Tokyo Gigs, October 2018

OCT 16 Zale Seck et Japon Daagou Mameromantic, Daikanyama ¥3,300
OCT 16 Roger Turner/Kazuo Imai Ftarri, Suidobashi ¥2,000
OCT 16 DJ Sniff/Shane Aspegren, &c. SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥2,300
OCT 16 Leo Imai, DMBQ, Uri Gagarn Fever, Shindaita ¥3,000
OCT 17 Colin Vallon, Eiko Ishibashi, Tobias Presig SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,000
OCT 17 Roger Turner/Masahiko Sato/Otomo Yoshihide Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥3,500
OCT 18 Jun Togawa, Triple Fire Loft, Shinjuku ¥3,800
OCT 18 Christian Meass Svendsen/Yong Yandsen/Michiyo Yagi/&c. Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥3,500
OCT 18 Shibusashirazu Orchestra Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji ¥3,500
OCT 18 Guru Host, Schnellertollermeier, Afrirampo SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,000
OCT 19 Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin Aoyama Moon Romantic ¥15,000
OCT 19 Yosuke Fujita Scool, Mitaka ¥2,500
OCT 19 Tawings, Luby Sparks, Chiio, &c. Basement Bar, Shimokitazawa Free
OCT 19 Chassol, Clara Luciani, Léonard Lasry, Catastrophe WWW, Shibuya ¥4,800
OCT 19 The Bamboo Cuttters SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,000
OCT 19 Flook Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji ¥6,000
OCT 19 Fractal Fantasy, Amy Becker, Jonny Dub, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥2,500
OCT 19 Kiddy Smile, Peli, DSKE, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥2,500
OCT 19 Opal Sunn, Mayurashka, Mari Sakurai, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
OCT 20 Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin Aoyama Moon Romantic ¥15,000
OCT 20 Cemetery, Granule, Klonns, Ultrafog, &c. Bush Bash, Koiwa ¥2,000
OCT 20 P-iple, Justice Christopher, Slowmarico, &c. Sound Studio Dom, Koenji ¥1,500
OCT 20 Jon Cleary, Flook, Zydefunk, Gariyaki Tirikoti, &c. Yebisu Garden Place ¥12,000
OCT 20 Slak, Sassya, Roku to Shichi, Melt-Banana Motion, Shinjuku ¥2,300
OCT 20 Anyo, Endon, Homme, NoLa Higashi-Koenji 20,000V ¥2,000
OCT 20 Bake, Asusu, 100mado, Hara, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
OCT 20 Toxe, DJ Chanmomo, Keito, &c. Tsutaya O-Nest, Shibuya ¥2,000
OCT 20 Errorsmith, Total Freedom, Foodman, &c. WWW X, Shibuya ¥2,000
OCT 20 The Blaze, Myth Syzer & Bonnie Banane, Para One, &c. Unit, Daikanyama ¥3,500
OCT 21 Gaseneta, Masonna, Oshiripenpenz UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥2,500
OCT 21 Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin Aoyama Moon Romantic ¥15,000
OCT 21 Dereb the Ambassador, Yusuke Akiba (DJ) Cay, Omotesando ¥3,000
