Report (English)

Rock 'n' Roll Always Begins in Kobe – Report: “Rock 'n' Roll Circus 2024” featuring Guitar Wolf, THE NEATBEATS, The 50kaitenz, GAGAGA SP, and more

“Rock 'n' Roll Circus 2024” 2024/1/6 (Sat.) Kobe, Sannomiya Area

The circuit-style live event “Rock 'n' Roll Circus 2024” was held on Saturday, January 6, centered on live venue Kobe VARIT. This event, first held in 2019 and now celebrating its sixth year, is renowned for being an occasion on which powerful rock'n'roll bands gather from all over Japan (particularly the Kansai region) to celebrate the “first gig” at the beginning of the new year. This year too the editorial department at SPICE decided to cover the event.

But first, before we get into the latest report for the 2024 edition, please take a moment to read about last year's performers and the event itself ( https://spice.eplus.jp/articles/313385 ). As you can see, there were 22 quirky and unique bands and artists that time around, but this year's event was even larger. The number of stages was upped to five, and the number of performers was a whopping 42. Almost double! As you can see from the timetable of the 2024 edition, this year's lineup was again full of unique and memorable bands. This article is being published online, so I would like to list the performers again this year for those who search for the artists’ names.

Inugayo, THE HOLDENS, THE NUGGETS, memetaa, the Tiger, JOHNNY PANDORA, Kinoko Hotel, Tjiros, Guitar Wolf, UNCLE JOHN, THE NETAFURI NAPPERS, Kensuke Sudo, TETRA POT, superuwan, Momoko Ika and Hiroyuki Takami, 50/50's, THE JACKINS, Autumns, THE PSYCRONS, CHIE HORIGUCHI, SO-ON☆G, KING BROTHERS, THE TOMBOYS, subarashika, THE PERRY, orutosentrhythm, Mustains, Little Pink Summer, (The)SEGARE KIDS, THE BLACK DOLPHINS, YAPOOL, MANATSU, Muddy Jackets, The 50kaitenz, THE LILAC, GAGAGA SP, Wasurete Motels, The howlin' dogs, STANCE PUNKS, KiNGONS, THE NEATBEATS. The warm-up act was Sagawa Pin Geijin, and Hiroyuki-Jett played during DJ time. As you can see, the lineup was full of rock 'n' roll powerhouses, from legends to up-and-coming young talent, but this year's lineup was a little bit different from previous years, with punk acts such as GAGAGA SP and STANCE PUNKS, and even a bluegrass band that harkens back to the very roots of rock 'n' roll. According to Mr. Minamide, manager of VARIT. and the organizer of the festival, the lineup was made up of artists who “may veer towards the outskirts of the genre, but are undeniably rock and roll; the real spirit of rock is inside them.” For a breakdown of the lineup, please read Mr. Minamide's loving and thorough introduction. (Japanese only) https://sites.google.com/armtechpublishers.com/rockandrollcircus/home 

On the day of the event, it would have been absurd for one reporter to try to cover 42 groups of performers by themself... So the editorial staff picked out a few artists to start with, then Mr. Minamide got in touch with us, saying first, “Why don’t you just see whichever artists you want to see?!” But he then sent messages saying, “I want you to check out Artist A, and I think Artist B is a real up-and-comer. Artist C is very out there, but I really recommend them. I mean... I guess I really just want you to see them all!” Well, of course he does. A live music club puts on a big event with the theme of “Rock 'n' Roll” early in the new year... Of course you would recommend all the performers. So I just decided to be selfish and take in the best of the show and see as much of it as I could! I decided to go to “Rock 'n' Roll Circus 2024!”

Just as I did last year, I went to the venue to begin my report from the VARIT. stage, and was immediately struck by the decoration of the venue. The entrance to the live music venue was draped with velvet curtains and red carpets, the ceiling was decorated with handmade garlands, and a backdrop was set up on the stage. The “circus” atmosphere is much more “circus-like” than last year, and a new, original “Rock 'n' Roll Circus” jingle before each performance had been added. Decorations were scattered throughout the place, and every corner of the venue was filled with the excitement and thrill of the circus.

