JGoth.com :: Japan Goth and Industrial Music

[Gothic Lolita Market] A quick heads up on Alamode Market. Gothic Lolita fashion brands, accessories, objet d’art, style books, Cd’s, and everything else you can think of. The event only happens a couple of times each year, so if you are curious or need to do some quality Goth-loli shopping (especially in preparation for TDC #17 on Saturday night!!) then check it out.

You can find a list of brands/shops at the market here (Japanese only, but enough English characters to recognize the brands). It seems to be free-entry with a cloak service available for 300 yen.

Also, a big hail out to zAkro (Goth-Loli-Japanese-Punk musician, model and book publisher) who let me know about this event. You should be able to see her there with some of the mooks (Magazine + Book = Mook) she has produced under Project Maria. Don’t be afraid to say hello.

Alamode Market 6
When: Saturday, 4 March
Start: 12:00 ~ 18:00
Where:Kawasaki City Industry Promotion Center (8 minutes walk from Kawasaki JR, West exit)
Address: 66-20, Horikawa-cho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 212-0013 :: Map
Tel: 044-548-4111
Shops: Check here

[Rock/alternative live] Auto-mod gets together with a couple other legendary alternative rock bands for a special night celebrating the Gothfather’s 25-year career at the Loft.

Dubbed “Day of Auto-mod: From Tokyo Rockers to Eastern Gothic, 25 Years of Transition” the night promises to unlock the door on Auto-mod’s past, present and quite possibly future.

Aside from the lords of Tokyo Dark Castle, there is also Momoyo & Lizard, 恒松正敁E(?), and a special Auto-mod session including guest support from the old guard like Buck Tick drummer Toll Yagami.

Auto-mod :: Rock of Ages
Day of Auto-mod: From Tokyo Rockers to Eastern Gothic, 25 Years of Transition
When: Thursday, 9 March
Open: 18:00 :: Start: 19:00
Where: Loft (nr. Shinjuku & Seibu Shinjuku)
Address: B2 Tatehana Bldg., 1-12-9 Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku :: Map
Tel: 03-5272-0382
Price: 3,300 yen adv. :: 3,800 yen @ door
Live: Auto-mod, Momoyo & Lizard, 恒松正敁E
Bonus: Special Auto-mod session with various guest performers.
L code: 37728 (you can use this to buy tickets at a Lawson convenience store.

Club Walpurgis began as a Goth/Punk club in the 1980s. 18 years after the original club closed down Walpurgis returned as a club event in 2005 with a heavy emphasis on 80s alternative, glam, gothic, industrial and electroclash. In 2006 Club Walpurgis will play the second Saturday of the month.

Tonight’s is tHe SpiRit oF DaDA+MachinA+MUSicA – Rebith of propagAnDADA featuring a live performance from Red Mecca (electronicka, dance) along with a bevy of DJs.

Club Walpurgis tHe SpiRit oF DaDA+MachinA+MUSicA – Rebith of propagAnDADA
When: Saturday, 11 March 2006
Open: 24:00
Where: Aoi Heya (7 min. walk from Shibuya station)
Address: B1F, Yachiyo Bldg., 2-12-13 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo :: Map
Phone: 03-3407-3564
Price: 2,500 yen (includes drink)
Live: Red Mecca
DJs: Zinney Aerinamica (Zeus Machina), Nariki, Sato M. (Paranoia Night) and Nero (Darkside Mirrors).

[Uber-Goth :: Live & DJ'd] UPDATE! TDC#17 just got sexed up with the addition of ultra-industrialists, Despair, plus Jude and Wakana doing two extra DJ sets. That’s right! Auto-Mod, Destruct System, Phantasmagoria, Calmando Qual, Speed ID, PLUS DESPAIR! DJs Violet, Chihiro, PLUS JUDE (Sins of the Flesh) AND WAKANA!!

