real claim to fame, but in the evolution and history of such “underground” party advertisements, which you might be surprised to learn extends all the way back to the 1960s.

Interesting stuff -- the flyers for some of the famous Merry Pranksters’ Acid Test parties in California intentionally printed a false location on one side to throw off the authorities and hid the real location inside the artwork on the back. (LSD was actually legal until the mid-1960s. But Ken Kesey’s electric kool-aid parties – strikingly similar to today’s Psy-trance party format -- were usually a bit too much for The Man. Some things never change.)

It’s raining again in Tokyo. I’ve got a DJ gig with DMI tonight at Cube326, my first for them, just an hour. No camera tonight. The organizer doesn’t know that, I bet. Hope it goes well. Let’s see if Hanako can get a good photo of me tonight. (She’s the only one who can!)

THE SECOND ROOM
Dies Natalis Solis Invicti comes early

For those of you wondering what “Dies Natalis Solis Invicti” means, I’ll tell you: “the birthday of the unconquered sun,” or the Winter Solstice. Humans have been celebrating this solar event since neolithic times. The Romans, in fact, officially hailed this as a holiday until at least the year 354 CE -- Dies Natalis Solis Invicti!

The Sun is of course the most adored object in human history. Without it, there would be no life on this planet. Ancient man regarded the Sun as a god for good reason.

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you’ve noticed the days getting shorter and the Sun moving south and getting smaller. This slow death of the Sun continues until about Dec. 22 on our calendars, when it moves to the lowest point in the sky. Here it stops moving for three days.
And then on about Dec. 25, the Sun starts moving back north again, about 1 degree, toward warmer and longer days, once again proving its invincibility.

The astute sky watcher will also notice that Sirius and the Three Kings of Orion’s Belt are coming into their annual alignment. I’ve never paid attention to this before, but I’m keeping an eye on it this year – it’s supposed to point to the spot where the Sun rises on Dec. 25. Or at least it used to; Earth’s position in the Milky Way has moved some in the past 2,000 years. I suppose you are wondering where all of this is going, yeah?

Well, since by some estimates there are only going to be about five of these left before all Hell breaks loose in 2012, it makes more sense to make this event the center of my yearend holidays.

I’ll be departing soon for a short summer in New Caledonia to shoot some video, play a morning DJ set for A.P.A.P. and the Kosmix Crew, and soak up some star-filled nights. I’m taking with me a hot stack of new releases from Noga Records and the CD from “The Missing Link,” a groundbreaking new DVD/CD release by Calderon (SGK Studio), which we’ll talk more about when I get back.

And I’ll be back in time for Vision Quest’s next killer production, this time an indoor rave at the cavernous Makuhari Messe convention hall in Chiba Prefecture.

“Vision Power 2007,” Saturday, Dec. 22, Halls 10 and 11, doors open at 9 p.m. Presale tickets are 9,000 yen (or 11,000 yen on the day).

Live acts Astrix, Talamasca, Void, Melicia, S.U.N. Project, Dune and Onyx, plus DJs Ami and Sari.

Vision Quest has a lot of experience at these big Messe events. Expect Gathering-level sound, lighting and graphics. The big halls tend to be either stuffy warm or drafty cold – nothing in between, so be ready for both. Definitely a party worth going to.

“Dies Natalis Solis Invicti!”

WEEKEND UPDATE:
Mother Records Japan marks 5th anniversary

"Music is Connected to Universe" (Saturday, Dec. 8, Differ Ariake, 10 p.m.)

Mother Records Japan celebrates its 5th anniversary with another exciting episode of its "Music is Connected to Universe" theme on Saturday at Differ.

Live acts Protoculture (BNE Records, South Africa), Atomic Pulse (BNE Records, Israel) and Wizzy Noise (Exposure Productions, Greece), plus DJs Ta-Ka (Mother Records, Japan) and Daijiro (Digital Block, Japan).

Congratulations to Mother and label head Seiichi Sato for not only surviving five years in this ultra-competitive market, but also thriving. Having Japan's best psychedelic trance DJ -- Ta-Ka -- certainly helped, but Mother has built a solid reputation for doing things just right.

Mother's growth into Japan's Top-5 echelon has been measured, steady and respectable.

Even when they take a gamble, the odds end up stacked in their favor. Case in point was their 2007 summer signature event "SOS -- Space of Sound."

Despite being held from Sunday to Wednesday over the O-Bon holidays, they sold about 4,800 wristbands. Not only was this an all-time personal best, but it was also this summer's biggest party.

THE SECOND ROOM
CD CASE: deep chill

Shulman -- “Endless Rhythms of the Beatless Heart” (Aleph Zero Records)


The Shulman project's much anticipated fourth album has been both keeping me up nights and putting me to sleep. For a chill album this significant, this is indeed high praise.

It’s kept me up night after night in search of the proper prose – chillout music requires a different approach than full-on psychedelic trance. Since it’s meant to be appreciated in a relaxed atmosphere, the only way to properly understand is to listen to it that way. Therein lies the problem. The new Shulman is so delightfully relaxing that you can’t resist its invitation to dreamland. And at some point you realize that these nightly nocturnal explorations have gone on for way too long. Which is why I’m here writing like hell tonight.

“Endless Rhythms of the Beatless Heart” is a deep ambient journey like you’ve never taken before. Yaniv Shulman and Omri Harpaz spent four years crafting this masterwork, weaving together the finest psychedelic elements of East and West, classic and contemporary, classical Indian, Arab and Greek music and even touches of jazz into an inviting soundscape of hypnotizing atmospheric moments and mystical ambient touches.

Aleph Zero head Shahar is building an incredible yearend tradition by delivering revolutionary chill offerings just in time for the holidays. We had the “Natural Born Chillers” compilation in 2004, “Sines and Singularities,” by Bluetech in 2005, and last year’s Omnimotion “Dream Wide Awake.”

THE SECOND ROOM
A chance to educate Japan's youth about our music

Far too much time has passed since I last posted, but I can offer only excuses about what kept me away. I've grown so weary of apologizing for being insanely busy that I just can't manage one with any sincerity. And excuses are like... Never mind.

