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Winmarr · Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 115 Location: Melbourne

Just wondering, which are the best cities in Japan for music? I'm thinking of going there, and this would weigh heavily in my choice of destination. A lot of bands I like go to Japan but don't make it as far as Australia, so seeing them is quite an attraction.

What does it cost to see local bands, and also European bands? I'm mainly into metal.....

Synne · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Posts: 269 Location: Tohoku

Most mainstreamed bands will make there way to Japan sooner or later...

...Tokyo is where they will be most the time.

As for travelling here on the sole basis of music...

...that would be a waste unless you just want to fork out a ton of cash to live in Tokyo so you can see a few bands a month perform live.

Your best bet would be to come for Fuji Rock Fest

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

If I'm not mistaken, the cost of the concert tickets are really high here too. They figure if you can spend 3,500 yen for a CD, what is 7,000 for a concert ticket? If you want to see the big acts, it is Tokyo or Osaka.

VanKen · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 139 Location: Calgary, AB Canada

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Synne · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Posts: 269 Location: Tohoku

Winmarr · Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 115 Location: Melbourne

I wouldn't be going to Japan just for the music (I'd go to Europe if music was all I wanted), but it'd make sense to go somewhere where bands I like might go.

I just paid $AU75 to see Joe Satriani, which is about 6000 yen or so. Alice Cooper's coming soon and charging $125, or about 10,000 yen! The bands I'm thinking of aren't "big" bands by most people's standards. They're big in the metal scene in Europe, but the average person wouldn't have heard of them, so I'd expect them to charge less.

Kano · Joined: 25 Apr 2004 Posts: 6 Location: Yamagata

I live in Yamagata, so I can check out shows in Yamagata and Sendai. I'm also into metal, but haven't ever seen a metal show advertised. Bummer.

On the plus side, there is a healthy local scene. Some indy-rock bands and lots of punk and hardcore bands. Usually shows here will start and end quite early (6.00-9.30, 6.00-10.30). Typical covers for local bands and maybe one or two headliners from Tokyo or another city are in the 1000-3000 yen range. I've never heard of the bands, except when they are local bands I've seen advertised before.

The shows for local punk/hardcore bands this week and next are all 1000 advance, 1500 door. Sometimes shows include the first drink too.

Obviously there's a LOT more going on in the big cities and a greater selection of types of music. Japanese bars/venues tend to be really small, and generally the live music scene in smaller cities is less healthy than in North American cities of similar size.

On the plus side, that's allowed me to do a bunch of acoustic gigs with various friends. Lots of places have been happy to let us play and even charge a small door (without taking a cut). Foreign musicians are a little bit of a novelty in smaller cities, I guess.

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

Metropolis and Kansai Time Out have concert listings.
Both have websites.
For gigs, the most common places are Tokyo/Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka.

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520

International tours go to Osaka and Tokyo, usually no where else. Radiohead played both cities 2 days each last year. Some smaller bands who like to travel play smaller venues, but it's harder for them to sell tickets if no one knows about them.

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

Gordon's concert prices are quoted quite low. I payed 10,000 yen to see Bob Dylan and 20,000 yen for the Sonic Festival last summer. A no name western band will cost you at least 3000 to 5000 yen at a live house in Tokyo. A has been (but never really famous in the first place) band in a nice lounge style bar will cost about 10,000.

Winmarr · Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 115 Location: Melbourne

Woah, that's expensive! Hmmm I'll have to have a think about all this. Thanks for the feedback, folks.

bearcat · Joined: 08 May 2004 Posts: 367

Evanecence cost me about 8500 yen a while back

ohahakehte · Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Posts: 128 Location: japan

i paid 4500 yen to see Jeff Mills at Club Radix in Nagoya last october. pricey but worth it. tickets to see him in north america would be about the same, maybe a little less, but i doubt the experience would be anything close to what i had in nagoya. the atmosphere was so much more laid back than what you get at electronic music events in north america. seeing him my first night in japan was the best introduction to the country i could imagine.