Visiting Back in Town Now That I'm Back in Town!

Masamitsu Tayama in concert. Photo by Brett Homenick.

 

On Friday, September 4, I visited the nightclub Back in Town for the first time in a couple of years to see the performance of Masamitsu Tayama, who is always a joy to see. 

I brought my Mothra (1961) steelbook for Tayama-san to sign. I'm not a big fan of steelbooks, but you work with what you've got. 

It was lovely to see Tayama-san and his wife, Yoko, again. Right before I left the venue, Yoko arranged for the group of regulars to pose for a group photo, which we did. She sent it to me after the show, and it turned out really well!

There really isn't much else to say -- there wasn't a dinner afterward or anything like that, so it was all pretty brief. But I never miss a chance to see Tayama-san in concert.

Back in Town at Marquee!

Masamitsu Tayama! Photo by Brett Homenick.

 

On Saturday, April 18, I went to the Marquee live house in Ekoda to watch Masamitsu Tayama perform -- for the first time in a couple of years. Hard to believe it's been that long, but I was especially excited for it.

Neither Tayama-san nor his wife was expecting me to be there, so, when Yoko saw me, she was particularly surprised and gave me one of the biggest hugs I've ever received! 

When Tayama-san saw me in between sets, he spent a few minutes telling the audience about me and our various interactions over the years. It was quite something!

After the show, our group made our way over to a Chinese restaurant where we had dinner. I've eaten here before with Tayama-san after he performed, so it was all second nature to me. I certainly enjoyed spending some extra time with Tayama-san after the show again, so I appreciate the invite.

For those of you not in the know, Tayama-san played Shinji Chujo in Mothra (1961), though you certainly wouldn't recognize him today. He is, and always has been, one cool dude.

BACK IN TOWN! A Fun Evening of Music with a Familiar Face!

Masamitsu Tayama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Friday, September 8, I returned to Back in Town to catch another live performance by Masamitsu Tayama. I always try to attend these performances, as there are usually only one or two per year in Tokyo.

Masamitsu Tayama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Unlike, well, most of the concerts I can remember (at least when I have to work), I was actually able to attend the whole show from start to finish. Thankfully, my work schedule wasn't so bad this time, and I was able to leave work and arrive with about a half an hour before the performance started at 7:00 p.m.

Over the years, I've gotten rather familiar with Tayama-san's repertoire, and I have come to enjoy most of his songs. He really puts his all into his singing, and he leaves it all onstage when he performs.

In a light-hearted moment toward the end of the show, while performing his signature song "Spring Is in the Air," Tayama-san seemed to lose his place. This amused both the audience and Tayama-san, who even considered performing the song again to make it up to the audience. 

Tayama-san ultimately chose to close with a different song. I asked Tayama-san if that had ever happened to him before, to which he confirmed that it hadn't. I told him that it just made it a special occurrence.

As everything was wrapping up, I helped Tayama-san pack up his guitar, and we took our obligatory photos. Even though it's been something I've done countless times, it never gets dull and always feels special.

After that, our group, including Tayama-san and his wife Yoko, walked back to Akebonobashi Station before we parted ways. We went in opposite directions, so we said our goodbyes before going to our respective train platforms.

And that's a wrap! Suffice it to say, it was another fun evening with a wonderful performer. I hope we can do it again soon!

'Spring Is in the Air' at Marquee!

The live house Marquee. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

 

On Saturday, April 1, I attended a live performance by singer-musician Masamitsu Tayama at Marquee, a live house near Ekoda Station. I've recently only been able to attend one performance by Tayama-san per year, so this April show (before his regular one in September) was a rare opportunity for me, and I had to take it. 

Masamitsu Tayama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

At first, I thought this was my first time at the venue, but it slowly came back to me that I attended Tayama-san's performance here around the same time back in 2014 for the first time. I didn't remember the venue or the area at all in the beginning, but it slowly dawned on me that it was the case. I was quite surprised!

Yoko and Masamitsu Tayama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Due to my work schedule, I missed most of the show but was able to catch around the last 30 or so minutes. At the end, he played his biggest hit, "Spring Is in the Air" -- a perfect song for this time of year -- as well as some songs I wasn't as familiar with, including one called "Penguins." He even made an "April Fools'" joke from the stage, which ought to shock certain self-professed Japan experts on social media who've argued until they were blue in the face that April Fools' doesn't exist in Japan.

