cali≠gari Reunion at ZEPP Tokyo

It had been six years since cali≠gari last played together. During their ten years of activity, from 1993 to 2003, they had been a groundbreaking if strange band; mixing experimental elements, art-punk and new wave sounds into their music that was at once jarring and intriguing. Seen by many as the founders of the eroguro style that influenced bands like Guruguru Eigakan, Merry and MUCC, this reunion was feverishly anticipated. As a piece of showmanship it was a fantastic display as cali≠gari took the audience into a world as surreal as the 1920 silent movie from whence their name comes.

Beginning the evening with a comical video that introduced where bassist Kenjiro had been for the past six years and the attempts of the other members to bring him back, cali≠gari managed to have the audience in high spirits before they had even played a note. When the curtain drew back to reveal the band, the screams gave a warm welcome back as they began to play Erotopia. With their name in show lights on a decadent red velvet curtain draped across the back of the stage it set a fantastic theatrical ambience for the evening. Erotopia, characterised by a chaotic melody, yelping art-punk vocals from Ishii Shuji and interesting interplay between instruments, set the tone for what was to come.　

The crowd welcomed Sentimental with a loud roar, as they jumped animatedly to the spiky notes of Ao's guitar. His manic dancing was appreciated equally boisterously as the audience relentlessly cheered the quartet on. Sentimental seemed tame though in comparison to Maguro, with its weird and wonderful sounds that somehow brought a blaring car horn into the mix of tribal drumming and Ao's strong guitars. After vocalist Shuji poked a bit of fun at the guests sitting on the second floor, they continued with the calmer, breezier Dandandie dandan. Shuji's vocals took on a richer character to suit the nature of the song and he encouraged the crowd in a singalong, holding his mic out to them.

It was in contrast to the heavier Mahoroba with its playful yet jarring tone that created a wonderfully spooky atmosphere. Ao stood at the back of the stage, his body stiff while he played, moving from side to side on a travelator behind the drum kit, like a target in a carnival shooting game. It was at once playful and creepy, a feel that would emanate through the next few songs. Yuugatou opened with a deep bass line from Kenjiro, that came together with spiky siren sounds and a sinuous guitar line in an interesting if disconcerting opening. Ao had moved from the travelator to a turntable on the far right of the stage. There he stood, motionless except for the movement of his hands and revolving slowly with an eerie slowness. In the sole red light that lit up his form and Shuji's great snarl into the chorus, the surreal freakishness of the performance became mesmerising. The same could be said of Kuusou Carnival, as a sole spotlight shone from the rear of the stage, creating a dappled light effect over the audience while the band became ghostly figures. With a background synth of music from a horror film and Shuji's vocals at times reminiscent of Bauhaus vocalist Peter Murphy, it lade on enough atmosphere to send shivers down the spine.

Tsumetai Ame, a lovely song with some nice use of a hammond organ in the melody, offered a slightly more straightforward return to normality, if a tad less interesting before Shuji's first long MC. "In Japan I am the number one vocalist who doesn`t suit the rain," he said in joking reference to the previous song title. "Are there any schoolchildren here?" he then asked and seemed a little shocked by the number of arms that were raised. "Ahh well," he continued to say in a droll manner, "Such a legendary band we are after all," to which the audience responded with a mixture of laughs and mock offense at the "arrogance." He began to talk about facing the future after that, the future of cali≠gari, and told the audience that they had two exciting new songs to play. The first of these was a song with a punk attitude prevailing in the chorus and guitars. It was short and heavy and a lot of fun. The second, Schoolzone was more firmly of a classic visual kei sound with solid guitars from Ao. His wailing vocals complemented the richer, softer vocals of Shuji in a playful melody that got the room moving about.

"When I said 'legendary band'.... those new songs were cool, right?" Shuji addressed the crowd afterwards. "We`re nearing the end now..." to which the audience replied with a loud "Too soon!" call. "I'm old!" Shuji protested. "Until here is ok, isn't it.. Anyway are you ready to go?" he asked, his voice becoming a low whisper as the song Jelly began, its frenzied acid jazz sound stirring the audience into empassioned dancing. Kenjiro`s deep bass line stood in particular prominence, as a steady core to the experimental piano notes.

The arms below continued to go crazy into the fun Outo, the band members taking equal delight in their performance as they leapt about the stage and led the audience in clapping frantically to the beat. It gave a good atmosphere for the finale, Blue Film. The lights across the curtain created a neat concertina effect as Shuji's rich vocals sang the anthemic chorus almost seductively. As the fans twirled the blue streamers to the music, Kenjiro head banged, twirling his long blonde hair thoroughly enjoying this popular finale song. "Ok so please everyone now call for an encore," commented Shuji as he thanked the fans in a buoyant manner before leaving.

The encore shouts were however interrupted by a short comedic film, "Hello Major! The Movie" before the curtains reopened for Tadaima. It made for a lovely encore opener, with Ao`s strumming interplaying neatly with the dramatic pauses in Shuji's singing. It was very 70s in feel although with a distinctive J-pop sound too, and as it closed a low hum of "welcome back" rose up from the crowd. They then took the time for a longer MC. It was announced that Ao was going to be 38, although at the few "congratulations" shouted from the shout, they were remonstrated, and, in the continuing lighthearted manner of the evening, told not to say congratulations. They did however thank the audience for waiting patiently over the past six years. "Today has a good feeling," Ao said as he handed over to Kenjiro to introduce the next song.

"3!" shouted Kenjiro, the audience happily continuing with a "2, 1!" although that wasn't the intent. So after stopping them and trying another couple of times the audience eventually got it right, chanting the song title 37564. It was a nicely strange experience, as befit the general mood of the live, with a trippy hammond organ and some syncopated drumming characterising the band's weirdness.

Ao's guitar resonated the final notes, and sirens filled the air as menacing smoke crept in red lights across the stage. Siren gave one final glimpse into cali=gari's mad world in a dramatic chaotic mix of sounds, the ceaseless sirens and Shuji's maniacal laughter coming together in one last fantastic if disconcerting experience.

The world of cali≠gari is an odd and somewhat acquired taste but that said, their return to the stage was celebrated in a visually and aurally spectacular evening that cemented their position as legends of the visual kei scene.