Tokyo Gigs, April 2018

APR 24 Los Explosivos, The Fadeaways, &c. UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥2,300
APR 24 Phum Viphurit, Stuts feat. Alfred Beach Sandal, &c. WWW X, Shibuya ¥2,500
APR 25 Masayo Koketsu/Masahiko Satoh Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥3,000
APR 25 The Keeley, El Sonocos, Sassya Three, Shimokitazawa ¥2,000
APR 25 Teion Duo (Takashi Matsudaira/Shinya Hashimoto) Suginami Public Hall, Ogikubo ¥3,000
APR 25 Gaseneta Loft, Shinjuku ¥2,500
APR 25 nd_Baumecker, Gonno, Nao, Ishiguro Contact, Shibuya ¥2,000
APR 26 Brötzmann/Leigh SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,000
APR 26 Yann Tomita Blue Note Tokyo, Minami-Aoyama ¥8,000

APR 27 Four Tet Liquidroom, Ebisu ¥6,000

APR 27 Brötzmann/Leigh w/ Keiji Haino SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,000

APR 27 Gulfer, Loqto, Agatha, 1inamillion Basement Bar, Shimokitazawa ¥3,500

APR 27 Otomo Yoshihide New Jazz Quintet Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥3,000
APR 27 Aurora Halal, Mari Sakurai, Kazuho, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥2,500
APR 27 Danny Krivit, Dazzle Drums, Paul Raffaele, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
APR 27 Eric Duncan, Force of Nature, Shotaro Maeda, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
APR 28 Green Flames, Yximalloo, Sean Karr, Living Astro SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥2,000
APR 28 Vomir, Les Enculés, Numbfoot, Nicolas J. Fasnacht, &c. Soup, Ochiai ¥1,000
APR 28 Rise from the Dead, OOIOO, Neconemuru, DMBQ WWW, Shibuya ¥3,500
APR 28 Yung Bae, Luvraw, Foodman, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya (evening) ¥2,500
APR 28 Takahiro Arai/U-zhaan Mameromantic, Daikanyama ¥3,500
APR 28 Una Bestia Incotrolable, Struggle for Pride, Order, &c. Earthdom, Shin-Okubo ¥2,500
APR 28 Sugai Ken, Satoshi & Makoto, Chee Shimizu (DJ), &c. Forestlimit, Hatagaya ¥2,800
APR 28 Carre, Preparation Set, Eastern.P, Aiwabeatz (DJ) Bush Bash, Koiwa ¥1,500
APR 28 Green Milk from the Planet Orange, Guess Band, &c. Loft, Shinjuku (night) ¥1,500
APR 28 Madam X, Jonny Dub, Andrew, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya (night) ¥2,000
APR 28 Relaxer (live), Akiram En, Wada Yosuke, &c. Solfa, Nakameguro ¥2,000
APR 28 John Digweed, Osamu M, A.Mochi, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,500 w/flyer
APR 28 Peanut Butter Wolf, Sudan Archives, Muro, &c. Vision, Shibuya ¥3,000
APR 29 T. Mikawa/Overload Collapse, Jet Himiko, &c. SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥2,500
APR 29 Eiko Ishibashi/Tatsuhisa Yamamoto Lady Jane, Shimokitazawa ¥2,700
APR 29 Famicom Jigoku, Wuuun, Blackphone666, &c. Forestlimit, Hatagaya ¥1,500
APR 29 Peder Mannerfelt (live), John Osborn, Acronym, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
APR 30 Yoshihiro Kikuchi, Offseason, Overload Collapse, &c. Forestlimit, Hatagaya ¥1,500
APR 30 Depth Charge (live), Ken Ishii, DJ Wada, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥2,500