No, the difference this time is that I have a really cool excuse, one that I hope both surprises and encourages you.

I have been handed the golden opportunity to educate a small segment of Japanese junior and senior high school students about psychedelic trance. The venue for this lofty adventure is The Japan Times Junior, a bi-weekly magazine for said youths who are studying English.

The text that follows is the first of six parts. These have to be written as close to their level of English as possible, and each installment can only be about 300 words long. Junior provides them with Japanese translations above the more advanced words and phrases.

The basic scope of this is really just to perk the kids' interest in reading essay-length articles in English. And since music is a typical interest of 12-16-year-old kids pretty much anywhere, a simply written article about a popular form of music might be one that they will want to finish. Possibly sparking their active interest in psychedelic trance will be an absolute bonus.

The Junior will unfortunately cease publication when the last one of the six is published on Dec. 18. So there won't be a natural process of feedback for me to know if I've had any effect on their future music choices. The fact that it's a one-of-a-kind chance makes it not so much difficult but time-consuming.

Writing at that level requires focus after you've been doing a freestyle gig like this for while. Plus, they're kids, so you have to make sure you can stay acceptably wholesome while still challenging their intellect. Let's hope we can get our dancefloors in Japan cleaned up in time for them to join us.

For better or worse, here is Part 1. The rest will follow soon.

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Trance is the music in me, Part 1
(Published in The Japan Times Junior, Oct. 9, 2007)

Whenever I tell people about my music passion, they usually have no idea what I’m talking about, or they simply can’t believe my answer.

This is because I love electronic music of a very certain kind: psychedelic trance, which is the best kind of music to dance to. Of course I also love to dance, which some people just can’t imagine me doing this at my age. (I’m 46, and only “young people” are supposed to do this.)

Most of you have heard trance music before, but maybe you didn’t realize it. There are different kinds of trance, from very slow to very fast, but you almost never hear it on the radio. Instead, you may have heard it in video games, like “Gran Turismo 4,” or in movies, like “The Matrix” or “Man On Fire,” starring Denzel Washington.

Trance music has been around for thousands of years. You could say that it is humanity’s first music, starting from the time that ancient man first began to use the rhythmic beating of objects against objects in shamanistic ceremonies. We’ve come a long way since then.

Modern-day trance music is mostly all created with electronic instruments that can synthesize, or reproduce, almost every imaginable sound.

Just 10 years ago, making trance music required a roomful of equipment – synthesizer, effects controllers, drums or drum machines, or whatever the artist needed.

Today, with advanced computer software, all of this equipment and more can be re-created virtually on a notebook computer and taken anywhere.

Now the constant, mind-relaxing beats first inspired by the shamans can be reproduced endlessly, with endless variations, surrounded by endless possibilities of melodies and their infinite number of variations. But the purpose is still the same.

Unlike popular music, which forces predetermined images upon your brain though its lyrics, trance music relaxes the brain and lets your mind form its own images. It is in this way that trance music allows you to expand your own sense of consciousness.

So clearly, trance is music for the thinking person.

---

I'm in the middle of a crash-course on DVD production at the moment, an educational process that by nature involves hours of watching progress bars. This means I'll have time to catch up. Thanks!

THE SECOND ROOM
The Gathering 2007 preview – fourth invasion of Tsumagoi

Vision Quest Tokyo presents "The Gathering 2007," Sept. 15-17, at the Palcall Tsumagoi ski resort in Gunma Prefecture. Advance tickets (13,000 yen) available at multiple outlets throughout Japan. At the gate, it’s 15,000 yen. Parking charge is 4,000 yen per vehicle. (See driving and train info at the end of this article.)

19 live acts: Alternative Control, Astrix, Cyrus The Virus, Dali, Dino Psaras, Domestic, *Dune, * E-Fact, * Eskimo, GMS, Melicia, Pixel, * Pop Stream, Shanti, Skazi, * Switch, Talamasca, Void, and *Waio.

11 DJ sets: Ami (Vision Quest), Asher Swissa (Skazi), Bansi (GMS), *Fernando Seca (Waio), *Henrique Veiga (E-Fact), *Irad Brant (Switch), Jan-Willem Bot (Cyrus the Virus), * Lee Harony (Dune), * Sari (Vision Quest), *Wagner Sasaki (E-Fact)

(* = first Gathering appearance; Eskimo and Pop Stream booked/canceled in 2006)

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Some people will tell you that familiarity breeds contempt and that absence makes the heart grow fonder. But in my long relationship with Vision Quest Tokyo and The Gathering, I have found something quite different to be true.

Familiarity seems better suited to breed trust, while absence would only mean that I’d be spending a long September weekend doing something severely less exciting. Not that I would.


"The Gathering 2007” is Vision Quest’s ninth rendition of their end-of-summer psychedelic trance showcase. My first was 2001, so 2007 should mean seventh time lucky, or something like that. And although nearly everybody will tell you that your first Gathering will forever be your favorite, I’ve got a feeling that 2007 will surpass all others.

This will be the fourth straight year of taking over the Palcall resort and the village of Tsumagoi. The last two Gatherings were mud-soaked stomps, each drawing about 7,000. It didn’t seem like that many because a lot of folks were holed up in their hotel rooms and tents. Let’s not discuss the possibility of a soggy three-peat; we’re just gonna assume the weather is going to be beautiful and see what happens. Got it?

The setup will be pretty much the same as last year, with the primary camping behind the main building, food stands around the archway, a supply store and lots of vendors on the way to the stage at the bottom of the ski slope. The design has been refined every year with improvements here and there, and I’m sure 2007 will bring the same. This does not mean it will be the same party.

Vision Quest approaches each Gathering with a goal of improving customer satisfaction over the previous year’s event. I know this by itself seems like a no-brainer, but this organization takes notes and applies the lessons it learns. Then they dream up happy, unexpected surprises. Last year’s biggest noteworthy innovation was printing a little square Q-code on the wristbands so customers could check the timetable and get up-to-date info on their cellphones. This is where trust meets familiarity. Each time a bit better.

