Cowpers doing July. Pretty hardcore.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab0pMfSEOD0

edit: better than movement.

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulbourethral_gland]Cowpers?[/url]

[size=150][b]BOKUUU~~~[/b][/size]
Getting my weekly listen in to prep me for my last semester of high school.

I saw them live Morioka tonight, for the first time.

1. I've Been Lost
2. Sanbun to Blues
3. Blackout
4. Riyuu
5. Sore Dake
6. Poolside
7. Bokutachi no Shissou
8. Dischordman
9. Story

10. Faust
11. Saraba Sekai Kunshu
12. Sayonara Bunshou
13. Jack Nicholson
14. Ocean

Encore 1

15. February
16. August
17. Flanging Sun

Encore 2

18. July

I'll write more later because it's late and I'm exhausted, but it was epic. I was amazed they played so much encore stuff. The entire band sounded absolutely incredible, and it was really cool being in a small venue and only a few feet away from my favorite band in the world.

You are so lucky. I would literally pay hundreds of dollars to see them live.

And now for the very long post about the concert!

- - -

Bloodthirsty Butchers live at Morioka Club Change, 2011.7.18

For a band that's been active for over twenty years, one would think that Bloodthirsty Butchers could play bigger venues than Morioka Club Change. A small live house located on the third or fourth floor of an old concrete building, it seems more appropriate for local no-name punk bands than a group as influential and critically acclaimed as the Butchers. For fans, though, this isn't such a bad thing, allowing everyone to see the band in an intimate setting.


From a certain perspective, playing in a venue like this seems appropriate for the Butchers and their adherence to punk in spirit, if not exactly practice. There's nothing pretentious about the Butchers at all, and the group comes on stage with no flashy outfits or gimmicks to be seen (although Tabuchi and Yoshimura looked rather stylish, matching work boots), even looking a bit anxious as The Who's Baba O'Reily, sounding quite funny in this context, played while the band came on stage. But any question of the group's confidence is quickly blown away with opening song I've Been Lost, a Plus/Minus cover that starts with Komatsu's frantic drumming and ear-splitting waves of guitar feedback before the group attack their guitars at high speed. Bloodthirsty Butchers are loud; the kind of loud you physically feel from head to toe. My jaw physically hurt from the first song, which very nearly gave me a headache as well. Not to say this is a bad thing, as the physical force of their ferocious assault is incredibly exciting. This kind of visceral force is wholly different from the more predictable aggression offered by, say, metal bands. The Butchers often sound like a fusion of shoegaze-inspired noise cascades with hardcore punch . Those easily prone to migraines might want to stand back.


Sanbun to Blues, from the group's most recent album, offered an energetic followup to the opener. For a band with a reputation for having a somewhat loose, wandering sound, these recent songs sounded remarkably precise even in a live setting, although on Riyuu, Tabuchi's guitar was noticeably out of tune in the lead portions. She quickly regained the spotlight on Sore Dake, a song that greatly benefits from her presence. Poolside, one of the band's trademark songs, worked especially well in a live setting as the group extended it with plenty of extra measures of the melodic guitar jamming which all but define the band's sound.


The Butchers turned to some slightly more obscure tracks for their next three songs, but Dischordman in particular outshone its recorded version with some entirely new instrumental parts accenting the song. Story, one of the best songs from Guitarist wo Korosanaide, brought the first section of the set to a close with its melancholic, ringing guitars. Yoshimura chatted to the audience for a few minutes as the group tuned up for the next phase of the concert.


With the rest of their main set, the band focused on upbeat, catchy songs. Tabuchi and Yoshimura tore into fist-pumping power anthem Faust with a barrage of high-speed, blistering guitar noise, offering a crowd-pleasing favorite. Saraba Sekai Kunshu sounded great in its melodic, instrumental breakdown before the group played Sayonara Bunshou, a fairly obscure B-side from ten years ago that was the biggest surprise of the night. Imoriya's bass in particular sounded rich and thunderous, clearly audible over the rest of the band here and throughout the evening. Maybe the most underrated member of the band, he has a unique style of melodic playing using open chords and arpeggios that contribute to the group's unique sounding rhythm section.


Jack Nicholson sounded driving and energetic before the group played Ocean, the best song from No Album Mudai. The guitars sounded beautiful, and Tabuchi's winding solo late in the song was especially well done. The group exited the stage as fans continued to clap in rhythm. As terrific a concert as this had been, something was conspicuously missing: songs from Kocorono, considering by many to be the band's best album. After five minutes the band returned to enthusiastic cheers and launched into the nervous lament of February. Although this song was recorded long before Tabuchi joined the band, it benefits from her presence like much of the group's older material, the guitar solos played by her and Yoshimura sounding exceptional.


