Tokyo Gig Guide presents Farm Party #1 on Jan 31st

On Sunday January 31st, Tokyo Gig Guide will hold its first music event.
It will be a bit different than the usual Tokyo gig though.
Tokyo gigs often have heaps of bands playing straight after each other, but at this event there will be three bands spaced out through the evening. Between bands, DJs will be playing some eclectic sets.
Also, it won't be held at a typical livehouse, but at Gamuso, a fun bar/gallery in Asagaya. Gamuso has a bar downstairs and a small live music room upstairs. You can read about it in this Metropolis article.
It will be cheap too, just ¥1000, plus ¥500 for a drink.

The bands playing are Abikyokan, Walkie Talkie In The Cornfield and PSOCASE.


Abikyokan formed around the core trio of Jacob Arntson (Seattle, USA), Grant McGaheran (Sheffield, UK) and Tatsumi Ochiai (Chiba, Japan) in Tokyo in 2004. The band pool a wide variety of influences to create a new avant-pop sound.


Walkie Talkie In The Cornfield is a two-piece Irish/Australian lo-fi experimental electro-pop group which formed last year.


PSOCASE is a Japanese experimental lo-fi duo which combines electronic sounds, guitar, sax, vocals and keyboards. The wonderful Eri Makino will join them for a song.

DJs on the night will be Jake and Grant from Abikyokan, DJ Timebread, and dj craig eee who will also be providing video projections.

The party kicks off at 7pm.

Details here: http://farmparty.tokyogigguide.com

Don't worry by the way, although it's called Farm Party, there won't be any chickens wandering around and there (probably) won't be any barn dancing.

New Year's Eve Guide 2009-2010

There are plenty of things to do in Tokyo to celebrate the new year. Here are the Tokyo Gig Guide recommended countdown parties

Festival


COUNTDOWN JAPAN 09/10
WHO? capsule, RYUKYUDISKO, POLYSICS, Shugo Tokumaru, GO!GO!7188, Superfly, Elephant Kashimashi, HALCALI, MOGOL800, the telephones, detroit7
On the 28th - Ryuichi Sakamoto and Perfume
WHERE? Makuhari Messe
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2188

Dance



ELECTRONIC TRIBE - YEBISU NEW YEAR'S PARTY 2010
WHO? Laurent Garnier, Mixmaster Morris aka The Irresistable Force, DJ Krush, 80KIDZ, DJ Baku, Daniel Wang, Kenji Takimi (Crue-L), Calm, DJ Kyoko, Ametsub
WHERE? Ebisu Garden Hall
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2197

ageHa COUNTDOWN 2010
WHO? BOOM BOOM SATELLITES, KEN ISHII, DJ EMMA, DEXPISTOLS, DISCO TWINS, The SAMOS, MYSS, more
WHERE? ageHa in Shin-Kiba
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2147



AIR NEW YEAR'S EVE COUNTDOWN TO 2010
WHO? SATOSHI TOMIIE, HECTOR ROMERO, RADIO SLAVE, DJ ENDO, YUMMY, ANRI, more
WHERE? AIR in Daikanyama
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2204



2010 LIQUID
WHO? Takkyu Ishino, Fumiya Tanaka, Tohru Takahashi, DJ WADA, DJ NORI, MOODMAN, more
WHERE? Liquid Room in Ebisu
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2199

BLUE WINDY NIGHT 2009−2010 COUNT DOWN SPECIAL
WHO? DJ NORI, Toshio Matsuura, Shuya Okino, De De Mouse, Yama a.k.a.Sahib, Eiji Takehana, more
WHERE? Mado Lounge & Tokyo City View in Roppongi
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2198

WOMB presents NEW YEAR COUNTDOWN 2010
WHO? JEFF MILLS, AKi, TECHRIDERS, OHNISHI, AKR, RYUSUKE NAKAMURA, Dr.SHINGO, SATOSHI OTSUKI, TAKUYA, more
WHERE? Womb in Shibuya
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2042

Different

COUNTDOWN 2009>2010 ＠ O-EAST
WHO? Shibusashirazu Orchestra, TURTLE ISLAND, Soul Flower Union, NATSUMEN, DJ KENSEI, more
WHERE? O-East in Shibuya
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2201



