“If I can’t use magic, I want to die”

So the other day I went to Akihabara (also known as big geeky nerd town), to buy a SIM card for my phone. Having to rely on Wi-Fi for the past couple weeks has really been a bummer. When you stand outside Starbucks without buying anything often enough, people start to notice and then you start to sweat under the intensity of the millions of eyes transfixed on your ivory skin and unfortunately orangish hair. The store that sold them was more than 8 stories high and filled with gadgets, restaurants and a golf range and batting cages on the top, although that floor was swarming with Japanese business men that probably don’t even listen to Beck.

I remembered that there was a new single being released by Seiko Oomori (大森靖子) that day and since I had been looping the promotional video on YouTube for a few days I figured this electric wonderland would be a fitting place to buy my first CD in Japan. That when I saw the flyer. She was having a mini live show at the record store. That day. In 2 hours.

I forget when I first starting listening to Seiko, but I think it was Spring of this year. My Ex-Boyfriend said she sounded like Yoko Ono and this wonderful vice interview describes her music as being like “disneyland in hell.” I’ve always been a fan of all things Kimo-Kawaii so her videos and lyrics caught my attention without much effort.

Her live performance was everything and nothing at the same time. She played solo with her flower covered acoustic while giving off enough energy to qualify as electric. One minute she was thrashing through chords and hurriedly rapped/sang/screeched about teen pregnancy and mickey mouse. The next minute she put aside the mic and sang beautiful and heart wrenching songs about powerlessness and how music isn’t a panacea to your problems. It was performance art, but like actually music too. That’s a rare combo

Needless to say I’m smitten 400% more than I was before the show. When I go to shows I sometimes get antsy around the last third of the set, but I could of stood in that record store for at least 4 more days. That moment when she was singing about how girls are totally great and boys are lame and we made eye contact…that will definitely stick with me for like ever.

Since I bought her CD the same day, I also got a radical poster of her being cool. AND WHAT I FOUND OUT LATER FROM PEOPLE AROUND ME WHO COULD ACTUALLY READ THEIR TICKETS WAS THAT THERE WAS A MEET A GREET WITH LIKE TOUCHING HANDS. I almost cried.

Speaking of the people, I met some really awesome fans at the show. Like people who had been to every show of the tour. There was this one guy who bought her album like 10 times so her could collect all the types of posters and he gave a bunch of people around him, moi included, some candy. “All Seiko fans are friends” he informed me. The crowd was so many different kinds of people. Young and Old. Hip and Frumpy. I think that her music really speaks to people, especially in this constantly changing world. When she sings about how lonely, bloody, and cute the world is… I get that.

She signed my CD and we talked in broken Japanese about how one of goals was to see her live while I was here, I just didn’t expect it to be so soon. I was the only white person there, so I think she was surprised to see me. When she asked me how I heard about her, I honestly couldn’t remember… but I’m really glad that I did.

I also got a trading card. Mine was the one everyone was jealous of.

“Wolf, have fun in Japan!
Love, Seiko. 9.18” (IT WAS HER BIRTHDAY)