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"Penicillin Nano.
-By William Hill-
-The only cure to Texas heat is a little Penicillin.-
-Posted June 26, 2006-
Hey there boys and girls, how are you all feeling? Got the summer blahs? Got the too hot to trot heevie jeevies? Well then, what I prescribe is a little Penicillin. Penicillin Nano that is. Loud, heavy, sexy, energetic, and everything you would expect of one of the premier names in Japanese rock music. Yes, that is right, they have hit the United States, and they hit hard.
A-Kon 2006, Dallas Texas, the scene for one hell of a show. The day is Saturday, one day into one of the biggest Anime Conventions not to be held on the East or West coasts. The band is Penicillin Nano, a side project by Penicillin members Hakuei and Chisato. Until now the entire band had been focusing on solo projects, but for a limited time only the two teamed up to bring their unique remixes on classic Penicillin songs, out to the great wild world. With the help of A-Kon management and Avex, the band was flown in for the three-day convention, to the joy of well over a thousand fans.
The band had been performing rehearsal early that morning, with the entire Dallas Ballroom of the Adam’s Mark convention center shut off to the public. The anticipation had been building since Thursday, and the question on every fans mind, what would they play? Yes, this was the absolute first performance in the US, and one of the first performances by the newly formed Nano group. Would they have all new songs, or would they be playing the songs Penicillin was known for? The answer turned out to be something no one had thought of, remixes. Yes, electronic remixes of those well-known and loved songs, while recognizable to the original tunes, definitely harder and more frenzied than their predecessors.
Fast forward to Saturday night, 10pm, the fans had been lining up since hours earlier, easily pushing to fill up 1/4th the lobby area. Cosplay had some technical difficulties and was running late, and security seemed to be confused. Press section? VIP section? No, they were not the same thing, and should definitely have never been confused for such. After the run around with head of security, event staff, guest services, and one higher up described only as the man with the yamaca, things were finally starting to get sorted out. Through some twist of fate, we the representatives of DMG Ice were allowed to stand in by the door of the ballroom, while final setup was performed. The general checks were to be expected, putting away chairs, moving instruments to the stage, and then it happened. While staff was tuning and setting up instruments, a Japanese man in a Coca-Cola jersey jacket came on stage, and taking a guitar up, began into a few memorable chords. Was he just staff? No, it was hard to be sure, because he was out of costume, but it was indeed Chisato, performing his sound check. Then, as an addition, out from the side of the stage came strolling Hakuei, a mere ten feet from our group. At first it was hard to be sure, because again, he was in street clothing, and had a white flu mask on, but when he began to look at the stage, listening to the music from the audiences perspective, it was confirmed.
Taking to the stage, removing his mask, and slipping in his earplugs, the band began into the first song of their set list. The music was loud, the band relaxed as though it was the easiest thing in the world, and halfway through they would stop, confirm with the technicians, and move onto the next song in their set list. Finally, with a “Daijoubu desu desu” from Hakuei, and an “Ok” from Chisato, the sound check was over. Now all that was left was for the staff to brief security, and the band removed themselves backstage to go shower and change into their outfits. The crowd outside had begun to grow restless, so it was time to usher the press, industry, and media guests to the sectioned off area, before they would unleash the mob of anxious fans into the ballroom. Sitting directly in front of our crew, local radio hosts and a few other industry guests. In front of them, sat Samantha Inoue-Harte and her husband, she was excited just as much as any of the fans that was streaming into the general standing area of the ballroom, and would scream loudly whenever A-Kon’s TV crew panned our way. Behind us, through the obvious confusion and lack of communication by staff and security, sat the bands managers, friends, family, translators, and two members of Dallas Morning News.
The ballroom had nearly filled, by now beginning to present a problem of safety. Standing upon the stage with microphone in hand, the head of security presented the first of several issues to be addressed before the concert to begin. In the frenzy to get in close, members of the audience had begun to squish young Japanese girls against the barricade blocking them from the stage. The first request was small, simply move back some. Not complying with this, the request became demanding, back five feet or the concert would be canceled. To some end, members of the audience were unwilling to consider it, and the struggle continued for awhile, until finally the main lights came on to prove the staff was indeed serious, step back or else. Finally, when this had been done, the lights were lowered and the rest of the security precautions could be announced. First, no moshing of any sort, second, no crowding the stage, third, no twirling of glow sticks. Finally, and most emphasized, no cameras of ANY SORT. One overly eager fan was publicly berated and then ousted for displaying his camera phone in the audience. Finally, with security bolstering down their respective posts at barricades and other locations, the show was ready to go on.