Prices are for advance tickets, unless otherwise stated

Tokyo Gigs, May 2018

MAY 1 Cradle of Filth Liquidroom, Ebisu ¥7,500
MAY 1 Peach Kelli Pop, Tawings, The Fadeaways, &c. Basement Bar, Shimokitazawa ¥2,000
MAY 1 Armando Balice, Akaihirume, Hideki Umezawa, &c. Untitled, Ueno ¥1,500
MAY 1 NW "RIR1009", 10000V, Aural Fit, &c. Showboat, Koenji ¥2,200
MAY 1 C.K, Ngly, Toby Feltwell, &c. Bonobo, Harajuku ¥2,000
MAY 2 Carmen Maki & Altered States Club Goodman, Akihabara ¥3,800
MAY 2 Visionist/Pedro Maia, Phew/Akiko Nakayama, &c. Unit, Daikanyama ¥4,000
MAY 2 Soundmurderer, DJ Yahman/DJ Don, KA4U, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥2,500
MAY 2 Josh Wink, Wata Igarashi, Shhhhh, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,300 w/flyer
MAY 2 DJ Spinna, Toshiyuki Goto, Koco aka Shimokita, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
MAY 3 Armando Balice, Guillaume Contré, Yuki Ohtsuka, &c. Monten Hall, Ryogoku ¥1,500
MAY 3 Fushitsusha Showboat, Koenji ¥4,300
MAY 3 SxOxB, Struggle for Pride, The Zoot16, &c. Basement Bar/Three, Shimokitazawa ¥3,000
MAY 3 Loaf Muzik, Illnandes & Endrun, &c. Solfa, Nakameguro ¥2,500 w/flyer
MAY 3 Eartaker, Goth-Trad, 100mado, Ena, Prettybwoy, &c. Club Asia, Shibuya ¥2,500 w/flyer
MAY 3 Ben Sims, Rok Da House, 'Nov' Unit, Daikanyama ¥3,000
MAY 3 Blind Observatory, Agonis, Diskonnected, Garçon, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000
MAY 4 Rovo, Shintaro Sakamoto, Goma & Jungle Rhythm Section Hibiya Open-Air Stage ¥4,800
MAY 4 Kuknacke The Bass Emperor!, Techno Wolf, &c. Forestlimit, Hatagaya ¥TBC
MAY 4 Dego, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Kamma & Masalo, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
MAY 4 Akirahawks, Kenji Takimi, Contours, &c. WWW ß, Shibuya ¥1,500
MAY 5 Black Ganion, Greenmachine, NoLa, &c. Higashi-Koenji 20,000V ¥2,500
MAY 5 Omni Sight feat. Shuta Nishida, Captain Earwax, Networks Soup, Ochiai ¥2,500
MAY 5 Tentenko/K∑ITO, AKBK, Caramba, Blackphone666, &c. Forestlimit, Hatagaya ¥TBC
MAY 5 San Soda, Will Long (live), Sayuri, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥2,500 w/flyer
MAY 5 Hard Ton (live), Gonno, Kenji Takimi, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥2,500
MAY 6 Barrio Lindo, R Vicenzo, GROUND, &c. Unice, Daikanyama ¥2,000
MAY 6 Zvizmo (Tentenko/Atsuhiro Ito), Groundcover, Otori, &c. Higashi-Koenji 20,000V ¥2,000
MAY 7 The Neso, Cardinal Fang, The Buttercup Three, Shimokitazawa Free
MAY 8 The Mystery Lights, Cotillon, Habibi, Boys Age, Tawings Three, Shimokitazawa ¥2,500
MAY 9 Ousmane Ag Mossa, Oki, &c. Mameromantic, Daikanyama ¥4,000
MAY 10 Klan Aileen, Merzbow Three, Shimokitazawa ¥2,400
MAY 11 The Beatniks EX Theater Roppongi ¥6,500/¥8,500
MAY 11 Avila Santo, Bucci's Brew, Yama aka Sahib (DJ), &c. Galaxy-Gingakei, Harajuku ¥2,500
MAY 11 Anthony Naples & Huerco S, Low Jack, &c. Unit, Daikanyama ¥2,800
MAY 12 Hermeto Pascoal e Grupo WWW X, Shibuya ¥8,500
MAY 12 Inoyamaland, Frozen Electronic Wave (DJ) Galaxy-Gingakei, Harajuku ¥3,000
MAY 12 Nao Katafuchi, Blanc, Takumi Iwasky Higashi-Koenji 20,000V ¥4,000
MAY 12 Shigeto, Yosi Horikawa, Daisuke Tanabe Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥3,500
MAY 12 M.E.S.H, Jesse Osborne-Lanthier, 1017 Muney, &c. WWW ß, Shibuya ¥2,000
MAY 12 Daniel Wang, Monkey Timers, Jun Komoda, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
MAY 13 Elephant Noiz Kashimashi, Cunts, Endon, Qujaku Tsutaya O-Nest, Shibuya ¥2,500
MAY 13 Angel-Make/Hiko/Mitsuru Tabata, De Lorians, &c. UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥2,000
