Monkey Majik/Yoshida Brothers NYC Concert

I know it has been a couple of weeks after this event, but better late than never? If I had an unlimited budget, I would want to chase after this band. Mentally I can think about this concert as though it occurred yesterday, and yes…. I was very happy that I was able to experience Monkey Majik for their first time in the United States. It has been like an early Christmas holiday for me this year!

Monkey Majik for those who are not familiar with them is bilingual band with two of the four members being non-Japanese: Maynard (voc/guitar), Blaise (voc/guitar), Tax (drummers), Dick (bass). They have one anime credit, singing the opening themes to Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan. This was their first North American tour, touring with the Yoshida Brothers, an act Anime Diet had interviewed and covered before. New York was their only stop.

Unlike JAM Project, I didn’t lose my voice for this group. But for the couple of days after the concert, I was still visibly energized and moved by this concert.

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Not the main entrance, but still Webster Hall

Monkey Majik and Yoshida Brothers performed at Webster Hall, where AKB48, Puffy Ami Yumi and other performers have performed. Doors were suppose to be opened at 7-ish, but opened later. This was a standing room only concert, so when the doors opened and people bum rushed in, I found myself behind the first row of people, stage right. Directly in view of Maynard and Ryoichiro.

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Ryoichiro Yoshida

Yoshida Brothers who I know is good enough to headline their own shows as featured performers, opened the act for their good friends. I seriously wish I can tell you what their set list definitely was but beyond my own untrained ears, I can only say that Shamisen music is best heard live. There was one song that people sung/hummed along with, I speculate it might be Sukiyaki.

NYC turned out to be a sold out show. This concert also occurred soon after Sandy, when NYC is still affected by the super storm. Up until the weekend before I was worried about Webster Hall getting power back, since for a time post-storm everything under 34th lost power.

I follow Blaise and Maynard on Twitter, so they have snippets of what they did in NY, which they stayed for a couple of days until their next show at Toronto.

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Maynard Plant

In between songs of their set, Blaise and Maynard spoke with the audience. As a fan it moves me to see how much love there is for this group. It also was gratifying to see the band themselves enjoy this concert as well. I was in a state of euphoria to know that at least I connected by voice to the two vocalists. It also heartens me to see that Blaise had earlier RT a comment I made to him.

The walls were vibrating with music from the other bands playing at Webster that night. Tax was definitely confused keeping apace of the musical beats, that Blaise and Maynard mentioned it. There were fans I heard from Japan, Canada, Pennsylvania, and of course New York. Blaise made a comment about Frank Sinatra, and I cracked up, since his “New York New York” song is a very cliche song, and Sinatra’s a Hoboken guy.

The stage was also pretty small, and with the amount of times Blaise and Maynard switched guitars, the floor was strewn with wires. This had some potential for tripping. But the performers and crew were good about keeping balanced, moving around the stage.

This was a highly enjoyable concert. I would sincerely love it, if Monkey Majik comes back again! At the end of the show, Dick came and threw out guitar picks, I was able to get one. That was a nice souvenir, though the Japanese lady next to me got Maynard’s towel. (The fangirl in me sighs enviously.)

Monkey Majik’s pick. Can I fangirl some more?

I tried to compile a set list of this concert, it seems as though Jiyuuhonpou has a complete set list that she listed on her tumblr.

Fast Forward
Around the World
UFO
Go with U
Wonderland
5.30
fly
Hero
虹色の魚
goin’ places
Bicycle
空はまるで
魔法の言葉
HALO
Together
Headlight
Encore: Change

For this venue, I didn’t take as much photos as I had hoped. I know May has way more better photos than I have taken up over on her flickr.

Author: Linda

Linda is a life long fan of anime, and dabbles in a lot of things. She writes with a tentative neutral voice.. and as for that three year anime blogging mark, she tries to defy that as she is gaining a voice in other mediums ie: Twitter. Find her at other places online. "They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance." -Terry Pratchett

4 thoughts on “Monkey Majik/Yoshida Brothers NYC Concert

  1. Yoshida brothers, very cool. Wish to hear them live.

    Yes, when I was at Moon Stream’s concert, fan girls were swarming for picks they were throwing. It was surreal. I should throw picks at girls at my concert, see if I get the same reaction.

  2. Paper: Hmmmmm… the towel is special, because Maynard used it. ^_^

    MLM: You can try throwing picks, though you would have to personalize them first. How was it surreal though? Was the Moon Stream particularly good or ikemen?

    1. As for Moon Stream, they were both good and ikemen, that’s why it fed my inferiority complex even more. lol

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