About the only things Vision Quest hasn’t done yet is to construct a dome with a retractable roof over the dancefloor or charter a special train to replace the official bus tour. (Wouldn’t that be fun? Some high schools do this for their student excursions. Though I don’t know how JR would feel about an entire train full of psychedelic crazies, private or not.)

The photo galleries on the Vision Quest Web site will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect. An even more vivid picture can be found on “The Gathering 2006” DVD.

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What really sets The Gathering apart is the music. There are two more live acts than last year, and nine of the 19 for 2007 are established “A-plus” shows on my list for their shows in Japan. Not everyone is returning from 2006, and there are a few brand-new faces.

As I’ve mentioned in year’s past, The Gathering is as much of a summer’s last-hurrah for the artists as it is for the crowd. Both sides come to give it all they’ve got. It’s no secret that this market in Japan devours CD and DVD releases.

Set on our summer’s biggest stage, with the best possible sound, lighting and visuals that can Vision Quest provide, a killer performance here has ripple benefits for music and ticket sales for at least the next 8 or 9 months. The DVD production has also reached a level of distinction, meaning the best from these shows will be on a lot of people’s shelves forever.

Live acts returning from 2006 are: Skazi (Chemical Crew, Israel); Astrix (Hommega Productions, Israel); Melicia (Phonokol Records, Israel); Dino Psaras (Vision Quest, U.K.); Shanti (Vision Quest, Ibiza); Dali (Hommega, Israel); Alternative Control (Vision Quest, Serbia); Cyrus The Virus (Vision Quest, Netherlands); Domestic (Hommega, Israel); Pixel (Hommega, Israel); Pop Stream (Vision Quest, Israel); Void (Chemical Crew, Israel); and Eskimo Phantasm Records, U.K.).

Returning to The Gathering stage is GMS (Spun Records, Netherlands), while new to the lineup are: Talamasca (Mind Control, France); Dune (Vision Quest, Israel); E-Fact (Vision Quest, Brazil); Switch (Vision Quest, Israel); and Waio (Vision Quest, Brazil).

And who’s not this year? Delirious, Psycraft, S.U.N. Project and Infected Mushroom. The first three I’m really gonna miss; the last one . . . yeah, not so much. (Between Duvdev’s off-key caterwauling vocals and that made-for-radio video, I for one am happy that the “Insane” year is over. Maybe now the nightmares will stop.)

The Second Room’s 10 Best for Gathering 2007:

Skazi -- The world’s best full-on psychedelic trance stage show. Period. And it just keeps getting better. Original members Asher Swissa and Assaf B-Bass are returning with their expanded team, which includes world-renown bass player Gilad Abro and drummer Itzhak Ben David. Skazi manages to steal the show every year, and especially the last two Gatherings, yanking people out of their soggy tents for a radical stomp in the mud. For a whole lot of people, The Gathering doesn’t begin until Skazi comes on early on the second morning. Skazi is about as full-on as it gets.

Astrix -- Avi Shmailov is the undisputed No. 1 one-man live act in psychedelic trance for several years running. In 2006, Astrix actually scored the highest in Vision Quest’s confidential points system. (I could tell you how it works, but that would spoil the fun.) His third studio album “Red Means Distortion” is on the way, as well as the singles disc “Future Music,” which contains three unreleased tracks by Astrix and two unreleased remixes, “Techno Widows (GMS remix)” and the timeless “Poison (Wrecked Machines remix).”

GMS – Growling Mad Scientists Riktam Matkin and Bansi Quinteros are back on The Gathering stage for the first time since 2003. These legendary founders of Spun Records have sold an amazing 300,000 CDs in the decade since their debut – 150-plus releases on eight albums and 10-plus compilations. The classic cover “Sweet Dreams,” originally by Eurythmics, hitting parties this summer is their work. Most tranceheads wouldn’t know where Ibiza was if it wasn’t for these guys.

Melicia – Without a doubt the best sibling act in psy-trance. Veteran producer Aviram Iluz and his lovely sister Odelya have become such a powerful force that I can barely remember when Aviram used to play his brilliant music on his own. Odelya's vocals are haunting beautiful and The Gathering crowd loves her because she’s not shy to take it to edge of the stage. When she screams, “We love you, Japan!” you know she means it.

Domestic -- Veteran artist Ido Ophir released “Art Making Machine” a year ago and it’s still getting a lot of major league play. Back in April, Domestic played an extra long (unplanned) live set for Sirius Records at Differ Ariake that my girlfriend and I are still talking about. His live last year was beyond amazing.

Talamasca – Interestingly, France’s Mind Control genius is playing for Vision Quest for the very first time in his legendary 15-year career. A co-founder of label 3D Vision, Cedric Dassulle (a.k.a. DJ Lestat) has been a consistently significant presence in the Japan scene since the early days. More recently, he was the driving force behind those packed United parties that played at Velfarre before it closed. I had the chance to hang out with him last December down in New Caledonia and found out what an awesome magician he is, both figuratively as a musician, and literally – I’m sure he’ll bend more than a few spoons at Gathering.

Shanti -- Shanti Matkin is the younger brother of GMS’ Riktam and has been making spectacular music since he was 13. He’s not the young, innocent-looking genius that he used to be, but he still makes the Japanese girls go ga-ga. He is still a genius, of course, and his live sets are mind-blowing. His released his second solo album, “Disfunction” last year on the Spun Records label.

Dino Psaras – Dino’s live show has long come into its own, providing The Gathering crowd with memorable techno-based anthems year after year. This comic giant of a man has a music career that spans nearly 20 years, dating back to the early Acid House days, when it was still underground in Brighton.

Alternative Control – I love these crazy Serbs! Not only because they speak my grandfather’s native language or their emotional, high-energy morning music, but because they have so damn much fun, even after a 30-hour trip to get here. Toprek Goran (a.k.a. Toca) and Rastko Palikuca released their debut album, “Alt+Ctrl,” a year and a half ago and should be getting close to a follow-up.