After the performance, Tayama-san greeted his audience personally and thanked each person for coming. Several group photos were taken with Tayama-san and his usual group of supporters and fans who come out to his shows. But I guess we were taking too long, as the Marquee staff gave us the brush, stating that the next performer needed time to set up. So we changed locations and ended up at a nearby Chinese restaurant.

It's rather interesting to note that we also went to a restaurant after the first time I met Tayama-san at Marquee. So I guess things have come full circle. I sat across from Tayama-san and his wife Yoko, who's always there to support him. I've always gotten a slight enka vibe from Tayama-san's songs, so I asked him if that's his genre. But he said it wasn't and suggested they were Japanese songs. Apparently, the style is more similar to chanson. Either way, Tayama-san certainly brings a lot of power to his performances.

After signing a couple of items I brought with me (a mini poster and a reprint of a Toho pamphlet that came with a DVD), we posed for some obligatory photos, which of course you can see above. Our group rode back to Ikebukuro Station together, after which we parted to go our separate ways.

I certainly wasn't expecting to have dinner with Tayama-san, but I'm very glad I could. It made the experience that much more special and memorable. Hope we can do it again soon! 

BACK IN TOWN! 'Spring Is in the Air' on This Fall Evening!

Back in Town! Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Friday, September 30, I attended another show with Masamitsu Tayama at the live house Back in Town in Akebonobashi. I've been coming to the venue for years to see Tayama-san perform.

Masamitsu Tayama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

When I entered the venue, I was immediately greeted by Tayama-san's wife. There were also a few familiar faces on hand who always come out to see Tayama-san perform. 

Masamitsu Tayama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tayama-san sang his greatest hits, with which I have become quite familiar in recent years. My favorite was "Spring Is in the Air," Tayama-san's 1976 hit which he usually saves for last (or at least one of the last) during his concerts. 

Masamitsu Tayama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

After the performance, Tayama-san came out to greet his supporters and other audience members. I had a nice (but short) chat with him after the show. There was also a lot of picture-taking, including group photos. Tayama-san's wife even took many pictures of her own!

Another great evening comes to and end! It was a busy day, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Going 'Back in Town' Again After a Long Gap!

Masamitsu Tayama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight, I returned to the venue Back in Town (near Akebonobashi Station) to take in a performance by singer-guitarist Masamitsu Tayama. Due to a certain virus you may have heard of, his last few scheduled gigs had been cancelled, so it had been quite a while since I last attended one of his performances.

Masamitsu Tayama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

When I walked into the venue (I was fashionably late due to work commitments), Tayama-san pointed me out to the audience and mentioned the interview we did back in April. Since the interview was published all in English, he told the audience that he had to rely on a machine translation to read it, but, because the translation lacked any sort of nuance, it was too difficult to read. 

After the show, we posed for the obligatory photos you see here. Tayama-san, his wife, and a few friends then went to the train station together, though we quickly had to part ways, as we had to take different platforms. It was another great time with Tayama-san, who is always a joy to see.

New Content on Vantage Point Interviews!

With Yoshimitsu Banno in July 2005.

I'm very pleased to share that my July 2005 interview with Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1971) director Yoshimitsu Banno has been updated with improved translations from the original recording. This interview in particular was a tough one to get translated properly due to the fact that Mr. Banno answered in Japanese directly to the original interpreter, away from the microphone. Thankfully, though, his answers were just audible enough to be understood. This new version does a much better job of conveying Mr. Banno's answers than the previous version, so I'd encourage anyone interested in Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster to check it out!

With Masamitsu Tayama in April 2021.

Also available is my new interview with former child actor Masamitsu Tayama, who played Shinji Chujo in the original Mothra (1961). Mr. Tayama shares quite a few anecdotes about the making of the film never before published in English, so it is well worth a look for any tokusatsu fan!

Vantage Point Interviews proves once again that content is king!

Back in Town!

Masamitsu Tayama playing the guitar. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Friday, September 25, I was able to take in a performance by Masamitsu Tayama, which I was long overdue for. Tayama-san was supposed to have a show last October, which was cancelled at the last minute due to the massive typhoon that hit the Kanto region at the same time. Earlier this spring, he was scheduled to have another concert to make up for the cancellation, but it too was postponed (due to the coronavirus). Suffice it to say, the timing was really awful.

