Updates:

1. BM is playing about 27 dates in the US this fall. Dallas is right in the middle. I bought a VIP ticket to the show. My plan is to watch the reviews of all the shows before Dallas to make sure it's worth the price and not another BS stunt like what they pulled last year. If it is, I'll have plenty of time to see it.

2. Band-Maid is ALSO coming to Dallas!!!! They're playing a tiny 500-capacity room and tickets are only $25 - a frickin' STEAL. Yes, I'm going!

1. Did they ever say why that one girl left?

2. When and where for Band Maid?

https://loudwire.com/yuimetal-left-b...ong-starlight/

https://www.songkick.com/artists/8855314-bandmaid

OK, we're still up in the air about Yui. It looks like Amuse still has her under contract, so it will be a while before she breaks loose.

And of course when Band Maid is in D, I'll be in Japan. Tell Achi I said hello.

I know you meant telling Achi hi as a joke, but VIP ticketholders get a meet and greet. If I looked into Miku's eyes I would probably faint.

I wish they had replaced Yui - it's disappointing to think that they'll probably never do 4 no Uta or Onedari Daisuken live, and that Moa has to do both parts in Gimme Chocolate and GJ. It's just not the same.

They're great musicians and performers (something I think gets overlooked), but it was Achi's drums that really made me notice them.

I've mentioned this before in other threads, but 3 years ago I was playing in a garage band that covered Band Maid's "Thrill". Our lead singer was a high school girl who loved belting it out. We gigged primarily senior's activity centers, and neither our audience or we had any idea what we were doing, but it was one of our more popular songs. The seniors said it "had a good beat."

Thanks for the Band-Maid heads up, DalTXColtsFan! I wish they were coming to Las Vegas, but LA might be close enough in September.

NEW BABYMETAL SINGLE!!!!!! IT FRICKIN' ROCKS!!!!!!!!

Their Glastonbury set from yesterday:

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/446292693

And the interview following it:

sorry, but this shyte is unlistenable without a cute video

Your wish is my command!!!!

The Japanese metal scene seems to be pretty vibrant atm. Here's a new guitarist (new to me anyway), Ironbunny.

I'm going to go against the grain and post a band that is not predominantly women. When a metal band can successfully integrate a string section into their music the result is usually magic:

Baby Metal is coming to Vegas

Not the same without the wrestler dude

Last night I went to see a band from Spain called Mago de Oz. They were PHENOMENAL. I highly recommend YouTubing "Fiesta Pagana" for those who don't yet know them.

I swear to you, I was the only "gringo" in the crowd. Everyone else was Latino, mostly Mexican.

A few weeks ago my wife (who is from Mexico) and I saw a band called Maldita Vecindad. You could count the Americans on your fingers.

I've been to several Spanish-language concerts with the wife, and I'm usually one of a handful at most of Americans.

What's the point you ask?

The times I've seen Babymetal and Band-Maid you could count the number of JAPANESE fans on your fingers. Everyone else, for all practical purposes, was American.

I can't help but wonder why Americans flock to bands like those two but not to Spanish-speaking yet equally if not more talented bands.

Thoughts? Seems like the question could spark interesting discussion.

Last year I saw Metric in Vegas, and the Mexican band Zoe opened for them....it was absolutely packed for Zoe....mostly a Latin crowd....and half of them left when Zoe was done.

I've noticed this in Austin. As Austin transitioned from a music town to a music-business town, concerts featuring bands from Mexico seemed to be targeted towards hispanic audiences. Their crowds are at least 80% hispanic. The exception is festivals. Zoe played to a generically diverse set of gonzos last fall, I believe.

Through the 80s, Mexican rock bands would come to town in vans or buses, like everybody else did, and could show up at any venue and attract any crowd, but now it's different. Most of the the smaller promoters have been forced out of business by the City (which controls many venues) and the bigger promoters have to specifically position their shows to cover their costs.

afaik, the local spanish-speaking chicano bands have been forced out.

It's no secret that Akane is my favorite. I guess that's why youtube fed me this at 6AM.

They have prime Led Zep talent throughout the entire lineup.

Hey SuitedJustice! Good to see you still carrying the Band-Maid torch! Been able to see them live yet?

What's up, DalTXColtsFan? They haven't come through Las Vegas yet, AFAIK.

Saw BandMaid live AGAIN last night. They are a world-class (no pun intended) live band - super-tight sound, great rocking songs, incredible energy on stage, running around and jumping and whatnot, and best of all, their English has improved a LOT.

I'm disappointed that Akane no longer wears the hat.

Babymetal, despite the obsession I had with them 6 years ago, I've for the most part pretty much forgotten about. Saw them live 3 times - the first was really good, the second so-so and the third terrible.