Saturday, May 24, 2025
Category: Music

Anime and video game music fans are in for a treat as renowned vocalists Lotus Juice takes the stage at the Legends of Anime concert on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at DNA Lounge in San Francisco along with special guest, Raj Ramayya. This event will feature live performances from some of the most iconic anime and game soundtracks, including Persona, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Cowboy Bebop, Made in Abyss, and Tower of God.

Category: Music

What can be said about Phantom Siita?  I had initially thought that the name was Phantom Theater but no, it is instead based upon the words "phantom,"  the scientific name of the Chestnut Tiger butterfly "Parantica sita," and the scientific name of the moth "Epicopeia hainesii," which has a very close resemblance to a butterfly.  Are they idols?  Or are they something else, pretending to be idols?

Category: Music

Hanabie. will be making the rounds on another US tour for 2025. They've been going around the world at a frenetic pace, this time paired together with Kim Dracula as co-headliners. For most of the tour they will also be accompanied by the bands Kaonashi and fellow Japanese band Crystal Lake.

Category: Music

The Arch Enemy Blood Dynasty Tour begins on April 14 in San Diego, CA, and winds its way north up the coast before traveling east and looping around towards the midwest. The final date will be May 18 in Milwaukee, GA.

Category: Music

Phantom Siita is a relatively young idol group. Just a couple of years old, they will be embarking around the world. They are produced by the now legendary Ado, who has blown up into one of the world's preeminent Japanese singers.

I've seen them twice so far in Japan, both opening for Ado at the LaLa arena Tokyo Bay. For those shows themselves I didn't know I had won tickets until the day before. Thirteen hours after lottery results came on, I was on a plane to Tokyo.

Their status as openers for Ado's Mona Lisa tour went unknown to me until the show began. From the two songs from each night, I could tell something was off. They came across as unhinged, maybe even a little psychotic. But that's exactly the point: "retro horror" is their motif. Every idol group needs a theme to separate them from the hundreds and thousands of other idols that exist at any given point in time.

If you didn't pay attention to the lyrics at all, they look like a group of perfectly nice girls. Delve into the words and things change, drastically. A bit of kidnapping here, blood there, stalking, and then some. They put the yan into yandere. The "retro" part comes from their outfits, musical influences, and overall theme. Taisho fashion, sailor fuku, and more summon the days of old.

Their very first solo live was at the famed Budokan in the heart of Tokyo. I sadly was double booked so I was unable to check it out, but from what I've heard, it was quite the show. Shortly after, they announced a worldwide tour, including a lengthy run in America. A little ambitious in my opinion, but as the saying goes, if you shoot for the moon, you'll at least land in the stars.

Even included as part of their California segment is San Jose, and I'm used to us being passed over in lieu of Los Angeles.

Much like they opened for Ado during her Japan tour, you can think of this tour as an opener for Ado's own tour later in the spring.

A lot of singers and groups never see the outside of Japan, so this is a great chance for them.

Phantom Siita's Moth to a Flame tour will take place at the following:

1/16/25 Taipei, TW - Legacy Taipei
1/18/25 Manila, PH - Samsung Hall SM Aura
1/21/25 Singapore, SG - Singtel Waterfront Theatre

1/28/25 San Jose, CA - San Jose Civic
1/30/25 Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
2/2/25 Dallas, TX - The Factory in Deep Ellum
2/4/25 Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall (rescheduled)
2/6/25 Chicago, IL - The Vic
2/8/25 New York, NY - Palladium Times Square
2/10/25 Toronto, ON (CA) - Rebel

2/13/25 Utrecht, NL -Tivoli
2/15/25 Paris, FR - Bataclan
2/17/25 Berlin, DE - Metropol
2/19/25 London, UK - Electric Ballroom

For further info about Phantom Siita and links so you can purchase tickets, please check out https://phantomsiita-special.jp/mothtoaflame/

EDIT: The filming of a live music video has been announced for 2/4/25. As a result, the original show set for 2/3/25 has been canceled in lieu of the 2/4/25 show.

EDIT: They've posted a video about some of the merch available for the tour. They've collaborated with horror artist Junji Ito for their key visual.