tokyo gig guide blog

13complex vol.13 on Nov 1st

2009-10-28T00:03:00.005+09:00

The 13th 13complex event will be this Sunday. Ooh, two thirteens the day after halloween... Nothing scary at this event though. It will be a great day of quiet original music.Live musicians: sheeprintA quiet delicate pop unit with female vocals. http://www.myspace.com/sheeprintAkalcryAcoustic and electronic trio. http://www.myspace.com/akalcryWare Ware (我々) Brazilian influenced instrumental pop

LITE - Turns Red EP

2009-10-19T14:48:00.002+09:00

LITE have gone in a bit of a different direction for their latest release, Turns Red, released on their new label I Want The Moon. Before, this instrumental math-rock band were all about guitars. Now, it seems they are all about synths. You'll still find their building Mogwai-like songs, but with a bit of Trans Am thrown in.Turns Red was recorded by J Robbins of Jawbox in Baltimore during LITE's

Girls and boys at Highti

2009-10-07T00:33:00.005+09:00

I searched the industrial area along the Arakawa, riding my bike around some rusty buildings stinking of cooking oil until someone finally pointed out the abandoned-looking building Highti was in. No sign, no signs of life. A rickety stairwell lead to a makeshift space on the second floor, lit by a couple of bare lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling. I put my 500yen donation in the cup and bought

Sound Gardening #3

2009-09-28T23:50:00.003+09:00

Arriving at the peaceful Kiyosumi gardens, I couldn't imagine how the Sound Gardening #3 experimental music event could be held here. The old lady at the entrance pointed us to the Kiyosumi-Teien Ryotei Tea Pavillon, a tea-house overlooking the pond at the back of the park. I peaked inside and didn't see any amps or speakers anywhere, but upon entering it all became clear - on cushions on the

Free MP3s: matryoshka

2009-09-14T23:34:00.006+09:00

Matryoshka are a beautiful Japanese ambient post-rock band who released an album called Zatracenie in 2007.All but two of the tracks are available for free download from last.fm:(right click and "save link as" to download)1. Sink into the Sin2. Slow Snow3. Evening Gleam Between Clouds4. Viridian7. Anesthetic 8. Ezekiel9. Beyond 10. February Lifesaver Earlier this year they released a great remix

Live From Tokyo documentary trailer

2009-09-10T00:38:00.003+09:00

Late last year I was interviewed for a documentary about the Tokyo live music scene called Live From Tokyo.Finally a trailer is up on their site. They will be spending the next few months finishing the film to submit to film festivals. Looking good so far. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long to see it!Check out the Live From Tokyo site for clips and info on some great Japanese independent

Tenniscoats and The Pastels

2009-09-03T00:16:00.003+09:00

Two of my favourite bands, Japan's own Tenniscoats and Glasgow band The Pastels have been recording together over the last couple of years. Finally, their collaboration album is finished and was released yesterday, September 2nd in Japan!The album includes a Jesus and Mary Chain cover which you can download here.Let's hope they tour Japan together.

Tokyo Gig Guide interview in Metropolis magazine!

2009-08-13T23:25:00.003+09:00

There is an interview with me about Tokyo Gig Guide in the Japan Beat section of the latest Metropolis magazine.You can see it online or pick up a free copy in and around Tokyo.http://archive.metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/recent/music_beat.asp

Battles, !!!, Chris Cunningham, Clark, Flying Lotus to play WARP20

2009-08-12T23:40:00.004+09:00

The influentual electronic record label WARP are celebrating their 20th anniversary with a series of events across the world, including one in Tokyo (well, Chiba) at Makuhari Messe. WARP 20 presented by Electroglide on Saturday November 21st.It's still early days, so the full lineup hasn't been announced yet, but by the look of the first confirmed artists, it's going to be a great show.The first

Fuji Rock Festival 2009 review

2009-08-01T13:48:00.004+09:00

station sign. campsite. (photos by craig)THURSDAYEven though I had a cold and it only saved me about three thousand yen but took about three times as long, I decided upon the local train adventure vs the shinkansen comfort and left very early on Thursday morning. I like to feel the distance I am traveling. The first shuttle bus finally came after waiting around Echigo Yuzawa station and we were

Japanese bands to see at Fuji Rock Festival

2009-07-17T13:19:00.005+09:00

While you're at Fuji Rock Festival, make sure you catch some Japanese bands.Here are my suggestions:Yukihiro Takahashi. He was a member of the amazing, influential electronic group YMO, and continues to make interesting electronica pop. The Words on YouTube (Sorry, embedding disabled)Shibusashirazu Orchestra. Amazing extravaganza! I wrote about a recent concert of theirs here. Unfortunately they

Kazuki Tomokawa and Mikami Kan, psych-folk legends live

2009-07-13T12:08:00.004+09:00

The livehouse Showboat in Koenji is having some great shows in July and August to celebrate their sixteen year anniversary. Two of the shows will be organised by the amazing label PSF Records.PSF (Psychedelic Speed Freaks from the High Rise album title) releases underground Japanese psychedelic rock and folk, and free and improvised jazz from the 70s through to now. Their two legendary

