TOKYO GIG PICKS (SEPTEMBER~NOVEMBER)

The Tokyo Metropolis is a great place for gigs if you know where to find them and book early enough! This page is here to help you do exactly those two things, starting with a few gigs that may already be sold out and then ranging further ahead a few months down the road to gigs that may not even be confirmed yet. All our own picks too. Comments welcome!

FARAQUET

Post-hardcore Washington D.C. band Faraquet is in town. Post-hardcore, for those that don't know, is just "post-punk" booted 20 years down the road, as the basic idea is simply to keep the raw aggression and energy of more primal music but to make it more expressive and sophisticated. The band caused a bit of a stir in the late 9os and finally broke up in 2008, but 17 years later they're back with their meaty, sinuous rock, influenced by the likes of SONIC YOUTH, DINOSAUR Jr., and The WHO. Japanese support MALEGOAT are pretty good too.
11th Sept. Nine Spices, Shijuku. Price: ¥7,000 

15th, 16th Sept. Fever, Shindaita. Price: ¥6,500  (Ticket info) 

LAUSBUB

Sapporo pop-techno duo Lausbub (German for "naughty lad") have raised interest without undue popularity (a positive in my book) with their experimental melding of a clubby techno vibe and a giddy pop sensibility. Also, they look like they just met in high school music circle all of five minutes ago, so that should endear them to some. 

21st Sept. Womb, Shibuya. Price: ¥4,800 (Ticket info). 

FELBM

The nu jazz, ambient, post-minimalism, and electronic project of Dutch musician Eelco Topper, who will be "going solo" here. Felbm/Topper create instrumental music that blends acoustic and electronic elements, drawing inspiration from nature’s rhythms and cycles. Expect delicate, lo-fi textures, soothing melodies, and a warm, intimate sound. A musical blanket with your thumb stuck in your mouth. 

9th Oct. Yodobashi Church, Okubo. Price: ¥7,000 (Ticket info). 




GLASS BEAMS

Glass Beams are a Melbourne-based trio led by Indian-Australian multi-instrumentalist Rajan Silva. After you get over the fact that they play in freaky, glass-beaded face masks—like the ugly girls in the harem—you can plunge into their rich stew of psychedelic funk and indie-jazz, infused with traditional Indian music influences (hypnotic ragas, Bollywood, etc.) along with a bit of Aussie surf rock and krautrock polyrhythms thrown in. Did I hear a digeridoo? You might just be too busy figuring out what's in this "aural curry" to know if you love it or not. My guess is you will. 
21st Oct. Spotify O-East, Shibuya. Price: ¥8,800 (Ticket info).