Jude is currently doing keyboards with of Despair, so he’ll be doing a double set… and since he’s the Kansai bureau chief of JGoth.com, you can book with him! Support the man who supports Igor’s madness! Book with Jude!! As he’ll probably be on the road buzz me and I’ll buzz him:
igor (at) jgoth.com

Japan’s biggest live Goth event is set to takes punter on the second ride at Shinjuku’s Marz club. Every Tokyo Dark Castle is specially crafted to ensure maximum consistency and enjoyment throughout the night. It is a badge of honor for the bands who play, and the acts that do make it to TDC are definitely worth following wherever they play. It is a major locus for those seeking to get into Goth and underground in Japan as players come from a cross-section of music scenes. Off-stage, the crowds are the best-dressed in Tokyo, but it is not dress coded so don’t worry if you are underdressed – just make an effort with what you have and enjoy.

The March show includes Goth-underground rock legends, Auto-Mod headed by organizer Genet, aggressive dark rock from Destruct System, danceable darkwave from Phantasmagoria, hot hard rocking from Calmando Qual (yes, they are from the vk scene, but they hit hard and do great live shows!), and veteran Goth-rock outfit, Speed-iD.

Tonight’s event will also be, in part, a memorial show for one of the true leading ladies of Tokyo’s Goth scene, Isola. Missed, but never forgotten, her spirit will continue to live strong.

Extra notes:
Don’t forget your ID!
Need help booking? Check the FAQ area.

Tokyo Dark Castle #17
When: Saturday, 4th March
Open: 24:00
Where: Marz Shinjuku (near Shinjuku)
Address: B1F Dai-ichi Tokiwa Bldg., Kabukicho 2-45-1, Shinjuku :: Map
Tel: 03-3202-8248
Price3,000 yen adv. :: 3,500 yen @ door (plus 500 1D)
Live: Auto-Mod, Destruct System, Calmando Qual, Phantasmagoria and Speed-iD.
DJs: Chihiro & Violet.
VJ: Kihito
Note: Must be 18+ (ID checks) – 20+ to drink.
EXTRA! Now with Despair, DJing from Jude (Sins of the Flesh) and Wakana!

I’m going to cheat and skype from Jude’s excellent introduction to the Osaka edition of this two-night series…

‘Industrial Harsh Beat Power Noise Technoiz Event’.

Latest instalment in a continuing series of events organised by Ordinateur himself (Takashi Koyamaguchi), who has previously brought Mimetic, Iszoloscope and Converter to these shores (get Manufactura, dude! Seriously! Please..?).

Along with Ordinateur, the Tokyo edition features Mono No Aware from Germany, Gestalt, Timisoara, plus DJ Statik.

Sequence Or Die Vol.6 (Tokyo ed.)
When: Saturday, 4th March
Open: 18.30 :: Start: 18:30
Where: Dress Tokyo (nr. Akihabara)
Address: B1 Tanitsu Bldg., 3-8-7 Iwamoto-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo :: Map
Tel: 03-5822-5631
Price: 2,700 yen adv. :: 3,000 yen @ door
Live: Ordinateur, Mono No Aware (Germany), Gestalt, Timisoara
DJ: Statik

w00t! Tactical industrial reaches North America (Canada’s part of North America, right?) 2Bullet’‘s first CD, Democratic Violence, on sale via Wreckords.com.

Just C$18 gets you access to one of the hot new bands on the Japan Goth scene. This is the real deal, core dark underground stuff that I’ve been screaming about (NOT KEI!). 2Bullet is one of the projects for Agent Murder guitarist, DeeLee – so you know there’s pedigree. Good value with eight songs plus two remixes.

The band has laid out a great core sound and has been doing a lot of cooperative work overseas of late, and it looks like they’re getting traction.

Take a gander at the band before you buy:
2Bullet
2Bullet on Myspace

Now buy! Or at least tell/yell at/SCREAM AT a friend hiding in that far away land:
2Bullet @ Wreckords.com!