The turbulent emotion of August followed, and the song's long length gave the group plenty of opportunity to stretch their legs with more improvisational playing. After Flanging Sun, the group again exited that stage as everyone waited nervously. I suspect I was not the only one wondering: would they play it? Sure enough, the band did not disappoint, returning to the stage one last time to end with July, possibly the most beloved song in their entire discography. Wielding a blue Stratocaster, Yoshimura's guitar dominated as Tabuchi mostly supported from the background with rhythm playing until the song's fiery climax. The group exited to thunderous applause, and it was clear from Yoshimura's demeanor that in spite of the small venue and crowd, Morioka had given the group one of the most enthusiastic receptions they had encountered in quite some time.


Bloodthirsty Butchers displayed the kind of down-to-earth charisma that feels too rare in alternative rock bands these days. Far from the sneering ironic detachment of the average hipster band and music magazine sound-of-the-week trends, the Butchers are a group that feels refreshingly earnest and unpretentious, tempered by many years of experience and the ups and downs of a career in music. Yoshimura, who first took the stage on the last song of the opening act, initially seemed nervous and slightly irritated, but he soon loosened up over the course of the concert to entertain the crowd with humorous banter between songs. He seemed more relaxed than in live performances from ten years ago as he stuffed his guitar into the padded ceiling, played with his guitar cable jack, and jumped around the stage. Although he's rather infamous for his raggedy vocals, Yoshimura's singing was almost always on target in this performance. Despite being the youngest member of the band, Tabuchi plays like a true professional and sounded tight and precise throughout the night, contrasting with Yoshimura's looser style of play. Imoriya's bass and Komatsu's drums make for a colossal rhythm section, the two looking toward each other much more often than the audience. While Imoriya seems shy and content to stay in the background, Komatsu is probably the most energetic member of the band and was a lot of fun to watch as he pounded away on the drums.


With a set list over two hours long, there's no doubt everyone got their money's worth of rock. Finally seeing Bloodthirsty Butchers live confirmed what I long felt to be true: that the group is not just one of Japan's finest alternative rock bands, but probably one of the best in the entire world, as well. In an age dominated by obscurantist elitism on one side and commercialized pablum on the other, Bloodthirsty Butchers are a band that have stayed true to their roots and make music that really is from the heart.

Set List

1. I've Been Lost
2. Sanbun to Blues
3. Blackout
4. Riyuu
5. Sore Dake
6. Poolside
7. Bokutachi no Shissou
8. Dischordman
9. Story

10. Faust
11. Saraba Sekai Kunshu
12. Sayonara Bunshou
13. Jack Nicholson
14. Ocean

Encore 1

15. February
16. August
17. Flanging Sun

Encore 2

18. July

Yoshimura Hideki: Electric Guitar, Vocals
Fender Jazzmaster (Candy Apple Red), Fender Jazzmaster (Lake Placid Blue), Fender Jazzmaster (Ocean Turquoise), Fender Telecaster (Orange), Fender Stratocaster (Dark Blue, pearloid pickguard)
Hiwatt Amp Head, Marshall Cabinet (with Yoshitomo Nara art), Roland Jazz Chorus
Two gigantic pedalboards of obscure effect boxes

Tabuchi Hisako: Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals
60s CBS-era Fender Jazmaster (Sunburst)
Marshall MK-II '73 100-Watt Amp Head, Orange OR412 Cabinet
Black tuning pedal, Blues Driver, Klon Centaur, red Timmy overdrive, Crowther Prunes and Custard Overdrive, Boss DD-5

Imoriya Takeshi: Electric Bass
Early 60s Fender Precision Bass (Sunburst, pickguard removed)
Ampeg amp head, Sunn amp head, Sunn 8x12 cabinet
Pedal board including Ibanez Tube Screamer

Komatsu Masahiro: Drums
Pearl drum set

So... I guess I should check them out.

It's a very different sound.

Also: I'm hella envious of Kyle.

Terra: You might want to start with one of their more recent albums, like Kouya ni Okeru or Banging The Drum. Those and any of the ones with Tabuchi on guitar show more of the band's more accessible, melodic side. Then work your way backwards into the older stuff.

The first butchers song I ever listened to was Silencer.

I was hooked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQfqL3As ... re=related
Stolen from Marekenshin's youtube page.

EDIT: Man, it's been forever since I've listened to Birdy. One of the best things about this band is that even after 100 listens, you'll find something you've never noticed before. The butchers' sound is different because the bass often plays the melody while the guitars wander off to explore harmony.

I like their songs. Just heard 3 songs from em. They gotta grow onto me though. I thought they were gonna sound more metal since their name is awesome haha.

So I bought the split album they did with that shitty American band (not being biased), and they fucking killed it man. All three songs are top-tier Butchers insanity. My personal favorite is I've Been Lost. They're selling the album on the Android market and probably other places if you want to support them.

Haha fuck youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, Plus-Minus is goddamn fantastic. Dick.





Seriously, go listen to "Let's Build a Fire" and then rinse your mouth out with soap for that garbage.

BTB is re-issuing Mikansei and recently played a show where they did the entire album plus the b-sides from Sankaku. I'd slay to have seen that. Don't know if they're doing it again, but if they do, I will be there and write way too many words about it.