Void -- Tamir Regev and Oren Emanuel are the pioneers of Dance Floor Hardcore trance, a powerful, subversive spin that grew out of more mainstream electronic gardens like the New York club scene. Part of Chemical Crew since 2002, they’ve released three albums, “Punishment,” the double album “The Angry Brigade” and “Hero” (which is actually the B-side of the double.) Their rock roots and powerful guitar riffs make for one helluva show.

And one more! Eskimo -- Junya Mindfield is the prodigal son of John Mindfield of Phantasm Records and has been playing around the world since he was 13. Last year’s Gathering was supposed to be the release party for his second album "Balloonatic Part Two," but he didn’t make it over. Junya's live sets are a scorching head trip.

"The Gathering 2007," Sept. 15-17, at the PalCall ski resort in Tsumagoi-mura, Gunma Prefecture. Advance tickets: 13,000 yen; 15,000 yen at the gate. Parking: 4,000 yen per vehicle. Shuttle buses operate between JR Karuizawa Station and the venue. By car from Tokyo, take the Kanetsu Expressway to the Joshinetsu Expressway, exit at Uedasugadaira and follow Route 144 north for about 40 km. Check the Web site under “hotel plan” (in katakana) for information on available rooms. (Customers with official wristbands can come and go in order to use hotel accommodations and hot springs facilities in Tsumagoi Village. )

THE SECOND ROOM: UPDATE
Mother scores huge at S.O.S.

The reports have been streaming in about Mother Record's annual "Space Of Sound" (S.O.S.) party, Aug. 12-15, in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture.

While the rest of us were baking in Japan's worst heat wave in years, Mother sold 4,800 wristbands for their biggest draw ever. And even after four days, people did not want to go home. I have to make better plans for the O-Bon holidays next year.

The weekday gambit worked, and for now Mother holds the banner for Biggest Party Yet This Summer with this impressive showing. Another Mother open-air this season will lay to rest all claims as to who is No. 1 behind Vision Quest in Japan.

THE SECOND ROOM
Summer 2007 – hot and full-on enough for you?; TPE/Noga breakthrough

TATEHARA KOUGEN, Nagano Pref. – Here we are more two weeks later and I can still feel the electric tingle of every hair on my arms going fully erect.

It’s a familiar sensation, one I’ve enjoyed many times before. The brain, knowing what’s coming, starts telegraphing advanced warning signals to every extremity. The muscles contract in a progressive wave that crests up onto your shoulders and foams around your throat before dripping down your spine and splashing out at your ankles.

This is what I love about psychedelic trance -- these physical manifestations of clarity so profound that for a few brief seconds you can sense some part of your own existence in the near-future, impatiently waiting for the rest of you to catch up.

Standing less than 2 meters from the source of this euphoria with a lifesaving grip on a professional video camera – knowing you can’t move when your body will demand it -- only intensifies the effect.

This particular hair-raising track is one I’ve heard nearly a dozen times at parties this year and even played in my own DJ set. But this time was definitely different. It was live, and it was Sesto Sento playing it. Plus there were a few thousand people behind me screaming their heads off. If you haven’t heard Sesto Sento’s cover of the Moby “Lift Me Up” track yet, then you haven’t lived in 2007.

What a fantastic Sunday morning -- the finest yet in 2007. With its 21 live acts and around 4,000 through the gate under a brilliant mountain sun at Tatehara Kougen, the “Open Air Summer Festival 2007” (July 27-30) firmly moved the TPE Records/ Noga Records partnership up a step.

Based on its number of parties, total attendance, CDs released and artists since last year, it’s fair to say that TPE/Noga has advanced to the No. 2 spot among Tokyo area organizers, although it still has a long way to go to catch up to Vision Quest. The criterion is not exact. But without a solid mid-summer festival from Solstice Music this year, there was a vacuum near the top and the TPE/Noga team has filled it, for now. More on that in a moment.

The funniest part is that TPE could have easily been a disaster. Some sort of transport strike in Israel was apparently lifted for the very day that TPE had advanced booked most of their artists to fly to Tokyo. The campground at Tatehara was also spared rain for just long enough to complete the second afternoon.

It turned out to be the year’s best big party so far and kicked off the beginning of a blitz of big summer open airs that we all thought would finish with “The Gathering 2007” (Vision Quest, Sept. 15-17). More on this in an upcoming blog.

An e-mail sent out last Friday by Solstice announces “smf 2007 – Returns” in Yokohama for Sept. 29 and 30, plus a 6-hour beach party this Friday (Aug. 17) at KULA Resort near Enoshima. This shows that Solstice is getting back onto its game and should make things interesting heading into the winter season.

As I write this, Mother Records’ annual “S.O.S.” blowout is going on up in Hakuba, getting into the heart of the second night’s music right about now. With no official holidays during this O-Bon season, it was impossible for me to get away. A whole lot of people do have time off this week, and I’ll know soon how this one turned out. Mother’s profile has also been on a steady rise in the past year, boosting their draw with splashes of house and electro.

Beach parties are especially tricky things to pull off perfectly in Japan for one simple reason: illegal parking. If you guessed “noise complaints” you were close; usually that merely results in cutting the volume, not shutting down the party. This is not new. It has been going on for years. Since the summer of 2002, I have only been to one beach doof where the music was not stopped by an illegal parking complaint.

Considering all that goes into setting one of these things up – and yes, I have lent a hand in this process – lugging tents, generators, sound systems, lights and the lot out next to the ocean and making it work, the organizer is up against certain limits to keep the cost for the customer as close to free as possible. These are usually on public beaches where parking notices are already posted.

So when the cops come around and stop the music because of where thoughtless idiots parked their rides, whose fault is it?

I launched this little rant because just such a thing happened at the peak of a killer beach party on the east coast of Chiba last weekend. Dears Music International and 122mg threw down one impressive soiree at Hitomatsu Beach, drawing around 300 with word out on their Web site and Mixi.

The weather was perfect, the most incredible sunrise was coming on, the DJs were playing precisely what I wanted to hear, when the inevitable happened. Eventually the music got going again and we pushed it as far as we could, but it was an unfortunate buzzkill for a while. OK, rant over.