Skunkwerx announce coming soon… The shockwave is coming!

[Emo Rock/Alternative] Last Nation last took their brand of post-punk emo rock to Tokyo back in October. Now they are back for another series of concerts in the land of the rising sun and grey concrete!

According to London press the band is “a trio who seem hell bent on success who should have angst teenagers everywhere jumping with glee.” While they are not Goth, they have some pretty cool sounds, and the shows will give you a good chance to catch these mad boys from the UK along with local alternative rock acts.

Tour Dates
7 March (Tue) With Junkenstein @ Live-Freak, Shinjuku
8 March (Wed) With Junkenstein @ Live-Freak, Shinjuku
9 March (Thu) With Junkenstein @ Live-Freak, Shinjuku
10 March (Fri) With Junkenstein @ Live-Freak, Shinjuku
11 March (Sat) @ Ikebukuro ADM
12 March (Sun) @ Kurawood, Asakusa
14 March (Tue) @ Outbreak, Yotsuya
15 March (Wed) @ Outbreak, Yotsuya
16 March (Thu) With ATP @ Goodman, Akihabara
17 March (Fri) @ Live-Freak, Shinjuku

Last week Satanyanko announced that it had officially split up. The band began in 2003 and rapidly grew from its catty beginnings (nyanko is Japanese for cat) to being a moody neo-punk outfit more than worthy of its September 2005 appearance at Tokyo Dark Castle. To Mina, Sion, Rie and Hal all I can say is thank you. There are a lot of gaijin who have heard you and love you and we look forward to seeing you guys again. Individually or together – YOU ROCK!

The band’s first split CD is still on sale and two previously unpublished songs should soon appear on a compilation album. I’m certain we haven’t heard the last of them, so don’t stop your support of SATANYANKO!

[Electro-rock/hard alternative] Destruct System are back and on the prowl again after a strong Tokyo Dark Castle showing last month. One of the harder-edged industrial bands on the underground scene, Destruct System has experience, power and the stage-craft to excite the audience.

Electrock Circus itself, while being more general hard/electro/rock event, is a great venue to get access to ballsy sounds from the local scene. It is also noted for the successful crowd surf by Kwik Kick Mummy Lee and a bit of a mosh for Despair at the end of 2005. Six bands for 1,600 yen and a chance to experience Destruct System live – not bad at all.

As to the other, bands from what I recall… Japanese babies – kinda fast metal thing going on; Kwik Kick Mummy Lee – hard-core techno remixing; Far Eastern Eclipse – pretty sexy elektronicka. Plus two more!

As Destruct System is the only Goth band for the night, I can safely recommend it as the band of choice for booking (I like most of the other bands as well, but as we are here for this crazy little thing called Goth…). How do I book an event?

Electrock Circus vol.15
When: Saturday, 25 February
Open: 18:00 :: Start: 18:30
Where: Urga (7 minutes from JR Shinjuku East exit)
Address: B1, 2-42-16, Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo :: Map
Phone: 03-5287-3390
Live: Destruct System, Japanese Babies, Kwick Kick Mummy Lee, Far East Eclipse, Ruin Close Reptile, and Nebula.
DJ: Takmi (pulltheplug)
VJ:

Midnight Mess is back as a regular event, playing every 4th Saturday of the month. The Mess is an underground dance club offering DJ’d and remixed sounds plus performances. The club offers Gothic, fetish, dark, experimental and industrial sounds.

Details are slim for this month’s event.

Midnight Mess
When: Saturday, 25 February
Start: 24:00
Where: Marz Shinjuku (near Shinjuku)
Address: B1F Dai-ichi Tokiwa Bldg., Kabukicho 2-45-1, Shinjuku :: Map
Tel: 03-3202-8248
Price: 2,500 yen adv. / 3,000yen @ door (plus 500 1D)
Live: 666dB, Dummy?
DJs: Statik, Maya, Sato M.