Thankfully, there were no typhoons to speak of, and Tokyoites seem to have learned how to manage life with the coronavirus (more or less), so this performance went on as planned. I noticed that the crowd for this show was about half that of previous concerts, which I guess is to be expected. I didn't mind that, of course. The smaller, the better!

It was another great performance. After the show, I got to spend a few moments with Tayama-san, who's always great to see in person. I just hope the next show won't get cancelled!

BACK IN TOWN! Shinjuku Rocks the Night Away!

 Masamitsu Tayama in concert. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Friday, October 5, saw singer Masamitsu Tayama come "Back in Town" to Shinjuku for another live performance. It's hard to believe that I've been seeing Tayama-san play for more than four years, but time sure does fly!

During the show, I became acquainted with fellow Tayama-san fans, two of whom were quite good at speaking English. Following the show, I got to chat with Tayama-san a bit. I had to miss his last Tokyo performance in July, but I'm grateful to have had the chance to make up for it here.

Another Live Performance with Tayama-san

Masamitsu Tayama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Immediately after work, I attended Masamitsu Tayama's latest live performance, this time held at a nightclub near Omori Station. It's quite interesting to me just how familiar most of his songs are becoming to me.

Naturally, it was great to see him again. Tayama-san alerted me to this performance just days beforehand, so it was rather lucky I was able to attend. I'm very glad I did.

BACK IN BACK IN TOWN! Tayama-san Brings Down the House!

 Masamitsu Tayama rocks the house. Photo by Brett Homenick.

After work on Friday evening, it was music time! So, as soon as I got off work, I headed toward Shinjuku in order to see Masamitsu Tayama's latest show. As always, it was a great one. I even got a shoutout from the stage, which was pretty cool.

The performance was held at Back in Town, at which Tayama-san usually plays once a year. Tayama-san alternately performed solo (with just his acoustic guitar) and with a backup band. Both styles were quite enjoyable.

After the show, I spent a few moments with Tayama-san and his wife. They are charming folks I always look forward to seeing. Many thanks for a great evening!

TAKING IN SOME LIVE MUSIC! Seeing Tayama-san Live and in Concert!

Singer Masamitsu Tayama. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Tonight, I attended another live performance by singer Masamitsu Tayama. He performed many of his familiar tunes -- songs I've heard so many times I can almost sing them myself! Tayama-san sings straight from the soul, and you can feel his passion in all his songs.

I last saw Tayama-san in April, and tonight's show was very similar to that one. Still, it was a great time, a perfect way to close out the week. (Well, I have to work tomorrow, but close enough.)

Many thanks for another great evening! Can't wait to do it again soon!

HE'S BACK IN TOWN! Tayama-san Returns for Another Excellent Gig!

Masamitsu Tayama addresses the audience. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight, I was privileged to attend another live performance by singer Masamitsu Tayama. He played many familiar tunes, both on his acoustic guitar and keyboard. It was quite enjoyable.

The show lasted two hours, and I was seated next to Tayama-san's friends and family. Having attended several performances in recent years, I'm quite well acquainted with many of them, but I still met some new faces tonight.

Tayama-san's next show will be in the next couple of months, so I'm already looking forward to it. I fully expect him to knock it out of the park again!

MASAMITSU TAYAMA IS BACK IN TOWN! A Great Live Performances Caps a Friday Evening!

On September 16, I attended a live musical performance by singer Masamitsu Tayama. The venue was once again Back in Town, a place I have visited a couple of times in the past. Tayama-san makes his living as a musician, but many years ago, he played Shinji Chujo in the Toho classic Mothra (1961).

Tayama-san was joined onstage by other musicians, but it was truly his show. His vocals were powerful, and even though the lyrics were in Japanese, you didn't need to understand the words in order to feel the emotion of the music.

While waiting for Tayama-san to reemerge from the backstage area, I had a nice chat with some fellow fans, some of whom are familiar with kaiju eiga. We talked about a variety of subjects related to Godzilla, Gamera, and other creatures.

It was cool to see Tayama-san again, especially now that he lives far away from Tokyo. His appearances in the city are limited, but when he does one, I always do my best to be there!