The J-Music Advance Party: Tokyo Live Report (September 2024) [SPECIAL EDITION]
Listening to Japanese music... in Japan!!
*This post is also available to view on the Listening to Japanese Music blog over on Wordpress.
I mentioned it briefly in last month's Roundup, but I’ve actually been away for the past couple of weeks on vacation, which included what I feel was a long-overdue trip to Japan. If you’ve been following me and the blog for some time, you’ll know I primarily cover Japanese media—whether it’s anime, music, or things adjacent to them. I like to think my writing reflects how deeply my interest in Japan and its culture runs, which is why I’ve considered this visit to be a long time coming. That said, the trip itself, despite years in the making, only fully came together this year. The opportunity presented itself, and after years of wanting to go, everything seemed to finally fall into place, compelling me to make the trip—even if it meant going alone. I mean, I generally travel solo, but that’s usually just to visit my home country, so it never feels like I’m venturing too far into unfamiliar territory. This, however, was the first time I was traveling by myself to a place I’d never been, where I didn’t know anyone.
That being said, because it was just me, I figured I could tailor the trip specifically to my interests—something I’ve been wanting to do ever since I started writing about Japanese music on the blog: attend live house shows in Japan! While I still did a lot of the usual touristy stuff that most people do when they visit, my main goal was to see as many live shows as possible during my stay. I was in Japan for nine days, mostly staying within Tokyo, and managed to catch seven or eight shows (depending on what you consider a live show) during that time. Suffice it to say, focusing the trip on live music was the best decision I could’ve made—I had the absolute time of my life.
Now that I’m back, I thought it’d be fun to share my experiences attending each of these shows with you all. If you’ve ever been curious about going to a live show in Japan, I hope this inspires you even more to do so. I would 100% recommend it to not just Japanese music fans, but for anyone looking to travel to Japan. I also included at the end of each live show summary a short playlist of songs that were performed during the event to help relive those moments. (*Note: some bands/artists do not yet have their songs available for streaming on Spotify, and some performed currently unreleased songs.)
Before diving in, I want to quickly mention that ANGURA provides a wealth of resources for people looking to attend live shows in Japan. I personally learned a lot from their content, which helped me prepare when the time came. To avoid rehashing what’s already been covered, here are some links to resources that were especially useful in planning my live show itinerary.
If I could add a couple of tips based on my personal experience:
(1) The ticketing services LivePocket and TIGET do not require you to have a Japanese mobile phone number, so before you go the route of contacting event organizers, check first if the show you're attending is using either of these services.
(2) Another "method" I discovered for finding potential live shows to attend, in addition to the methods described by ANGURA, is to use Twitter/X’s latest posts search. Specifically, you can type in the date you’re looking to attend a show on (e.g., "9/16 adv")—"adv" referring to advanced ticket sales. This term is commonly used by live houses and is unique enough that Twitter/X mostly pulls up live show postings when you search for it. It's not foolproof, but I found out about most of the shows I attended using this method.
Now let's get this live house party started!
▼ shibuya eggman : 9.2 & 9.9
Event Title: 脱・お留守宣言 (datsu・orusuban sengen) vol. 60 & vol. 61
Featuring: Ochunism, muque, Dannie May, aioi, ナリタジュニャ (Narita Junya), HAO, and Gum Girl
We kicked things off at shibuya eggman—though, technically, I saw two shows there: one on my very first night in Japan and another on my last. I did this for several reasons, mostly because I wanted to squeeze in as many live shows as possible during my trip. But why go to eggman twice, you might ask? It all comes down to their live series, "Datsu・Orusuban Sengen" (literally "Denied・Stay-at-home declaration"), affectionately called "Datsurusu." The theme of the series is to encourage people who usually stay at home to come out by featuring bands they’d be excited to see. What I found particularly interesting, which I made a point to mention to Takada Mai, one of the event organizers and talent bookers, was how much her selections aligned with my own music tastes. Both "volumes" of Datsurusu I attended featured bands I had previously talked about on my blog. I absolutely loved these two shows because they resonated so strongly with me as a fan of Japanese music. In that regard I do genuinely think the team at eggman does an incredible job finding and showcasing talent that deserves to be heard.
