Finally I was going to Velfarre - 2nd Largest club and venue of the best trance events in Tokyo, and tonight special guest DJ SAMMY!
Yvette and I rocked up just before midnight only to find out his set was almost finished?! WTF!?
We payed our 3000￥ anyway and entered the elevator to go down to the main floor. Suddenly the lights are flashing with music pumping from the roof! and some dude starts break-dancing in the center! Awesome! You know the club will go off when the elevator does!!
Entering the huge, not-overly-crowded dance-floor, the sound was good with lights and huge displays. And finally a sign that at least some Japanese girls can dance =) Even if half the paid podium dancers couldn’t!
After we shook hands with DJ Sammy he wrapped up the set and that was all we saw of him! In Aus, the main DJ NEVER comes on till after midnight! 2 more DJ’s continued the trance theme until 1.30am at least.
Hang on, 1.30?
Velfarre: 2nd biggest club in Tokyo? Check.
Trance night? Check.
And its finishing at 1.30?! Only to re-open as psych-trance at 4am with a new 4000￥ entrance fee! How do they get away with it?!
So we were in search of another club, Yvette worked her magic and after varied information we were given directions to Vanilla.
If you thought the trains got packed here, try this club. We just squeezed through the RnB to the dance room that included heavily remixed Pop! Phasing around 3.30, we bit the bullet for a taxi home.
And sleep. Finally.
I was lucky enough to go on the yearly LDW company tour! This was by far my biggest insight into Japanese Culture.
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Ahh Roppongi. The well known area of tourist night life in Tokyo. And a certain reputation that goes with it.
First stop, AMPM. The mighty idea of buying $2 roadies before paying $10 in a bar. Our swiss leader Michi “Sphen from Bonds” led us to Motown, a pub with music ranging from Vengaboys to Offspring, and as always, Roppongi = Gaijin. Probably the only place in Japan the foreigners outnumber the Japanese.
Hearing a few songs for the 3rd time, we decided the CD was on replay and time to move on.
Spotted an interesting car park while walking to the next place. Why you need a HUMMER in Tokyo I don’t know but this is the 2nd tricked out H2 Ive seen. The other car had its front bumper sticking out its back window…right.
Getting to Muse around 3am us guys had to fork out 2000￥ for entry, incl 2 drinks. LOCKERS = Awesome. Many places in Tokyo let you ditch your jacket etc for 200￥, nice. Not a bad place but loaded with gaijin and the first BAD DJ I’ve heard in tokyo.
About 5am we ignored the gaijin fighting outside and headed home for a completely random conversation for an hour in the kitchen about the mighty JR (Japan Rail) 
Me denoting myself the official Gaijin Promoter of the JR and hater of Metro (think Holden vs Ford).
The next day not one of us was up before mid day, Andrea (blue steel photo) managed a 5:30PM wakeup!
BTW, wanna buy some flowers at 3am? Add florists to the list of all-night shops.
I FINALLY noticed an Earthquake on Friday around 1.40pm! Wondering WTF my chair was doing, I looked around and noticed the computer racks shaking a little, and some wires swinging. And sure enough, this was my first earthquake! It felt quite long, and some work mates later confirmed it was 2 or 3 actual quakes measuring 3 on the richta! There could be a big’n brewing.
Next Day it was bloody freezing.
Went to Uneo Koen (park) with Andrea to take some photos (he is a pro with a very nice new camera). We lasted a few hours before deciding it was a good summer destination, as our fingers were too frozen to even control a camera.
That night, headed back to Shibuya for dinner, and what better way to stay warm than back to a crowded Xanadu.
Have to say I haven’t heard a bad DJ yet in Tokyo.
