GIG PICKS (JULY & AUGUST)

July 02, 2025 ,featured ,music

Hikashu

July and August are not great months for music in the Tokyo Metropolis. Ironically this is because of the two big music festivals (Sonic and Fuji) that suck up all the talent in an attempt to bottleneck demand and hike prices, while putting it is venues where you have to basically camp out and eat shit. The two organisations (Creativeman & SmashJpn) that run these events also seem to be ripping off the bands, as the line-ups attracted increasingly feature lesser and lesser known acts. But our Tokyo Gig Guide knows how to find great gigs even in this "musical off-season." Here then are Tokyo Met's gig picks for the blazing summer."

NEPENTHES (July 19th)

Talented Japanese doom/sludge metal band NEPENTHES will make one of their occasional appearances, this time at Koiwa Bush Bash, fronting a ticket that also includes Hokkaido noise rockers GOD MOUNTAIN and up-and-coming thrash metallers REDNECKS. 13th of July. Koiwa Bush Bash. Price: TBA (Ticket info).

HIKASHU (ヒカシュー)

Experimental prog rock/ kraut rock band with a heavily ironic sensibility doing a daytime gig (1pm). Think of them as a Japanese version of SPARKS. They have been around almost as long! Led by frontman and vocalist Koichi Makigami, who adds bass, cornet, and theremin to his heavily stylised singing, the band has something of a cult following in Japan. 20th July. 7th Floor Shibuya. Price: ¥4,000 (Ticket info)

ULYSSES OWENS JR & GENERATION Y

Powerhouse drummer Ulysses Owens Jr brings his quintet to Tokyo's two premier jazz venues for four nights. While Ulysses is the solid foundation and the "big name," expect the show to be stolen at times by the other members of the quintet, especially alto-saxophonist Elena Terakubo, who punches well above her diminutive weight. 28th, 29th (Cotton Club) 30th, 31st July (Blue Note). Price ¥8,800 (Ticket Info).

DEAFHEAVEN

The black metal and shoegaze genres had existed side-by-side for decades before someone had the very dark (and possibly twisted) idea of mixing them together. The result was San Francisco "Blackgazers" DEAFHEAVEN. Dreamy yet angry at the same time, and not at all to be confused with Emo! Like that other pungent black entity Marmite, you either love "blackgaze" or hate it. 6th Aug. Kanda Hall. Price: ¥9,000 (Ticket info).