MAY 13 KinzoIsHere, Solvent Cobalt, Concierto de la Familia, &c. Forestlimit, Hatagaya ¥1,500
MAY 14-17 Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet Cotton Club, Marunouchi ¥7,000-¥9,000
MAY 16 Korekyojinn Club Goodman, Akihabara ¥3,000
MAY 18 Ivy Lab, Ikonika, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya (evening) ¥2,500
MAY 18 Group A, Sibitt, Killer-Oma, Zvizmo Goethe Institute, Akasaka ¥2,000
MAY 18 Tomomi Shimantogawa, Maher Shalal Hash Baz, &c. UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥2,500
MAY 18 Florian Kupfer, NGLY (live), &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya (night) ¥2,000
MAY 18 Talaboman, Mustache X, K.E.G, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
MAY 19 RNA (K2/F. Kosakai/Eiko Ishibashi), Carre, Guru Host SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥2,300
MAY 19 Adam Baldych/Helge Lien Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥5,000
MAY 19 Minyo Crusaders, Soi48 Cay, Omotesando ¥3,000
MAY 19 Codex Empire, Eexxppoann, C-Kay Kagurane, Kagurazaka ¥TBC
MAY 19 Chris Liebing, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
MAY 19-20 Black Opera: Hole on Black Goethe Institute, Akasaka ¥3,000/¥4,500
MAY 20 Kenta Maeno w/ Band WWW X, Shibuya ¥4,000
MAY 20 Third Person (Samm Bennett/Kazutoki Umezu) + guests Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥3,500
MAY 20 Otori, Elephant Noise Kashimashi, Skillkills Club Goodman, Akihabara ¥2,500
MAY 21 Konono No.1, Oki Unit, Daikanyama ¥5,300
MAY 22 Ilan Volkov/Jim O'Rourke/Samuel Dunscombe/&c. SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,000
MAY 22 Konono No.1, Soi48 Unit, Daikanyama ¥5,300
MAY 22 Se So Neon, Paellas, Group Action Aoyama Moonromantic ¥2,800
MAY 23 Nils Frahm Liquidroom, Ebisu ¥7,500
MAY 23 Sepultura, United Duo Music Exchange, Shibuya ¥7,500
MAY 23 Rainer Maria, Osrum, Uhnellys, Peelingwards Tsutaya O-Nest, Shibuya ¥4,500
MAY 23 Evanturetime, &c. Aoyama Moonromantic ¥2,500
MAY 24 Composium 2018: The Music of Unsuk Chin Tokyo Opera City, Hatsudai ¥3,000
MAY 24 Prep, &c. Unit, Daikanyama ¥4,500
MAY 25 Jimmy Cliff Liquidroom, Ebisu ¥7,000
MAY 25 Parasol, Kensuke Ide with His Mothership, &c. 7th Floor, Shibuya ¥2,500
MAY 25 The Messthetics, &c. Fever, Shindaita ¥3,900
MAY 25 Naduve, You Forgot, Mustache X, &c. Solfa, Nakameguro ¥2,000 w/flyer
MAY 25 DJ Nobu/So, Wata Igarashi/Haruka, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
MAY 26 Weekend Guitar Trio, Olli Hirvonen New Helsinki, &c. Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥4,000
MAY 26 COM_I, Gotch, Dengaryu, Awich, Yellow Fang, &c. WWW/WWW X, Shibuya ¥TBC
MAY 26 Jimmy Edgar, Atsu, Frankie $, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥3,000
MAY 26 Fiedel, Marcus L, Cleymoore, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
MAY 26 Henrik Schwarz, Toshiya Kawasaki, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
MAY 27 ACT Trio (Ben Wendel/Harish Raghavan/Nate Wood) Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥5,000
MAY 28 K-Hand, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥2,000
MAY 28 The Album Leaf WWW, Shibuya ¥6,000
MAY 29 The Bilinda Butchers, Lamp Tsutaya O-Nest, Shibuya ¥4,500
MAY 29 Sleep Party People Fever, Shindaita ¥4,800
MAY 29 Altered States Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥3,000
MAY 30 Astral Swans, Johnnivan, Chaild, The Pink Elephants Tsutaya O-Nest, Shibuya ¥2,000
MAY 30 Tim Dahl & Tatsuya Yoshida, Chosokkyo UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥2,800

