Show Review: April 17th MTM Presents Josiah Hawley, Laya, Oshin, Elliot Cormack
We returned to an old stomping ground, Kagurane, with another talent rich, sold-out show last Saturday. From start to finish, the acts were spectacular with styles much more rhythmic and upbeat compared to the folk and rock sounds of the previous week.
Seeing the artists do soundcheck is always a cool thing; it’s like the calm before the storm, subdued, but with the energy building as open draws closer. And then people start pouring in, excited to see their favorite artist and to attend another fantastic show.
First, we had Elliot Cormack, a smooth way to start off the show. The entirety of the early crowd tuned in once he began singing. The way he sang and everyone swooning to it, was a sight to see. Elliot’s unique choice of chords combined with his adept talent and reworking of a few Entrada favorites makes for a deeply personal performance. Seeing him work his newly purchased loop pedal was a cool touch to broaden the sound of his performance - kudos to you, Elliot, for making it work. At one point, he caught everyone’s eye by even adding in harmonics by singing into his own guitar.
Oshin was next on stage. Rio, the group’s frontman, stepped on stage paired with his guitar. He was calm, but as soon as he started playing, you could sense his power through his vocals. His sweet serenade attracted the crowd instantly; and gave it an intimate appeal. It was easy to get lost in his performance and forget that there’s a whole set of instruments on stage until Yohei (Lead Guitar), Kay (Drums), and Mystery Man (Bass - but all-around badass) revealed themselves, and took the room from calm intimacy to booming funk. Daft Punk comes rushing to mind thanks to Mystery Man’s mask and the now contagious dancin’, groovin’, and funkin’ around from everyone in attendance.
Zuma's DJ set came at the midpoint of the show and his smooth beats and slick transitions gave the crowd a chance to build into a fevered pitch before his partner Laya, with energy matching the crowd, stepped on stage. She was able to work the masses by switching effortlessly back and forth from Japanese to English, a skill rare and precious on these shores. Her stage performance was spot on as not only was she interacting with the crowd every chance she got, but she made sure her presence was all over the stage. One of everybody’s favorites was her song “A Moment Like This.” People were at the front dancing and having a fun time. When Laya comes back, you won’t want to miss that moment either!
Finally, to wrap up the show, Josiah Hawley. Man, what a freaking terrific way to end the night. When Josiah gets on stage, he’s hungry; he’s looking to feed off the crowd’s energy. At first, he started off with a smooth song, just him singing. Then, like Thor being summoned from above, Mike, the drummer, comes in booming with drums that made everyone’s soul jump. Josiah hand-selected his band members to join him, and he couldn’t have made better choices. FiJA, another talented singer, paired well with Josiah’s voice. The duo was like highball and karaage, so damn deliciously good. The Latin-flavored “Let Me Have It” was an audience favorite. Hawley absolutely rocked the house, and the band’s performance was one for the ages. He chose to end the night with “ I Just Want Your Love” {あいしてほしい}, and that was the icing on the cake. Even though we didn’t want the night to end, we’re glad we finished on such a high note. Bravo, Josiah, bravo!
Overall, it was a great show. It was some people’s first time, but all were welcomed with a smile for them and others. From beginning to end, a mountain of talent giving spectacular performances crossed the stage. Everyone in the crowd was beautiful, and there was nothing but positive vibes for all. Always a good time, always a good vibe. Peace and love!
See all of the event's photos in the photo album on our facebook page.
Upcoming Shows:
April 22nd Craft Beer Unplugged with Robert Taira Wilson
April 24th MTM X Aries City Presents: Jumeaux, Afrodyty, SLOPE UP SESSION CLUB
May 15th MTM Presnts: Omni Sight, Demsky, Ry
May 22nd MTM Presents: TOW, Robert Taira Wilson, Veronica Veronico
May 29th MTM Presents: The Shamisenists, BO-PEEP, Tokyo Sapiens