Hey everyone! Natsukashii Kumo had an amazing time at Pretty Heroes yesterday. If this your first time hearing about us, it’s because we just debuted. We are a rookie band project, proving that beginners could get on stage too. I, Nostalgia, have been a fan of Japanese music since 2006 and it’s all I wanted to play when I picked up guitar, thus why we do anime covers! Be sure to follow our Instagrams for updates and behind the scenes content! (@key2nostalgia | @natsukashii.kumo)
Background & Thoughts On This New Venture
It’s been a year since our last gig. Not sure if I could still be considered a beginner at this point. I only played guitar for about a year when I started looking for people in 2020. I wasn’t able to get a band together until 2021, and then the original Chromatic Dreamers band project debuted in 2022.
I have taken a lot of months-long breaks on my guitar journey (including years between when I first picked it up in 2017 and picked it up again in 2020), but I’ve been playing for about 3.5 years in total at this point. All in all, I was a true beginner at guitar when I decided that I was going to pursue my childhood dream of playing with a band on stage, and we managed to do that last year. So I was done with it as it was quite frustrating to say the least.
This year, Cloud suggested we continue as an acoustic group, I was actually quite nervous. Our Pretty Heroes debut last year was nerve wrecking because the song was way out of my skill level. Platina had many new and weird chords, long progressions to remember, and at a fast pace…not to mention providing backup vocals as well, but I pulled it off just in time with lots of practice. Fukai Mori also has a chord which is very uncomfortable to play, but I worked very hard at it.
I still prefer playing in a band because there’s not as much pressure on you. You’re one of many, and even if you mess up here and there, it’s not as noticeable as long as everyone else continues playing their parts well. You also get to play simpler things like power chords and can have more fun on stage. But acoustic? If you mess up, everyone will know, things can fall apart, and you risk really throwing off your singer.
But once we picked some songs and I realized I was picking things up way faster than last year, I was actually looking forward to it. I’m definitely a goal-motivated gal, so if there’s something to work towards, it’s easier for me to put in the time, to have songs down solid, and ultimately, improve as a guitarist.
So I reached out to Emily, the organizer of the Pretty Heroes (Previously Sailor Moon) convention, if we can perform again, and she offered us a 30 minute set. Much longer than the 2 songs we performed at the closing ceremony last year. I considered what songs would sound best with just us two that still fit the theme and we started working towards it soon after our recordings late May.
For the most part, we were getting through the songs pretty well during rehearsal. Gurenge’s chorus is quite fast, but it was getting easier. We already had Yoru ga Akeru and Butterfly down. I had some lyrics to learn for Secret Base. I also started learning the guitar parts and lyrics for my solo song, Toumei Datta Sekai, since last year, but I never tried to really master it til now.
But the song that gave us the most problems was Army of Two. It was a perfect song for the venue (girl power) and for us (two girls with a musical dream, facing struggles), but…the harmonies in that song are another story. It can be hard to even hear the harmonies in the song, but remembering the pitch you are to target on your own is another story.
The song is pretty new for me as I only watched the show earlier this year so I can add it to my Musician Rates Animes With Musicians article, and I brought it up again in April when pitching it to Cloud for our band’s list of songs, so it’s not like most of the other songs that I’ve probably heard 20+ times over the years. It was also the longest song on the set, so we couldn’t really cut it out last minute haha
But yeah, otherwise, we were definitely feeling pretty confident as a duo. We didn’t have the extra worry knowing our male bandmates had yet to memorize their parts/lines despites months of practice, or the anxiety as one would rather freestyle and lacks consistency. We could trust that each other would do their part as we’ve been practicing and get through the songs with relative ease.
We also had some stage experience already, which always helps. You get more comfortable with your singing and playing being heard by others and not being to worried about negative feedback. You learn something new about what to do or not to do each gig, and this was just another learning opportunity 🙂
Our Performance at the Convention
Our set was for 3PM, so we showed up around 1:45. We walked around for a bit, sat an talked while watching the Kendo lessons. I ran through some things I was going to say in my head, but mostly relaxed and got a feel for the vibe of the venue. I would say we were unusual chill this go around.
I find the days leading up to a gig, you have more of a ‘let’s just get this over with, I’m excited to move on from these songs’ kind of mentality.
Not to say we hate them (though, Army of Two…..maybe), but at least for me, when you’ve rehearsed a song over 100 times, while some songs you would love to keep playing, others are a bit of a pain. Either because it’s quite hard to play, or it’s just not your favourite song, so it’s great when you can finally move on from them and focus on other stuff.
