Random Thoughts of an Otaku

08:13 am - X Japan to play Madison Square Garden

I usually don't comment on a J-Rock band playing a venue, but I find it notable that X Japan is playing Madison Square Garden. Madison Square Garden is the historic arena on 34th street in New York City. http://tinyurl.com/2pgpl6 for the full information.

I am surprised that they did choose to go with an arena and to do it on a non-convention weekend (September 13th). I also remember that NY Anime Festival was that weekend, but is now two weeks before Anime USA (September 26-28). I personally think they won't break even from the show. They needed to play at an Anime Convention or the West Coast because an anime convention would have provided them willing fans or the West Coast where most people of Japanese ancestry are.

The business side of me thinks this won't sell out at all. They will be lucky to get 10,000 people because they aren't tied to an anime convention or the west coast. The probable cost would be between $60-150 a piece. Most of the few J-Pop/J-Rock shows outside of conventions have sold out. They were all in 1,000-2,000 seat clubs. This is in a 20,000 seat arena.

I do know of X Japan and like their theme from the X/1999 films. I would love to go, but this is the September/October Convention schedule in the Northeastern US:

September 5-7 T-mode in Arlington, VA (Fun con, but a day con at most).
September 26-28 New York Anime Festival at the Javits Center
October 3-5 Providence Anime Conference in Providence, RI
October 10-12 (9-13 for me) Anime USA in Arlington, VA

I am not including the conventions after Anime USA, such as Zenkaikon and Nekocon. This mean some event is going to have a down year, but I don't know which one. It does make a convention staffer want to take a year off from convention running. I am not that stupid with only six months until convention.