ENBAN NO YUKU-TOSHI KURU-TOSHI
WHO? Maruo Maruko (from Kyoto), FREAKOUT FAN CLUB, Shigehiko Matsui, Johnny Okura Daijin (Suichu Sorewa Kurushii), Fumihito Taguchi, ju sei, Kitamura Sakiko, mamimi fouksong, 2コ (eetsuu), TABATA, Suzuki Junzo, JON (THE DOG), Ritsuko Sakata (pagtas) + Saitto Elettrico, purin no tameiki, suppa band nanika, OPQ, MY PAL FOOT FOOT, Takashi Ueno (Tenniscoats)
WHERE? Enban in Koenji
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2106

KAN MIKAMI COUNTDOWN LIVE
WHO? Kan Mikami & guests
WHERE? Muryoku Muzenji in Koenji
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2200

Punk

BURNING SPIRITS 2010 YEAR END EVE
WHO? Tetsu Array, EXTINCT GOVERNMENT, WAR HEAD, 九狼吽 (CLOWN), THE TRASH, SLIP HEAD BUTT, NO PROBLEM, more
WHERE? Antiknock in Shinjuku
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2205



2009/2010 COUNT DOWN LIVE ATOMIC NITE THE FINAL
WHO? FRAGMENTS, ED WOODS, BRAZIL UFO, TOKYO-RYOZANPAKU, mohipuri, GOLGO BUTCH, more
WHERE? Heaven's Door in Sangenjaya
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2203



Beat Happening SPECIAL！～COUNT DOWN TO HAPPENING！
WHO? STRIKERS, NeZuMiHaNaBi, Analogue Jidai, NaLas, Tsubaki, ELECTRIC EEL SHOCK, URBANfeti, the HANGOVERS, asunarou
WHERE? Lush in Shibuya
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2207

Rock



SHIBUYA YANEURA YEAR END SPECIAL 2009→2010
WHO? PLATON, Tsubaki, Sonic Attacks Blaster, UNDER THE COUNTER, Fuzz Picks, POP CHOCOLAT, Sexy Panther, FRESUBT, BAZRA, Bob&Carnivals, Techma!, more
WHERE? Shibuya Yaneura
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2038

SWAN SONG COUNCIL vol.11
WHO? about tess, birds melt sky, Far France, fukurouzu, henrytennis, hinomari, JUGONZ, mothercoat, oak, SuiseiNoboAz, more
2009/12/29 to 31
WHERE? AT SHINJUKU MARZ + Motion
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/1883

COUNT DOWN at Zher the ZOO 1st round ～DELICIOUS BUMP SHOW!!～
WHO? the pillows, noodles, POP CHOCOLAT, monokuro
WHERE? Zher The Zoo in Yoyogi
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2025


We Jam Econo '09
WHO? Mike Watt's (Minutemen) new band brother's sister's daughter, Yuka Honda (cibo Matto) and nels cline's (Wilco) project stadium kitchen, COMBOPIANO, LITE, Qomolangma Tomato, kuruucrew, Samm Bennett, more
WHERE? ERA in Shimokitazawa
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2202

BASEMENT BAR COUNT DOWN PARTY 2009>2010
WHO? SUNN, kingnurarihyong, mop of head, yuguretoronica, DEDESUKE, pocketlife, salsa, Zews, highered-girl, the highest, Creepy pop
WHERE? Basement Bar in Shimokitazawa
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2206

TENSAW COUNTDOWN 2010
WHO? TENSAW (SAYBOW, Take, michiaki, GRICO)
WHERE? Showboat in Koenji
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2184

Jazz


ALL NIGHT CONCERT 2009～2010
WHO? Shun Sakai Group, Takeshi Shibuya Orchestra, EMERGENCY!, Fumio Karashima Quintet, HIROSHI MINAMI Trio+1, Yoichi Murata Orchestra, Fumio Itabashi＋4
WHERE? Pit Inn in Shinjuku
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/2189

Lightning Bolt

Fever in Shindaita (one stop from Shimokitazawa) is a new and promising livehouse. A decent size, though sold out and jam-packed tonight, with a side bar outside the live area which you can escape to during dull bands. Before the show, lots of gig-goers were hanging around the front and the nearby convenience store drinking beer so let's hope complaints from neighbours don't have any effect on the place.

First up were legendary Japanese masters of noise Incapacitants who I was very excited to finally get the chance to see. Wow. Ever since I first came to Japan, I'd been wanting to see some real live pure noise music, and I have seen a lot of live noise since I've been here, but this, these guys, they are it. Two older guys with side parts, regular workers during the day, who have been making noise since the early eighties. There were loads of odd effects, feedback, sheets of metal, bizarre microphone-things, and the they were encouraged into further craziness by the fans at the front (mostly by Dave). I loved the guy on the right's (Fumio?) T-shirt with a crossed-out musical note printed on the front.



