GIG: BLOOD

PREVIEW BY AMELIA GROOM

One of the most intriguing pop culture phenomena to come out of Japan in the last few decades is the visual kai (‘visual type’) music genre, entailing bands that theatrically blend aristocratic flamboyance with goth, punk, glam, industrial and cyber visuals; and thousands of adoring teens across the nation who relentlessly imitate them in public places.

Like the glam rock and hair metal genres often compared to visual kai, there’s an emphasis on androgynous appeal, and elaborate costume and make-up place the (almost exclusively male) band members somewhere beyond gender categories.

The first visual kai band to be brought out to Australia, BLOOD will be performing at the Factory Theatre for one performance only this weekend. Their sound is loud, fast and adrenalin-pumped, but classifying themselves as a visual kai band, they are unashamedly for the eyes as much as for the ears. Their dark, erotic and sculptural costume is both futuristic and old-worldly; their theatrics both gruesome and elegant.

Formed in 2002, BLOOD has gone from playing their first gig at a small club in
Osaka, to selling out shows across the US, Europe and South America. Committed to remaining independent, they’ve always released their albums through their own record label Darkest Labyrinth.

Each album is unified by a theme – previous releases have seen the band explore the lore of vampires with Vengeance of BLOOD, and take inspiration from French poet Charles Baudelaire with Les Fleur Du Mal. This tour will reveal their newest concept album, Symphony of Chaos.

With Kiwamu on programming and guitar, Kaede on bass, Ryo on manipulations and Fu-ki on vocals, BLOOD will be the first visual-kai band to come to Australia. Melbourne-based classical-goth artist GPKISM will be joining them on the tour.

BLOOD
June 8
Factory Theatre
105 Victoria Rd, Marrikville
$25
Bookings: 9550 3666 or www.factorytheatre.com.au