More Record Shop Tokyo & Show #2

We decided to start the day by heading to Disk Union Punk Market Shibuya with Daragh. We didn't spend as much time here as last visit (2 hours) but managed to cross a bunch of things off the list. And I found a used SA shirt (Spirit of Monkey Rock) that Craig got me for my bday later in the week. After some good and cheap Japanese style veg curry we headed to Recofan, which was kind of a disappointment.

The cool thing was that on the way there we ran into a dude from Napalm Death. Can I remember his name? No, (he was a big dude with big hair) it was actually Daragh who recognized him. I think his wife is Japanese and they had a show coming up and were shopping in Shibuya. We also ran into (again, I cannot remember her name, I just had my photo taken with her) the owner of Mickey Room's girlfriend. Mickey Room is more like the size of a closet, but it's actually a record store in Yokohama which really helped us out with directions last trip.

We went to Allman to see if Hiroshi, who we went out with last visit, was working but he wasn't. Not that this stopped us from buying records. And then we crossed the street to Nat to bring by some more records from our label.



Who’s Driving Your Plane? Show at Shinjuku DOM

FAMILY MAN
It is no surprise to many to say that they were heavily influenced by later period FLAG. Competent and powerful! If wish they were more inspired by the early singles. Had they closed with Clocked In people would have lost it.

MAD MACHINE
Played a good set; however we were really looking forward to DELTA PUREE and so this set did not leave an impression. Suffice to say it was good because if it sucked we sure as hell would of recalled something.



DELTA PUREE
They delivered a great set of really high energy, precision music. With a band containing ex-members of the GAIA and the MEOSS, Pill of LIP CREAM still stole centre stage and provided the band with not only a solid back beat but excellent showmanshsip. As a master of Japanese hardcore he performed mesmerizing Pete Townsend-like windmill accents. It was amazing to see a crowd looking beyond the expert musicianship up front and be fixated on a drummer at the back of the stage. It is rare that a band, any band can be created around the drummer and Pill is certainly the exception.



NIHON NOUEN
We were prepared not to get into this band as we didn’t enjoy the BREAKFAST split. However, we heard they were good live and wondered how they would follow DELTA PUREE. The fact that they played an entirely different style worked in their favour. NIHON NOUEN were high energy and garagey (in a good way) a la NEW BOMB TURKS and BRUTAL KNIGHTS – they kicked ass live.

KGS
It was good closure to the night, a return to the Japanese hardcore we had traveled to see. We made our way back to Daragh’s apartment content.