Last night I went to a D’espairsRay concert. While I was expecting something like, say 200 people at least, the amount seemed more like 120 on a good day. They don’t attract such an audience, which makes me wonder why. Basically, the crowd was small enough for me to spot my friends in less than five seconds. Oh, and also a jerk who kept on ignoring me. He deeply offended me, not because we’re such good friends, just because he deliberately ignored me.
Pumpehuset is unusually small and has a strange configuration. The stage is on the second floor. According to the sign the place can hold up to 500 people. Imagine 500 people headbanging and jumping around on the second floor. Well, it held so far, so it’s probably good enough.

My main complain about J-music is that it’s too perfect. No notes being missed, no contamination, no tape hiss, it’s perfect. Too perfect. What I really like about Joy Division for instance is that their pieces are not always 100% harmonious, but Japanese music is simply so square that it’s almost sickening most of the time. Which is why I thought I should see them live, can’t play it perfect when you’re on stage, right?

Well, I was half right. Either they’re really good at this playback thing, or they really really hate to be innovative. Almost record-like from what I could hear out of the maximized compressed sound. I can still hear a low buzz over 12 hours later.

I was surprised to see only about two other long haired men. Most people were at the ages between 14 to 20 mostly, dyed hair, dark eyeliner (including males) - they have adopted the Visual Kei style. Their hair was considerably longer than than your average skinhead, but hardly as long as what you would call long. Only one or two smokers.

Concerts are the only form of music I’m willing to pay for. It’s been ages since I bought a CD, and I get all my music lossless. That’s the way it should be. However, if one of those musicians whose music I listen to came by touring in Copenhagen, I’d be the first one to buy a ticket. Similarly, when I go to watch a movie, I don’t pay for the movie, but for the experience in general, the big screen, the superb sound et cetera. If I just wanted to watch the movie, I’d download it. Data is data, no point in selling it, since it can be replicated freely and easily (and perfectly.) I hope my 200 DKK would help D’espairsRay get new dresses and make-up or whatever they’re planning to do with it.

The hilight of the show, for me at least, was getting spat on by a hot Japanese guitarist, Karyu, kill me, but it was awesome. A friend of mine in fact managed to catch a bottle tossed by Karyu to the audience, from which he drank. How lucky of her.

Per se, I enjoyed the concert, and although it ended before 11pm, and I was expecting to go get drunk with a few friends (which never worked out unfortunately), and besides getting ignored, it was worth it.

Don’t pay for information, pay for experience.

Yeah, I’m going this year again.

Basically me, two friends, and a couple of friends’-friends.

I have a few complaints about the website. Firstly, the design hasn’t changed at all since last year. And then I can’t find any useful information about the timetable. I’m somewhat disappointed, but otherwise it’s OK.

What kind of annoyed me last year was the utter lack of a (proper) garderobe. Even if there was one it was ineffective for me, since I couldn’t find it. Sounds like I’ll just come without a jacket then, otherwise it’s just too much hassle, and I’m not willing to carry it around with me. Awful stuff.

When I came there last year I saw AnimeOnly.TV, which since then sure went somewhere, but I’m still pissed at them since guess what - it’s in Danish. My Japanese is pretty rusty, more like, really bad. They should have named it AnimeInDanishOnly.tv instead. Awful stuff. At least it doesn’t have any DRM (which I know of)..

I hope they’re going to have an interview like last year. I really enjoyed the Junko Mizuno open interview session.

And hopefully it’ll be in English again.

If you see me around there this Saturday, get my attention somehow. I’ll be wearing my new Dushkin.org T-shirt.

Recently I’ve been chain-watching (like chain-smoking, only watching stuff instead of smoking) Chobits recently, and as an analytical person, realized the obvious flaws of the weak storyline.

There’s no point of you reading this if you haven’t watched/read Chobits, but be assured that it contains no spoilers.

The problem is simple. I haven’t actually watched the last couple of episodes. At first sight it might seem that protagonist being Motosuwa has a conflict - Yumi vs. Chii. There’s an obvious focus problem, since Chii is the character the reader is meant to focus on and empathize with. However Motosuwa gets that title instead.

Chii is pretty, carnal (due to limited knowledge about the social structure), ignorant, and absolutely subservient, not to mention that a relationship with her would be socially unacceptable within the scope of Chobits. On the other hand, Yumi, the real girl, thinks for herself (and demonstrates she can do just that), knows how to behave within the social structure and recognizes the fact that people tend to “go the wrong way” with Persocoms.

The audience simply empathizes with Yumi and Motosuwa, since they’re both going through something - Motosuwa’s frequent soliloquies, which every now and then are simply a cover up for something else that he means to say, but instead says in a different way and Yumi’s sudden sadness when someone talks about a persocom. Chii hardly reveals any feelings besides an occasional suggestion towards Motosuwa and maybe Asimov’s robot law. Chii is just a part of the background, I can’t relate nor empathize with her.

Nice drawings can’t cover up for a bad storyline.