As I mentioned, I attended two volumes of Datsurusu during my stay in Japan: Vol. 61 and Vol. 62. Vol. 61 featured Ochunism, muque, and Dannie May. If you’ve been following me through my monthly recommendation Roundups on my blog or on X, you know how much of a fan I am of muque. With Dannie May, a group I’ve been enthusiastic about for years since I started doing the Roundups, this show was set to be a highlight of my trip. I’m happy to say it exceeded my expectations. It was a joy to experience muque's energy firsthand, as well as Dannie May’s. Getting to witness songs like Bite you and Ee Janai ka performed live was as excited as I have ever been in a concert setting. Plus, I discovered a new band to follow in Ochunism. Vol. 62, on the other hand, featured aioi, Narita Junya, HAO, and Gum Girl. I posted a thread about it on X, but a standout moment for me was connecting with aioi and letting them know I’m a fan from overseas. I’ve been following them since 2022, and seeing them perform Matsuri live was a real treat. Gum Girl, a band I’ve known since 2019 (though they couldn’t believe it, lol), was equally impressive. Absolutely loved seeing them perform Electric!!!. To top it off, eggman’s masterful booking introduced me to Narita Junya and HAO, both of whom I’ll be following from now on.
SONGS TO CHECK OUT:
▼ Koenji ShowBoat : 9.4
Event Title: バンジー (bungee)
Featuring: 浦小雪 (Ura Koyuki)
Attending Ura Koyuki's one-man live at Koenji ShowBoat wasn’t part of my original itinerary. I discovered the event by chance the day before it happened while scrolling through my X feed. Although I had hoped to catch one of Ura Koyuki's street performances, which she frequently holds near my accommodation, I seized the opportunity to see her at a proper venue when it presented itself. I quickly contacted the event organizers by email and was pleasantly surprised to learn that Ura Koyuki’s manager responded. They graciously made arrangements for me to attend, even though I hadn’t reserved a ticket through their system.
Comparing Koenji ShowBoat to eggman, which I had visited the day before, ShowBoat felt much more compact and homey. Its wooden interiors and location beneath a bar and restaurant created a cozy atmosphere, contrasting with eggman's club-like ambiance. This warmth was perfect for Ura Koyuki's heartwarming and wholesome performance. Her uplifting style, both in singing and guitar-playing, was something I had always wanted to experience, and I was thrilled to finally see it live. Specifically, I wanted to hear her sing Shiokaze which is one of my favorites by her, but not only did she nail her performance of that song, but she also went ahead and sang songs by her band Sundae May Club. This was something that I was equally as ecstatic about as I then got to hear her perform Shangrila which is a song of theirs that I greatly adore. And if that wasn’t enough, she even surprised everyone in attendance with a cover of The Jackson 5’s I Want You Back. The title of her one-man live, "Bungee," reflected her theme of embracing challenges she couldn’t tackle in the past, and it really showed in what she was able to accomplish that night. This theme also resonated deeply with me, as I too was also embarking on my own challenge—traveling to Japan alone for the first time. This night steeled my resolve for the coming days and I was made all the more grateful to have become part of it.
SONGS TO CHECK OUT:
▼ Kichijoji RockJoint GB : 9.5
Event Title: PAINT!!
Featuring: シュシュがーる (ShuShu Girl), チルブレイン (Chilblain), シュガーラジオ (Sugar Radio), and 秘密兵器 (Himitsu Heiki)
I was on the verge of skipping the live show at Kichijoji's Rock Joint GB. After several days of exploring Tokyo, I started feeling the strain, and with a big event at Zepp Haneda Concert Hall coming up, I contemplated resting instead. To add to my hesitation, Gekkan Shoujo Irony, one of the acts I was most excited to see, had to withdraw due to a member falling ill. It seemed like a sign not to go. However, this was still one of the shows I was most eager to attend, as it featured bands I wasn’t familiar with. Oddly enough, I was excited about the chance to experience new music live. It felt like diving into a live version of my Roundup or Spotify Draft, if that makes sense.
