konichiwa

I can totally get behind the concept of a summer holiday.  We arrived in Tokyo 3 days before the first show of the tour, just to get our feet and have a look around Tokyo.  Those three days felt like about three weeks.  The weather in Japan at the moment is quite warm, but not too unpleasant.  It's easy to forget the freedom that summer brings when you're in the middle of a Melbourne winter and it's impossible to leave the house without a scarf and jacket.  Anyway, we wandered around Shinjuku, Shiuya and Harajuku, caught up with old friends that we made on the last tour, bought a few Japanese versions of some great records and sang a spot of karaoke.  It was a nice chance to relax after a few stressful months spent planning this tour.

Now it's down to business... or as down to business as a tour gets!  We played a super fun show in Tokyo at Shimokitazawa Shelter (which I still don't know how to say).  Then after a few Cassis Orange's we headed off to Osaka getting our sleep in 20 minute doses while trying to get comfortable in the van.

The next morning we arrived in Osaka and headed to an Onsen where the boys nuded up and went to the hot baths while Kate and I opted for a swim in the rooftop pool, followed by a nap.  Feeling something closely aproximating refreshed, we played our show at The Clapper.  Another fun show where we again got to catch up with some friends made on the last tour.

After the show in Osaka we went to an amazing bar called Club Wonder.  I'm struggling to work out whether this was all just some crazy dream or if it really happened.  Club Wonder is a bar that plays exclusively powerpop, and it's open every night of the week!  We walked in and on the big screen they were playing a video of Mike Viola and Bleu playing at The Living Room in NYC.  My jaw hit the floor.  I had heard about this place for a few years but I never thought it could really be this cool.  Then I turned around and saw about five autographed Fountains of Wayne posters as well as Ivy, Matthew Sweet... the list goes on...  So we drank, danced and bought limited editions of some great records.  Weird but amazing.

Last night we playing in Nagoya, the night before in Hiroshima and the night before in Fukuoka.  Both shows were great, the audiences were so warm and friendly.  In Hiroshima we had some oishii (delicious) okonamiaki, which is kind of like a vegetable pancake with this awesome kinda soy sauce and mayo on top.  I eat Okonamiaki at every opportunity back in Australia but it's 1000 time better here.

So we have three more shows in Japan then it's off to London to play with Farrah!