Japan Underground Digest No. 51

Ring in the New Year in Tokyo with an endless lineup of Japan's best hardcore punk at one of its most legendary venues.

This is a long-running New Year’s tradition in Tokyo, wanna say it’s been going for at least 10 years now. The venue - Antiknock - is an HQ in one form or another for the Hardcore Punk scene not just in Tokyo but across Japan. They’re also cool with Metal (as you might notice Kandarivas on this bill), and I’ve played there a few times over the years. Mammon’s Throne, who we brought through earlier this year from Australia, also had their first show there.

Every time they do it it’s a real banger. All-nighter. Mother fucker. Starts in the early afternoon and goes until 6AM or so, so strap in if you think you’re gonna do the whole thing - it’s draining. But also a whole lotta fun and you’ll see a *lot* of the scene show up there. Sometimes with notable celebrities popping in to boot - one time I rung in the New Year with Tadanobu Asano of Ichi the Killer and, more recently, Shōgun fame.

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The Bands

• No Problem

• Fuck on the Beach

• Kandarivas

• Sleepers

• ゲンドウミサイル

• The Erections

• Poison Arts

• Systematic Death

• Eiefits

• Slight Slappers

• Warhead (Kyoto)

• Forward

• Hat Trickers

• Terror Squad

• Intention (Nagoya)

• Oser (Aizu Wakamatsu)

• Hazard

• The Slowmotions

• Flipout A.A.

• Heel

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The Venue: Antiknock

Antiknock is a total legend of a venue, and for good reason: layout, location, history, sound system, bar, the whole place is a really good example of a near-ideal venue

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From the Archives

Oser’s a real fun one, hailing from Aizu Wakamatsu in Fukushima. During Coronavirus, we did a decent amount of shooting up there with them, glad to see them on the New Year’s bill.

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But Wait, There’s More!

I basically get stoked for every concert I mention here - why would I mention it otherwise! - and this one is no different. No matter what you do, you’ll have a blast at this one, buuuuuut if you want to up yr game and figure things out like where to stay, where to drink, and what else to do in the surrounding area, as well as get info on other concerts, consider signing up as a paid subscriber!