Tokyo Gigs, July 2018

JUL 15 Toshimaru Nakamura/Jun Numata/Kazuo Imai Pit Inn, Shinjuku (day) ¥2,500
JUL 15 Altered States/Akira Sakata/Kazutoki Umezu/Jin Harada Pit Inn, Shinjuku (evening) ¥3,000
JUL 15 Unsustainable Social Condition/Napalm Death is Dead, &c. Soup, Ochiai ¥2,000
JUL 15 Shing02, Sauce81, Liberal aka Toshiki Iwaki, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
JUL 15 Marcel Fengler, Risa Taniguchi, DJ Saimura, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
JUL 17 Keiko Higuchi Sakaiki, Yotsuya-Sanchome ¥1,500
JUL 18 Jebiotto/Nakano Shock Boyz, Jailbird Y, Justice Christopher, &c. Motion, Shinjuku ¥2,500
JUL 19 Kate NV, Dip in the Pool, Manami Kakudo, Shhhhh (DJ) Kata, Ebisu ¥3,000
JUL 20 Jun Togawa Loft, Shinjuku ¥4,000
JUL 20 Isao Suzuki/Kazumasa Akiyama/Takumi Nakayama/&c. Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥3,500
JUL 20 Kate NV, Aya Gloomy, Emamouse, Kenichi Aono (DJ) Kata, Ebisu ¥3,000
JUL 20 The 5.6.7.8's, Tjiros, Electric Machine Gun Tits SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥2,800
JUL 20 The Twoks, Shogo Matsui, Muddy World Nanahari, Hatchobori ¥2,000
JUL 20 Tasker, Keiburger, Philippe Oschner, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥2,500
JUL 20 Session Victim (live), Midori Aoyama, CMYK, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
JUL 21 Emma147, Solvent Cobalt, Blackphone666, &c. Soup, Ochiai ¥1,500
JUL 21 Hank Wood and the Hammerheads, Melt-Banana, &c. Earthdom, Shin-Okubo ¥2,900
JUL 21 Extreme Night: Toshiji Mikawa, Tentenko, &c. Club Goodman, Akihabara ¥3,000
JUL 21 Groundcover, Green Milk from the Planet Orange Higashi-Koenji 20,000V ¥2,000
JUL 21 Isao Suzuki/Dairo Suga/Raiga Hayashi/Takumi Nakayama Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥3,500
JUL 21 Sea Level, Kasuppa, RIM, Hanazono Distance, &c. GOK Sound, Kichijoji ¥2,000
JUL 21 Fred P, Ryokei, Twelve, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
JUL 21 Asquith, Route 8, Romy Mats, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥2,500
JUL 22 Computer Magic Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥5,400
JUL 22 Tape Waves, Tawings, Gateballers, &c. Basement Bar, Shimokitazawa ¥3,000
JUL 22 Atsuko Hatano/Joe Talia/Tatsuhisa Yamamoto Lady Jane, Shimokitazawa ¥2,700
JUL 22 Concierto de la Familia/Sizuo Uchida, Huh, Makoto Sakamoto, &c. Soup, Ochiai ¥1,500
JUL 22 Junji Hirose/Yasumune Morishige Ftarri, Suidobashi ¥2,000
JUL 22 Phew, Mouse on the Keys, Wagot, Pootee (DJ) Forestlimit, Hatagaya ¥2,800
JUL 23 Keiji Haino (solo electronics/hurdy gurdy) Koenji High ¥4,300
JUL 24 Computer Magic WWW, Shibuya ¥5,400
JUL 24 Killer-Bong + Hikari, Friendship, Hegira Moya UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥2,000
JUL 25 Shinji Wada, Hato Nanahari, Hatchobori ¥1,800
JUL 24-25 Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog Blue Note Tokyo, Minami-Aoyama ¥8,500
JUL 25 Angelo Moore (DJ), Esne Beltza, Taiji Sato, &c. Club Asia, Shibuya ¥4,000
JUL 26 Jon Hopkins, Aoki Takamasa WWW X, Shibuya ¥5,000
JUL 26 Ataraw feat. Nnni, Astro x Praymate, Transkam, &c. Higashi-Koenji 20,000V ¥1,500
JUL 27 The Noup, In The Sun, Kuruucrew, Moz Bush Bash, Koiwa ¥TBC
JUL 27 Derrick L. Carter, Remi, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,500 w/flyer
JUL 27 XDB, DJ Nobu, So, Mustache X, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
JUL 27-29 Ryoji Ikeda Concert Pieces Spiral Hall, Omotesando ¥1,500
JUL 28 Music is My Spirit Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥3,000
JUL 28 Tetuzi Akiyama/Masahide Tokunaga, Florin Thomas Ftarri, Suidobashi ¥2,000
JUL 28 The Hacker, Baroque x Shun, Hoshina Anniversary, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
JUL 28 HVOB, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
JUL 28-29 Soft Machine Billboard Live, Roppongi ¥8,000/¥9,000
JUL 29 Struggle for Pride, Moonscape, Payback Boys Bush Bash, Koiwa ¥TBC
JUL 29 Gigamodular: Hisashi Saito, Numb, Hataken, &c. Club Goodman, Akihabara ¥3,000
JUL 30 Sticky Rice, Lucky Tapes Aoyama Moon Romantic ¥3,300
JUL 30-31 Carla Thomas Billboard Live, Roppongi ¥9,800/¥10,800
JUL 31 Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals Toyosu Pit ¥7,000
JUL 31 Seun Kuti & Africa 80 Blue Note Tokyo, Minami-Aoyama ¥8,500

