To kick off the second show in the latter half of their Fall Tour promoting their most recent EP Nisemono (2022), Ginger Root, composed of frontman Cameron Lew, bassist Dylan Hovis, drummer Matt Carney, and cameraman David M. Gutel, treated fans to an introduction video before taking the stage at August Hall. Those unfamiliar with Ginger Root’s online content may have been confused as the video referenced back to the story that had been crafted in the lead up to the release of Nisemono. 
The fictional narrative is described to take place back in 1983 where Ginger Root is asked to create songs for fictional Japanese idol Kimiko Takeguchi. Right before her debut in America, Takeguchi quits, forcing Ginger Root to perform the songs in her place, kickstarting their rise to fame.
The group took the stage immediately after the video; Lew and Hovis were both in costume to celebrate Halloween with Lew sporting a fake mustache and Hovis wearing a cowboy hat. Right from the start, fans were treated to a live camera feed that was streaming to the backdrop of the stage as well as two small television screens on either side. The display included closeups of the group with occasional glances toward the audience. The camera feed added extra features to the performers who remained relatively static in their positions on stage. The video footage allowed for face paced movement during the high energy songs and intimate closeups during the slower tracks. Between some songs, more promotion videos were projected, leading the concert into different segments.
Alongside songs from Nisemono, Ginger Root also included hits from throughout their discography. Tracks like “Over the Hill” and “Loretta” had the crowd singing, dancing, and recording along; one fan even took out their Nintendo 3DS to record the concert. Throughout the show, Lew also tried to set the scene for some songs, encouraging the crowd to imagine Paris while playing “Le château.”
Fans were especially responsive to the “Juban Medley” which was a mashup of Ginger Root’s “Juban District,” “Tank!” by SEATBELTS, “We Are!” by Hiroshi Kitadani, and “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” by Yoko Takahashi. These particular songs resonated with the audience because they are the theme songs to the anime Cowboy Bebop, One Piece, and Evangelion, respectively.
To end the show, Ginger Root asked for the audience to participate in singing part of the repetition in “Weather.” Lew instructed the crowd to repeat after him by yelling “I” during the song. In response to this, Gutel pointed the camera at the crowd whenever it was their part along with the lights in the building flashing on for a moment.
Following the group’s exit off stage, the crowd demanded more and Ginger Root returned to play two more songs. Completely filling the room with red light, the atmosphere of August Hall completely changed during “Mahjong Room.”
Lew initially came out alone to play an instrumental solo on the keyboard before the rest of the group arrived to revitalize the crowd. Lastly, fans were rewarded with a cover of “Dress Down” from Japanese singer Kaoru Akimoto as. The song was performed completely in Japanese, concluding the show with a gratifying homage to Ginger Root’s city pop influences.
Ginger Root put on an incredible show and I would highly recommend seeing them if possible. The experience was definitely elevated by the inclusion of a mix of pre-recorded video and live performance. Ginger Root is often praised for creating high quality video productions and the artistry translated very well to performing for a live audience.
Article and Photos by Kyle Garcia Takata