Some Say They Are Saving Rock ‘n Roll

A Concert Review

Image courtesy of Peter Lim and Band-Maid

I wasn’t planning to write a review of this concert, but now I feel compelled to. It’s not going to be a standard review where I just go through the setlist in order and make comments on each song. I’ll comment on a few, but I want to focus on something bigger: Affirmation.

I went to the August 14 Band-Maid concert in Sacramento. It was the third time I’ve seen them; I went with a friend who is just getting acquainted with them. The place was packed, literally to the exit doors. I’m pretty sure the venue violated some fire codes.

On each Band-Maid tour (this is now their fifth North American tour), the shows have sold out faster, and the audiences are getting bigger and more diverse. It’s not just old metalheads anymore. We met people in line who flew in from Canada, Mexico, and all over the U.S. to attend this concert. We saw families with their kids, which is pretty unusual for a band that goes this hard.

No, it’s not Taylor Swift-scale mania, and the tickets don’t go for $2000. But the people who show up include many pro-level musicians, most of whom would decline a free ticket to see Swift. One consistent thing you hear from them is that they feel as though Band-Maid are saving Rock and Roll. For these fans, especially the musicians, it is an affirmation of the music they love; music which all too often feels like it’s being forgotten in the land of its birth.

Band-Maid love their fans. The concert took place on an oppressively hot day, and despite air conditioning, it must have been brutal on stage. The band didn’t hold back — they gave it 100% from start to finish. They have never done a normal intermission — at their halftime break, they stay on stage to interact with the crowd.

They bantered with the audience, teased each other, and practiced their English with groan-inducing jokes. Yes, they are learning English from a standing start. They are actually hilarious, and their founder, Kobato Miku (“the Pigeon”), is a born entertainer with a decidedly crazy streak. The entire show felt like an affirmation of their fans.

Band-Maid play with unrestrained joy. Their drummer Hirose Akane was literally grinning 90% of the time as they blasted through a two-hour set. They play intense, technically difficult music yet can clown around and prank each other amid all the mayhem. Their chemistry as a band is almost unique. I’ve seen hundreds of concerts, from classical recitals to jazz to death metal, and I can’t remember another group who glow with this kind of love for what they do and for each other. The concert felt like an affirmation of themselves and their friendship.

They are reviving rock and roll but not repeating the past. Band-Maid’s compositions are thoroughly modern, even progressive, and getting more so with each album. However, they never put technical exhibitions over the listenability of the song. Lead guitarist Tono Kanami is a world-class shredder yet keeps most of her solos short and tantalizing. They always put the music first. It is an affirmation of the potential still untapped in rock and roll.

Band-Maid are elite-level musicians, and MISA is in the conversation for best rock bassist playing today. She plays the bass like a lead instrument. They all have impeccable skills and timing, and they work together seamlessly. Their performances remind us of the importance of virtuosity in music. Yes, people with modest skills who play from the heart can be charming, but virtuoso skills simply give one a broader palette with which to paint. In a world that has devalued musicianship, Band-Maid are an affirmation that it still matters.

I’ve known about this band for about seven years. I’ve followed them as they struggled to break out. Band-Maid went through a near-death experience early on. Their label was ready to drop them, when one of their videos went viral in the U.S., surprising everyone. On the strength of that, their label stuck with them. It has given them the perspective to roll with the ups and downs of the music business.

Other than the early days, when some of the rock and roll pioneers were women, rock has mostly been a man’s game. Band-Maid are doing something that might have seemed impossible a few years ago: kicking the doors back down for women to play exuberant, loud, instrument-heavy music. But they are not just playing this stuff; they are on the cutting edge.

I did not try to record most of the concert on the 14th — I just wanted to take it all in. But I broke out the phone for four songs, which happen to be my highlight songs. I’ll get to those, but first, here are two clips from another fan who got some excellent footage. Keep in mind these are cell phone captures, without any editing.

“Domination”

One of the band’s most popular songs and a staple of their live shows. Sometimes they use it as a closer. Here, they actually opened with it.

“From Now On”

Band-Maid always include an instrumental in their sets. Initially, they used these as a way to give Saiki a short break from singing, but they’ve become fan favorites. The other four band members have a chance to cut loose and flex their stuff. This one is a Kanami showcase.

……..

The next two are clips I captured. We were more to one side (stage right), close to the bassist MISA. The last clip shows some great footage of her tearing things up.

“Daydreaming”

One of the marks of a great hard-rock band is their ability to dial things back and give you a beautiful power ballad. This song is about a lost relationship; you don’t need to understand the words to feel them. I love the contrast between the two singers’ voices — Saiki’s thick, blues-with-an-edge timbre and Miku’s sweet bell-like tone, perfect for harmonies.

“Hate?”

This is one of their more recent songs. For live performances, they have added an improv section in the middle, and it’s become another highlight of their shows. That’s the part I captured. MISA and Kanami did an extended bass vs. guitar duel and just about burnt the house down.