Saw Loudness last night...Akira Takasaki still rocks!

[TX-Joe]

I was so close I could almost touch his Killer guitars. 3 Killers and one ESP Star with what looked like a tribal tattoo graphic and fretboard inlays, it also looked to have a fixed bridge.

I got some crappy pics with my iPhone. Maybe post them later.

He had a rack with 2 JMP1 preamps, a Freyette pwr amp into 2 rented Marshall cabs.
I could see the case covers for the cabs were labeled SIR so I know they were rentals.
The rack didn't look real remarkable, it didn't look like a fancy Bradshaw rig or anything and nothing else in the rack stood out besides a Korg tuner.
I didn't get a look at his pedal board as the floor monitor was in the way.

His tone was great, they played mostly early material and he did a guitar solo early in the set...they rocked.

the sad part was it was a small venue, maybe 250 - 300 in attenedence.
They were so loud it became unbearable at one point point I had to back the fuck away.

I'm glad i saw them since it's been 20+ years since the last time and I don't think we may ever get a chance to see them again.

If they come to your town and you are a fan go see them...it was worth the $18 bucks.

[fullmetalguitar]

I only have one Loudness cd, Soldier of Fortune, and it's great. The guitar playing it spectacular. Sounds like a great show. Post your pics even if they are crappy.

[Hellbat]

Akira is awesome. Disillusion is one of my favorite albums of all time.

[TX-Joe]

Obviously, I don't know how or can't but here are some links to crappy pics.
Yes, one of his Killers had blue led fret markers.
Sorry guys.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/848/akira1.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/822/akira2m.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/810/killers11.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/339/killers44.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/560/killers55.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/10/killers66.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/864/killers77b.jpg/

[Trem]

Hell yeah it was a great show here too.
Sounds like he's maybe using mostly rented amps on this tour. When i saw them he had 2 Marshall JVM halfstacks.

There must have been a rack behind the half stacks because he did run some effects. He and his guitar tech both had a similar Rocktron floorboard and his tech did most of the switching for solos/effects. I would almost assume he just was using a rocktron effects unit of some sort. Mostly just delay and some harmonizer effects. I wouldn't even be surprised if it was just an old intelifex unit, heh. He must have brought a bunch of guitars. He didn't have that Tribal Star here. I've seen other pics where he had his red star with the mirrors on this tour as well. I wish i had got to see that one up close. Yeah That Tribal Esp thing costs about 10k i think :|

I posted a thread with some pics here as well a few weeks back. Got one of my Killer KG's signed by Akria and the band

I wish they would come back around again and play another set of songs, i'd go see it again. They have so much good material - in the last decade they've put out some great albums too, they're not just an 80's nostalgia band.

[TX-Joe]

Hell yeah it was a great show here too.
Sounds like he's maybe using mostly rented amps on this tour. When i saw them he had 2 Marshall JVM halfstacks.

There must have been a rack behind the half stacks because he did run some effects. He and his guitar tech both had a similar Rocktron floorboard and his tech did most of the switching for solos/effects. I would almost assume he just was using a rocktron effects unit of some sort. Mostly just delay and some harmonizer effects. I wouldn't even be surprised if it was just an old intelifex unit, heh. He must have brought a bunch of guitars. He didn't have that Tribal Star here. I've seen other pics where he had his red star with the mirrors on this tour as well. I wish i had got to see that one up close. Yeah That Tribal Esp thing costs about 10k i think :|

I posted a thread with some pics here as well a few weeks back. Got one of my Killer KG's signed by Akria and the band

I wish they would come back around again and play another set of songs, i'd go see it again. They have so much good material - in the last decade they've put out some great albums too, they're not just an 80's nostalgia band.

Yes, I saw the Rocktron midi board by the tech and saw him do some switching for Akira. I just couldn't get close enough to see his pedal board.

There was not one single amp head anywhere in sight. I looked everywhere.

There is something very ESP-ish about the Killer guitars. I wonder if ESP is doing a Fender-EVH type thing with him in Japan.
Another thing I noticed was that every single guitar had Seymour Duncan pickups ( I could easily see the logo) in them but the Rising Sun guitar had something wierd going with the bridge pickup. I could not make out what it was.

I agree about them having so much great material...wish they would have caught on with a bigger tour and a larger audience.
The singer did mention they've only been in the states for a few weeks so maybe this is just a warm up tour for something else.

I highly recommend anyone catch them if they come to your tone...vastly underated player and band. I've seen them all and he still rocks.
Rusty Cooley is one of my long long time friends and a guy I came up with playing guitar, even he highly regards him.

[texasfury]

......

[Hellbat]

Thanks for posting that vid. It must be weird for them not having Higuchi pounding the skins. He was a lot like Clive Burr in that he always pushed the beat. Suzuki seems to be on the back side / lagging the beat.

[TX-Joe]

Thanks for posting that vid. It must be weird for them not having Higuchi pounding the skins. He was a lot like Clive Burr in that he always pushed the beat. Suzuki seems to be on the back side / lagging the beat.

OMG...I thought I was the only one who felt that way!

But yeah, I noticed it right away. I just can't believe they didn't feel it when they were looking for drummers.

[Trem]

There is something very ESP-ish about the Killer guitars. I wonder if ESP is doing a Fender-EVH type thing with him in Japan.

Actually Killer guitars is solely Akira and George Azuma (President of Killer Guitars). George is their tour manager so you probably saw him walking around. He has been in the past as well. He was basically their voice in the states during the Thunder era during recording and the first US tour ect because he speaks fluent English.

I asked him about Killer ever being produced by ESP and he said no. Also, the red ESP star Akira originally played back then just had ESP branded pups in it too- ESP LH-200 so that was what at least up till Thunder in The East was recorded with. They come in his ESP sig Red star to this day.

One thing i noticed is that though Akiras sound on albums has changed a little bit from back in the 80's, it really hasn't changed that much. He's always been a Marshall guy except for a brief stint with Metaltronix. When they played the old songs, it sounds like Akira. It's in his playing and fingers. He sounds like him. What has changed is that he's a much more aggressive player now. They have some heavy and aggressive shit, and he has also tried a lot of different textures and cool Jimi Hendrix type experimental stuff in his playing. He also said his favorite guitarist was Jimi.

2001's Pandemonium and 2004's Racing are awesome albums. Been spinning those lately, actually all i've listen to is Loudness since the show haha. His solo albums are great as well, totally different and experimental ( i like it). The dudes got mad talent.

[daisp]

Love Loudness...

[TX-Joe]

Does anyone know what is going on with the bridge pickup in the Rising Sun guitar?

It looks like it has 3 coils...with the middle coil having pole pcs on the A & B strings only, the 2 outer coils only have 4 pole pcs excluding the A & B strings.

He used that guitar and pickup most of the night.

Never seen anything like it before.

[Trem]

Hmn, he must have brought more than one Rising Sun, or switched the pup out, The Rising sun he played here had Duncans in it.

[TX-Joe]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/864/killers77b.jpg/

Same guitar but check out the pickup.

[Trem]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...illers77b.jpg/

Same guitar but check out the pickup.

Yea i had looked at your pics.
Went to cross check mine cause i was sure i didn't see that, dunno.
They were right on the side of the stage on the floor here, i walked right up to them and no one was there. I picked up the flame one with the led markers cause it's mahogany bodied and wanted to check that out. Do want one.