NMFT8: Toronto Recap
May 18, 2016 (Wed) Transporting 20 musicians with a sh*t ton of luggage from Pearson International to downtown Toronto is the arduous task that inaugurates the NMFT8 adventure. Midori, Ryo (PENs+) and I hop into a cargo van Bryan has rented and Bryan drives us to the airport where Myles and Kevin will be meeting us. We park the van, meet up with Myles and Kev and wait for the bands at International Arrivals. While there, a lady from a CBC TV program (Hello Goodbye) approaches us and asks us who we're waiting for and if there's an interesting or dramatic angle behind the visit. Stoked at the potential opportunity for promotion on national television, I explain the passionately crazy tour I both organize and fund and the lady is fascinated by the story. Trouble is their TV program focusses specifically on reunions between family members, lovers or long-lost relatives with a dramatic, tear-jerking backstory. Doh! So I add... did I mention these bands are refugees from the brutal civil war currently ravaging Japan? LOL. She didn't buy it.
After about an hour of waiting, the bands arrive so Bryan gets the cargo van from the parking lot and we pile all the instruments and luggage into the van.
While Bryan and Midori drive the van to the hotel, the rest of us get into six taxis and head.... F*CK that!!! Six taxis including tip would cost $420, I'm not a cheapskate but why would anyone do that when it only costs $3/person to take the TTC. Sure it takes a lot longer but for the bands its both fun and an interesting experience riding the bus, subway and streetcar in a foreign country and it gives them time to bond with each other and the NMFT staff.
We check into the Super8 hotel in Chinatown. Now Super8 franchise is not known for quality but this particular hotel has rooms that are new, clean and surprisingly spacious. In fact it made a strong enough impression on NENGU that they named their newest (previously untitled) song "Super8" !!!! Dalljub Step Club also came up with the title for their new song after late night eats in Chinatown but I'll get back to that later.
After quickly checking into the hotel I treat the bands and a few of the NMFT volunteer staff to dinner at La Carnita. I chose La Carnita because it has kickass tacos and mexican street corn AND it's connected to Sweet Jesus. After that members of dalljub, nengu and I went out to taste test Toronto's selection of fine brew.
May 19, 2016 (Thurs)
I can't even f*cking count how many times I've been to Niagara Falls taking bands, friends from out of town, relatives etc but it actually doesn't get old when the bands get such a kick out of riding the Hornblower (previously known as Maid of the Mist) close enough to the Falls to get mildly drenched.
First of all, Haruna (Gozen Sanji to Taikutsu) lying face down on her bed doing her impression of Niagara Falls is priceless:
After Niagara Falls, we had a small party at my place. I live near Grafitti Alley in downtown Toronto. Risa (Gozen Sanji to Taikutsu) showing her graf skills bombing a wall in 5min using a can of whip cream is also priceless.
After the party Midori and Naomi took the guys to Brass Rail or some other peeler bar. In fact they went to a nudie bar pretty well every night we didn't have a show. Supwidat? Tokyo's 'scene' is way wilder and more fun but I guess they were infatuated with scoping out Canadian talent. lol.
May 20, 2016 SOYBOMB!!!!!!
Gozen Sanji to Taikutsu kicked off the NMFT8 tour with the first performance and they did not disappoint!
Haruna has AWESOME stage presence!!!
Here is video footage of their entire set:
2nd to bat was Regal Lily!!
Regal Lily are only 18 years old!!! They are going to become such an amazing band in a few years since they already kick so much ass.
Nengu!!! I am pretty sure the girls in Regal Lily and Gozen Sanji to Taikutsu harbored secret crushes on the members of Dalljub and Nengu. And the dude that had the most pull was definitely Nengu's drummer, Sotaro Ishigami. LOL
Nengu's performance was SAVAGE. They were born to play at Soybomb.
Bonus: Rob + Vincent combined footage:
And the band most people came to see: MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS!!!!
Classic material from MOTFD!!!
^^ Fuck yeahhhhHHHHHH!!!
Dalljub Step Club had it rough having to go after MOTFD but they just took the baton and turned it into a flamethrower. They brought the heat along with the funk and the mad skills.
Dalljub killed it! torched the remains and vacuumed up the ashes.
First show of the tour and it was an absolute BLAST! Thanks to Jason, Paul and the rest of the Soybomb fam.
This is Bryan, who helps out a ton with the tour:
Shout outs to Sharon and especially Geoff who do so much to help me promote the tour!! Huge thanks to Vincent Yip who took the video footage!!! Rob Perry for additional footage and always making the dope teasers!
And this is me photobombing Kevin's photo with Dalljub. Kevin took 99% of the jawdropping photos above!
Damn, this post took way longer than expected. I'll try to post about the other three shows later because there are some awesome photos of both performances and candid shots goofing around while partying and sightseeing.
NMFT 9 is happening in 2 weeks. It's going to be just as fun and as badass as the tour that happened in May! So make like a foetus and 'head out' to one of the shows!