HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR in Chicago, USA

A year after their first performance in the USA at Shiokazecon in Texas, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR returned to the USA. This time they rocked Anime Central in Chicago, Illinois, on Friday May 11 and Saturday 12. Friday afternoon, we had a chance to attend a press conference with the band.


PRESS CONFERENCE

High and Mighty Color entered the room, and greeted us in English. After a brief introduction, we began.

How did High and Mighty Color get started?

H&MC: We give guys all met in high school. We formed a cover band, but then we started doing original music. Then we met Maki and she joined the band.

What were your impressions when your song Pride was used for the Gundam Seed Destiny theme?

H&MC: (Sassy makes a rock-on sign with his hand and everyone laughs) It was enjoyable!

Are High and Mighty Color anime fans?

H&MC: Yes.

What genres of anime do you like?

H&MC: All of them!

What are your impressions of ACen?

Maki: It's fun! We can't believe we've only been here for two days, it feels like we've been here forever!

What American bands have influenced you?

Meg: Incubus.
mACKAz: Limp Bizkit! Matt Bay.
Maki: Motley Crüe.
Yuusuke: The Deftones and Incubus.
Kazuto: System of a Down, Metallica, and Jimi Hendrix.
Sassy: Metallica.

What Japanese Bands have influenced you?

Meg: Southern All Stars. Their music is serious, but they do it with humor.
mACKAz: L'Arc~en~Ciel and Shina Ringo.
Maki: I'm not influenced by any one band. Since I joined this band, we've performed with many other bands. I am influenced by them.
Yuusuke: L'Arc~en~Ciel.
Kazuto: Judy and Mary. Bands with female vocals.
Sassy: TM Revolution!

What is High and Mighty Color's musical direction?

H&MC: Fans always listen to either pop or heavy music. What we want to do is achieve the goal of bridging these genres.

What is your target audience?

Kazuto: Office babies! (laugh)
H&MC: We break through to our audience with anime.

Which do you like more: American or Japanese audiences?

H&MC: We can't choose one over another. Everyone likes our music.

What other countries have you performed in or would like to perform in, other than the USA and Japan?

H&MC: We haven't performed anywhere else yet. We would like to go to…UK! Germany! The Scandanavian countries! Wherever we can go!

How do Japanese musical styles compare to American styles?

H&MC: Japanese styles are very mellow and soft. American styles are very hard in comparison.

Do you have any crazy stories about your times in America?

mACKAz: Last year when we went to Texas, I made a mistake right away. I left my passport on the plane!
Kazuto: A wild fan got to close so I had to push her away. She said "Ouch!"
H&MC: Ouch! (laughing)

This question is for Maki. Do you like acting or singing more?

Maki: I love both. With music I can express my own feelings. Acting is another way for me to express my feelings. I can pretend to be someone else.

How do you think the language barrier effects the way foreign fans interpret your music?

Yuusuke: The details are difficult for foreign fans to fully grasp. But the sound and the feelings are what's important.

Do you have a message for your American fans?

Meg: This is our second time in the USA. We're happy to reach fans in the USA through anime, and we would like to do it again!
mACKAz: We love American music. We would like to come for sightseeing. We'd also like to perform with an American band!
Maki: Each time we've come, we've had a very warm welcome. I'm happy to meet the people!
Yuusuke: Even though there is the language barrier, the smiles in the audience show us that we've reached them. I'd like to come again!
Kazuto: I'm very happy that American people are interested! I want to see more Japanese bands come to the USA.
Sassy: We give Americans our best performances!


LIVE REPORT

A year after their first appearance in the USA at Shiokazecon in Texas, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR returned, this time to rock Chicago's Anime Central convention.

After the opening band, Spiral Spiders, had warmed up the audience, they were left with a half hour break to catch their breath and prepare for the next blast of intense Japanese music as the set was changed. Surprisingly, no seemed to realize that Sassy himself had come onstage to make adjustments to his drums, but a few watched quietly as the rest of the audience chatted animatedly. Finally, the head of the convention came onto the stage and announced HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR.

The crowd roared as the members came onto stage, and if anyone had been able to tear their attention away from the stage long enough to look, they wouldn't have seen a single person sitting. HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR held the audience in their world as they played the first couple songs. The sound was great; with the exception of a few instances, the vocals were clear. The instruments were completely without fault, and even rivaled the recordings.

Yuusuke introduced the band in English after the first couple songs, which the crowd reacted to with a loud roar. After another song, Maki left the stage for a short time, leaving the guys to do a few solos, but she returned then to continue the show. The audience's connection with the band was amazing. When HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR wanted them to jump, they jumped; when HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR pumped their fists in the air, so did the audience. And when video footage from the anime BLEACH appeared on the screen, the audience cheered and sang with Maki and Yuusuke as they played Ichirin no Hana. The audience continued to sing along until the band left the stage. Then, during the encore, they cheered again as footage from Gundam Seed Destiny played, and they sang along with PRIDE with gusto.

At the end of the second concert on Saturday, the audience reached towards Maki as she leaned out into the crowd, supported by a member of security. The audience was both happy and sad: happy for the chance see such an amazing band live, but sad to see them go. However, I am certain that we will be seeing more of HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR in the USA in the future, so keep an eye out for them!

SETLIST

1. Over
2. Resistance
3. Here I am
4. En Rai ~TOOKUNI ARU AKARI
5. TSUMI
6. MEDLEY
7. PRIDE
8. Change
9. DIVE into YOURSELF
10. ICHIRIN NO HANA
---Encore---
1. energy
2. PRIDE


JaME would like to thank HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR, Yuriko Inagaki of Tofu Records and Anime Central for this opportunity. We would also like to thank Melony Breeze for her great help.

Photos by Shinsuke Irishi and Melony Breeze