(Post) Concert On The Canard

What no invite?

Yeah that's right a show reflection about a show you probably weren't invited to! So anyway how does this happen? Well turns out Grandma is a big fan of our music. This is a very lucky thing, most people don't get that luxury, but somehow we got blessed and, well, as a matter of fact this blessing is why moridori can even exist in the first place.

Now this is not a new thing for us in fact both of my grandparents on both sides of the family played an important role in picking my guitars. My Grandma who so graciously helped us set up this show got me my first electric guitar. A fender squire, which was completely picked out by her and kinda a sleeper build legend, that I still use today (I'll be it for more controversial projects HAHAHA). My Nana was with me when I got my silver Gretsch Double Jet a guitar I still play today despite getting it almost 15 years ago now. All I remember about that purchase was I had to pay for half and it was because my brother just got his drum set. I wanted a jet black guitar, In the store I was really fucking with the Ibanez guitars, but my Nana insisted I picked up this flashy and quite annoying looking silver guitar. I actually like how it played and felt, but it was no where near the look I wanted, but my Nana said it suited me and well that's all I needed to go for it. It was quite a quick sale haha, and well all these years later Nana was still right it does suit me, it's another limb now. Also two christmases ago Deb gave me her acoustic guitar which I use to record many of my solo demos as morisuki. All this to say we have been very blessed with our grandparents. It came as a realization recently for the band that we really had no talent musically growing up. There was no spark, we were behind probably all of our peers (and even now I would consider myself a pretty clumsy guitarist XD), and we barley practiced. But with the support of our family, music teachers and friends by putting up with our racket and encouraging us we somehow make music now. Something that has become necessary for both of us. There is no way to repay this other than to show to those who helped raise us as people and musicians what they have inspired and helped grow within us. So thank you (there are so many people but you know who you are) who have supported us as musicians. The ability to express this way is vital, necessary and urgent for us. Thank you for fostering this passion.



Going on tour

Now this was actually planned last summer but sadly our car was is no state to drive. Our grandparents wanted a moridori show then we have a wonderful homemade pierogi dinner with the fam. So, the next date we could all reliably make was naturally Easter. Now all we had to do for this show was bring the gear and set up. Let me tell you speeding down the 401 with a van full of gear at 2:00am drinking energy drinks literally made it feel like we were on tour (what a vibe). The location, invites, food and pyrotechnics was all handled by our grandparents. We also had full support during set up with Deb and my Dad (with the help of some rope ties Grandpa had lying around) we jerry rigged some hardware for Doriniko's drum kit to hold his cymbals on, as we forgot all the stuff for that. Despite this being our first time outside, having missing parts and being tired from church the previous night we had the easiest set up for a show yet, all because the quality of help we received. There was also fireworks during our set (yes I'll get to that), but this was entirely Grandma's idea and no wasn't an option. It was happening.



The show

Usually here I would take the time to go over the acts. Although this time it was just us. We performed for one of our best audiences and it was only 10 people. Now because of our awesome family this may have been the first ever documented Emo/Screamo show to be played at a Grandparent's place. I feel like a pretty good authority on this considering how many Emo shows I watch live. I would like to credit this achievement to Grandma for having the idea in the first place! It was also outside, our first time doing so as moridori. Yes, the background is real, and yes, it was fucking awesome. Behind us is a cattail marsh one of the signature habitats of the carolinian forest region, which is home to many endangered species in Ontario. I'm hoping maybe an american bittern, a muskrat, an eastern fox snake or one of the many turtles that bask in the area maybe liked what they heard (probably not haha). Anyway, it was great to be that close to such an important habitat to Ontario and play a show. Being outside and close to nature is one of my goals this summer so there was no better way to start it off for me. To view the set as it was recorded by Deb you can watch it here.



Funny enough this was to be a casual show but somehow I cut my fingers up and broke my guitar! So the family really did get the real thing :). I'll write some comments on the setlist we did below to maybe put you in our mindset at the time. Picking out the setlist is actually a fairly intentional process for us so here it goes.