OCT 21 Animal Hospital, Madron Avenue, Shingo Maeda, &c. Home, Shibuya ¥2,000
OCT 21 Jon Cleary Trio, Noam Pikelny/Stuart Duncan, &c. Yebisu Garden Place ¥12,000
OCT 21 Tentenko, Go Max Tenko, Ju Sei, &c. Forestlimit, Hatagaya ¥2,000
OCT 21 Brainoil, Black Ganion, Coffins, Endon, Friendship Earthdom, Shin-Okubo ¥2,500
OCT 22 Baths WWW, Shibuya ¥4,800
OCT 22 Quicksand, Drumkan Fever, Shindaita ¥5,800
OCT 22-23 Arto Lindsay Blue Note Tokyo, Minami-Aoyama ¥8,000
OCT 23 Geotic Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥4,000
OCT 23 Hai Qing, Green Milk from the Planet Orange, &c. Club Goodman, Akihabara ¥2,000
OCT 24 Langham Research Centre, Jim O'Rourke, &c. &c. SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,000
OCT 24 Ruins Alone, Transkam, Kumorigahara, &c. Higashi-Koenji 20,000V ¥2,000
OCT 24 Keiji Haino/Mitsuru Nasuno Lush, Shibuya ¥3,000
OCT 24 Janet Klein and her Parlor Boys Club Quattro, Shibuya ¥6,000
OCT 12 Elizabeth Millar/Craig Pedersen/Tetuzi Akiyama/&c. Ftarri, Suidobashi ¥2,000
OCT 24 Hai Qing, Loolowningen & The Far East Idiots, &c. Aoyama Moon Romantic ¥2,500
OCT 25 Deerhunter, Gang Gang Dance, &c. Tsutaya O-East, Shibuya ¥7,000
OCT 26 Spinn, Luby Sparks Fever, Shindaita ¥3,000
OCT 26 Yousuke Yukimatsu, YPY (live), Sapphire Slows WWW ß, Shibuya ¥1,000
OCT 26 Norman Nodge, Akiko Kiyama, Romy Mats, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥2,000
OCT 26 Claudio PRC, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
OCT 26 Ben UFO, Powder, Kassem Mosse, Will Bankhead, &c. Unit, Daikanyama ¥2,000
OCT 27 Naoki Zushi w/ Nagisa Ni Te, Yume de Aimashou UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥3,200
OCT 27 Hair Stylistics, Tucker Bonobo, Harajuku ¥1,500
OCT 27 Richie Hawtin, Alva Noto, Ishijima (DJ) Toyosu Pit ¥8,500
OCT 27 Junko Onishi & Miho Hazama Ensemble Cotton Club, Marunouchi ¥7,500-¥9,500
OCT 27 Galaxy Express 555, Aki Tsuyuko, mmm?, &c. Nanahari, Hatchobori ¥2,000
OCT 27 Veronica Vasicka, Iori, Kenji Takimi, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,500 door
OCT 27 DJ Deeon, DJ Funk, DJ Fulltono, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥2,800
OCT 27 Dimitri From Paris, DJ Tsu, &c. Aoyama Zero ¥2,500 w/flyer
OCT 28 Cevin Key/Djoto, KK Null, Sean Curtis Patrick, &c. Kagurane, Kagurazaka ¥3,000
OCT 28 Doravideo, Galcid, Miho Waka, &c. Club Goodman, Akihabara ¥2,800
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
OCT 31 Roger Turner/Akira Sakata/Yuji Takahashi Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥3,500
OCT 31 Crooked Sun SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,000

