Join sisters NinJaSistah and Pandalicious and the rest of the ESH Crew each day as they discuss video games, tech gadgets, anime, manga... pretty much everything within the geek chic lifestyle.
From Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, and PC game reviews, previews, news, and gushings to audience questions and rumor mill seeding galore you'll find it here at ESH!
I would like to share with all of you a new project that I am working on.
"Coffee House Central" showcases music, poetry and spoken word acts from Salem State College. We film one or two 3 hour shows a month, and then splice all the acts into 6-12 30-minute episodes.
Coffee House Central - Episode 01 - Part A
This King cannot take credit for this project, though. All thanks go to my fellow Boston Bastard Brigade member Pink Taco, who revived this event at Central Campus. Because of her these students are able to shine and show off their talent to everyone around the world.
If you'd like to check out the show, go to www.youtube.com/coffeehousecentral, or look on the channel below.
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
The Sistahood is about to get some new neighbors...
You might have read about it on their Facebook, but it's finally hitting your desktop! The Boston Bastard Brigade (or B3) is coming for you, so you better prepare! Join me, along with new crew members Blueonic, Dark Heart, Bam Bam, Pink Taco, and Spoony Sleuth as we talk gaming, anime, music, film, TV, sports, and what's pissing us off in our "Oh, For Fuck's Sake!" section.
As of this writing there have been two episodes recorded (one in October, one in November), plus the interview I did with Japanese punk band TsuShiMaMiRe back in September. More will be coming each week (or every other week depending on our schedules), so look out for more info as the days go by.
B3: Coming this December...
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin!"
To fully understand what Dir en grey is about, you need to see them live. I did just that last night at Boston's Wilbur Theatre, along with my Boston Bastard Brigade cohost Pink Taco. We got there 15 minutes late, but all we missed was the first couple songs by DeG's opening act the Human Abstract. They were good, but they were a little bit too strobe light happy. Anyone with Epilepsy going to this show would've probably been hospitalized with the first 3 minutes of what I saw.
After setting up, Dir en grey finally emerged from the darkness. Kyo arrived and stood on his pedestal. No "Hello Boston," no wave to the crowd; just an evil stare towards the screaming fans (mostly from the women). From their first track ("Obscure") to their last ("The IIID Empire") Dir en grey was at their A-game. Kyo's vocals were at full force, screaming from the top of his lungs and singing his heart out. This was best heard in the unplugged version of "Aggitated Screams of Maggot" (which they also played plugged), "Merciless Cult" and "Dozing Green."
Dir en grey - "Merciless Cult" [Live]
The show was filled with surprise tracks, with the band digging through songs that have never even been released in the States yet (such as "Obscure" and "The IIID Empire"). Hopefully, if demand is high enough, we will see Dir en grey's earlier work being released in America. Some of the set introduced new tracks from their recently released "Uroborous," with "Glass Skin" and "Toguro" sounding just as loud and nasty as they do on the CD.
Guitarist Die and bassist Toshiya were having a ball on stage, eating up all the audience's applause and screams; while Kaoru played to the far-right of the stage for the most part until the end. Drummer Shinya proved that he is one of Asia's top drummers, smashing and bashing his way on a drum kit with so many cymbals that it could almost make Dream Theater envious. Kyo, the center of everyone's attention, was a wonder to watch; from his dancing to his five-minute acoustic screaming (yes, acoustic screaming). One may wonder if he'll ruin his vocal chords again, as he did in '06. (He is also partially deaf in his left ear.) He only spoke to the audience once (to introduce "Saku"), but perhaps as a theatrical rocker he did not want to break the fourth wall too much. The fans didn't mind, and I didn't mind either. (I was also shocked that Kyo didn't do his trademark self-mutilation. Maybe he didn't have enough fake blood that night. At least I think it's fake...)
Dir en grey - "Agitated Screams of Maggot" [Live]
Although not the greatest show I've ever been to, Dir en grey put on a memorable and entertaining concert that everyone who was there will remember for years to come. (Pink Taco thought they were "pretty good" too.)
Setlist: 1. Obscure 2. Grief 3. Agitated Screams of Maggots 4. Disabled Complexes 5. The Fatal Believer 6. 蜷局 (Toguro) 7. 艶かしき安息、躊躇いに微笑み (Namamekashiki Ansoku, Tomadoi ni Hohoemi) 8. Agitated Screams of Maggots -unplugged- 9. Conceived Sorrow 10. Glass Skin 11. 凌辱の雨 (Ryoujoku no Ame) -acapella- 12. Hydra -666- 13. Merciless Cult 14. The Deeper Vileness 15. Dozing Green 16. Repetition of Hatred
Dir en grey's new album "Uroboros" is now in stores, and will be continuing to tour America through December 5. Check the dates below and go as if your life depends on it!
11/16 - Kool Haus - Toronto, ON 11/18 - Clutch Cargo's - Pontiac, MI 11/19 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL 11/20 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN 11/22 - The Eagles Club - Milwaukee, WI 11/23 - Pop's - Sauget, IL 11/25 - House of Blues - Houston, TX 11/26 - Palladium Ballroom - Dallas, TX 11/28 - Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ 11/29 - The Wiltern LG - Los Angeles, CA 11/30 - Warfield Theatre - San Francisco, CA 12/2 - Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR 12/3 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA 12/5 - Gothic Theatre - Englewood, CO
This is King Baby Duck: "Ain't born to lose, baby, I'm born to win! I'm so Goddamn slick, baby, it's a sin."