Prices are for advance tickets, unless otherwise stated

Tokyo Gigs, August 2018

AUG 1-2 Seun Kuti & Africa 80 Blue Note Tokyo, Minami-Aoyama ¥8,500

AUG 3 Tabletop Guitars/Noel-Kit, Hahanoshikyu/Huh, Mammoth Kagurane, Kagurazaka ¥2,000
AUG 3 A Guy Called Gerald (live), Mild Bunch Sound System, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,300 w/flyer
AUG 3 Radio Slave, Sekitova, DJ FGR, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
AUG 4 Ni-hao!!!!, Slight Slappers, Fucker, Energish Golf, &c. Tsutaya O-Nest, Shibuya ¥3,000
AUG 4 Brayan Valenzuela, Akiko Kiyama, Hokuto Sato (DJ), &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥2,000
AUG 4 Martyn, Gonno, Aaron Davis, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
AUG 4 Ata, Monkey Timers, Inazumatic DJs, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
AUG 5 Crocodile Cox and the Disaster, Struggle for Pride Shelter, Shimokitazawa ¥1,500
AUG 6 Masayo Koketsu + Dojo (Michiyo Yagi/Tamaya Honda) Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥3,300
AUG 8 Open Reel Ensemble, 1980 Yen, Misosita Aoyama Moon Romantic ¥3,500

AUG 8 Oshiri Penpenz UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥2,000
AUG 8 Daddy Veda, Killa, Mars89, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥1,500
AUG 10 Dennis Bovell & Sandii Unit, Daikanyama ¥4,800
AUG 10 Mike Parker, Feral, Asusu, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
AUG 11 Chip Tanaka, Dalljub Step Club, Carpainter, Parkgolf, &c. Marz, Shinjuku ¥3,000
AUG 11 AKBK, Painjerk, Maruosa, &c. Soup, Ochiai ¥TBC
AUG 12 Khun Narin's Electric Phin Band, Rovo, Stillchimiya, &c. WWW X, Shibuya ¥5,000
AUG 13 Colour Me Wednesday, Luby Sparks, Cattle, &c. Fever, Shindaita ¥3,500
AUG 15 My Bloody Valentine Toyosu Pit ¥8,500
AUG 18 Charan Po Rantan, Kenta Maeno, Shutoku Mukai Yoyogi Park Keyaki-Namiki Free
AUG 18 Jasper James, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
AUG 19-20 Kamasi Washington Billboard Live, Roppongi ¥10,000/¥11,000
AUG 20 Sparks Club Quattro, Shibuya ¥6,500
AUG 21 Hikashu Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji ¥3,900
AUG 23 Hello, Wendy!, Metalchicks SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,800
AUG 24 Black Boboi, Utena Kobayashi, Julia Shortreed, Ermhoi, &c. Womb, Shibuya ¥3,000
AUG 25 Omoide Hatoba WWW, Shibuya ¥3,000
AUG 25 Inoyamaland, Ryo Arai/Tatsuki Masako Galaxy-Gingakei, Harajuku ¥3,000
AUG 26 Say Sue Me, Gateballers, Laura Day Romance, &c. UFO Club, &c., Higashi-Koenji ¥3,000
AUG 26 Otomo Yoshihide, Santiago Vazquez, Non, &c. Tokyo Tower, Shiba-koen Free
AUG 28 R+R=NOW Billboard Live, Roppongi ¥11,000/¥12,000
AUG 28 Lindigo, Tootard WWW, Shibuya ¥5,000
AUG 29 Raphael Gimenes & As Montanhas Do Som WWW, Shibuya ¥5,000
AUG 30 Ben Walsh, Folk Enough, Lyrical School, Uhnellys Aoyama Moon Romantic ¥2,000
AUG 31 Ali Shaheed Muhammad/Adrian Younge Billboard Live, Roppongi ¥6,900/¥7,900
AUG 31 Joey Anderson, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500

