Everyone is surely now aware of Otoboke Beaver. Together for fifteen years, they’ve paid dues, maintained respect, and, last year, shone at Glastonbury. They’re still growing, but in what direction? With a commanding front woman, a guitarist of unlimited joy and abandon, a bassist exuding effortless cool, and one of the best rock drummers out there right now, they’re not short of options. In late January, the night after supporting Idles, they supported (or co-headed with) The Sohei Oyamada Band at Spotify O West. The location? The foot of Shibuya’s love hotel hill, obviously.
Ticketless again, I watched the more organised enter in orderly fashion. Latecomers such as I stood fidgety, while young lovers and night people passed by, shuffling in the shadows towards the neon lit darkness above. Called over, we joined the queue and after some minutes were asked who we came to see. (‘Otoboke’). Actually, for me, both. Sohei Oyamada was in Andymori, a band name derived from Andy Warhol and memento mori. Expecting Sohei and his well- crafted indie folk on first, many were taken by surprise when Otoboke came on. Acconrinrin didn’t dither, diving into ‘I Am Not Maternal’:
Their set, filled with tracks from Itekoma Hits (2019) and Super Champon (2022), familiar to diehards, sounded fresh and was played with enthusiasm. The stagecraft worked to perfection: Yoyoyoshie’s stage-dive and Accorinrin’s mic-drop-storm-off executed with precision. Once called charmingly vicious, in their stride they are, tonight they showed a diplomatic side – addressing the audience in-between some songs and (as far as I could gauge) thanking Sohei. Entertaining first and foremost, I could have imagined such an address on a mid-afternoon NHK show.
Still, this is no criticism, but the cumulative effect of their songs merging into each other is exhilarating. Even though they didn’t go for the throat, they startled a few tourists in front of me, evidently confronted by Otoboke for the first time. New song, ‘New Album, Mada Desu’ (see lyrics on Acconrinrin’s X account) suggests that new material is forthcoming, but I couldn’t make out more. I wonder whether they will travel overground or underground from now? Can they exist in both worlds? I think so. Evidence for the former is Yoyoyoshies participation in the Fender x Hello Kitty Collection: and the upcoming support slot with Green Day. For the latter, listen perhaps to Acconrinrin’s new song, played recently with Shohei Nomurai, (‘Don't call me Ono Yoko, ****’)? One gets the impression that they may approach foreign and Japanese audiences differently, which might have explained a slightly tamed approach tonight.
‘Don’t’ is not on YouTube, but refers to an irritation at people writing ‘Yoko’ or ‘Ono’ in comment sections on OB videos. People could easily link Yoko’s ‘Why’ to the ‘Why’s’ at the start of ‘I Checked Your Cellphone’, but its lazy. They delivered an energetic set tonight filled with songs from Super Champon, and their fans look forward to whatever comes next. They should cash in, if that be their will. Stumbling to the merch stand (in front of a Family Mart) after the gig, I followed this sentiment by buying a red and black splatter vinyl copy of Itekoma direct from bassist Hiro-chan. Go see them. A festival slot in Canada follows several gigs in Japan. Sohei Oyamada had to raise his game to impress here, but that he did. He is also touring heavily in various guises from March through to May - (Instagram: oyamada_sohei).
To close though, check out KahoKiss’s drumming on I Checked Your Cellphone:
Further Essential Info'mation
Main image by Paul Hudson from Wikicommons
Otoboke Beaver Gigs
2/23 Port Messe Nagoya (with Green Day)
2/25 K Arena Yokohama (with Green Day)
3/1 Shibuya Circuit Fest (A.V.E.S.T project vol.18)
3/22 Creative Center Osaka (Sing Along Forever 2025)
3/23 Nagoya Circuit Fest (Imaike Go Now)
3/29 Sakai Fandango
4/13 Shibuya Circuit Fest
6/21 Sled Island Festival, Calgary, Canada