DMI’s R and M DJ Ryosay is the source of that killer Linkin Park cover “Numb” you’ve hopefully been hearing at parties this summer. They are also in on the upcoming compilation “Olympic Sound,” compiled by Holymen and DJ Yagi.

(TPE photos by Hanako; DMI photos by DMI)

THE SECOND ROOM
The beat is my shepherd, and I want it all

2007 has since New Year’s been playing out as a year like no other. I can feel the vicious cycle already kicking in. Snapshot here and we have the perfect example.

Despite the raucous windstorm that’s been whipping Tokyo all Thursday night, I’ve got to pack sensibly for this weekend’s assignment. Last weekend it was Mother Records “Ground Beat” season-opener, this weekend it’s off to Aichi Prefecture for Fineplay Music’s “Global Exposition.” Camera No. 2 for SGK Studio and this weekend also assisting the Calderon V-DJ show.

Sure, this sounds like a lot of fun, and it is sometimes, but the logistics of pulling off a near-perfect video shoot are already a nightmare. Add to that another 100 kg of extra gear and how to keep it safe, and then it starts getting complicated.

We’ll pull it off; we always do. But it does involve a lot of planning. Gotta make sure the cat is fed and my sister is keeping an eye on my modest sty. The packing I’ve committed to formula. Nothing else to do while I’m waiting for a video to render but chat about Earth-shaking developments.

“Ground Beat” was a total success with at least 4,000 in a beautiful venue that offered not only a level dance floor, excellent camping conditions and a sizable mound of snow. Yeah, snow, first time for me, too.

Mother sculpted a fabulous lineup that brought the energy up right on scale with a blend of house, progressive and full-on. Coming on after a killer Sub-6 live set, Ta-Ka broke things open and set the dancefloor perfectly for the Protoculture live – among the best I have seen up close in 2007. Nate was going for it the entire hour and everybody felt it. By the time Logic Bomb finished, the crowd was starting to bake – a perfect time for Son Kite, followed by D-Nox (DJ) and the Seb and Marcus back as Minilogue.

Read the flyer carefully for this summer’s grand “S.O.S.” – four days, Aug. 12 (Sun) to 15 (Wed). I don’t know how they are going to do it yet, Or the T.P.E. Records open-air – another four days from July 27-30. (At least it’s Friday to Monday.)

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Back to the Calderon V-DJ show, which made psychedelic trance history on April 22 and in the process invented an entirely new category of live show. Getting tightly edited video clips that were also the music was a brand-new experience for this Sunday morning crowd. It took them a while to grasp what was happening – and then they could not stop watching.

I have to tell you that it’s a blast being the understudy of a true genius. Oh, the things you can learn by watching him work. Witnessing SGK’s dream unfolding was a special moment. That first instant when he really latched on to the kid’s senses and gave them something they had not expected practically sent me to tears it was so priceless. (“Ain’t no thang!” remember?)

As I wrote above, it is a “V-DJ” show, which uses DVJ (DVD, CD output in one deck) mixing of both and synchronized graphics. The bottom line is that the DJ is also the VJ, and providing graphics that match. The true V-DJ show will evolve slowly because the DVJ decks are still quite expensive. But this is the new direction – the best thing in sight now for psychedelic trance’s killer app. For certain, this concept having been demonstrated has raised the bar for party graphics from here on out. Well done, Sharon!

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Next month, I have the modest pleasure to announce, I have been invited by New Caledonia’s trance-for-charity-causes organizer A.P.A.P. to perform during the islands’ national music festival – “Le Festival de la Musique.”

That the Association was given the chance to showcase our music and the still-new trance culture there with tremendous official support on a public park shows the measure of appreciation that can only be reached when your activities result in generous support to those who can really benefit from it. Excess monies from APAP’s parties go to the needy. APAP runs a year-round program of charity activities, especially for disadvantaged children.

As the first American DJ to play psy-trance in New Caledonia (Dec. 2006), I am deeply honored to be invited back. When I get back from Aichi-ken, I’m gonna put the finishing touches on DJ set that’ll take their heads clean off!

A lot of tapes to be shot between now and then… We’ll pull it off; we always do.

THE SECOND ROOM PRESENTS:
CD Case – Full-On

“Spaced Out,” compiled by Gataka (Noga Records)
“Absolute Translucent,” compiled by Homsy (Noga Records, Trancelucent Productions)
“Over Beat – Plug & Play Vol. 2,” compiled by Visual Contact (Noga Records, Com.Pact Records)

Score the year’s first hat-trick for Ziki Bar, head of Japan’s next-generation psychedelic trance label Noga Records. Tracks from these three compilations have been setting Tokyo dancefloors alight all winter long.

Noga Records, which was born out of Tokyo-based True Trance, has been steadily expanding its catalog by way of licensing deals with Israeli labels Com.Pact, Utopia, Trancelucent and a few others. The Second Room has often praised this strategy as brilliant. There are now 46 releases in the Noga book. Six are from Noga/True Trance, including two of Ziki’s excellent “Tokyo-Tel Aviv” CDs since 2001.

“Spaced Out” was compiled by Gataka -- Matan Kadosh, part of the world-famous Sesto Sento (Com.Pact Records). This is Gataka’s third compilation overall but his first for Noga. The little Noga emblem on Gataka’s cartoon body on the cover is telling of the confidence Ziki has in this February release.

At the moment, “Spaced Out” stands to be the Compilation of the Year for 2007. Yes, it is that solid. Nine killer tracks listed plus a bonus remix by Gataka and Indra of Analog Pussy's “Sound of Soul.”

Favorites here are: “In my mind” by Gataka vs. Apoclypce vs. Gilix; “Different (Gataka rmx)” by Star-X; and “Kick The Base” by Vibe Tribe, who is on the bill for Saturday’s TPE Records party at Differ Ariake.

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“Absolute Trancelucent” is the first release from Trancelucent Productions in 2007 and puts Homsy’s (Omri Harari) label talent on the radar for this year.

The Trancelucent sound is a bit brighter and plays very well in the morning. This was made perfectly clear last summer with the System Nipel debut album “Deep Into Matter.” Youngsters Rubi Yacobov and Anton Lunev, both 22, contributed the title track, a brilliant emotional ride that’s going into my next DJ set – somewhere near the end because I want to send them to tears.

