What kind of world is the “underground idol” scene? Why I decided to stop performing at underground idol events
singer-songwriterMisaki-tanIt is!
Everyone, are you familiar with the term “underground idol”?
I would like to introduce here the actual situation of the events held there.
What is an underground idol?
This thing I casually mutteredTweet
https://twitter.com/misakitan22/status/745048404644945920
Since the RTs and likes increased compared to my other tweets, maybe it’s a topic everyone’s interested in!?
With that in mind, I’d like to take this opportunity to write a bit more in detail about underground idol events!
Because Misaki-tan is a blogger, she even went so far as to draw a diagram (lol).
undergroundAn idol event is,undergroundIt’s a live event that exists at an even deeper tier than idol events.
Idols known as 'underground idols' are nowadays often rephrased as 'live idols' or 'indie idols.'
Even among those active in the so-called “underground idol” scene, some are now being featured in mass media like terrestrial TV and magazines or making major-label debuts. Because calling it “underground” no longer quite fits, people may be choosing different wording.
I mentioned this in the previous post (“Please come to Koenji on 6/25 – Misaki-tan’s STAY GOLD”), but in the first few fresh months after I started my activities as a singer-songwriter, I was doing nothing but singing and playing guitar at underground idol events.
Even when you say “underground idols,” there are many kinds of idols, event organizers, and ways of thinking. Based on my own experiences, I’d like to list a few characteristics of underground idols and underground idol events as I personally perceive them.
Characteristics of underground idols and underground idol events
1.
The allotted time is basically 10 to 15 minutes.
With 0 minutes for changeovers and around 10 minutes allotted per slot, we often move through the timetable quickly.
One after another, the girls take turns going out onto the stage.
Because the allotted time is short, the number of performing groups will naturally be higher.
A hallmark of idol events is that, even if the performance lasts only 10 minutes, there’s a full hour allotted for merchandise sales.
From the performer's perspective, many idols find it difficult to do long live sets—either because they don’t have original songs (more on this below) or they have a limited repertoire—so this pace might actually be just right.
I also only had three original songs at first, but at artist-focused events, it’s hard to imagine getting a live offer at that stage.
Even if I were lucky enough to perform at an artist-type event, the set would last for dozens of minutes, so I think it would be pretty tough mentally.
I’m truly grateful to the underground idol event that let me perform even at such a stage.
Rather than just quietly practicing and producing at home until I had more songs, the fact that I had the chance to perform in front of people once a week—even if my set was only 15 minutes—was a pretty big deal.
It boosted my motivation for songwriting and live shows, and above all, I was able to get comfortable with being on stage and doing MCs—things I never could have achieved if I’d just stayed cooped up at home—and it allowed many people to learn about my activities.
Also, from the perspective of organizers and live houses, since each group can’t be expected to attract as many attendees as famous idols, they may want to secure as many performers as possible, even if it means shorter set times.
Since we are organizing events as a business rather than as a hobby or volunteer work, a strategy for attracting customers is necessary, so we cannot categorically say that this way of thinking is bad.
2.
They perform live without any original songs, using karaoke tracks of famous idol songs.
Another characteristic of this underground idol event is that many of the idols performing do not have their own original songs.
To prepare original songs ourselves, one option is to compose them on our own or create karaoke backing tracks using DTM (desktop music/DAW).
But I don’t think everyone can just suddenly try to make this without any knowledge or sense and do it easily.
For example, I have absolutely no knowledge of DTM, so I still can’t create karaoke backing tracks.
It wasn’t like I had any special talent, so it took a full seven years from the day I first picked up a guitar before I finally managed to write songs.
The bar is high; while some people manage to do it in a week, there’s also a possibility that even after seven years they won’t be able to make a single song.
This is one of those things you can’t simply claim “if you try, you can do it” or “if you work hard, you’ll be able to do it.”
If that's the case, the next option to consider is to commission a third party to produce the music.
Of course, having someone compose a song for you will cost quite a bit of money.
I think the price depends on the person, but if you’re also doing the arrangement and creating a karaoke backing track, it obviously won’t be a cheap purchase.
It would be great to have connections with friendly composers and the like, but if you don’t have any at all, the hurdle is quite high.
Moreover, to put on a live performance, you need to prepare multiple songs, not just one.
In the case of idols who don’t have adults from an agency or management supporting them, it’s pretty rare to find someone who has that kind of money or connections.
So in the end, I couldn’t prepare an original song and have no choice but to perform someone else’s cover—copy? karaoke contest?—instead.
“Hatsukoi Cider” by Buono! and “nerve” by BiS are standard songs that underground idols often cover.