Prices are for advance tickets, unless otherwise stated

Tokyo Gigs, September 2018

SEP 1 R+R=NOW, Cornelius NHK Hall, Shibuya (day) ¥3,800-¥12,800
SEP 1 Herbie Hancock, Tigran Hamasyan Trio NHK Hall, Shibuya (evening) ¥3,800-¥12,800
SEP 2 Godman, The Silence UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥2,500
SEP 2 Kyoto Jazz Massive (live), The Steve McQueens, &c. WWW X, Shibuya ¥5,000
SEP 3 Enslaved, Vampillia, &c. Duo Music Exchange, Shibuya ¥6,000
SEP 7 Tsushimamire, Kinoco Hotel, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, &c. Unit, Daikanyama ¥3,500
SEP 8 Major Force (DJ), Dotsuitarunen, Tucker UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥2,500
SEP 9 Bacteria, Linekraft, Solvent Cobalt, &c. Pool, Sakuradai ¥2,000
SEP 11 Se So Neon, Yogee New Waves WWW X, Shibuya ¥3,300
SEP 11 Idles Unit, Daikanyama ¥5,000
SEP 12 Oneohtrix Point Never Tsutaya O-East, Shibuya ¥6,000
SEP 12 This Will Destroy You, Of Decay and Sublime, &c. Tsutaya O-Nest, Shibuya ¥4,500
SEP 14 Jazz Art Sengawa: John Zorn's Cobra Sengawa Theater ¥3,000
SEP 15 Square Sounds Tokyo: Chip Tanaka, Quarta 330, Bit Shifter, &c. Koenji High ¥3,500
SEP 15 Jazz Art: Kazuko Shiraishi/Itaru Oki/Kiyoto Fujiwara, &c. Sengawa Theater (day) ¥3,000
SEP 15 Jazz Art: Peter Evans/Ko Ishikawa/Kosetsu Imanishi, &c. Sengawa Theater (day) ¥3,000
SEP 15 Jazz Art: Hikashu/Saicobab Sengawa Theater (evening) ¥3,000
SEP 15 Power Trip, Coffins, G.A.T.E.S Earthdom, Shin-Okubo ¥TBC
SEP 16 Square Sounds Tokyo: Toriena, Kris Keyser, NES Band, &c. Koenji High ¥3,500
SEP 16 Jazz Art: Lauren Newton/Heiri Känzig/Ami Yamasaki/&c. Sengawa Theater (day) ¥3,000
SEP 16 Jazz Art: René Lussier Quintette, &c. Sengawa Theater (day) ¥3,000
SEP 16 Jazz Art: Akira Sakata/Peter Evans/&c. Sengawa Theater (evening) ¥3,000
SEP 17 Sissy Spacek, Hijokaidan, MikaTen Club Goodman, Akihabara ¥2,800
SEP 18 Wilko Johnson Club Quattro, Shibuya ¥6,500
SEP 18 Power Trip, Endon, Saigan Terror, Meaning Fever, Shindaita ¥4,200
SEP 18 DJ Krush, Yasushi Ide presents The Million Image Orchestra, &c. Unit, Daikanyama ¥6,500
SEP 19 Wilko Johnson Club Quattro, Shibuya ¥6,500
SEP 20 Taeko Onuki Billboard Live, Roppongi ¥6,900/¥7,900
SEP 21 Eiko Ishibashi x Takahiro Fujita WWW, Shibuya ¥4,000
SEP 22 Minyo Crusaders, Triple Fire WWW X, Shibuya ¥3,500
SEP 23 Unknown Mortal Orchestra WWW X, Shibuya ¥TBC
SEP 25 Taeko Onuki Billboard Live, Roppongi ¥6,900/¥7,900
SEP 27 Räfven Club Quattro, Shibuya ¥6,000
SEP 27 Kiyohiko Semba & Karugamos Mameromantic, Daikanyama ¥3,300

Prices are for advance tickets, unless otherwise stated

Tokyo Gigs, October 2018

OCT 3 Gogo Penguin Club Quattro, Shibuya ¥6,800
OCT 9 Shintaro Sakamoto Liquidroom, Ebisu ¥4,500
OCT 10 Yo La Tengo Tsutaya O-East, Shibuya ¥6,500
OCT 15 Ratboys, The Firewood Project, &c. Fever, Shindaita ¥3,500
OCT 20 Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin Aoyama Moon Romantic ¥15,000
OCT 21 Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin Aoyama Moon Romantic ¥15,000
OCT 25 Deerhunter, Gang Gang Dance, &c. Tsutaya O-East, Shibuya ¥7,000
OCT 27 Naoki Zuki w/ Nagisa Ni Te, Yume de Aimashou UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥3,200
OCT 29 Hinds Liquidroom, Ebisu ¥5,800
OCT 30 This Is Not This Heat Unit, Daikanyama ¥8,200
OCT 31 Gong Billboard Live, Roppongi ¥7,500/¥8,500
OCT 31 This Is Not This Heat Unit, Daikanyama ¥8,200

Prices are for advance tickets, unless otherwise stated

Best of 2017

Or... a not-top-10 of Japanese music I’ve enjoyed this year

In a break from regular programming, I thought I’d cobble together a list of the Japanese music I particularly enjoyed this year (an apparently simple task that’s ended up taking nearly a month). For the sake of argument, I’ve limited this to musicians who are based in Japan or actively involved in the music scene here. That means that Ryuichi Sakamoto and Jim O’Rourke made the cut, but some exceptionally talented Japanese musicians based overseas didn’t (to whit: Iku Sakan, WaqWaq Kingdom and Masaya Ozaki & Kaito Nakahori). Every year-end listicle I’ve read has alluded to the contrast between the outpouring of great music during 2017 and the otherwise dire state of world affairs, so I won’t dwell on that here, except to say thanks to everyone featured on this list for making life a little sweeter...