Tokyo Gig Guide in Best Of The Web '08

Tokyo Gig Guide was included on Japanzine's Best Of The Web '08 article about Japan websites.
It's in the 'Tragically Hip' section, along with some good music sites like Japan Onchi and Improvised Music From Japan.

Dancing to a Japanese Beatles cover band by the tandoor

Last night, a coworker had been invited to play bass in a band in Chiba, so I decided to go along.
After getting totally lost, we finally managed to get to the venue which was an Indian restaurant hidden under a huge apartment building in the middle of nowhere in Higashi-Chiba.
Inside, it was a British rock-themed izakaya-like place jam-packed with an odd collection of middle-aged locals. I tucked into a super-spicy North Indian curry and some pints of Bass.
The band set up and earnestly played Beatles songs. A few people got up and danced at first, and later after more songs, beer and samosas, chairs were pushed aside and half the place was getting on down. An Indian chef showed off some Bollywood moves and a lady in a strange dance outfit very enthusiastically tried to make me dance with her, while an old guy with overalls and a combover cheered and took photos. We were offered some home-brewed ale.
Next, just to make things even more surreal, an old guy in an orange shirt got on stage and started singing opera.
It was great to see some real, unpretentious culture. If only I'd brought along my camera.

Club 8

Fancy some Swedish pop?
Club 8 will be in Japan on April 3rd for a show at O-Nest, supported by 4 bonjour's parties and Mondialito.



Club 8 is Karolina Komstedt and Johan Angergård, also in the great indie-pop band, Acid House Kings. Since 1995, Club 8 have released 6 albums on Spanish label Siesta and Swedish label Labrador. Their sound has moved between twee, bossa-nova, electronica and shiny, happy but melancholic pop.

Their new album, Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming, is out in Japan now.
Listen: Whatever You Want mp3




4 bonjour's parties is a seven piece band who play a large array of instruments from guitar to flute to synthesiser and everything in between. Could they be called dreamy chamber-pop or Belle & Sebastian meets Tortoise? However you describe them, they are definitely one of the most interesting and original bands in japan right now.



Mondialito play beautiful down-tempo, acoustic-electro-bossa. Singing almost all songs in French, you can hear the influence of Keren Ann. Their 4th album, Cher Mon Amoureux, is out now.

On The One, Tearbridge International and Cookie Scene present Club 8.
April 3rd (Thursday) at O-Nest in Shibuya.
The doors open at 6:00 and the music starts at 7:00.
Tickets can be purchased from Lawson. The L-code is 72151.
It costs 3400yen advance or 3900yen at the door.

Fuji Rock & Summersonic lineups

by craig


Some of the artists have been announced for Fuji Rock Festival `08:

NEW (April): ASPARAGUS, BEAT CRUSADERS, BEN FOLDS, BETTYE LAVETTE, Bill Laswell presents Method of Defiance, BLACKMARKET, Bootsy Collins Tribute to the Godfather of Soul, THE BREEDERS, THE CRIBS, CSS, DatA, THE DEATH SET, DOBERMAN, eastern youth, ELLEGARDEN, FEEDER, FLOWER TRAVELLIN' BAND, FreeTEMPO, GALACTIC featuring Chali 2na (of Jurassic 5) and Boots Riley (of The Coup), THE GO!TEAM, GOGOL BORDELLO, GOSSIP, GOTYE, HARD-FI, IAN BROWN, KIYOSHIRO IMAWANO & NICE MIDDLE with NEW BLUE DAY HORNS plus NAKAIDO "CHABO" REICHI, JANET KLEIN, JASON FALKNER, JASON MRAZ, KASABIAN, KATE NASH, Kicell, LETTUCE, M!NK, MELEE, MICHAEL FRANTI AND SPEARHEAD, THE MUSIC, MY BLOODY VALENTINE, MYSTERY JETS, NARUYOSHI KIKUCHI DUB SEXTET, ONE NIGHT ONLY, OZOMATLI, PRIMAL SCREAM, PRINCESS SUPERSTAR, QURULI, THE RASCALS, Riddim Saunter, RODRIGO Y GABRIELA, ROGER JOSEPH MANNING JR., RYUKYUDISKO, SEASICK STEVE, SHERBETS, SPECIAL OTHERS, SPOON, SWITCH, Tomobe Masato, TRAVIS, UNDERWORLD, WHITE LIES

Of course more artists will be announced but it looks like it might have potential. My Bloody Valentine? Yes!


Most of Summersonic `08's artists have been announced:

COLDPLAY / THE VERVE / SEX PISTOLS / THE PRODIGY / ALICIA KEYS / FATBOY SLIM / PAUL WELLER / DEVO / SPIRITUALIZED / THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN / PANIC AT THE DISCO / MAXIMUM THE HORMONE / ZEBRAHEAD / AGAINST ME! / BEAT UNION / BAND OF HORSES / BEDOUIN / SOUNDCLASH / CAJUN DANCE PARTY / CRYSTAL CASTLES / FRIENDLY FIRES / JACK'S MANEQUIN / JUNKIE XL / LATE OF THE PIER / THE METROS / MUTEMATH / NEW FOUND GLORY / NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB / OLD MAN RIVER / POLYSICS / SILVERSUN PICKUPS / SKINDRED / SOUTH CENTRAL / THE SUBWAYS / THE TING TINGS / WE SMOKE FAGS / XAVIER RUDD

NEW (March 15th): 311, Lostprophets, The Fratellis, Justice, Hadouken!, The Hoosiers, Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong, MGMT, Onerepublic, The Wombats, Trivium, Vampire Weekend.

NEW (March 21st): Death Cab For Cutie, The Kooks, Cafe Tacvba, These New Puritans, The Teenagers

A few goodies but mostly fairly yawnable.

FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL '08 is on July 25th (Fri), 26th (Sat) and 27th (Sun) 2008 at Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata.
3-day tickets are ¥39,800. 1-day tickets are ¥16,800 but limited to 10,000 tickets a day. A car park pass costs ¥3,000 a car per day and a campsite ticket is ¥3,000 valid for the festival period. Pre-booking on sale now until 6/6 from Pia, eplus, and Ganban (English)

SUMMER SONIC '08 is on August 9th (Saturday) and 10th (Sunday) at Chiba Marine Stadium & Makuhari Messe.
A 1-day ticket is ¥15,500 and a 2-day ticket is ¥28,500.
Tickets will be on sale from May 24th from:
Pia (The Pia code is 287-355 for 1 day and 782-024 for both),
Lawson (The Lawson code is 77770),
eplus and CN Playguide