Around 2:30, we took a seat by the sound booth in the performance area. Rose Soenen, a popular harpist who covers popular songs from various places, was still finishing up her set. Her music was quite calming, so any pre-stage jitters faded away. I started preparing my cables and pedal, tuned my guitar a few times (Toronto has been HOT and my room is really humid, so I wanted to give it a chance to breathe and to re-tune a few times).
She finished a smidge early, so we were able to spend time setting up. Mic stands were a little wonky, but otherwise, all was good. Guitar and mics didn’t have a problem. After one last tune up, we started our set.
As mentioned about Gurenge is a little fast. My hands definitely stiffened up as I didn’t play guitar at all that day before getting on stage, but I powered through. After that, I was pretty confident about the other songs. Cloud ran out of breath a couple times. Nerves does that to you, but she was still able to sing from our heart. I’d say it was pretty smooth sailing.
As a whole, I think we did pretty well. I certainly did better on some songs than expected. My voice was pretty smooth and clear (something about hearing your playing from an actual soundboard certainly gives you confidence).
Even my solo, there was potential of messing up as it has a lot of fast chord changes near the end, but I was relieved at the end. A couple chords didn’t ring out right at first but I adjusted and fixed it quickly. Army of Two…a little pitchy, as it was in rehearsal, but Butterfly and Secret Base afterwards was great!
Chilling Out After Our Set
Getting off stage, it was nice to just sit back and relax again. Again, we were unusually chill. We’ve done this before kinda mentality. We took a few selfies and hung out for whatever was coming next.
They set up for the Auction that Emily was hosting. I wasn’t planning to buy anything, but she pulled out two panda plushies. No one was else was gonna offer, so after asking if it has to be cash or they take other stuff, I made the minimum bid. No one else bought the second, I asked if I could get both for $12, she said no….I decided to get em both anyways for $24. Told her $25 before I e-transferred her. I ended up giving one to Cloud….if she didn’t want it, I would have happily taken em both home haha
Cloud is a big fan of Wednesday, so when she pulled out a shirt, she was a little interested. She was thinking about saving her money, and me, being a bad influence, said she should get it. She said only if she can wear it to our next gig. I said why not? So she made a bid and got the shirt for $20.
After that was the Idol Showcase, and BOY this the room get crowded all of the sudden haha. I certainly saw some new groups this time around, so I’ll definitely have to update my J-Pop Idol Groups in Canada article soon after this. I always love seeing their energy on stage. A little jealous of dancers because no one blinks at their mistakes, nor cares when they’re out of sync with each other. Can’t say the same as musician lol
And thankfully, I always have my earplugs on me on my keychain. The music was quite loud and we were close to the stage/speakers. I have perfect hearing, so I’m quite sensitive ;___; Even when I go to concerts to review them, if I forgot to plug them in before the show starts, I will certainly remember once it does haha My ears matter a lot to me as a musician ^^”
I also finally got to meet Whimsical Twist! She is an amazing cafe chef who hosts little anime themed pop up events for her cafe and invites other vendors to also sell stuff at the event. I saw she made a story from where she was sitting on Instagram, and calculated where she was. Said ‘hi’ and chatted a bit before we had to head out as our ride was almost there.
I reached out to Whimsical Twist back in April, telling her about our newly formed band and pitching to provide background music at her cafe. That was the original route we were going to take as a duo. She was the only one who enthusiastically said ‘yes’ to us and we talked quite a bit that day.
Unfortunately, the place she usually rents for her pop ups has closed down, and other places and kitchens are quite expensive to rent for a 1-2 day event, so she said her next will be her last. She’ll be saving up to get a cafe of her own, and I’ll be rooting for her! You can still keep an eye on her Instagram for future pop ups, as I have a feeling she’ll still take opportunities as they come up until she can get her own place ^_^
But yeah, it was a fun and chill day. We’re not really convention people, but I really like the size of Pretty Heroes at the JCCC. It’s quite warm and relaxing. You can always find supportive people there 🙂
We’re so thankful to Emily, the organizer of Pretty Heroes, for another opportunity with a bigger time slow. We’re so grateful to all the volunteers who helped us set up for our gig. Special thanks to Ray (@rayjoevideo on Instagram) who was our sound guy both years. In the cover photo for this article, he took and shared the photos of us while we were on stage. You rock! Thanks again for everything ^_^