Rounding the tracklist are Cosmic Tone with Noga, Etic, Electro Sun with Bizzare Contact, Etic, Quantum, The Misted Muppet, Insomnia, Loud, and Visual Paradox (DJ Bog). I was strangely disappointed that the Electro Sun vs. Bizarre track (No. 4) “I’ve Got the Power” did not steal the lyrics from the pop song with same words. Don’t ask me why.

My only real off mark on “Absolute Trancelucent” is about something that I actually applauded for the System Nipel album – the translucent cover effect, which means no DJ sleeve. It was cool for an artist album, but a compilation really needs something that can be read in the dark.

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I am a pretty level-headed guy, but every time I take this CD out I am tempted to bite off a piece. No kidding, it looks good enough to eat. The color reminds me of the sweet babaloa toppings that you see on the cakes at Cozy Corner. (It’s OK to chime in with a great big “Ne?”)

Compiled by Visual Contact -- Bizzare Contact and label head DJ Bog – “Over Beat – Plug & Play Vol. 2,” has nine unreleased tracks that have been test-proven to generate grins and smiles. A good number of these, and from the above two CDs, were HUGE hits at last summer’s TPE Open Air.

The first two tracks, one by Visual Contact vs. Electro Sun and two by an interesting trio of Bizzare Contact, Black & White and Perplex, are kind of like the box and plastic wrapper on the Cozy Corner cakes.

Then it just gets sinfully delicious with heavenly spoonfulls by Aquatica, Bizzare Contact, Sesto Sento, Visual Paradox vs. Insomnia, Ultravoice vs. System Nipel, Visual Contact vs. System Nipel and a final sweet bite of a Freq track remixed by Lish (134 BPM).

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Tokyo psy-trance history is going to be made on Sunday morning at the after-hours party for TPE’s “Spaced Out” – Japan’s very first VDJ set!

A year in the making, the Calderon DVJ live set will be the first DJ set involving the mixing of music video clips and other visuals.

DVJ machines are identical to the professional CDJ players that most DJs use, except that they also play the video on DVDs. Party visuals producers are using these machines more and more, and it’s starting to show up on the graphics screens with better synch of the visuals and the beat.

Sharon of SGK Studio has been making video clips for some time now. You can see his recent work in “The Beach 2006,” the upcoming TPE Open Air DVD, and a soon-to-be-released DVD/CD of his own.

The after-hours will be at Cube326 in Tokyo’s Shibaura district with DJ sets by Gataka, Altom, Ziki Chabo&P’N’O and D@J vs. Gocchi. Start time is 7 a.m.; 3,000 yen at the door. The Calderon show starts at 10 a.m.

THE SECOND ROOM:
Domestic, hallowed be thy name!

This is “Noga Records Week” here at Tokyo Psy-Blog ahead of the TPE “Spaced Out” party this Saturday at Ariake Differ.

But first, a short flashback to Differ last Saturday night and the best live set I’ve heard this year, especially at Differ Ariake. Funny thing is, it was not according to plan. By the providence of divine screw-up, about 400 of us got an extra long dose of the Domestic live experience – 90 minutes – and it was righteous to the point of pure rapture.

Whatever frustrations there were backstage as Ido Ophir kept signaling for a couple more tracks and kept on blasting that superb Domestic sound can be comfortably replaced in the knowledge that the crowd on hand will never forget this one. Give this man 90 minutes every time, seriously. (Plus, four out of the five girls I asked think that Ido is now sexier than Astrix, and that is saying something. That's Domestic on the left and Timelock on the right, enjoying the last minutes of the party.)

There wasn’t enough time in the end for any kind of Goblin closing DJ set, which Sirius Records has built into kind of a tradition when Udi comes over. But there really wasn’t enough time before Domestic ran 30 minutes over. Math primer: Tokage played the last 15 minutes.

At the root of this are the problems facing every party organizer second-tier and below.

Sirius Records, ranked about #5 among Tokyo area psy-trance organizers and labels, booked Psysex, Timelock and Domestic for its “Sirius Generation” gig, which started at 11 p.m. and was set to end at 6 a.m. Factored into the timetable were DJ sets by Miki, Goblin (Psysex) and label head Tokage.

Sounds good so far, but let’s do some more math: 7 hours minus 3 live acts leaves only 4 hours for 3 DJ sets, assuming the party actually starts on time and there no delays in between. Which are two pretty big assumptions.

So, Miki played for a bit to open, then Tokage played for a bit. Timelock played a killer full-on set that started around 1:30 a.m. and finished roughly on time. But before Psysex started – and again after he finished – the stage crew needed at least 10 minutes to reconfigure the live stage, during which time Tokage got up and played a few tracks. It’s easy to see how this can snowball a timetable.

But how else is it to be done? Apparently, it is cost-prohibitive in an already risky venture to run the parties until 7 a.m. And with the norm being that the crowd won’t start streaming in until about 12:30, you’ve got less than five and a half hours to work with. What are you gonna’ do? You need three big live acts to justify the outrageous door prices these days at venues the size of Differ Ariake. Did anybody else notice the price slipped up another 500 yen?

The one thing that Tokage and Sirius can really be proud of is their decision to go hog-wild on the sound and visuals on this event, because it made the payoff possible for everyone on that dance floor during those 90 minutes. Righteous to the point of rapture. That was a special treat!

THE SECOND ROOM
Nagisa Music Festival breaks open 2007 season

The Nagisa Music Festival is one of the most interesting success stories to emerge from the Tokyo dance party scene. Held semiannually and in its fourth year, this psychedelic phoenix took flight during 2003, out of the rubble of our worst year ever.

2003 was the hangover from overdoing things the year before. Venue changes and event cancellations for lack of permit were all too common. The backlash affected affairs like Solstice Music Festival, The Gathering and incidentally, Harukaze, the legendary Yoyogi Park day raves that Nagisa has handily replaced. Noise, litter, congestion, confusion. Officialdom can always find a way to trump the party people.

