Last weekend saw a trifecta of Japanese bands give Beijingers a taste of DIY rock and roll. I say DIY because of the reality of the tour circuit for many underground bands in Asia – unless you’re a big fish, you’re pretty much on your own (merch is king) and on the grind one show after another to unsuspecting audiences. But for anyone who came across these three Tokyo-based acts you were in for a treat – these cats were the real deal. From the disco rock of People Jam, cooking up a electrified jam party, to indie prog rock trio Sein, weaving soundscapes with precision and vitality, and finally The Devil & Libido – who I fell in love with immediately – a bass drum noise core duo (very much in the vein of Lighting Bolt) that set Temple ablaze with their assault of technical mind-blowing two piece waltz of musical mayhem. So blown away in fact I went back to School Bar the next day, to catch them on film and bought a T-shirt, a honor that only goes to a couple bands a year. Really hope the network of bands between China, Japan, Korea, and the rest of Asia opens up more and more – cause there’s some magnetic stuff we’re missing out on.
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