Fuji Rock Festival tips

2009-07-07T11:05:00.002+09:00

Check out the Fuji Rock Festival website for the timetable and ticket information.Here are some tips, advice and a packing list for the festival.GETTING THERETake the shinkansen from Tokyo or Ueno to Echigo Yuzawa station. It takes over an hour and costs 6490yen from Ueno one-way. Go to any JR counter of a big station and get tickets in advance if you can. Then get your return tickets when you

múm to play TAICOCLUB festival in Kawasaki

2009-06-18T17:05:00.003+09:00

The enigmatic Icelandic band múm have been confirmed to play at TAICO CLUB 09 in Kawasaki, along with British electronic duo Plaid, microhouse artist Isolée, and Detroit techno DJ Carl Craig.Earlier this month was TAICO CLUB at Nagano Kisomura Kodama No Mori, but this year there will be another festival in Kawasaki.TAICOCLUB '09 KAWASAKI will be held on the weekend of the 19th and 20th of

LITE, Boris, Cro-Magnon, nenem @ LiquidRoom, June 12th

2009-06-14T22:07:00.006+09:00

by colinAfter a rather lengthy walk around the lovely Ebisu gardens and Yebisu beer museum I made my way to the LAUNCHPAD event at the Liquid Room. The Liquid Room is a popular live house in Tokyo and considered to be one of the city’s best. Tonight’s LAUNCHPAD bill included a healthy dose of some of Japans finest trend setters - Nenem, Cro-Magnon and LITE, with Boris headlining the night.As

Fuji Rock Festival 09 per-stage lineup

2009-06-09T19:42:00.008+09:00

The Fuji Rock Festival daily lineup has been announced, including a bunch of new additions and the bands for the Rookie A-Go-Go stage. Here it is, with links to the artists' websites/myspaces:24 July (Friday)GREEN STAGEOASISPAUL WELLER PATTI SMITHLily AllenDOVESWHITE LIESTOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRAWHITE STAGEThe Neville BrothersROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BANDhanaregumiCharaEBONY BONES!GUITAR

DOG and theremin show

2009-06-04T00:59:00.006+09:00

by craigEnban is a Koenji institution. A tiny record store stocking independent music by day and a place to see odd music at night. Random gigs here are likely to be more interesting than what's on at most livehouses. On Monday night it was pretty packed when I entered (about 25 people) so I had to stand between the shelves of 7"s, DVDs and CDs, resting my beer on a stack of homemade CDRs.A huge

Soundroom vol. 32

2009-05-27T21:04:00.005+09:00

by craig One of the only reasons to go to Roppongi is to go to Super Deluxe, one of Tokyo's only venues where you can pretty much guarantee to see something original and interesting on any night. SOUNDROOM is a monthly event held there with "experimental music from Tokyo that defies categorization."Monday night's show certainly did have acts that defied categorisation! Colin and I arrived to find

Funny Band Names

2009-05-08T15:44:00.003+09:00

by craigOver the last few years I've been keeping a list of the band names I've come across which have amused me the most.These have been taken straight from livehouse schedules, so sometimes the random case/spelling/punctuation are mistakes of the livehouse, but more often than not they are parts the bands' real names. Some of these are good bands by the way, though I have never heard most of

Shibusashirazu Orchestra @ Goodman

2009-05-05T12:31:00.008+09:00

by craigDaisuke Fuwa has conducted the Shibusashirazu Orchestra for 20 years, a huge collection of free jazz musicians and dancers. I had heard so much about what an amazing live band they were but never had the chance to see them live. Last night they were playing at Club Goodman in Akihabara so I jumped on my mamachari and pedaled over there. After being distracted by the shiny things in the

FLO Union Spring Special!

2009-04-10T19:10:00.009+09:00

by craigThe next Flo Union on Sunday April 19th will feature an interesting variety of special international guest musicians and artists: *********************************************For this month's dose of analog-electro punk-disco violence we have Syndrome WPW from Switzerland.For French folktronica, there'll be Morel, a project of Will from Selvaluna.And from Australia, catch The Hubble

Summer festivals - 1st lineups announced!

2009-03-06T15:06:00.014+09:00

by craigThe first lineup announcements have been made for Fuji Rock Festival, Summersonic and Taico Festival. Of course more artists will be added in the coming months.Franz Ferdinand, Weezer, Fall Out Boy, Röyksopp, Ben Harper, Basement Jaxx, M83, Animal Collective, Simian Mobile Disco, Patti Smith, Bad Brains, Melvins, Diplo, Justin Nozuka, The Higher, Gong, Gang Gang Dance, Polysics, The

An Experimental Evening

2009-02-25T16:31:00.007+09:00

by lizaJust a quick post to tell everyone about some bands I saw a couple of weeks ago!Some Sunday afternoon randomness (drinking may or may not have been involved!) led me to Shibuya's O-Nest on Feb. 8, where Lowborn Soundsystem was playing a gig to celebrate its first album. Since the band billed itself as "post-punk," I was expecting something along the lines of Gang of Four.Was I wrong! The 7

Suishou No Fune & Maher Shalal Hash Baz @ Silver Elephant

2008-11-26T17:24:00.007+09:00

by craigI saw Maher Shalal Hash Baz a few months ago play at Koenji High to a tiny crowd. They were playing with Doronco Gumo. C'mon, Doronco was in Les Rallizes Denudes!! Why wasn't anyone there?Last night MSHB played with another legendary psych band, this time Suishou No Fune, and there were only about 12 people there!! Nevertheless, I still felt I was witnessing something special. Incense was

Kaji-kun!

2008-11-24T11:36:00.009+09:00

by craigHideki Kaji is one of my guilty pleasures. He is unabashedly Pop, but he has taken his cues from Swedish indie-pop and created a very unique style with fast, upbeat songs, big guitars and impossibly catchy vocal melodies.When I came to Japan I was getting into the whole Shibuya-kei thing, so I was so pleased to be able to buy his whole back catalogue from second-hand shops for a few