Clap and Scream: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Her Name in Blood

If you live in Kobe you recognize that there are many amenities the city provides that are harder to find in other parts of Hyogo. Simply put, we have a Costco! ALTs know just how lucky they are to be in such a great location, this is especially true for those who are avid concertgoers. Although to be fair, Kobe is lucky in part due to its neighbor Osaka, a primary stop for many bands touring in Japan. This September two amazing bands with drastically different styles made their way through the Kansai area and graced fans with outstanding performances.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, led by front man Alec Ounsworth, played Monday, September 8 at Club Quattro Umeda, a ten minute walk from Osaka JR. Club Quattro Umeda is a small venue that tends to change its floor set-up depending on the band playing. During CYHSY, tall tables for drinks were scattered around the floor for those standing while others decided to watch the show in one of the few rows of stadium seats provided. There is a bar outside the viewing area as well, though the drinks tend to be overpriced for their size.

Ounsworth, who is just as comfortable touring with a band as he is playing solo, sings with a nasally voice (although I’m sure there’s some throat technique going on there) that is almost impossible to sing along with. A fact he even joked about after playing “Satan Said Dance,” one of the very few songs with a hook that involves the audience, saying afterward, “Well that’s pretty much it for that.” His voice for many is an acquired taste, but the last few albums are a little easier to digest since they have a lower, slightly darker and moodier tone both vocally and instrumentally than what frequently appears on their first self-titled album. Though not always the case, this night Ounsworth was supported by a bassist, drummer, and additional guitarist and synthesizer for the majority of the songs. He did perform solo for one song during the set and for half of the encore.

As for the set-list, Ounsworth with his infamous hat performed songs from all of CYHSY’s albums, many from their self-titled and a surprising amount from the upcoming fourth album Only Run. The experience at Club Quattro was very intimate; something Ounsworth has admitted he likes (currently while on tour he is doing additional living room performances). He frequently engaged the audience with lighthearted conversation noting the Japanese preference for quiet during song transitions. This can be awkward for many westerners use to constant chit-chat or shouting, but he thought it was polite. He also stayed afterward to talk with the fans and sign their merchandise. Starting a little after 6:00p.m. and ending at around 8:45p.m., most fans were happy to have seen a strong performance and still get home for their normal weekday bedtime.

If you read last month’s preview for Her Name in Blood, you know that they don’t sound anything like CYHSY. This hardcore Japanese band whose lead singer, Ikepy, uses a low guttural scream performed at Club DROP in Shinsaibashi on Saturday, September 20. A benefit of seeing Japanese bands as opposed to foreign ones is found in the ticket price. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah was a hesitant \6000, whereas HNIB was a thoughtless \2500. However, both venues snuck in a \500 – \600 drink charge and although usually an alcohol buyer at shows, there is something annoying about having one forced on you. Club DROP was your average music venue with standing-only floor space and a bar outside the viewing area.

Unlike CYHSY, I can’t speak to HNIB’s set-list since songs defined by screaming are nearly unrecognizable in any language, but the atmosphere was a refreshing blast from the past. HNIB is the first show I’ve seen in Japan with an actual pit and the first time I’ve seen people actually using said pit. Perhaps as a result of the B.Y.O.B. Hanshin Tigers game and the forced drink on arrival, most, if not all, remnants of a respectable ALT quickly succumbed to angst typical of a 16 year old, as I joined other fans in their intense back-and-forth head-banging. HNIB played their usual fast-paced rhythms broken up with numerous breakdowns. Those who are unfamiliar with the breakdown should know that it creates performance opportunities as good as the one occurring on stage. When individuals stopped circling the pit during the breakdowns, they left the opportunity open for the few fans wanting to showcase their favorite hardcore “dance.” Many went with your standard two-step while others chose the windmill or gorilla (sometimes called pick-up change). One person even decided to show off his break dancing skills by spinning on his head at different times before the songs’ pace picked up again. The energy was contagious with a mood opposite from the one experienced with CYHSY, but both provided an intimate affair and rewarding experience.

Another great thing about both shows was the chance to hear about upcoming concerts in the area. Osaka is flooded with venues, large and small, that have bands playing weekly. Granted I don’t know many of them, but like most activities in Japan, it’s an opportunity to try something new. If you go looking for the music you like, you’ll surely find it. Meanwhile keep an eye out on more previews and reviews here in the Hyogo Times.

Sean Mulvihill