monster box vol. 00

I can finally blog about Monster Box! I've spent the last few days training for my new job but apparently, the Polar Vortex from the East Coast decided to pay us a visit so I'm spending the day inside which means...yay! Writing time.

So MONSTER BOX is a big ol' event at Studio Coast with not only bands that I work with now, but also bands that I've really liked in the past.

lineup ↓↓

ESKIMO CALLBOY
girugamesh
ARTEMA
NoGod
ROACH
lynch
MAKE MY DAY
Kiba of Akiba

I honestly don't think I've properly written about an event since my days on eljay, but this was a really, really awesome experience for me so I want to remember it as best as I can.

love, love, love my vans!

I had originally wanted to do a video comment for trick/rock. with MAKE MY DAY (ex. Ashley Scared the Sky) but being that it was a such a big event, we opted to move that interview to the 7th - which I'll write about later :))

Ever since I saw the lineup, I was planning on going anyway for fun buuuut after finding out that we, in fact, could do a video comment with all the non-visual bands at the event, strapped on my oh-so-metal floral shoes and headed to Shinkiba :D

I can't even remember the last time I was here!

The first thing I noticed was how much smaller Studio Coast seemed! I guess when I first got here it seemed HUGE but now compared to venues like AX it actually didn't seem nearly as intimidating. Far venue is far, though. Not gonna lie.

I came in at the end of Kiba of Akiba's set but thankfully got to see all of MAKE MY DAY! It was my first time seeing them since they ended their activities as Ashley Scared the Sky and reformed as MMD. Really impressed! They've gotten a lot heavier and a lot of the visual-kei fans kept murmuring how awesome they were after their set.

Next up was ARTEMA and my first time seeing them since last November. They just released a new album...oh! and a new PV so check them out if you have time :) I always love seeing ARTEMA and I think they were probably one of the easier bands for visual-kei fans at the event to transition with. In my opinion, their set was over way too fast XD

I took a break during NoGod but headed back inside with Inger and Kat for ROACH. Their sets always, always feel too short for me and despite how much I regret the mosh pit pain the day after, it's always a great stress reliever. Though to be honest, constantly having to pull up my "skinny jeans" during HIGH FIVE! was kind of a pain in the ass. Goddam you, American Eagle.

Headed outside for some socialization after that. But mostly for locomoco because I was hungry and you know, food is important.

Ran into Taama and Sam (of ROACH and MAKE MY DAY respectively) then it was interview time! After that we grabbed Meg and Ko-hey of ARTEMA before the five of us headed around the back corner of COAST.

Meg x Sam x taama x ko-hey

The lulz here, though really. This comment was absolutely perfect and exactly the kind of video I want to keep shooting for our webzine. I don't know if it's because they're all vocalists (mostly, haha) or because they're all really good friends, but the chemistry and everything worked out so well.

After that we walked back to COAST to catch the rest of girugamesh's set.

accidental shot but I kinda like it

girugamesh!

Watching them from backstage was hands down one of the coolest experiences I've ever had. Some of you may know already know, but I used to really love them. I don't go to their shows anymore and my tastes have changed and all, but that doesn't change the fact that at one point, they had a pretty big impact on my life. Being able to watch them with the friends that I've met over the past 3 years working and being in this scene was really amazing.

Anyway. Mush aside.

When I was walking backstage the first time, we ran into one of the guys from Eskimo Callboy and just as we were walking away he was like, "Wait, who are you? You don't look Asian!" I laughed and told him that no, I was American and worked for a web magazine promoting Japanese bands to foreign audiences. I asked him if it would be possible to get a short comment from them later and he happily agreed. Yay!

Quite clean considering how many people were in and out of here.

After they came in, I met vocalists Kevin and Sushi and we got to talking about the States and Germany. Turns out not only did they play in Atlanta but at the Masquerade, no less! After that Ko-hey and Meg popped in again and joined Eskimo Callboy for another hilarious video.

I'm pretty sure I'll be editing videos until April XDD

They really love each other.

ARTEMA and ESKIMO CALLBOY. Proving that boys are almost exactly the same all over the world. And here's that epic photo, in case you were wondering. Not mine by the way! Borrowed it from here :)

I feel like this sums up a lot.

To be honest, I tend to not end up writing about this kind of thing because I run out of time or I don't know how to write it up but...this was such an amazing experience for me. Truly.

Seeing old visual bands like girugamesh and lynch. that I admired so much in the past along with the bands that I not only enjoy promoting, but also really love seeing live, was kind of amazing. It was also really cool to see how much the fans, of either genre, really enjoyed the whole show, regardless of who they came for. If the aim of Monster Box was to destroy that "wall" that's always been up between visual-kei and loud rock, then I think they did an ace job. 

♡ miss wave