Metamatic Forums John Foxx John Foxx Not really a blog...

Thank-you...

In fact, thanks to everyone who posted comments about the pics - I'm very pleased with them as well - and I'll try and post some more shortly.

Yes, I REALLY hammered the cards...

I've always loved that 'light trail' effect you get when you use a long exposure - very atmospheric - very Systems of Romance...

Rob

Nice pictures Rob,

Bet you wanted to stay out there longer.

That was the way I felt.I was only there for 5 days.

Brian

Great photos Rob - what a cool place!

I also love long exposure shots of traffic... so atmospheric, and fitting for so many of John's songs

Thanks...

It was a cool place - like no other place in the world...

I took heaps of that 'type' of photo. The 'stretched lights' effect you get with long exposures is something I really enjoy.

Oh, absolutely - I'd go back in a flash. I'm now looking for reasons to justify a return trip. I think that I may have said before (somewhere else on the Forum) but Japan was somewhere I've wanted to visit for a number of years, but with so many other places to visit it never really seemed to make it to the top of the list.

Tagging along on this tour afforded me the chance (a 'once in a lifetime' chance!) to fulfil a life-long ambition. I certainly wasn't dissappointed - Japan is amazing.

Next time I want to travel a little further and see more - perhaps getting to visit Kyoto as well.

Rob

Great photos! And now Venice... Don't forget new Calatrava's bridge!

thank you Rob for sharing beautiful pics.
all reminded me of my happy unforgettable moments
in september too.
light, sound, voices , fans, smiles and waving
motion of click click, drone...
i am so happy that you also have had fun time as tourist and photographer even the time was limited.
please come back soon to get the things you mis
this time.
when john and louis came with typhoon, the music
poured like typhoon, yes, we thought you guys beat it.
it is getting colder day by day in october, still i feel warm with my memories.

Thanks for your kind words...

I'll 'try' and get a few more pics up at the weekend...

Rob

Re: Rob’s photos
I’m a bit late in posting this, but, really fantastic photos,

...the energy most definitely comes across

I forgot to post this, despite writing a long time ago. Here it is, with some recent edits:

The Tokyo shows were over two days in a converted cinema. Takadanobaba Area (did they miss the "n" on purpose?) is a very cosy place, and descending the stairs from street level, I begin to question "just how many people can fit in here?". From outside, it looks tiny, but there is the Tardis effect once you get in - it is big enough for 3-400 people. I can only guess that the "dressing room" and facilities for the performer must be absolutely microscopic. Having navigated past the ticket seller (I bought mine on the night on the Sunday, pre-bought for the Monday), and then past the t-shirts (yes, I got one) I was ushered to the bar where my ticket entitles me to one drink. The selection is limited, so I go for the can of beer! Had it been a regular September evening I would have been hot and balmy outside, sadly, and unknown to Mr Foxx and Mr Gordon, it is absolutley chucking it down! It will clear up before the end of the show though!

So, the lights drop, and on to the stage walks Louis and John. My first time to see them together, and the last time I saw John was in '83 at the Lyceum. They start playing, and I get embarrassed - "Blast! I don't know this one!"

Poyns was better at me than guessing the title, it was a new track called "Walk This Way" - I had it down as "One of Us". I like it. "Million Cars" rolls into "Dislocation" and it seems like the crowd wakes up a bit (Sunday), then "The Man Who Dies Every Day", the crowd get louder! After Camera, my wife begins to dance to Uptown/Downtown. She isn't a fan per se, but she genuinely is enjoying the show (Monday). The crowd erupts as they detect the beginning of "Underpass" and even more so when "Burning Car" kicks off. I really enjoy this version - it has a lot of power. At this point, I can recall (Sunday) that John has a huge grin on his face - he is really enjoying himself. Louis is flying all over the place and throwing himself into the music - he isn't smiling, but you can see he is also getting a lot from this. Actually, I wasn't convinced that Louis mike was switched on as I could hear him directly and not through the speakers - that may also indicate how much he put into this. I am jealous that they can enjoy their art/work so much - must be a great feeling. Shadow man ends the set afetr which John speaks the only four words of the evening (same words repeated several times throughout the night, but the same four words): "Thank you. Good night"

Rapturous applause follows, and foot stamping too. Normally ths venue is filled with young Japanese goth girls - I wonder what the locals though of todays audience - mainly men in their 40's with a spattering of women in a similar age group. Some youngsters were there too - not so many though.

Louis comes out again, closely tracked by John and kick off the 4 track encore by playing "The Garden" - I like it, but somehow the santa claus sleigh bells didn't quite click for me - I guess they are there to keep what must be a very tricky rhythm. Didn't spoil it, just sidetracked me a bit. If that song calmed people down a bit then the next one really stirred things up. "Young Savage" - fantastic choice, and had everyone dancing around again. On the Sunday, the beginning of "My Sex" seemed to have the speakers is disarray. You could almost hear these speakers stop and say to each other "I didn't know that such a low frequency existed!!"

It got fixed quickly (or were my ears the real problem??) and nothing stopped the enjoyment of the crowd. "Endlessly" wrapped up the show, and the audience showed an enormous amount of appreciation on both nights, but Monday nights crowd stayed and clapped and stomped long after the house lights went up. I have never seen or heard anything quite like this before, but like me, they HAD waited 25 years for Mr Foxx's return.

After the show, the organiser from Vinyl 2 Japan started shouting out peoples' names. More than a bit curious I hang around to see what is happening. He is calling the order of people who have bought CD's for signing. The invited names form an orderly queue and wait patiently - I go and buy a CD so that I can say "Hi!" too! Waiting at the back of this queue was fun - watching the people leave with their signed goods was a joy. One guy had brought a vinyl version of "Systems of Romance" for John to scribble on. He greets each one with a huge smile - and then language issues of various complexity dictate the length of the conversation. Some are genuinely stunned, and one guy leaves saying (in Japanese) "I couldn't speak, I'm going die". It gets to my turn and I understand how he feels - all I can do is blabber! He is such a nice bloke though - and suffers dealing with me very well! I also managed to speak with Louis as well. I was really pleased, as I never expected to be able to speak to either of them.

I was also lucky enough to be able to walk home, living just 10-15 minutes away - I'm on a high having enjoyed two nights of really good music and having met two incredibly capable artists that are also really nice people!

a nice read! thanks for that one
Now, more pictures please! anyone?