It was beginning to look like our traditional equinoctial dances inside Tokyo were doomed to the past when three brilliant producers brought their monster networks of resources together. Takashi Ishihara, who founded clubberia.com and brand new made Inc., Masaru Morita of M.M.Delight, and “Nanbei” Suzuki of Earth Garden set out to make something different that would still fit within the strict requirements of the system.

The result is a constantly evolving open-air festival spread over two days that is grounded in Earth-friendly ideas fusing dance music from the house, techno, trance, reggae, jam, rock and ambient genres as close to the center of Tokyo with the lowest possible admission price.

This year, the electricity for all the stages at Nagisa will be generated by bio-diesel, created by refined second-hand vegetable oil. Past years have seen success in attempts to run the whole show on solar power.

Nagisa means “beach,” but Odaiba Open Court, which faces the impressive Fuji Television building on the man-made island has become the party’s home. This is thanks in large part to backing from Tokyo Waterfront City Development. Open court is more of a desert than a beach, but it has the space to set up seven stages and all room needed to feed, quench and relieve large crowds of ravenous young people.

Headlining Nagisa this year are progressive rock legends System7 on Saturday, and Detroit techno originator Derrick May and psychedelic trance pioneer Hallucinogen on Sunday. Supporting them on their timetables are names that represent the heart of Japan’s dance scene crop: Masa and Ree.K of Space Gathering, Ta-Ka of Mother Records Japan, Ryo of Solstice Music, Miki from Sirius Records and a host of others.

System7 is Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy, who released six albums together in the 1990s before forming their A-Wave record label in 2000. They have played in Japan every year since 1999.

Derrick May hasn’t released a track since 1992, taking a hard bent against the record industry, but his popularity as a DJ only seems to get stronger. The house and techno crowd will get plenty of Derrick this weekend, and you can find out where he’s playing at the clubberia Web site.

Down at the very base of the psychedelic trance family tree is Hallucinogen (Simon Posford), whose 1995 album “Twisted” is viewed by many as the start of the psy-trance genre. More of a Merlin figure than a hands-on father type, Posford’s influence is still the genius behind the best of what you are hearing today. Apart from the timeless magic of Hallucinogen, Posford’s base of revered fans grew exponentially when he formed Shpongle with psychelic godfather Raja Ram in the late 1990s.

Nagisa Music Festival will be held on Saturday (1 to 8 p.m.) and Sunday (9 a.m. to 8 p.m.) at Odaiba Open Court in Koto Ward. Day tickets at the gate are 4,000 yen. Complete information found on the Nagisa Music Festival Web site (www.nagisamusicfestival.jp/) or by calling (03) 5410-1470.

THE SECOND ROOM PRESENTS:
CD Case -- Ambient
“Sub Signals – Volume 1,” mixed by Gaudi (Interchill Records, Mariko Music)

Released at the end of 2006, this first installment in the Sub Signal series carries a peculiar but telling caveat on the cover: “Woofer Advisory – Explicit Bass.”

This is understatement. Gaudi has laid down 12 tracks that are about 90 percent bass.

Prepare to ease yourself into “Sub Signals” deep universal beats, defined and unified by warm fat bass. Dub fans are gonna’ love this one. Chill floor fans will appreciate the new low-end vibes as most of these tracks are unreleased.

Interchill, under the direction of Andrew Collins, Naasko and Nick Edell, traversed the far reaches of the ambient soundscape on tranquil and mystic journeys of aural exploration last year with releases like “Arcana” and “Sanctuary” in the Spectrum series. Beyond the next release we’re going to talk about, Interchill in looking to release new creations from Pushmipulyu, Umberloid, Ashtech and Liquid Stranger.

CD Case -- Ambient
“Bliminal,” compiled by Andrew Ross Collins (Interchill Records, Mariko Music)

Interchill’s first release for 2007 is more than just a clever trick of the name.

“Bliminal,” which is not a word in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary but seems like it should be, captivates you right on its’ entrancing cover and sidelines you with the thought, “Is there something missing?”

Even subliminally, there is no way for anyone within reach of the “Play” button to confuse this compilation with “Sub Signals.” For we are now out of that deep end of the bass pool, sidestroking the vibe into brighter waters.

But Mr. Collins is indeed cunning. Because you know this is leading somewhere, despite being an obvious “return to the deep, luscious and universal chill sounds that Interchill is known for.” Masterful praise I wish I’d written first for a masterful chill album that’s going to give us a nice foundation for the Journey of 2007.

If “Bliminal” is any indication, the year ahead is all about freshness, with a renewed emphasis on originality from the likes of Greg Hunter, Eat Static, Legion of Green Men and Ishq, which scored a divine 15-plus-minute journey called “Nepalese Sun.”

THE SECOND ROOM PRESENTS:

DVD Case -- “The Gathering 2006” (Vision Quest Records, 4,935 yen)

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The fifth in “The Gathering” movie series by Vision Quest Tokyo, 147 minutes, features video clips for 14 live acts, five DJs and finale; 10 unreleased tracks. Filmed entirely on location at PalCall Tsumagoi Ski Resort in Gunma Prefecture, Sept. 14-16. 2006, directed by MJM Japan.

“The Gathering 2006” outshines its predecessors in every comparable category: video quality, shot composition, digital editing and effects, sound, music selection, stage control. To date, this is the most solid single-event DVD yet produced for the psychedelic trance scene in Japan. This production is even more phenomenal when you take into account the rain, mountain mist, dew and mud that framed this entire weekend.

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At right, The Second Room’s Top 5 Gathering clips: Melicia, Astrix, Skazi, Dino and SUN Project, with Matthias’ guitar ablaze. (Screenshots from “The Gathering 2006”)

In the beginning, there was a circle of Seven Dwarf stools upon which sat great thinkers sharing fantastical ideas about how to make the people dance.


From these meetings of minds, complex plans were born for huge outdoor gatherings featuring the world’s best psychedelic trance artists in an end-of-summer Japan showcase event that would become their permanent signature.


