Concert Review – Constellations Vol. 5
19 July 2024 Concert Review
Tucked away in a warehouse in the heart of Los Angeles, Fake Star USA’s fifth rendition of the Constellations series set 1720 ablaze. Covering a vast array of genres, the consistent thread throughout the night was the palpable energy of the performers.
TAKERU (above) brought a heaping helping of charisma, even chatting with the audience in English in between songs. His anecdote about driving for the first time in Los Angeles, and the terror it inspired, resonated with everyone in the room.
Kotonohouse was my most anticipated artist of the night. Despite some visible stage nerves, he delivered a quality set of banger tracks. The contrast between his melodic, upbeat tunes and darker drops was particularly satisfying, reminiscent of some of my favorite Porter Robinson transitions.
Special guest TeddyLoid stepped in next to deliver high-octane dance beats. He kicked off with an insane remix of Ado’s “Show,” which had the entire crowd belting out the lyrics. He even dropped some of his earlier work in the anime industry with a remix of “Theme for Scanty and Knee Socks” from GAINAX’s cult hit “Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt”. I definitely lost my voice singing that one.
The night concluded with Ichigo Rinahamu, member of CY8ER (formerly BPM15Q), who delivered an awesome set that had the crowd entranced. Blending outstanding backing dance music with her iconic whispery-soft vocals, her set was hands-down my favorite. Sometimes melodic bass, sometimes hardstyle, sometimes four-on-the-floor house, but always kawaii as can be.
If anything, I wish the crowd was larger and louder. Hosting the event on the Monday after Anime Expo 2024, North America’s largest anime convention, was unfortunate timing. Many people had likely left the area or were too exhausted from four days of anime chaos to muster the necessary energy.
That said, for those in attendance, it felt like we experienced something special. The intimate setting of 1720, coupled with a smaller audience, created a more personal rave experience than I had expected.
– Chris Torrey / Marmar Tha Midboss of KUCI’s LAG Radio