I wrote another thread on X about how this show was one of the most intimate live performances I’ve ever attended. The turnout was modest, with mainly diehard fans, personal acquaintances of the bands, and even the bands scheduled to perform later in the night mingling with the audience. It felt like a school function, where everyone was there to have fun and support each other. The small crowd made the music seem even louder and more impactful. ShuShu Girl delivered an intense performance from start to finish, with their song Kimi ga Suki setting the tone for the rest of the night (though I did get a shoe thrown at me midway through their set—no harm done, lol); Chilblain’s yakou-sei sound with songs like Akogareta Saki ni wa was great fun; Sugar Radio provided a polished, veteran-like show, highlighted by their song moonlight which became an instant favorite of mine (hope they release it soon!); and Himitsu Heiki capped the night off with the event’s most heartfelt performance with Ikiteyaru. Truly an inspiring night of Japanese music. Zero regrets having gone to it despite how I was feeling.
SONGS TO CHECK OUT:
▼ TOKIO TOKYO : 9.7
Event Title: dawning
Featuring: 朝４時 (asa yoji)
TOKIO TOKYO was a venue I specifically wanted to visit, largely due to ANGURA's video that piqued my interest. While planning my trip to Japan, I checked TOKIO TOKYO's live show schedule and immediately spotted Asa Yoji's first one-man live as a potential highlight. Although the event page didn't provide much information about Asa Yoji's music or style, the idea of discovering a new artist was enticing. After purchasing my ticket, I listened to Asa Yoji’s songs and was quickly impressed. My excitement to see her perform live only grew with each passing day.
While I thoroughly enjoyed all the live houses I visited, if I had to choose a single favorite, it would be this event at TOKIO TOKYO. The venue genuinely impressed me with its sleek and stylish design. I even joked on X that it felt like attending a top-secret meeting, which seemed fitting given the mystery surrounding Asa Yoji, whose face remains unknown to the public. However, it wasn’t about uncovering her appearance for me or most of the attendees—it was about experiencing her voice live. Asa Yoji’s performance was so moving that I found myself mouthing the lyrics midway through songs like Mirai Souzou Nikki and Tokyo. It was an incredibly surreal experience that I wouldn’t change for the world, and I felt privileged to be witness to such a special event.
SONGS TO CHECK OUT:
▼ Shimokitazawa LiveHolic : 9.8
Event Title: Ring! Ring! Ring!
Featuring: EMANON, 2winkle wink, and NEK!
I knew my trip to Japan, which was mostly centered around attending live shows, wouldn't be complete without seeing at least one performance at the famed Shimokitazawa, known for its abundance of live houses. Originally, I had planned to catch a show at the renowned Shimokitazawa Basement Bar/Three, but due to a scheduling conflict, I unfortunately had to miss it. Still determined to experience a show in Shimokitazawa, luck was on my side when a new event was announced just in time for my scheduled visit. The show took place at Shimokitazawa LiveHolic, as part of a special series commemorating the venue’s 9th anniversary. This particular event, titled "Ring! Ring! Ring!," was a Girls Rock-themed show headlined by EMANON, 2winkle wink, and NEK!.
I always try to walk away from each show having learned something new, whether it's about live shows themselves, the practices involved, or the culture surrounding them. At this particular event, I quickly noticed how much the atmosphere resembled an idol event which, if you've been following me for some time, you would know as that something I’ve developed a genuine interest in learning about over the years. The hand gestures from the crowd, the light sticks, chekis being taken and signed at the back—all of it made me momentarily second-guess if I was at the right show. It was a different energy than I had expected, but I was all for it. EMANON commanded the stage with their electrifying performances, with songs like DAYDREAM and overflow really getting the crowd going; 2winkle 2wink offered a nice, gentle reprieve, with songs like smile which helped settle everyone down after such an explosive opening act; before NEK! procededed to absolutely tear the place down with Get Over and MAZE.
