"I Am Barely Happy To Be Here Tonight!" (Japan Nite 2007, Knitting Factory, 3/10/07)

The 50 Kaitenz - Theme of 50 Kaitenz (mp3)

My first Japunks show had me convinced we'd crated up rock and sent it east for safekeeping.  While they whammed and blammed and stepped all over their particular idiom, Japanese bands brought so much So Much.  Simplicity, showmanship, FUN - those loomed so large I imagined a million panicked Tokyo residents pointing towards, screaming at, running from Rock!  And!  Roll!  Rawwwwwwr!

Guitar Wolf where ARE you?  We NEED you.  Come back to America!  SAAAAAAVE us!

Japunks seems to be history, but every March the SXSW-bound Japan Nite tour carts a selection of bands through a handful of major U.S. cities.  The tour favors lighter fare, avoids the thriving Japanese noise scene and post-rockers like Mono.  The acts themselves offer, depending on your viewpoint, more variety or less consistency; when confronted with J-Emo I start wondering exactly who's made off with our box of RnR.  Pakistan?  Are you rockingthefuck out?  I can't HEAR you!

But this is the third year I've gone, and there's always been someone worth seeing.(*)  While you might not stumble across the next Shoukichi Kina, chances are you're going to (a) have fun and (b) be in a roomful of people who're looking to have it.

The 50Kaitens have a song called "Thank You for Ramones."  The lyrics?

R is rock and roll

A is rock and roll

M is rock and roll

Thank you for Ramones!

O is rock and roll

NE is rock and roll

S is rock and roll

Thank you for Ramones!

Thank you for Ramones!!

There.  That's a good start.

*

Unfortunately I missed the Kaitenz (who've actually played Pianos a bunch of times) and "psychobilly punk marching band" Asakusa Jinta (myspace).  For all I know, those may have been the best of show (acts rotate spots throughout the tour, so order of appearance means nothing).

May have been, but I doubt it:  Go!Go!7188 (myspace) was a real discovery.  For me, at least.  They had a decent amount of fans - Japanese-speaking and not - there.

7188 doesn't play the sort of upbeat sugarpop their name might suggest(**)... but they're not as dreadfully dour as that promo photo implies, either.  It's femme-fronted alt-rock, formed by elements that so perfectly counterbalance each other I wouldn't be surprised if this is the shit that's kept the Earth spinning the past few years.  Listen!

Go!Go!7188 - C7 (mp3) (buy)

Go!Go!7188 - Kunoichi (Female Ninja) (mp3) (buy)

Go!Go!7188 - Ukifune (Floating Boat) (mp3) (buy)

You didn't expect a song called "Floating Boat" would rock so hard, did you?

I don't know if they evolved from a surf punk band, but those tart, rumbly riffs do so much more than make the music go!go!.   Whenever syrupy strains of Japanese pop threaten to coagulate, that surfy rattle decaramelizes them.  And by keeping the guitar parts in the undertow, there's plenty of space left for lead singer/guitarist Yuu's expressive vocals and bassist Akko's judiciously applied harmonies.  Yuu gives good pop-smoov and rock-growl, then takes some very effective warbly turns into the traditional.  She can bend notes very well.

I love that guitar part in "Female Ninja" which sounds like it came straight from Quine or Lloyd on Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend.

They're a trio - drummer Taaki is the sole male member - and Sunday night they were perhaps a bit nervous.  Time-changes were sloppy and Yuu's guitar solos were weak.  Yuu's got the sort of impenetrable porcelain beauty that can hinder a frontperson... but Akko was having the time of her life, and the songs are just so strong the band was immediately impressive.

It just really, really works.  Mixing old styles without sounding dependent upon them, and at once sounding distinctly Asian while being very accessible, these guys deserve their !'s.

Remaining U.S. tour dates (Chicago, Austin, L.A., SF and Seattle) are here; there are at least two SXSW appearances (this free Thursday evening gig, and Friday night at Elysium).  You should go if only to pick up Go!Go!'s CDs at non-import prices (They have four studio discs, two live albums, a cover CD and a greatest hits collection... though only the Best Of- and their first record were at the merch table.  Someone, please, hook me up.).

You can stream more songs at this English-language fan site, and there's plenty on YouTube.

*

The rest of the line-up ranged from "meh" to "bah."

The Emeralds - Love Fire (mp3)

The Emeralds (myspace) were a holdover from last year's tour.  Meat-and-potatoes rock... but the cut's not great and the gravy's thin.  Good energy, but the strut's better than the songs.  They're at their best when the lead singer's rattling off mile-a-minute lyrics.

"10-pcs all-girl brass band" Pistol Valve features two trombones, two trumpets, three saxes (two tenor, one alto, I think...), euphonium, violin and a DJ.  That doesn't sound good on paper... and it don't sound good on stage, either.  There's a sort of lounge-y high school wind ensemble thing going on.  But they look good - the front page of their site proudly announces "2006-07 autumn and winter collection supported by QFD - and with so many women up there, at least one or two will act like they're enjoying themselves at any given moment.

The worst band, by far - and the most popular - was HY (myspace).  Because didn't you always wish The Get Up Kids would, y'know, start rapping in the middle of their songs?  HY are competent enough at <shudder> that.  They elicited lots of Beatlemanic squeals and inspired lots of arm-swaying.  Every generation needs something to be embarrassed about.

It was almost worth squirming through the set to see the band's frontman ecstatically introduce "special guest hip-hop legend DOUG... E.... FRESH."  A genuine WTF moment.  But Mr. E. Fresh was amiable and into it, beatboxing and imploring "H! Y! Hold your hands up high!"  Xenu commands!

*

Hey, Knitting Factory!  It's called an air conditioner!

*

If you're at SXSW, be sure to pay no attention whatsoever to Peter Bjorn and/or John. (via)

(*) And, unfortunately, someone you'll probably never get to see again.  I'd love another chance to bounce around to Stance Punks, and curse myself for not having picked up The Rodeo Carburetor's CD.

(**)  It's really hard to keep all the upbeat-sounding monikers for femme-fronted Japanese pop-punk acts straight.  Related note:  Gito Gito Hustler will be back at the end of the month as part of the tragically overpriced Radio Heartbeat Power-Pop Festival (someone, please, hook me up).

tags: japan nite  gogo7188  hy  pistol valve  emeralds  concert reviews  

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