Record Shop Tokyo & Show #1

Well we weren't too jet lagged but awoke way too early. We got up and explored Daragh's neighbourhood, namely Nakano and Koenji.



This of course led us to the awesome stores Record Boy and Record Shop Base. We spent a couple hours at these stores and worked up quite an appetite. So Daragh took us to Govinda's, an amazing veg curry place in Nakano. Yum! Later in the day we made our way towards the club Shinjuku DOM for more shopping ahead of the show. We stopped at Shinjuku Disk Union Punk Market (where we spotted a Lip Cream Kill the IBM cassette tape for 6800 yen - it was gone in a week) and then Nat Records, right around the corner from the club.



We accidentally left some of the Mutant 7" on the counter. We were approaching the club entrance when the shop guy chased us down with the wayward records. After the show a similar thing would happen after I leave my wallet on a distro table. Call me a stereotyper but people in Japan are super honest - is it something in the water?


So we saw a bunch of good bands at DOM here is a bit about each set:

SLOWMOTIONS
Unfortunately shopping at Disk Union cut into their set - they were on first as they had to play two more shows that night. We had seen their posters and releases in every record store we visited. SLOMOTIONS were a fun band with an early punk, jangly, KBD sound and they dressed like the BUGGLES.
RAW GAUGE
A decent Dbeat band and the lead singer rocked a large anarchy symbol neck tattoo! Entertaining and a band we will be looking for in the record shop next trip.
SAIGAN TERROR
This band featured a very animated dude who kept saying thank you. Their crossover set was much better than their Yossie-art CD recorded 5 years ago.
CONTRAST ATTITUDE
As per our last visit they delivered good thrashy Dbeat but the set seemed to go on a bit too long. 20 minute sets rule.


ASSAULT
They were less one band member since we last saw them - the singer left to join GATES full time. The three-piece was still very energetic despite being tied to their instruments, and the guitarists switched off a couple of times.

IGNITIONS
The sampler dude setting up a keyboard contraption on stage before their set almost sent us packing, but we were very glad to have stuck around. The set was great and the last song ripped with an amazing GISM-esque intro. They feature ex-VIVISICK member on guitar with awesome hair.





After this we headed to an 80's bar in Nakano for some drinks with Yuki. The request binder had a great selection of tracks from Japanese legends like Stalin, Loudness, and GISM, along with Discharge tunes and the like. Fun.