Drugs

I played this song mostly because I wanted redemption from our performance of it at the The Debutante Ball. My voice was shot during us closing with it and it's a song that I'm very proud of. Running at 10 minutes it is actually quite hard to perform but I'm glad I got a second try to open with it and actually hit my notes during the vocal part. This one just had to be in the list it was one of our newer songs.

Notches (Beatrice)

She couldn't make the family function so I brought her with me

futureofaletterbomber

We kinda fighters here this side of the family, its no surprise I'd be playing this song if you know my Grandma.

Twilight Princess

For a break, ends very simply and clearly. Some times you just gotta say how it is ;).

Erotica

A new song in the works. We usually throw a song like this in most of our sets. In fact we have never played a live show without dropping a new song! This one is about a friends experience, I wrote about him without asking and characterize him as some crazed manifesto writer. HAHAAHAHA FUCK YOU. We totally fucked it up but can't wait to complete this one.

Starlight

Our first song, a song about not belonging. We didn't perform under the stars that night, so what did we do? Made our own. Thats right, due to our wonderful pyrotechnics crew we made our own stars. We made it Grandma! WE MADE IT!



We did make it that song. It's poetic that we did things this way. Somehow your subconscious can sense precipitation before the "fall". With music you communicate with the subconscious, it flows out of me sometimes, and I surprise myself. It's hard for me to "belong" places, I feel the pressure wherever I am. Some ambient force, pressing against my skull, reminding me, I am not understood, welcomed or accepted here. I know I am not alone in this feeling. Clearly it may have passed down generationally or something, my family seems to get it without explanation. When you feel that pressure you give yourself belonging elsewhere. In the stars maybe? Where it seems comfortable and distant yet still seen if you focus. No stars for you to belong to? No problem. Make your own.



Whats the big deal?

Well I have an amazing family and I have to give credit where credit is due. We are very lucky and I deeply understand that. I will always be grateful for everyone in my life that has supported me and stuck by me unconditionally. I know we all have connections like this in our lives, maybe they are very clear to us now, or maybe we have yet to discover it. But it is there, right in front of us. We have this beautiful world out there we inhabit, we can breathe it's air and take in it's sights, stimulations and sounds. Everyday we are given a chance to occupy this world and even though we may have to fight so fucking hard just for one moment, it's the fact we are here in this moment that gives us purpose. So fight like hell and find beauty. Live a little and make sure to stop and take it in. Create your stars. Stoke the flame raised within you.

With that ends our first tour, to my Grandmas. I write these things during important moments I just must try to journal about (I'm sadly very forgetful). Thanks for reading this far, clearly this was a personal one so there may not be much value here but I hope it was worth a read. I have no idea if anyone reads these things and it is hella late. I've been so busy saying goodbye to my friends as they start new chapters in their lives, and it is so important for me I am there. It's a quite confusing time for all of us. Stay strong, stay alive, make art. I hope to hear from you someday, maybe tomorrow or maybe when I least expect it.

With love, from moridori



I was talking to a dear friend recently about how emo shouldn't exist. Well at least the harsher stuff. The stuff most people listen to and think "ew people actually like that stuff". And, well they are right, people shouldn't like this stuff. It is dysfunctional art as a symptom of a dysfunctional society. I would say moridori fits that category. Yet clearly things have been like this for a while. Shit, just fucking hurts now and it leaves deep cuts, and it is not okay. Although, with our work we want to see the beauty in this dysfunction. See the beauty in the collapsed ruins of failing support beams and poorly built structures. Somewhere in there, there was meaning, something in there meant a great deal to someone, maybe someone whispered a confession into these walls, or maybe it was monument to remember their mother, or maybe just a carefully built home for the people they loved. But now, the roof fell down leaving a gap for sunbeams to fall and grass to grow. Vines and lichens take over as the Earth claims back what it once owned, then it all becomes soil for a beautiful ecosystem to grow.

Goodnight, thanks for reading and I care about you
~ morisuki