feat: The Taupe / Hyacca / Yukueshirezutsurezure (Not Secured, Loose Ends) / Yubisaki Nohaku / Bakyun the everyday

‘No music, no life’ is the famous slogan of Tower Records in Japan. But it may as well be the nation’s official mantra because music is Japan’s lifeblood. If you love music, not just listening to it but having it’s beauty and energy captivate your soul in a live setting then there is no place better to experience music than Tokyo.

Travelling to Japan is a dream vacation for many but it’s an expensive trip that can be cost-prohibitive. Fortunately, if music is a major reason for wanting to visit Japan or if you’re open-minded and enjoy quality live music of all kinds then a great opportunity awaits you in May.

Next Music from Tokyo (NMFT) is an annually recurring tour that brings Tokyo’s fascinating live music scene to life in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Curated by a Japanese-Canadian anesthesiologist who travels to Japan six times a year, he takes great pains to select an eclectic group of artists and bands that are guaranteed to put on a soulful, energetic festival of quality, heartfelt music.

The 10th edition of NMFT will be celebrated in Toronto with two concerts: May 19 at the Rivoli and May 20 at Lee’s Palace. This time the music will be quirky, intelligent and very loud with a line-up of four bands and an idol group:

Bakyun the everyday: melodic emo-punk with male/female lead vocals that is soulful and fun but with an extra gear for loud and ferocious

Yubisaki Nohaku: one of the best (and most beautiful) (and most bad-ass) all-female bands in the world who play passionate, quirky prog-rock. Fans of Tricot are sure to fall in love.

The Taupe: a band that excels in exploiting the contrast between serenity and ear-shattering noise. Beautiful melodies and soft tones lull you into a comfort zone before a skyscraper of distortion rocks your body and soul

Yukueshirezutsurezure (Not Secured, Loose Ends) – an idol group that performs to screamo and post-metal music with sincerity and raw intensity. The hardcore fury of their performance must be seen to be believed.

Hyacca: an equal parts mix of Bad Brains, My Bloody Valentine, Neu! and Tera Melos. Their music combines lightning speed punk with shoegaze soundscapes, kraut-rock rhythms and math rock.

Noisy and aggressive yet melodic and extremely danceable, Hyacca who came to Canada in 2011 was a primary reason NMFT vol 3 was named by BlogTO as one of Toronto’s concerts of the year.

Although, Next Music from Tokyo advocates innovativeness and originality it is categorically not a celebration of ‘weird Japan.’ Style is important but not at the expense of substance. Creative, passionate songwriting performed with exceptional skill is the hallmark of artists and bands chosen by NMFT.

Music itself is a form of language expressed through melodies, chord progressions, tempo and arrangement. You don’t need to understand Japanese to appreciate and enjoy the beauty inherent in musical compositions. NMFT shows are consistently sold-out with the majority of the audience consisting of regular Canadians with minimal to no proficiency in Japanese. Tokyo has the largest and arguably the best music scene in the world so if you’re open-minded and a fan of good music come watch NMFT in May to witness a music festival unlike any of you’ve seen before.

Tickets: $14 in advance; $20 at door

Online purchase: http://www.ticketweb.ca/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId;=7252355

Advance tickets also available at Rotate This and Soundscapes