Ten people spread out across the stage for the next band, Surfers of Romantica, and they all looked like a hodge-podge collection of members of skate-punk, funk, rap, hippy, kraut-rock and jam bands. They ended up sounding heavily influenced by the last couple of Boredoms albums, but not quite as interesting. The songs never seemed to actually start and the singer did lots of posing but hardly acually sang. It was time to try some of the beer in the other bar.

DMBQ did their usual hilarious loud psychedelic rock 'n roll freak out with all the best rockstar poses and wah-wah solos. For the last song they managed to get the drummer and his drumkit on top of the crowd and actually play! Madness.



We knew that Lightning Bolt wouldn't be playing on the stage so we tried to position ourselves in a place where we would be able to see them, not knowing where they would set up. Somehow I managed to find myself directly in front of the drummer, spending the whole set struggling to hold the people back behind me and not fall onto the drumkit. All-out loud craziness. Sweat everywhere. They played songs from their new album, some from their old albums and lots I didn't recognise. Loads of energy and noise. Brian Gibson just stood there all nonchalant as he played wild sounds on the bass and banjo strings on his instrument through all those overdrive, octave, wah and effects pedals. Brain Chippendale went wild on his two snare, no high-hats drum setup being held together by the audience members in front of him.











I could hardly hear the next day.

13complex vol.13 on Nov 1st

The 13th 13complex event will be this Sunday. Ooh, two thirteens the day after halloween... Nothing scary at this event though. It will be a great day of quiet original music.

Live musicians:



sheeprint
A quiet delicate pop unit with female vocals.
http://www.myspace.com/sheeprint

Akalcry
Acoustic and electronic trio.
http://www.myspace.com/akalcry

Ware Ware (我々)
Brazilian influenced instrumental pop duo playing classical guitar and bandolim.
http://www.wareware.jp/

Makino Eri
The event organiser, Eri will play her lovely sparse experimental folktronica.
http://www.makinoeri.com/
http://www.myspace.com/erimakino

DJs during the day will be:



DJ Niagara, caolwave, qutti, Mu-tan, DJ craig eee, and tsuma-saki.

Kamishibai artists matocotoshuco will entertain everyone with their paper show.




There will be exhibitions by aion, ham&ex, IOЯI, kaede mira, rib, SAKURAYAMA, 83, シュトーリョー (matocotoshuco), Terajima Daisuke, and more.

It will be held in Jiyugaoka at gallery size #401, a gallery, not a livehouse, so the quiet sounds of the participating artists should suit the space well.
Address: A&D House room #401, Jiyugaoka 2-15-10, Meguro-ku, Tokyo.

For tickets, send your name and the number of tickets required to a.chain.brick.yard@gmail.com
It costs 2000yen which includes a drink and canapes!

It will kick off at 2pm and go until 8pm.

More info:
http://13complex.makinoeri.velvet.jp/

http://www.tokyogigguide.com/gigs/details/1801

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=158422061198

Girls and boys at Highti

I searched the industrial area along the Arakawa, riding my bike around some rusty buildings stinking of cooking oil until someone finally pointed out the abandoned-looking building Highti was in. No sign, no signs of life. A rickety stairwell lead to a makeshift space on the second floor, lit by a couple of bare lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling. I put my 500yen donation in the cup and bought some 200yen cans of happoshu.



First up was legend of the Tokyo underground scene, Samm Bennett, tonight playing some great bluesy American folk on his amazing instrument called the strumstick.



Samm was joined by his wife Haruna Ito next for SKIST. They played experimental drones, rhythms, harmonies and hums with various toys, fans, unusual instruments, bassdrum, walkie-talkies, strumstick, vocals, loops, effects and bits of plastic.



Two girl-boy duos form Brisbane in Australia played next. The first was Do The Robot, sitting across from each other and singing to each other, her on toy keyboard and sampler, and him on shoegazey guitar. Very sweet indie pop. More gorgeous shoegaze guitars were next with The Rational Academy who usually play as a louder band but were performing tonight as a 2 piece. Delicate vocals and music to make you melt, or dance as Samm's daughter was doing.



Just to throw things way back out there and remind us we were in a semi-ruined building in the middle of nowhere, the incredibly odd ju sei played next. Another male-female duo, they both sang and yelped and made great sweet weird incredibly original pop. Where do they come from?



Hard to find and no beer at the bar, but otherwise Highti was a great underground music and art spot I'm keen to visit again. I'd never been to a place quite like it.