The famed stools upon which The Gathering was created have been retired, but it was atop these wooden dwarves that a unique sense of excellence developed which has made each summer’s Gathering better than the year before.


Building an event like this to the point where you can book up to 17 A-list live acts, rent out a huge ski complex with a big hotel and get a whole hot springs resort town to welcome -- during a prime holiday weekend -- several thousand colorful young people who will come regardless of the weather requires a certain kind of finesse toward customer relations that is the real signature of Vision Quest Tokyo.

Starting with The Gathering 2002, Vision Quest added a new dimension to our final romp of the summer by deploying nearly a dozen video cameras for the purpose of making a movie. This was, as many remember, the Gathering where Bryan Burton Lewis jumped out of the helicopter and parachuted in for his DJ set (ala Austin Powers sans machineguns), all captured on video.


Three months later, just in time for the yearend holidays, the first Gathering DVD (with CD compilation) was released. It was for many of us who were at the rave the first look at this memorable unannounced stunt. That was the first buzz. Then people started to notice something else in the movie – themselves. And the buzz evolved into something new.

"2002” was not only the first real must-see, must-have DVD for the psychedelic trance crowd in Japan, it spawned the irresistible notion of “I must get myself into next year’s movie,” thus ensuring sales of a future product in a market that then was almost nonexistent.

And more. When once the sight of a video camera at a trance party used to send people scurrying to preserve their anonymity, the kids now position themselves and resort to all sorts of wacky looks and behavior just to get the cameraman’s attention.

Fast-forward to 2006. The DVD is now an integral part of The Gathering, designed into the scheme of the show, with crane cameras sprouting from the front of the stage, time-code synchronization and a dedicated audio feed.

Vision Quest has finally found the balance they’ve been searching for in producing a multipurpose multimedia product that serves not only the fans, but also the artists and VQ’s own event schedule.

COMING TO TOKYO THIS WEEKEND:
Making a rare appearance in Tokyo this weekend is Michele Adamson, the radiant beauty behind the lovely vocals on probably a dozen of your dancefloor favorites.

Michele joins headliners Space Cat (Avi Algranati, H2O Records) and Perplex (aka DJ Ronen, Spun Records) for Fineplay Music's "Electrodelic" party on Saturday at Differ Ariake. This is your best chance to see her up close until summer.

We last saw Michele in August at "The Beach 2006," Fineplay's summer signature party on a magical island near Nagoya. With her name gracing a few dozen singles and one CD ("Fallen Angel, 2005"), Michele has become "The Vocalist" to get on your next release. The past two years has witnessed a huge increase in psy-vocals "feats." and this young lady is certainly one of, if not the primary reason behind this phenom.

Michele's sets sport some of the most seductive electro ever to grace a psychedelic dancefloor and she adores the Japan crowd for the energetic feedback.

TOKYO PSY-BLOG UPDATE:

Sweet Dreams 2007 Part 6.5 -- What a refreshing little party we had Sunday afternoon under the winter sun at Yoyogi Koen (park) in central Tokyo -- proof positive that the metro party scene is chugging along two to three weeks ahead of our traditional pace in 2007.

Although Yoyogi's famous cherry blossoms aren't due for another few weeks, several hundred happyjins kept the dancefloor surprisingly full for this free doof by Dears Music International. Combined with a bustling flea market and full range of food vendors, Yoyogi resembled a typical first day of the legendary Harukaze Festivals of days gone by, minus the blossoms. This was a handsome, energetic crowd of folks stepping outdoors and spreading their wings for love of our music.

Free parties in Yoyogi are always a bit of a gamble, but Dears seems to have to Lady Luck on permanent staff.

TOKYO PSY-BLOG UPDATE:

New Music, Video -- I've finally had the chance to pick up the new "Gathering 2006" DVD and in a stroke of luck the new Popstream CD "Railways" from Vision Quest. These, and the "Psychlopedia, Vol. 2" compilation released by Noga Records are what we're watching and listening to this week at Tokyo Psy-Blog and will tell you more about very soon.
Over on the right side, I am inserting the next party date with the links for organizers and labels. I'll make the links glow bright red when these parties get close.

TOKYO PSY-BLOG NEWS:

Israeli DJ sensation Rocky told Tokyo Psy-Blog recently in Tokyo that he has a new compilation on the way which promises to be even better than his last one, the double-CD "Psychedelic High " (Aug. 2005, Farm Records) -- one of the hottest-selling trance compilations ever.

Rocky as you may remember had only recently ascended to Arcadia Music A&R before that ship sank in summer 2005. Now he's reconnecting to Japan and should score an unbelievable year.

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Sneak Preview: TPE DVD -- Prepare yourself for visual ecstasy! A couple of nights ago I watched the unfinished first half of the movie for the new TPE "Open Air Festival 2006" DVD. This rave at the Tatehara Kougen campground in Nagano Prefecture was one of the best all year in Japan and you'll see why when you watch this DVD.

SGK Studio, which also did "The Beach" DVD for Fineplay Music this summer, has been working on this project night and day for many weeks. In addition to individual artist clips, the final DVD will include an OAF2006 movie that will blow the socks off anything yet produced in Japan for psychedelic trance.

TOKYO PSY-BLOG NEWS:

The Arcadia name is making a comeback in Tokyo, but not as the party organizer still tainted by the disastrous "Summer Arcade 05" that torpedoed the former Tokyo Big Four unit 2 1/2 years ago. The new Arcadia is operating as a booking agent under the name Arcadia Music Productions.

The introduction of a booking agent structure is a welcome sign of maturity for psychedelic trance because handling international artists in Japan -- flights, hotels, transportation, meals and so on -- has long presented a distraction, if not a flat-out headache, to the organizing effort of parties. The new rules of the game neccessitate a more mainstream approach.

A booking agent handling such details benefits all concerned. The artist gives up a percentage, but usually gets more paid-in-full gigs, won't be stranded at the airport or a hotel, gets places on time and is networked into beneficial dinners and meetings while in town. The organizer may pay a bit more for the artist but significantly reduces its risks and manpower requirements. The crowd gets a better show from a more pampered artist not worried about getting paid, fed or a place to sleep.