Scandal

What a great night at the House of Blues Sunset Strip. Watching Scandal play live in the USA was incredible! What a great venue to see any band in, there is no such thing as a bad spot.

This was my first time seeing SCANDAL (The All female, Rock n Roll, Japanese Super Sensation!). Admittedly, I didn't know quite what to expect at first; however, the months of anticipation waiting for the show had given me ample time to familiarize myself with their work. With no opening act the girls (Haruna: lead vocals, secondary guitarist; Mami: lead guitarist, secondary vocals; Tomomi: bassist, lead vocals; and Rina: drummer, keyboardist, guitarist, secondary vocals) jumped right in with the high energy track "Love in Action" and the show seldom slowed down from there. SCANDAL brings a fun and fast paced show who's energy can only be adequately compared to that of a punk or metal show (minus the dudes trying to annihilate each other in the pits). When you go, wear comfortable shoes and be fully prepared to be jumping up and down, clapping, waving your hands, and screaming for 90+minutes that will fly by in what feels more like 15. Full Disclosure: Their lyrics are all in Japanese, but for those of you for whom that fact isn't an absolute deal breaker I strongly urge you to go. While SCANDAL'S lyrics may be 99.5% in Japanese they address the audience on several occasions in very understandable English and maintain a vibrant connection through out. I personally would liken it to something more in the realm of "Italian opera", in that you don't necessarily have to understand every word or nuance in order to appreciate a truly great performance. SCANDAL unfortunately often times get lobbed in with manufactured and more Popish acts who's appeal largely centers around the appeal of their attractive young singers; and while the women of SCANDAL are undeniably beautiful, with them this is not the case. The women of SCANDAL are well seasoned and outstanding performers who you can tell honed their craft in the tried and true tradition of being on the road and playing gigs. If you are a J-Rock Fan, a Rock Fan, a fan of Japanese culture, or just a free spirit in the mood for a high energy good time, you owe it to yourself to catch the ladies of SCANDAL the next time they play a town near you. Prior to this, it had been 4 years since SCANDAL had played here in the US. After being a part of this amazing show, I'm hoping folks here in the States don't have to wait nearly as long again.

Wow this show was high-energy! Usually it takes overseas crowds a couple of songs to really get amped up but this show was insane right off the bat until the end. Well done Scandal!

Scandal last played Anaheim 4 years ago and this couldn't have been a better return! Crazy good show!