The top batter was Inugayo. The first song they played was “Rock 'n' Roll,” a fitting opening to the festivities! “Rock 'n' Roll! Yeah!” being sung out raucously created a sense of spaciousness. Everyone surged forward automatically. The guitar strumming on “Salvation” was pleasing to the ears, and the head-on beat shook the hearts of the audience, starting the event off wonderfully.

At Chicken George The 50 Kaitenz, celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, told the rock 'n' roll honors students who filed in, one after the other, from the harsh daylight outside, “Let's make this the best year ever!” The 50 Kaitenz made the audience dance with good-humored party songs such as “Yumemiru Time Traveler”. Stoic and strange, the more you listen to their music, the more you become absorbed in their performance. While the band lovingly commented, “What a happy town!” during what had become an annual New Year's event for them, they also admonished “You can't go home without seeing the whole show,” giving the audience a charming dose of carrot and stick.

This year's event was held at five venues: VARIT., Chicken George, Starting Over, as well as two newly-added venues, THE CASTLE and BLUE PORT. BLUE PORT, located on the west side of Flower Road just a three-minute walk from Sannomiya Station, is a rather small venue with a standing capacity of about 200 people. There, notable artists such as YAPOOL and Manatsu were making crazy cool sounds. YAPOOL in particular was a mixture of garage and punk, but also very catchy. I couldn't take my eyes off their flashy performance. The guitar riffs of “Late Show” instantly grabbed my attention. The audience shared the same feeling and crowded the front of the floor. A band from Tokyo, only formed in 2021, was “going for it” here in the city of Kobe.

THE CASTLE is a dining bar hidden away on the third floor of a multi-tenant building not far from Kobe's downtown Higashimon-gai. Usually it is a fashionable haunt where one can enjoy authentic cocktails and shisha. The floor of the bar was used as a stage for live performances by SO-ON☆G, KING BROTHERS, THE TOMBOYS, and other artists well-known to “Rock 'n' Roll Circus” fans. I reiterate that the venue was a dining bar, not a live music club. The venue is not that big, and there is no full-scale stage. “What kind of performances could you even have there?” you might think. Well, admission to the performances of the above artists was restricted early on, and the venue was filled with excitement from start to finish.

SO-ON☆G shook the floor with rugged, heart-wrenching, bluesy rock 'n' roll songs like “Negro no Chi.” “This has become the best circuit event in Japan,” their vocalist NABE said happily, but a circuit-type event where rock 'n' roll bands gather from all over the country early in the new year, and where the audience comes not only from the Kansai region but also from far away? What else is there to compare it to? Let me point out that SO-ON☆G is a veteran group, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. “Rock 'n' Roll Circus” is the only event that brings together so many rock 'n' roll bands, from youths to road-hardened veterans like these.

That said, this fashionable bar is heading directly for chaos, or rather, a night parade of one hundred demons at KING BROTHERS' performance! The band screams out, “Are you ready to rock?” and “Sell your soul!” and other aggressive calls to action. The band has been performing with support members since last December when drummer Zony took a break from the band. But Keizo and Marya sang, shouted, and strummed their guitars without a hint of crack. Of course Marya was crowd-surfing across the audience again this year, and the call of “Nishinomiya” echoed through the city of Kobe.

Starting Over, the least spacious of the five venues, is also a small bar in a small building, but still managed to draw a large crowd throughout the day, thanks to its compact yet solid sound that could be felt up close and personal. A four-member group from Kyoto, Tetrapot, performed new yet nostalgic music crowded around a single microphone, playing guitar, bass, mandolin, and banjo for songs such as “Blue Fish,” a Japanese bluegrass sound with roots in rock 'n' roll. When they first appeared on stage, they tried to play the New Year's classic “Haru no Umi” on the banjo to much amusement. Another band that has recently been giving me a great lingering feeling every time I see them live is 50/50's. Authentic and sharp, the drums howling along with the guitar, their performance was once again outstandingly cool.

“Rock 'n' Roll Circus” is an event where performance after performance unfolds without reprieve. Circuit-type events allow you to visit as many venues as you like, but there is a limit to one’s stamina. After making the rounds of all the venues from the early afternoon, one is bound to get hungry. It was a good thing that VARIT., Chicken George, and BLUE PORT had food stalls on hand. A popular local curry joint had even set up shop as well.

