Halcali play in France again!

Official site

6月21日は「夏至の日」。
一年中で一番日が長いこの日は、フランスでは１９８０年代から「音楽の日」と呼ばれており、
フランス全土にわたって、ミュージシャンたちが街中で演奏をする。
ここにHALCALIが日本代表で招聘されました。

The 21st of June is summer solstice. This is the longest day of the year and in France this day has been known as 'music day' since the 1980's, and musicians perform in cities all across the country. Halcali have been invited to France as representatives of Japan.

This gig will be held at the Japan Culture Centre in Paris on the 20th and 21st of June. It will be free entry, but you must contact the centre and reserve a ticket- although seating looks to be unreserved. Both gigs start at 8pm.

Great to see Halcali back in Europe. I guess their last trip in January (where they also played that gig to record execs) went well enough for them to get sponsored for another journey out there.

Still, isn't it odd that out of all the Japanese bands who, frankly, enjoy much better sales and popularity, Halcali should be chosen as the representatives (daihyo) of Japan?

With their Chicago gig coming up this weekend too, it's probably already fair to say that Halcali are experiencing equal popularity both at home and abroad now. Although that still isn't very much, it does ease my fears a little bit about them being dropped from their label. If Sony have managed to secure them even a small foothold abroad, that should be enough for them to want their relationship with the girls to continue.

Still, every time I see Perfume in a magazine or hear them on the radio I think "why on earth isn't it Halcali in this position now?"

UPDATE:
Just as I was typing that up, the site got updated again with news of yet another France gig!

This one is a couple of days later on the 23rd of June at The European Centre for Japanese Studies in Alsace. This is another free gig and it will also start at 8pm.

Anyone thinking of getting out to any of any of these shows?