Prices are for advance tickets, unless otherwise stated

Tokyo Gigs, June 2018

JUN 1 Falsettos, Skillkills Fever, Shindaita ¥2,800
JUN 2 Akira Sakata/T. Mikawa/Kentaro Nakao Bar Ishee, Sendagi ¥500 plus tip
JUN 2 dip, Tawings Showboat, Koenji ¥3,500
JUN 2 Bruce, Djrum, Akiram En, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
JUN 4 Metz Fever, Shindaita ¥4,500
JUN 4 The Messthetics, &c. Tsutaya O-Nest, Shibuya ¥3,900
JUN 5 Metz Fever, Shindaita ¥4,500
JUN 7-8 Pinkshinyultrablast, &c. Tsutaya O-Nest, Shibuya ¥5,000
JUN 9 Dive, KK Null, Sino Re-Build Projects, &c. Kagurane, Kagurazaka ¥TBC
JUN 9 Cio D'Or, Nao, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
JUN 12 Shigeru Suzuki x Hidefumi Ino Billboard Live, Roppongi ¥5,400/¥6,900
JUN 13 Autechre, Andy Maddocks (DJ) Liquidroom, Ebisu ¥6,000
JUN 13 Kukangendai, Ramza, Yosuke Yukimatsu (DJ) WWW X, Shibuya ¥2,500
JUN 14 Yosuke Yamashita/Takahiro Tomatsu/Yuji Ueno Mameromantic, Daikanyama ¥4,000
JUN 16 Hajikiya, Compact Club, Anisakis Bonobo, Harajuku ¥1,500
JUN 16 Tal Cohen, Yogg, Pharaoh, Wata Igarashi, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
JUN 18 Suuns Fever, Shindaita ¥4,300
JUN 19 Andy Vaz, K, Okdtsk, Yumoto, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥2,000
JUN 24 Cruyff in the Bedroom, Plastic Girl in Closet, For Tracy Hyde, &c. High, Koenji ¥3,000
JUN 24 Non Band, Hoppy Koyama, Mark Sorvari, &c. UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥3,000
JUN 28 Goat Girl WWW, Shibuya ¥5,500
JUN 29 TOC Band feat. Keiichi Tomita, Melraw, &c. Club Quattro, Shibuya ¥5,000
JUN 30 Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso UFO Club Goodman, Akihabara ¥3,000

Prices are for advance tickets, unless otherwise stated

Tokyo Gigs, July 2018

JUL 3 Public Image Ltd. EX Theater Roppongi ¥9,000/¥10,000
JUL 6 Jan and Naomi, Wonk, Eye (DJ), &c. Liquidroom, Ebisu ¥3,000
JUL 7 Shonen Knife Fever, Shindaita ¥3,500
JUL 8 Envy, Mono Liquidroom, Ebisu ¥3,500
JUL 10 Dubforce Club Quattro, Shibuya ¥4,000
JUL 20 Jun Togawa Loft, Shinjuku ¥4,000
JUL 22 Computer Magic Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥5,400
JUL 24 Computer Magic WWW, Shibuya ¥5,400
JUL 26 Jon Hopkins WWW X, Shibuya ¥5,000
JUL 28-29 Soft Machine Billboard Live, Roppongi ¥8,000/¥9,000

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...