Kobe Curry Canteen Rajkumar had a stall at VARIT., so people had the luxury of eating curry while watching the show. In addition, the Royal Park Canvas Kobe Sannomiya hotel just across the street from VARIT. also featured a DJ booth called the “Neighborhood Rock 'n' Roll DJ Lounge”. This is another luxurious way to immerse oneself in rock 'n' roll while taking a break on the lounge floor.

Rock 'n' Roll Circus” is now in its sixth year, and many of the bands are perennials. Wasurete Motels and KiNGONS, who performed at Chicken George, are already familiar faces; both bands are from the Kanto region, but they performed at VARIT. so often throughout the year that you could almost say that they are from Kobe. Wasurete Motels didn’t even finish saying “I love you! Idiots! Let's rock again this ye...” before the band came in with a bang. They captivated with their straight-ahead rock 'n' roll sound, playing songs like “Oh Mutant.” Last year, they declared that they would sing good songs and put on great performances as a touring band. Their sound was the result of their efforts, and their performance was more convincing and powerful than ever.

KiNGONS is a regular among regulars that has performed at all six “Rock 'n' Roll Circus” events, and on this day, too, they entertained us with a straightforward and bold stage performance. The performance, which began with “POP OF THE WORLD,” was exactly as the title suggests! Everyone was jumping up and down and dancing, awash in the sounds that the four-piece was creating. Everyone nodded along as they said, “In 2024, come and immerse yourself in a place that you love!” They have been releasing an album and touring every year since 2022, and expectations are high for a ramp-up in 2024.

Incidentally, both Wasurete Motels and KiNGONS spent their days immersed in the Kansai region, performing at the “Rock 'n' Roll Circus” afterparty the day after the event, and a two-header in Osaka the day after that. Both bands are also scheduled to play their own respective one-band shows at VARIT. in February. The day when they can claim to truly represent Kobe may soon be near...

The Tiger and JOHNNY PANDORA appeared at VARIT. for their second annual “Rock ‘n Roll Circus” appearances, this time on a larger stage than last year's Starting Over. The two bands had more floor space to work with, and there was a lot of dancing. I couldn't help but smile when I saw some people who had been relaxing on the second floor of the venue rush down in front of the stage to enjoy the live music.

Of course, “Rock 'n' Roll Circus” is not only comprised of repeat performers, but there were many first-timers this year. The Holdens, from Oita, whose first performance in Kobe was at “Rock 'n' Roll Circus,” The Nuggets, who burst with ‘entertainment power,’and many other acts were all brimming with personality.

Many may be surprised to see the likes of Kinoko Hotel, STANCE PUNKS, and Tjiros on the same bill. The diverse lineup of bands, which included progressive rock, punk, blues, and other rock and roll bands, meant there was never a dull moment during any of the performances. The Tjiros, in particular, put forth a heart-pounding blues sound starting with “Kaeru to Mamedeppo,” and the floor erupted with cheers at Taeko Ito's vibrato. Moreover, since they happened to be performing in Kobe, Kobe-born trumpeter Kou Keiketsu, a familiar face at their live performances, was the guest performer. The 30-minute performance was so rich and intense that the time passed in the blink of an eye.

Among the bands making their first appearance at the event was GAGAGA SP, a youthful punk band representing the city of Kobe. Well... “We sing old songs and drag along our old girlfriends along with us even after 27 years. We don’t play youthful punk anymore! We play stalker punk!” they screamed during “Senko Hanabi.” But a great song is a great song no matter how you slice it! Everyone was singing along, from spiky-haired and mod men to rockabilly women to little kids wearing band T-shirts. “Let’s play punk as hard as we can!” they yelled, and played their new song “Gagaga Ondo,” released just last December, which got everyone dancing, exhilarated. Lead singer Cossack Maeda said he was anxious about playing it for the first time, but the looks on the audience's faces should have dispelled any fears he had.

In the middle of the set, Cossack said, “There are many hard times, but the fact that we are all here together right now proves that we are in good spirits. There are many things that are beyond our control in this world, but we can overcome it if we keep the right mindset,” then launched into “Image Uta.” This song is like a letter that expresses your deepest feelings to those close to you. Those you care about, Those you hold in your heart. Not only GAGAGA SP, but many of the artists who performed at this event had heartfelt messages for the crowd. One of them even shared their thoughts on reconstruction assistance for the “Noto Peninsula Earthquake of 2024” that occurred on January 1st.

