TRIPLE KING
Just imagine if Weird Al was born in Japan and grew up with a love of early heavy rock and metal. That’s what the Triple Kings offer in a nutshell, with their leader Jiro Osama dressed up as a cartoon king to complete the theme. They take these songs and replace the lyrics, usually turning the subject into something completely different and verging on the ridiculous.
They do this treatment to a number of classic rock songs, ranging from “Wings” by Hendrix to “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple. Some songs are twisted into talking about hot springs while others talk about partners leaving, the songs themselves completely serious while still being brilliantly over the top. The crowd loves it, equally laughing and dancing.
All of this is supported by a surprising technical ability. There’s furious guitar solos from the cartoonish leadman that don’t skip a beat, bass-work that scales up and down the fretless neck in controlled flurries and even time for the drummer to solo not only with his drum kit but also with didgeridoo. The crowd drank up every second of it and even managed to get the band back for an encore (slightly pre-arranged with the set ending early).
For anyone whose Japanese language ability is strong and is a fan of Weird Al, this is the band for you.
