Moonlighting

(Temporary sidetrack: will resume NZ trip soon)

As many of you have probably heard, though an elementary school teacher by day, I have discovered the lucrative career of part time singing by night and weekends. This career has manifested itself in a number of ways, including wedding singing (more on that later) and most recently, singing with Kubo-san’s band.

This is Kubo-san. (He doesn't usually dress as a priest. More on that later too. Maybe.) One of the top five characters I've met in Japan. Catch phrase: "Son of a BITCH."

We've performed together many times now. Highlights include playing the "Ono Rich Man Party," ie. an annual gathering of the 100 or so most powerful men and women in town-- company heads, mayor, government officials, etc.-- in a very drunken state (the officials, not us), playing in our favorite bar, and performing for guests in the lobby of a local hotel. That's right, I'm now officially a lounge singer.

Yesterday we did the Ono Yuki Matsuri (snow festival). Our set list is rather... eclectic.

Yesterday's run down was:

It's Too Late

Country Roads (my cold was still lingering, so this featured lyrics like "...West Virgidia, Bountain Bobba...take be hobe...coudtry roads..." They didn't seem to notice.)

Paper Moon

Desperado

Stand By Me

Amazing Grace (our peppy encore piece)

When I heard we'd be playing at the snow festival, I asked where exactly in town we would be.

"Aaah, we play in... to-ra-ku."

"Toraku? Toraku... toraku... track? We're playing on a track? Like at a park or something?"

"No no... to-ra-ku... vroom vroom... (steering wheel motions)..."

"Truck? We're playing in a truck?"

"Hai hai hai."

Since I had no idea what to expect, and imagined us driving around town playing from the back of a pick up, the actual truck was quite spacious, and stationary too.

Kubo-san brings us some fortification...

Little communion type cups of sake, to keep us warm in the -5 degree cold (celsius- that's 23 degrees fahrenheit, folks).

This is me rollin' in the dough.

Despite this serious cash flow, Kubo-san apparently can't afford matches, and must light his cigarettes on available space heaters.

It's not working.
The best part of these performances is always the practice sessions in Kubo-san's practice shack. This is a building composed primarily of tin foil, I think, with a busted window and an ancient space heater which we all crowd around and heat our cans of coffee on during breaks.

Most recent photo of practice shack.

Kubo-san and Hitomi

Hideo (keyboards), Hitomi (drums), and Keitorin

I'm so lucky to get to play with these guys, and I can't describe how much I'll miss it, and them, when I go.