Dr. Shades's INCREDIBLE Perfume experiences, a 4-part saga

[Dr. Shades]

Well Perfume lovers, it was one year ago last night (Friday [April 17, 2019]) that the magical, unforgettable Perfume concert was put on in my hometown of San Jose, California, and in which I was in attendance. It was, and still is, a night to remember. What euphoria!

Here's a guy who vloged about the event and even put in some representative clips for us. As you watch, keep in mind that I was down there, dead center, one person away from the front:

• Show Report: Perfume at the San Jose Civic Center

Another person who was much closer to me captured some footage, too. Here's a clip from the song "Butterfly," one of my favorites, during which Perfume showed off their technological acumen:

• Butterfly + technology

From yet another videographer elsewhere, Here's the woman who beat me out to get to translate for them:

• Yuki translates for Perfume

Later, A-chan leads the crowd in a cheer:

• "Say HO! Say HO HO!"

And here they are saying goodbye as the closing credits roll. Hearing A-chan speak English is adorable:

• Closing credits

The whole thing was like a dream. It felt like an out-of-body experience. I can hardly believe I was there.

Seriously, everything about this band is just so perfect. Their music itself, first and foremost; the cuteness and adorability of the members, the sweetness of their personalities, the laser-like precision of their choreography, their spare-no-expenses integration of technology, plus the fact that the band just feels so totally legitimate because they formed in sixth grade when they were only 11, of their own accord and minus any big label intervention, and legitimately fought and scraped their way to the top, putting in ALL of the required grunt work for years and years beforehand. . . Perfume is, quite simply, the entire package. NOTHING is, or ever was, half-assed.

[KateFromage]

You should have translated.

[Dr. Shades]

OH MY GOSH!! WELCOME, KATE!!

Everyone, a HUGE welcome is due to KateFromage. She is OUTSTANDING.

. . . and I agree, they definitely should've chosen me, dang it!

[KateFromage]

Aw, shucks...

[Dr. Shades]

It was exactly three years ago today that I attended this life-changing concert. 'Twas in the top five best days of my life. Would that I could do it all over again. Their next U.S. tour can't come soon enough!

[Gunnar]

It was exactly three years ago today that I attended this life-changing concert. 'Twas in the top five best days of my life. Would that I could do it all over again. Their next U.S. tour can't come soon enough!

I imagine that I would have experienced a similar euphoria had I had the opportunity to attend a concert by Sissel Kyrkjebø and get to talk to her in her native Norwegian and my own mother tongue. She would not have needed me for translation, though. She speaks American English as well or better than most native-born Americans. In fact, American country and western music is one of the many genres in which she has exceled, at least one example of which is included in the link I provided.

But I have already discussed Sissel in other threads and linked to examples of her singing, and I don't want to be accused of derailing this thread by discussing her any further here. I am happy you get so much pleasure from your favorite group, whom no one can deny are worthy of the admiration and affection you have for them.

[Kishkumen]

It was exactly three years ago today that I attended this life-changing concert. 'Twas in the top five best days of my life. Would that I could do it all over again. Their next U.S. tour can't come soon enough!

Keep us informed when their next American tour occurs!

[Some Schmo]

It was exactly three years ago today that I attended this life-changing concert. 'Twas in the top five best days of my life. Would that I could do it all over again. Their next U.S. tour can't come soon enough!

Hey, I thought your were joking about Perfume. Are you telling me you were only joking about the rule, but not about your love for them?

If so, I'm not as impressed as I was before. Disappointed, actually. The joke would have been much better if you liked them about as much as I do.

[Binger]

It was exactly three years ago today that I attended this life-changing concert. 'Twas in the top five best days of my life. Would that I could do it all over again. Their next U.S. tour can't come soon enough!

Hey, I thought your were joking about Perfume. Are you telling me you were only joking about the rule, but not about your love for them?

If so, I'm not as impressed as I was before. Disappointed, actually. The joke would have been much better if you liked them about as much as I do.

Hey man. Now that I am a bleeding-heart liberal, I expect you to be disrespectful to people who do not think exactly like you. However, I expect you to be respectful to Shades in his house.

It will be super interesting to see if this makes it onto the board.

[Dr. Shades]

Hey, I thought your were joking about Perfume. Are you telling me you were only joking about the rule, but not about your love for them?

Yes. I stated that explicitly. See this post in response to one of yours.

If so, I'm not as impressed as I was before. Disappointed, actually. The joke would have been much better if you liked them about as much as I do.

I agree.

(If I liked them about as much as you do, would I have attended their concert?)