Prices are for advance tickets, unless otherwise stated

Tokyo Gigs, November 2018

NOV 1 Roger Turner/Kazuo Imai Bar Ishee, Sendagi ¥500 + drink order
NOV 1 Tigers Jaw, Country Yard Tsutaya O-Nest, Shibuya ¥4,000
NOV 1 Pregnant, Bonstar, Tropical Death, &c. Basement Bar, Shimokitazawa ¥2,000
NOV 1 OSCA, Nierra, Xiangyu, Hopi Aoyama Moon Romantic ¥2,800
NOV 2 Thomas Fehlmann, The Field, Burnt Friedman Unit, Daikanyama ¥4,000
NOV 2 Qujaku, Suddenlyboyz, Elephant Noise Kashimashi La Mama, Shibuya ¥2,500
NOV 2 Bill Pritchard w/ Asaka/Seiichi Kondo Nanahari, Hatchobori ¥3,500
NOV 2 El Haru Kuroi, Shoko & The Akilla, &c. Mameromantic, Daikanyama ¥3,900
NOV 2 DJ Nobu x DJ Masda, Mari Sakurai, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
NOV 3 Jailbird Y, Impara, In the Sun, &c. Bush Bash, Koiwa ¥2,000
NOV 3 Stefan Prins/Sumihisa Arima/Takumi Ikeda/&c. Velvet Sun, Ogikubo ¥2,000
NOV 3 John Thayer/Lea Thomas/Tomoyoshi Date Ftarri, Suidobashi ¥2,000
NOV 3 Roni Size, DJ Krust, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥3,500
NOV 3 Sonja Moonear, SIT (Cristi Cons/Vlad Caia), &c. Unit, Daikanyama ¥3,500
NOV 3 Rødhad, Wata Igarashi, Sapphire Slows, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,300 w/flyer
NOV 4 Amy Yagi/Jun Tomoda/Ryoji Orihara/Sumire Onuki SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,000
NOV 4 Tigers Jaw Garret, Shibuya ¥4,000
NOV 4 Compuma (DJ), Ramza, Renick Bell, Carre, &c. Bush Bash, Koiwa ¥TBA
NOV 4 Puma Blue Wall&Wall, Omotesando ¥4,000
NOV 4 Afrirampo, Bokunou Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥2,500
NOV 5 Bruno Pernadas WWW X, Shibuya ¥6,300
NOV 6 Spiral Deluxe SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,000
NOV 7 The Go! Team Unit, Daikanyama ¥6,000
NOV 8 Shame, Klan Aileen Fever, Shindaita ¥5,800
NOV 9 Nathan Micay (aka Bwana), Atsu, Ren Yokoi, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥2,000
NOV 9 Petre Inspirescu, Raha, Nehan, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
NOV 9 Blawan, Twin Peaks, Reki, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
NOV 10 Anisakis, Douglas, M.A.Z.E, Groundcover Soup, Ochiai ¥1,800
NOV 10 Otori, Dos Monos, Tokyo Shiokouji, &c. Club Goodman, Akihabara ¥2,500
NOV 10 Swindle, Flava D, Elijah & Skilliam, DJ Q, Royal-T Unit, Daikanyama ¥2,200 early bird
NOV 10 Theo Parrish, Marcellus Pittman, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000
NOV 11 Huh, World Wide Size, Gisan, Slaughtertable, &c. Soup, Ochiai ¥2,000
NOV 11 Suming, LanSin Band Aoyama Moon Romantic ¥3,300
NOV 11 Shai Maestro Trio Cotton Club, Marunouchi ¥7,000-¥9,000
NOV 12 Blue Hawaii, &c. Circus Tokyo, Shibuya ¥3,500
NOV 12 Alvvays WWW X, Shibuya ¥5,500
NOV 12 Night Flowers, Homecomings, The Wisely Brothers Fever, Shindaita ¥3,500
NOV 12-13 Shai Maestro Trio Blue Note Tokyo, Minami-Aoyama ¥7,000
NOV 13 Alvvays Club Quattro, Shibuya ¥5,500
NOV 13 Punčke, Halbach, Spearmen, &c. Higashi-Koenji 20,000V ¥1,500
NOV 14 Boy Pablo, &c. Tsutaya O-Nest, Shibuya ¥4,000
NOV 15 Aidan Baker, Cal Lyall/Sachiko, Veltz, &c. Club Doctor, Ogikubo ¥2,300
NOV 16 Psychedelic Judgeman (Atsushi Tsuyama, &c.) Club Goodman, Akihabara ¥2,800
NOV 16 Spirit Fest, Maher Shalal Hash Baz 7th Floor, Shibuya ¥3,000
NOV 16 Aidan Baker, Chihei Hatakeyama/Hakobune, H.Takahashi, &c. Knock, Koenji ¥2,300

