Out & About in Nagoya - June, 2008

By Emily Millar |

Hey, party people! It's June, time for another gallop through the paddocks to spot any young filly that may just flick its tail in your periphery and beckon you to join it grazing in the fertile fields of live music. You bring the saddle, and I'll supply the molasses. Let's rock this farmhouse!

June is looking the goods for us kids hopelessly devoted to indie. Club Upset delivers with every Japanese indie kid's warm and sticky musical wet dream on Monday 16th. Let me take you teasingly through each of the four stellar acts (oh yes, it's going to get a little sexy). You've got adorable Shugo Tokumaru from Tokyo, whose sweetness belies an exceedingly ace ability to play about 100 different instruments. I caught him solo and acoustic at KD Japon a while back, and fell in love just a little bit. Next up, adorable Tokyo couple Tenniscoats, whose naive and gorgeous meditative melodies are like little bubbles of beauty floating about your ears. Switching to the Stateside artists, California's Xiu Xiu channel their fragmented emoting through vocals that have more than a hint of Morrissey mournfulness, and finally, the inimitably hella fun Deerhoof, guaranteed to bring the house down with a few 'choo-choo-choo-choos' and 'beep-beeps'. Phew, told you I was an excitable indie kid. 18:00/19:00, tickets are ¥4000, and when you think about it, that's ¥1000 per group, which ain't half bad mathematics.

Fancy ya jazz, hep cats? Er, anyway, if you're of that persuasion and a keen supporter of local talent, check out singer Heather Doiron, performing silky smooth jazz classics and originals at Doxy on Friday 6th from 20:00. Tickets are 2500 - to reserve a set, call 052-242-1227. For info on the venue (it's in Sakae around the corner from Garys), hit up www.doxy.biz. Heather's got a website too, at www.heatherdoironjazz.com.

Worldwide dance crazes punctuated key moments of my youth. The Nutbush was a fave at my Police and Citizens Club shindigs, I recall the doing the Macarena at many a school social when I didn't need alcohol to make a fool of myself on the dancefloor, and I even tried a little swing dancing in my early university days (thought I'd meet some eligible boys who could actually dance - my mistake). But Irish folk dancing was one dance phenomenon I just didn't find appealing, and crushed green velvet isn't really flattering on a girl with heavy thighs like myself. So I was rather surprised to find Riverdance still alive and highkicking, but Japan loves an old fad, so for those with a yearning for flying feet without the flailing arms, check it out - "Last Step" (say it isn't so!) at the Aichi Prefectural Arts Center's theatre hall from Tuesday 17th till Sunday 22nd. Tickets are ¥9000/¥11000, blimey. There are also two matinee shows held on the Saturday and Sunday.

Been to Misfits in Imaike lately? I have. Actually I've been there rather late lately, but I haven't yet had the chance to see any of the local live action that happens there before I arrive around 2am. I've got it on good authority, though, that the Taiko performance troupe Baionzoku are jolly good, so be sure to catch them every second and fourth Friday of the month (in June, that's 13th and 27th). Entry is just ¥500, from 22:00. Head to Misfits in Imaike, out exit 5 of the station, first right then next left, up the stairs of the Imaike Bee House building.

The Mars Volta are here to free us from the shackles of musical convention and take us to all new levels of rock bombast with 16 minute-long tracks, gasp. I quite like their big hair, and I really like some of their older work with At The Drive In, but I just can't see the fun in 16 minutes. If you reckon you're an aural endurance type, check out TMV at Club Diamond Hall on Wednesday 11th from 18:00/19:00 (¥6800).

If there's something to be said about Nagoya, it's that it has some truly excellent cafes. There's nothing better than flopping in a comfy brown couch with a choice beverage, a good magazine and some cool tunes as your lazy afternoon soundtrack. One of my favorites is Cafe Dufi in Chikusa, which also hosts the occasional live event, and this month on Saturday 28th, jellyfish Vol. 15 brings some international bods along to flop in Dufi's couches. Tamas Wells is an Australian-born singer-songwriter type with a really beautiful voice and a social conscience behind the songs: he spent time in Myanmar working on a community health project, and found time in between to commit the sights and sounds of the unstable nation to tape. Also playing is The Steadfast Shepherd, another melodic acoustic collective now residing and gigging all the way back home in Hobart, Tasmania. Small world, this Japan. Joined by local artist Ichi, a veritable one-man band, whose repertoire ranges from steel drums to the sound of a blown-up balloon being released, expect jellyfish to be an eclectic and severely relaxing evening. Event starts from 19:00, tickets are ¥3000/¥3500. To get to Dufi, head out of Chikusa JR station onto Hirokoji Dori, and turn left at the main intersection (it follows the track towards Tsurumai). Dufi is on the right side, about 5 minutes walk.
 