SONGS TO CHECK OUT:
▽ Zepp Haneda : 9.6
Event Title: LINK music vibes
Featuring: SATOH, Chilli Beans., Tele, and iri
Zepp Haneda isn’t exactly a live house; it’s more of a proper concert hall, so I thought to leave it out of the others I visited. However, I still wanted to share my experience attending the LINK MUSIC VIBES event during my trip, as it was my first time going to a formal concert in Japan. The lineup featured SATOH as the opening act, along with Chilli Beans., Tele, and iri. What struck me right away was how streamlined and organized the event was. That’s not to say smaller live shows are *disorganized*, but I was really impressed by how smoothly everything ran, especially considering the larger turnout. The queueing process was followed to perfection by both the organizers and the attendees. It seemed that because the crowd was much bigger, the organization was *even more* meticulous: audience sections were properly divided, uniformed staff with megaphones directed the crowd, and the venue itself felt like stepping into a movie theater, with clear signs marking each area.
As for the event itself, despite my excitement about seeing some of the bigger names in Japanese music like Chilli Beans. and iri, and even catching a very promising up-and-comer like SATOH, the whole experience ended up feeling a bit awkward. It seemed like much of the crowd wasn’t familiar with SATOH, which was a real shame, as they struggled to engage the audience. At one point, they even had to restart the opening of their first song TOKYO FOREVER because only a handful of people joined in with the sing-along instructions. Additionally, all the acts seemed in a rush to leave the stage after their sets, with none of them taking the time to properly address the audience with an MC, which felt a bit off. It almost seemed like they were all instructed to keep their sets strictly within a forty-minute limit. Despite these quirks, the production quality was outstanding, as you’d expect from a venue like Zepp Haneda. The lighting, sound design, and overall setup were all at a professional level. In line with that, rocky start to the night notwithstanding, it was very cool seeing SATOH win over some new fans with OK and RAINBOW. Getting to see Chilli Beans. perform My Boy and Vacance was a literal dream come true. Tele absolutely owned the night with his performances of Homunculus and ghost. Being able to sing along with iri’s Aitai wa and Wonderland was some of the most fun I had ever.
SONGS TO CHECK OUT:
▽ Tower Records Shibuya : 9.7
Event Title: ゼッド先行リスニングイベント (zedd senkou listening event)
Featuring: 路地 (roji)
Similarly, even though I caught a band performance at Tower Records, which isn’t primarily an event venue, I figured I’d save that for the end here. I didn’t actually know Roji would be performing a free mini-live until just a few hours beforehand. I was browsing Tower Records in Shibuya when I saw a staff member put up an announcement for the show. Admittedly, I didn’t know much about them at the time, but as I’ve mentioned a few times throughout this recap, not knowing a band has never stopped me from wanting to see them live. After spotting the announcement earlier that morning, I spent some time over lunch listening to their music to get a feel for what to expect. My immediate reaction was, "How have I only just found out about them now?"
Needless to say, hearing their music solidified my decision to go back to Tower Records and catch their set. It was a short one—just six songs, which is reasonable for a free event—but those twenty minutes were more than enough to create some of the most magical moments I’ve ever experienced watching a band perform. Watching Kozue wield her voice the way she does was truly captivating. The entire performance transported me mentally, making me forget everything around me as their music washed over me, allowing me to float in a blissful space. They gained a new fan in me that day, and I count myself extremely lucky to have stumbled upon their free set when I did.
