Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Rock Shows
I'm currently dialing in from Tokyo - I came over for work, but was able to fit in a Japanese punk rock show.
I've got a list of Japanese bands I'd like to see play, so I check their sites before I come over. The band for this trip was Cherry Coke$ (http://www.thecherrycokes.com/index.html) playing at the ACB Hall (http://www.acb-hall.jp/) in Kabuki-cho. Kabuki-cho is the red-light district northeast of Shinjuku, where I was staying. A little bit less lighting on the streets, dice-ier people, not bad. If you can find the KOMA theater, ACB is on the far side, as you approach it from Shinjuku.
The ACB Hall itself is about 3 floors beneath the street. The event was listed as 2100 yen, but you had to purchase a 600 yen beer/soda as well, as part of getting into the event. The venue MIGHT hold 150, but it's probably more like 100. A small show, with a small bar near the door...bathrooms are in the narrow hallway leading in. It's also got the best air-conditioning for a punk rock show that I've been to. The first band is U CAN'T SAY NO! - they play a good ska-sound, and the guys down in front are doing some standard ska shimmies...not touching anyone, just in place. The next band is the Cherry Coke$, which I was a little down on when they started - lots of posturing from the singer, but it was less bothersome as time went on. (Okay, I'll trash talk St. Bushmill's Choir in the same breath. But! If you have a chance to see them, do it.)
I decide I'm fading, and I've seen the first two bands. I check the merch desk - picked up a CC shirt to show support (already have the 2 cds). 20 minutes to get out. As in, the narrow hallway is a choke point. And apparently there's not enough room for everyone to get in, so they've paid their money to stand in the hallway. I went from airconditioning to sweating through all of my clothes in those 20 minutes.
(thanks for hanging out, dude-from-the-band-playing-on-the-28th)
I get back, I'll catch Rocky Votolato, opening for some guy at the Triple Door.
Maybe Of Montreal
Probably Presidents of the United States of America
Definitely Mountain Goats at the end of Feb (!)
Hopefully KMRIA in Portland on St. Patrick's.
Hope you have better shows than me!
I've got a list of Japanese bands I'd like to see play, so I check their sites before I come over. The band for this trip was Cherry Coke$ (http://www.thecherrycokes.com/index.html) playing at the ACB Hall (http://www.acb-hall.jp/) in Kabuki-cho. Kabuki-cho is the red-light district northeast of Shinjuku, where I was staying. A little bit less lighting on the streets, dice-ier people, not bad. If you can find the KOMA theater, ACB is on the far side, as you approach it from Shinjuku.
The ACB Hall itself is about 3 floors beneath the street. The event was listed as 2100 yen, but you had to purchase a 600 yen beer/soda as well, as part of getting into the event. The venue MIGHT hold 150, but it's probably more like 100. A small show, with a small bar near the door...bathrooms are in the narrow hallway leading in. It's also got the best air-conditioning for a punk rock show that I've been to. The first band is U CAN'T SAY NO! - they play a good ska-sound, and the guys down in front are doing some standard ska shimmies...not touching anyone, just in place. The next band is the Cherry Coke$, which I was a little down on when they started - lots of posturing from the singer, but it was less bothersome as time went on. (Okay, I'll trash talk St. Bushmill's Choir in the same breath. But! If you have a chance to see them, do it.)
I decide I'm fading, and I've seen the first two bands. I check the merch desk - picked up a CC shirt to show support (already have the 2 cds). 20 minutes to get out. As in, the narrow hallway is a choke point. And apparently there's not enough room for everyone to get in, so they've paid their money to stand in the hallway. I went from airconditioning to sweating through all of my clothes in those 20 minutes.
(thanks for hanging out, dude-from-the-band-playing-on-the-28th)
I get back, I'll catch Rocky Votolato, opening for some guy at the Triple Door.
Maybe Of Montreal
Probably Presidents of the United States of America
Definitely Mountain Goats at the end of Feb (!)
Hopefully KMRIA in Portland on St. Patrick's.
Hope you have better shows than me!
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