What's happening in clubland this month? Well, I'm glad you asked, because there have been some very exciting developments of late, oh boy! Club JB's and Cafe domina have joined forces to bring you the Border Community label showcase project, Ashbury. Border is bringing some familiar faces back to Japan with British DJs Nathan Fake and James Holden - minimal techno sounds - alongside an impressive line-up of other DJs including Petter, Moodman (of Godfather), CMT and Yamica to name but a few. It'll be a spectacular spectacle, and hopefully the first in a regular series of events bringing the big names to Nagoya. Ashbury is happening on the spookiest of Fridays, the 13th, from 22:00. Get your tickets pre-gig for ¥3000, or ¥4000 on the night. For more info on Border Community and Ashbury, check out the website, http://www.shscity.com/jbs/bc/index.html.

It's always who you know, isn't it? You want a job, you've got a friend, you've got a foot in the door. And if you're an alt-J-rock band, as long as you know a member of The Pillows, it seems you're set. The Pillows headline the Delicious Bump Tour at Quattro this month, alongside labelmates Noodles (all-girl rock, baby), monokuro, and some other stragglers, friends of friends, that sort of thing, I reckon. Wednesday 4th (17:30/18:30, ¥3300/¥3500). Who do I need to know to get a gig around these parts, then? No, actually I'm serious, I'm in a band, and we need to book some shows! If you're a promoter willing to take a chance on a couple of unsigned kids with raw but exceptional talent, call me!

So, back to gigs you'll probably want to see, Wednesday 18th at KD Japon sees local dub/punk/whatever you want them to be boys Nohshintoh (seriously, a heap of fun, if you're willing to accept a vocalist who sounds a bit like he's channelling Donald Duck on speed) supporting Miko Miko, a bunch of lo-fi DIY Californian punk chicks having an awesome time. I will definitely jump, shout and shake it all about. That's from 18:30, ¥2800/¥3300. And while we're hanging out at Japon, dreamy Swedish power-poppers ('cos let's face it, if you're from Sweden I basically expect nothing but power-pop from you) Dreamboy are touring, and are heading to Japon on Saturday 7th (18:30/19:00. ¥2500/¥3000).

Club Upset has been full of pleasant surprises lately gig-wise, with yet another to add to the list this month: The Slackers, quality exponents of the New York ska scene for aeons, are bringing their hugely super awesome live show to Upset on Saturday 21st, supported by oi-SKALL MATES, the Scandals, and plenty of DJs on the night. Dust off your pinstripes, polish your pointy shoes and get ya ska on. Doors open from 18:30, tickets are ¥3500/¥4000.

Those crazy fluoro jumpsuit-wearin' young new-wave scalliwags Polysics are at Club Diamond Hall on Saturday 21st (17:30/18:30, ¥3000). Listening to Polysics is like getting sugar injected into your eyeball, drinking a pint of pure glucose and then having sex with a synthesizer. I'm sorry, did I just take it too far?

Girly trio TsuShiMaMiRe will be rockin' Club Rock 'n Roll on Saturday 7th. I'm all up for fem-rock after having been completely blown away by Afrirampo last month. I had no idea moms could rock so hard - they even brought the bubs along to watch. Support from Mass of the Fermenting Dregs 2 Man (!?!) and special guest Avengers in Sci-Fi - 18:00/19:00, ¥2300/¥2800. Seriously, girls can totally rock and roll. That's why I'm off now to ponder just what the fuck Scarlett Johansson was thinking when she decided she wanted to branch out from acting and dodgy commercials into singing. I am slowly losing my faith in humanity. Ja, until July!

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