Check Chk chk chk

by liza

!!! (usually pronounced "chk chk chk") is one of those bands I always wanted to see but seemed doomed not to -- work, school and even a car crash always got in the way!

But finally, I got to see them in October in Tokyo! Apparently they were darlings at Fuji Rock this year, and I'm sure that's why they came back so soon after.

And the hype certainly was warranted, in my opinion! O-East in Shibuya was a good spot for their incredibly high-energy show. The dance-punk group -- the genre they're usually associated with -- played mostly stuff off their most recent "Strange Weather, Isn't It?" and "Myth Takes," their previous album. (Personally, I would've been happy with their self-titled one played straight through.)

Soul singer Shannon Funchess is an amazing addition to the lineup - she has a fierce voice and stage presence. She's a good foil to singer Nic Offer. They did two encores and ended with "All My Heroes Are Weirdos," which I thought was a strange choice, but whatever.

I think O-East is a good place to see larger international bands. There doesn't seem to be a bad spot to stand, and while it's corporate it doesn't feel overly so, like some of the larger venues in Tokyo.

Was anyone else at the show? If you weren't - definitely catch these guys the next time around, which hopefully will be sooner rather than later as they seem pretty big in Japan!

In the meantime, please enjoy blurry iPhone pictures of the show!