SHOES in JAPAN

SHOES in JAPAN at Shinjuku Jam;

SHOES traveled to Tokyo, Japan on April 2nd of 2009 for their first ever Japanese tour, playing 2 nights in Shinjuku!  Hiroshi and Yumi Kuse 
from Air Mail Recordings, served as their hosts in bringing SHOES to Japan for the shows and acted as tour guides as the guys explored the area and got some shopping done.


                                                         
                                                       Yumi and Hiroshi Kuse


  


                                                  
SHOES arrive at Tokyo's Narita airport on 4/3/09         SHOES and Velvet Crush's Paul Chastain...           during soundcheck on 4/4/09



Before the gig on saturday night we were contacted by our friend Paul Chastain from Velvet Crush, who happens to live part-time in Osaka, Japan with his wife.  
They were taking the 5-hour train ride into Tokyo to come to the show.  After a quick deliberation, it was decided that Paul would join us for a song during the encore.  
So we ran through Hate To Run during soundcheck with Paul singing the trademark "Uh-uh-uh, na-na-na" backing vocals.
Despite the fact that Paul had never played the song before and it wasn't originally included in the evening's repertoire, it proved to be a rousing climax and prompted a 2nd encore!  
Thanks, Paul!





                                                              
    Gary sings lead vocal on this one during the 4/4/09 gig as John looks on and Jeff sings backing vocals       Jeff switches to John's mic and sings lead on Love Is Like A Bullet

                                                             
This pic was shot looking out from the stage during the show, just to give a POV glimpse of what we saw during the gig on 4/5/09.
The weather in Tokyo during our stay was perfect; around 70 degrees F.  But under the hot lights during the show, the temperature in the club rose to a sweltering 90+ degrees, 
which made for a hot, sweaty atmosphere...  just like a night of rock should be!
 

                                                  
                                                  
                    Post-gig photo with Hiroshi, Yumi, opening band Rock Bottom members, the stage crew and various friends 4/4/09





                                                  
                 After the shows on 4/4/09 and 4/5/09, the band had a chance for some sightseeing and shopping on monday 4/6/09.


With 2 memebers of the band with the first name of John, we took to calling John Richardson "JR" to help avoid confusion.  Yumi morphed the idea into 
calling him "Train" because the initials "JR" were the same as Japan Railway.




                                                    
Gary on the streets of Shinjuku with our friends             "Train", Jeff and John get some shopping done       At a local record shop "Train" discovers a poster for the gigs
  

 
                                                                 
     SHOES shop at Around The Shoes shop         Our friends and guides Kozy and Tatsuya from the band Rock Bottom      John, Yumi, Gary and Jeff explore



                                                     More to come soon...