Cosplay: Soundgaku - Echoes of Instruments

Me: OK, this one's a little different but it seems all the more the same.

Goh: Oh, we're going to have "sounds" today.

Me: Sure. The title is a blend of the word "sound" and "ongaku" - Japanese for "music" - so you bet that today will be about those.

Ash: It sounds like it's gonna be a full-on concert!

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["Rock on!"]

Me: I think you might be right. I'm going to be up front and say that there doesn't seem to be any competitions, so that supports that theory. Meanwhile, you'll recognize the venue. 

Ash: Hey, the creative center again! 

Goh: The place must be really becoming popular for the creative people.

Me: Right. When it first opened, it was really sleepy. Now it seems all sorts of people are using it for all kinds of events.

Goh: Including this one. 

Ash: Yeah. It's even in the same theater as the "character space" gathering from back then.

Goh: OK, so for sure this isn't really a festival or convention, but it's more than a gathering. 

Ash: It was just like our friend said - a concert! 

Goh: Anything else beyond that?

Ash: Oh, the mecha model community gathered up and showed off their things.

Goh: So that's one community.

Me: I'm afraid it's not the only one. I also need you here for a side agenda of a meeting with our character community, and...

Ash: Oh. I'm going to miss a bit of the concert, am I.

Pikachu: Chu... ["Aww..."]

Me: Plus, I don't know how I'd get you in without saving at least a bit of cash, since things have been tight for me (us) recently. If it weren't for the meeting, I'd just have you go in regardless.

Goh: I'm sorry about that. But the community meeting should have gone well. 

Ash: Yeah, it wasn't too much of a bother. I think our friend might need to deal with the things that came up.

Me: I'll see what I can do.

Goh: So you went back to the theater, and- by the way, we haven't talked about your outfit recently, didn't we?

Ash: Oh right! I was in my special journey outfit. I also used it for the last festival and Community Day.

Goh: Well, I think I see now how our friend wants to save money.

Me: Uh-huh. Anyway, Ash was there, but you couldn't get in, so...

Ash: I hung around with the mecha people. But then one of your friends gave me an extra ticket, and...

Goh: You got in. Hey, that's pretty neat! Good thing our friend has many friends.

Me: That's a neat perk, if I do say so myself.

Pikachu: Pika! ["Nice!"]

Ash: So, they had a band setup and everything for the concert. But I missed three of the bands and got in as the fourth was playing. Then I got to see the rest.

Me: According to the poster, they had eight bands. So five bands is still pretty good.

Ash: One of them was a guitar group.

Goh: That's pretty good for variety. I assume the rest were all rock bands.

Ash: Pretty much. I think our friend would know some of the songs.

Goh: I'll bet there were no Pokémon songs.

Ash: One got really close.

Me: If it were me, I'd have you singing a Pokémon song, definitely. 

Ash: I'd love it if I could do that!

Goh: After all that, you still had some fun, at least - in and out of the concert.

Ash: Sure. The bands were all great, and I got to meet our friend's friends as usual.

Pikachu: Pika chu. ["Like that."]

Goh: Anything else we should know about? 

Ash: They picked people with unique outfits - but not me. The prize was just a goodie bag.

Goh: I assume related to the concert scene, so that would make sense.

Ash: Yeah, I guess.

Me: So, it was still a pretty good day for a concert - and meeting people.

Goh: They might just try this kind of event again.

Ash: I'd be up for that.

Me: In these strange times, music and friends are still great things, and necessary ones at that.

One year ago: And Now, We Go

Two years ago: Every Day Is a Grind

Three years ago: New Factions Battlefields and More

Four years ago: One-Day Pokémon Adventure

Five years ago: Trivia Questions and Answers

Six years ago: Trainer Image Cards

Seven years ago: Marathons...?

Eight years ago: Pins and Pins