First came the two relatively unknown members of the band, the drummer and keyboardist. Then, when the cheering had subsided, came Chisato, striding confidently to his place with guitar, dressed in suit jacket and black turban. His trademark skeleton jaw bandana was over his mouth, as well as the other band members wearing their own style of bandana over same said place. The band began to play an introduction of sorts, loudly, and barely over the screams of the audience, as a silhouette of a man could be seen waiting his time at the side of the stage. Finally, rushing out, his hair done up in top knots, his suit jacket and tie flapping against his skull marked tank top, and his black kilt twirling as he took his spot, the audience exploded into cheers. Hakuei took a moment, and then ripping his ski mask from his face, tossed it to the staff between audience and stage. Yes, it was no dream, this was Penicillin Nano, this was Chisato and Hakuei live in America, and the concert was only starting. Wasting no time, the band began into their first song, full of energy and playfulness. Following along to the bands signals, the audience would raise rock horns or other various hand moves to accompany the music, screaming a constant feedback of the enjoyment of the audience.
By the time a few songs had been played, it came time for introductions. By this point most if not all the Japanese VIP guests had left the spaces behind us. First came the keyboardist and drummer’s introductions, in Japanese. The only bit I could catch was that one was named Eropin, a play on Lupin of Lupin the third anime. Then came Chisato’s introduction, using a mixture of simple English phrases, he sent the audience cheering, and then apologized for his poor English. Finally was Hakuei’s introduction, in Japanese, talking about how excited he was to see all of us Americans. With that out of the way, Hakuei left the stage, and Chisato took charge. “Are there any sexy girls? Where are the sexy girls?” The audience went screaming, pointing, and even some of the males went overboard attempting to garner Chisato’s attention. “This one is for the sexy girls!” The band went into a song, heavy on guitar solos, with Chisato performing both vocals and guitar. When that was finished, Hakuei returned, having stripped off his jacket, tie, and changed from his kilt into very short black shorts. The band launched into a few more songs, including Double Love Shock, and the teasing began. Hakuei would play with his microphone near his crotch, pretend to eat a booger, blow kisses to the audience, pull down his shirt to his nipple, and generally excite the crowd during and between songs.
When their set had finished, the band gave bows and waves, and exited the stage. Immediately the audience broke into various cheers and attempts to bring the band back for an encore, until finally they synched up into a chant of “on-kor-ay” or the Japanese phonetic way to pronounce encore. The stage lights came back up, and the band rushed back sporting t-shirts and hats emblazoned with the Nano logo. Performing the hit song Romance, theme to the Sexy Commando anime, Hakuei then tossed his hat to the crowd and a small skirmish broke out to retrieve it. With another couple encore songs, the band finally ended their concert, having gone for well over an hour, and with final farewells, left the stage and the ballroom lights came up. The audience filed out, and one amazing concert was finished. All the band had left for appearances was the Q&A, and the autograph session on Sunday. These passed with regular affair, and only a few noteworthy things occurred. One such being the question of boxers or briefs, to which Hakuei answered by pulling down his pants and exposing transformers boxer briefs.
Thus the convention ended; after one amazing first performance in the United States as the center of attraction, and at least 1/3rd of the convention membership having attended and been satisfied. The band is currently releasing remixed singles of classic Penicillin songs, before Hakuei and Chisato will join with the reformed Penicillin and continue to bring great music to Japan, and hopefully America. This writer would definitely refer any music fan to check out Penicillin Nano and to a greater extent Penicillin for a thrilling experience in hard rock, soft rock, and mesmerizing pop.
Prayer spoken and transcribed by William Hill
Property of DMG Ice, dmgice.com, and the original author as expressed in the by-line.