Morning Musume’s bolt of U.S. lightning

Sayumi, right, leads Morning Musume in 'Resonant Blue,' January 2009, Yokohama Arena.

There are so many reasons why Japanese supergroup Morning Musume’s sledgehammer debut in the United States -- on July 3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center -- was so profound:

*** Conditions were rough. The stage was flat, no stadium seating, dubious sound quality and blown light cues. So what? For 80 minutes, Morning Musume destroyed that building and everyone in it, electrified a stunned crowd and made a mark in music history that will be talked about for years.

Morning Musume, in red, fronts Hello! Project, Wonderful Hearts tour, January 2009.

*** Tsunku, creator and producer of Morning Musume and its ancillary Hello! Project ensembles, was all over the place, properly introducing the whole genre of Japanese idol music and how it has developed over the past 12 years since the foundation of Morning Musume in 1997.

*** The singers came off as disarming, delicate and charming, quiet and demure in Thursday's opening ceremonies. That is, until they set that bare stage on fire Friday.

Morning Musume, in red, fronts both C-ute (blue) and Berryz Kobo (gold), Wonderful Hearts, January 2009.

*** Even the most hardened, hard-to-please Morning Musume fan was shocked at how good they actually were, in a strange country and participating in Anime Expo 2009, full of videogame and anime addicts may of whom could care a damn about music.

Yet, it happened. History was made, and life will never be the same.

This is Rad signing off – for now.