“[Bands] have the qualiifications to lift your spirits.” -SO-ON☆G.”

“Enjoy [the moment] to the fullest! We give you this energy!” -KING BROTHERS

“Wherever you find yourself, there is always a way forward!” -Tjiros

These are just a few examples. I am sure that on the day neither the artists nor the audience came in in bright spirits after seeing and hearing the news of the earthquake and tsunami. However, it’s not exactly a gloominess we’re feeling. “We’re just standing up on the boards of this stage singing as hard as we can. It’s important to live life as hard as you can. The star of the show is always you! Even in darkness, we must dance!” entreated THE NUGGETS. I’m sure many people were buoyed by these words. During the event, THE NUGGETS were raising funds to support the recovery from the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Donation boxes were set up at each venue, and many performers talked about their thoughts on reconstruction and asked for cooperation in the fund-raising efforts. Of course, this was done in true rock 'n' roll fashion, with Marya of the KING BROTHERS crowd surfing while carrying a donation box, and the Wasurete Motels asking for donations instead of buying drinks for the band. It was good to see a fundraiser be so cheerful and fun from start to finish.

The event was nearing its conclusion. THE NEATBEATS, the faces of “Rock and Roll Circus,” took the stage at Chicken George. The fans were already buzzing at the sight of the band, but Mr. Pan’s pre-show banter had them positively vibrating. Just as one started to feel that they might never start playing, they launched into “YAH! YAH! YAH!” Just hearing them sing the words, "the rock concert we've been waiting for" turned the mood up to maximum. As he said, “Let's make it a good year! Here’s to the ne-…” I thought they were going to jump right into the next tune, but his patter stretched on and on. He was teasing his younger band members, and launching quips at the comedian who had provided musical accompaniment... The better the show went, the better his patter got. It less and less a musical performance than a comic one. The corners of my mouth kept rising, and my exhaustion was lifted.

At last, “Rock 'n' Roll Circus 2024” brought out rock 'n' roll legends Guitar Wolf to close out this year's event! One would expect their set to start off with a can of beer as usual, but Seiji actually started things with kakizome (Ed.: The first calligraphy of the year)! Of course, there was no way he was going to write gracefully, but he instead boldly wrote out the words, “Set 2024 ablaze! You dragons” on a huge piece of paper, which he then smashed through with his guitar, and then the show actually began!

“Kannana Fever,” “Jet Generation,” and their other songs made your whole body tremble and the explosive sound was deafening. Just an oppressive heat. This is the proper way to start a year of rock 'n' roll! Seiji called out to Minamide mid-set to honor him for his contribution to “Rock 'n' Roll Circus”. A staple of Guitar Wolf’s live performances is inviting an audience member onstage to play the guitar, and of course this time the lucky person was Mr. Minamide himself. He used to be a band member himself, so he looked at home on stage... and then another custom: the compulsory stage dive! Minamide sailed over the audience with fists clenched in victory, and the floor erupted in applause at the sight of the broad grin on his face. The set continued. They shouted “This is Rock 'n' Roll!” over and over, followed by songs like “Fujiyama Attack” and “All Night Buttobase!” They didn’t let up, all the way through the encore, closing out the event in glorious fashion.

As with every year, as soon as “Rock 'n' Roll Circus” was over all the artists who performed rushed off to different clubs across the country. Minamide and the event organizing committee sent out a veritable mountain of gig details via social networks and other means. In addition to soliciting basic impressions of the event, they also asked for suggestions on things that needed improvement, and said they are already working on next year's “Rock 'n' Roll Circus.” “Rock 'n' Roll Circus” will never end. It continues today. Today will turn into tomorrow, and into next month. I am sure that “Rock 'n' Roll Circus 2025” will be an even better event than this year’s. Next year, I want to experience the “first gig of the new year” here again, just drowning in rock 'n' roll.

Interview and text by Nahoko Kuroda Photos courtesy of “Rock 'n' Roll Circus 2024” (Hayashi Mako, Ohana, Seina Fujimura, Kinuka Yoshida, Shoh Harada)