SONGS TO CHECK OUT:
⟁ Miscellaneous Thoughts and Musings:
I have to thank my good friend Mustafa from An Extension of Mustafa (who I also got to meet during my trip—shout out to you, brother) for introducing me to the importance of using personal protective equipment to safeguard your hearing. I picked up some earplugs just days before my flight to Japan after seeing his recommendations on X. While I had been using them diligently since my first live show at Shibuya eggman, it wasn’t until the show at Rock Joint GB in Kichijoji that I truly realized their value. Despite the venue having fewer attendees that night, the sound was noticeably louder compared to other shows I’d attended. At one point, the gain on the main microphone was set so high that it felt harsh on my ears even with earplugs in. I shudder to think how my ears might have fared without them.
I absolutely love Shibuya eggman—it’s vibe is probably my favorite out of all the live houses I visited during my trip. However, there's one unfortunate aspect: a large pillar in the middle of the audience section. It’s understandably there for structural reasons, given that eggman is located in the basement of a building with multiple floors above. Thankfully, on both nights I attended, I wasn’t positioned behind it, so it didn’t obstruct my view of the stage. Nonetheless, it’s something that could affect other attendees. For those who primarily focus on the music rather than the visual performance, this might be less of an issue, as being a bit farther from the stage can sometimes improve acoustics. Additionally, eggman has a viewing monitor on the opposite side of the pillar to help fans see the stage, so it’s not a total dealbreaker.
Shimokitazawa LiveHolic stood out among all the venues I visited as it was the only one located on a higher floor of a building—specifically, the fifth floor. Aside from having to climb several flights of stairs to reach it, I wouldn’t have given it much thought—if not for a few moments during EMANON and NEK!'s performances when the crowd began jumping along with the music. While I'm sure the staff would have intervened if jumping were not allowed, and if the building were up to code it shouldn’t typically be an issue, it did momentarily pull me out of the experience and make me consider the venue’s unique setting, lol.
While each venue I visited had its own unique charm, I particularly enjoyed TOKIO TOKYO the most. If you're a Japanese music fan and find yourself in Tokyo/Shibuya area, definitely check out the venue's schedule and try to catch at least one show—it will be well worth your time. On the other hand, if you're more interested in discovering exciting new acts to listen to, see if there's a "Datsu・Orusuban Sengen" event happening at shibuya eggman. I guarantee you'll leave having discovered one or more new bands or artists to follow. Be sure to thank Takada-san on your way out and let her know I sent you.
On a related note, this experience has made me more determined to improve my conversational Japanese. My interactions at the live houses often highlighted the gaps in my vocabulary, leading to some awkward moments. I admit it was my choice not to use Google Translate and instead try to converse in Japanese, despite not having practiced outside of my Japanese class’s exams years ago. Despite a few awkward interactions, I was pleasantly surprised by the positive feedback on my Japanese from most people I spoke with. Though I’m taking those with a grain of salt, I’ll also be using that as encouragement and will definitely work on my language skills for next time.
Lastly, speaking of my next trip to Japan (which I am definitely planning), I hope to attend a music festival, something I missed out on this time. Since festivals usually occur around the same time each year, I should be able to plan my vacation accordingly. Fingers crossed. Additionally, while I had the chance to see many bands and artists I didn’t expect to, I’m excited about the prospect of seeing some specific names next time. Off the top of my head, and in no particular order, next time I’m in Japan I’d love to catch: 22-78, A子, Atarayo, Akuruyo no Hitsuji, chilldspot, ChoQMay, CLAN QUEEN, JYOCHO, Kroi, Kuroki Nagisa, Kusunoki Tomori (probably the least likely on this list, but a man can dream), Myuk, omeme tenten Split end, Suichu Spica, TOGENASHI TOGEARI, tricot… There are probably more, but listing all of them all would make this post much longer (XD).
And that’s about it! Thank you for reliving these moments with me, and, as I mentioned at the start, I hope this has sparked your interest in attending a live show yourself—or made you even more excited if you were already considering it.
Happy Listening!
The Advance Party will be back on its regular schedule on October 6, 2024. Are you looking forward to any releases next month? Check back here to see if they get featured!