NOV 16 Peter Hammill Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥10,500

NOV 16 A/N (Seiichiro Morikawa/Shinji Kuroki/Atsuo/Takeshi) Koenji High ¥4,000
NOV 16 Ron Morelli, DJ Nozaki, Akiram En, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000 w/flyer
NOV 16 Kink, Toshiya Kawasaki, K.E.G, &c. Vent, Omotesando ¥2,500
NOV 16-17 Kaku P-Model Zepp Tokyo, Odaiba ¥7,020
NOV 17 Calpurnia Fever, Shindaita ¥6,000
NOV 17 Tokyo Shiokouji, Asa-Chang & Junray WWW, Shibuya ¥3,500
NOV 17 Jim O'Rourke Wall&Wall, Omotesando ¥4,000
NOV 17 DMBQ Fever, Shindaita ¥TBC
NOV 17 Petros Klampanis/Julian Shore Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥5,500
NOV 17 Hexis, Friendship, Weepray, &c. Bush Bash, Koiwa ¥2,000
NOV 17 DJ Harvey, Keb Darge, Killer Tunes Broadcast, &c. Contact, Shibuya ¥3,000
NOV 18 Kan Mikami, Koji Shishido/Makoto Kawabata/&c. UFO Club, Higashi-Koenji ¥2,500
NOV 18 Abstracter, Granule, Friendship, Coffins, &c. Earthdom, Shin-Okubo ¥2,500
NOV 18 Peter Hammill Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥10,500
NOV 18 Masters at Work, Muro, Kaoru Inoue, &c. Studio Coast, Shinkiba ¥5,500
NOV 19 Hexis, Melt-Banana, NoLa, &c. Higashi-Koenji 20,000V ¥2,000
NOV 20 Hikashu Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji ¥3,900
NOV 21-25 Will Lee's Super Group Cotton Club, Marunouchi ¥8,500-¥10,500
NOV 21 Realistic Monk (Carl Stone/Miki Yui), &c. SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥2,500
NOV 22 Ash Club Quattro, Shibuya ¥6,500
NOV 22 Antibodies Collective, They Live, &c. SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,300
NOV 22 The Watts, Canterbury Favourites Club Goodman, Akihabara ¥4,500
NOV 23 Schlippenbach Trio, Schlippenbach/Aki Takase Za-Koenji Public Theatre ¥3,500
NOV 23 Marta Forsberg, Christine Ödlund, Terre Thaemlitz SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,300
NOV 23 Jah Shaka Unit, Daikanyama ¥3,300
NOV 24 Rovo, De De Mouse, Networks Unit, Daikanyama ¥4,200
NOV 24 Matana Roberts, O'Rourke/Ishibashi/Talia, &c. SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥3,300
NOV 25 Indi, French Concession, Chiio, Kiddish, &c. Lush, Shibuya ¥2,800
NOV 26 Antisect, Oledickfoggy Fever, Shindaita ¥3,000
NOV 26 Schlippenbach Trio/Aki Takase Pit Inn, Shinjuku ¥4,000
NOV 26 Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet SuperDeluxe, Roppongi ¥2,800
NOV 29 Judas Priest Musashino Forest Sports Plaza, Chofu ¥11,000/¥20,000
NOV 29 Con Brio Liquidroom, Ebisu ¥6,500
NOV 30 Elephant Gym, Tricot Unit, Daikanyama ¥5,500

Prices are for advance tickets, unless otherwise stated

Tokyo Gigs, December 2018

DEC 1 Minyo Crusaders, &c. Club Quattro, Shibuya ¥4,000
DEC 1 Dorian Concept, &c. Vision, Shibuya ¥3,000
DEC 6 Laurel Halo w/Eli Keszler, goat Unit, Daikanyama ¥4,300
DEC 6 Cicala-Mvta Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji ¥4,000
DEC 7 Keiichiro Shibuya/Masaya Nakahara/Taichi Nagura Earthdom, Shin-Okubo ¥3,000
DEC 8 Schneider x Schneider (Kenji Konishi/Tadahiko Yokogawa) Soup, Ochiai ¥3,000
DEC 10 Saba WWW, Shibuya ¥4,500
DEC 11 Masaharu Sato w/ Hikashu/Carmen Maki/&c. Curian, Oimachi ¥6,000
DEC 13 Louis Cole WWW X, Shibuya ¥5,800
DEC 14-15 Ron Carter Trio Cotton Club, Marunouchi ¥8,500-¥10,500
DEC 16 NF/DT (Atsuhiro Ito/Veltz), NA/DA, Satomimagae Soup, Ochiai ¥2,000
DEC 16-17 Ron Carter Trio Blue Note Tokyo, Minami-Aoyama ¥8,500
DEC 23 Hikashu, Polysics, Zombie Chang Unit, Daikanyama ¥5,000

Prices are for advance tickets, unless otherwise stated

Tokyo Gigs, January 2019

JAN 10 Soccer Mommy WWW, Shibuya ¥4,500
JAN 10 Rich Brian, Joji, Higher Brothers, Niki, &c. Zepp Tokyo, Odaiba ¥8,000/¥10,000
JAN 12-15 Robert Glasper Trio w/ DJ Jahi Sundance Billboard Live, Roppongi ¥8,800/¥9,800
JAN 22 Superorganism Tsutaya O-East, Shibuya ¥6,000
JAN 23 Deerhunter, Gang Gang Dance, Aldous Harding Tsutaya O-East, Shibuya ¥7,000
JAN 27 Mono Liquidroom, Ebisu ¥4,000
JAN 27-28 10cc Billboard Live, Roppongi ¥8,800/¥9,800
JAN 31 Jungle WWW X, Shibuya ¥6,500

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...