At a single underground idol event, multiple idols may be performing/singing.
The songs are overlapping, you know.
I had never heard either song before, and even now I’ve never listened to the original versions, but since so many idols sing them, I’ve ended up recognizing the melodies clearly.
3.
With live offers, a vast number of event schedules are sent in a list.
This only came to light after we started receiving offers from events other than underground idol events, but between underground idol events and other events,The content of the live offer email will end up being completely different.
Underground idol events tend to get offers that are close to open calls, while artist-type and other events feel more like receiving targeted, pinpoint offers.
Offers for underground idol events come as a single email listing a huge number of event dates.
You can perform at every live show for which you indicated “I want to participate!” among the many proposed event dates.
However, since the only clues about the event are the date and location and we don’t even know the other acts, it’ll be more like performing at events that fit our schedule rather than choosing ones we specifically want to appear in.
Since many events are presented all at once, it’s easy to make good use of the days when my schedule is open.
On the other hand, for artist-type events and other events, we often receive pinpoint offers like, “We’d like you to perform at the show on [Month] [Day]!”
It’s common to receive information about artists who are already confirmed to perform as well as those currently being invited, so you can use that as a clue to plan in advance what kind of live show to put together.
If they’re very courteous, they’ll add comments about what they thought of my songs on YouTube and even their impressions from seeing me at an actual live show, and say things like, “We’d love to have you perform!” or, “You and ○○ from the other band seem like you’d be a great match—would you like to appear together?”
Anyway, the offer is spot-on.
Conversely, just because there’s an event you want to be in and you step forward doesn’t mean you’ll be allowed to appear in all of them (lol).
I can also think of other 'underground-lab clichés' like 'we get our costumes at Don Quijote' and 'even Google won’t return any hits,' but let’s leave it at that.
And I’ll take this opportunity to put together once more the reasons why I stopped performing at underground idol events.
There isn’t just one reason; there are a few.
The reason I quit performing at underground idol events
1.
I felt like doing a live show with a longer set time.
As a singer-songwriter, writing songs is part of my work, so naturally, as time goes by, the number of my original songs increases.
This is a song I'm proud of, made with heartfelt emotion.
If we’re going to do a live show, we’d like to perform as many songs as possible, so we’d be happy to have a longer time slot.
Also, for live performances, in addition to selling CDs and other merchandise, a guitar is essential.
Since I’m usually an office worker, I squeeze into a packed rush-hour train, nervously worrying whether my guitar will get damaged. At the office, I endure the cold stares as I prop the guitar up beside my desk. After work, I have to hurry or I won’t make it in time, so the moment it hits quitting time, I shoulder the heavy guitar and sprint full speed to the live house.
After going through such a tough experience, having just a little over 10 minutes of screen time feels a bit sad.
2.
I’ve come to want to perform not only with idols but also with artists.
I'm curious about what kind of songs other artists create and how they perform them. I'd also like to exchange information in various ways.
However, since idol events primarily feature idol performers, it was difficult to broaden my network of artists.
I only met two singer-songwriters at the underground idol event.
One of them was Kudo-chan; as for the other girl, we only briefly ended up together in the dressing room, so I don't even remember her name.
Even though the line between idols and artists has been fading, this won’t help expand connections with artists.
Being made to listen to nothing but “Hatsukoi Cider” at karaoke has left me unable to take an interest in the other bands we’re playing with.
3.
The organizer, desperate to secure performers, told me, “Just bring anyone as a performer—even some kid walking around over there will do.” (That was the last straw)
These words became the decisive factor for me to step away from underground idol events.
All the event dates I received in the list conflicted with other plans, and it just so happened there was a month when I couldn’t perform even once.
What I was told at that time were these words.
There may have been no ill intent and it might have just been a light joke, but even if it was a joke, it wasn’t exactly pleasant to hear.
As my original songs increased and I began receiving offers from other events, a small sense of pride may have unconsciously taken root in me.
When I thought, 'Could any random girl walking around do my job in my place!?' I just felt empty.
Even if I’m clumsy at it, I’m fumbling my way through and working hard to make my own music. Of course it makes me sad.
Thus, I no longer appeared at underground idol events as “Misaki-tan” to perform solo with my guitar.
But I really appreciate it.
I think events for underground idols with low barriers to participation like this are also necessary.
There must be many people for whom that place has become their home, just like it once was for me.
If there’s no place left for those kinds of people, and we live in a world where you suddenly have to be able to handle a 30-minute set to even perform live, we could end up crushing all sorts of possibilities.
Even if they don’t have original songs or can only sing two or three, it’s wonderful that there are places where girls who long for the stage can shine as “idols.”
Thank you for reading to the end.