Tokyo Soundings

Apia
3-15 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku 150-0031
Phone: (03) 3464-9590
FAX: (03) 3464-7260
Web site (Japanese only, but there is a map at the bottom of the web page.)
Directions: (See Shibuya map) Near Shibuya Station (JR Yamanote; subway Ginza & Hanzomon, Keio Inokashira, Tokyu, etc. lines). Take the West Exit (also sometimes called the South Exit) and bear left (south) past the buses to the pedestrian footbridge. Cross the main street to the south of the station via the footbridge. Bear left into a short street full of restaurants with a place called Key Land on the right. At the end of that street is a second-floor restaurant called Kitchen Café. Pass to the left of Kitchen Café into a small street, keeping down and to the left. Fifty to 100 meters ahead on the left at ground level is Apia. Tiny space, great place to see a live show. Eclectic decorations all over the place. If you like anything you see, look closely. Lots of the stuff on the walls seems to be for sale.

Crocodile
New Sekiguchi Bldg. B1F
Jingumae 6-18-8
Shibuya-ku 150-0001
Phone: (03) 3499-5205
FAX: (03) 3499-5206
croco@music.co.jp
Web site (Japanese only, but there is a map at the bottom of the web page.)
Directions: On Meiji Dori between Shibuya (JR Yamanote; subway Ginza & Hanzomon, Keio Inokashira, Tokyu, etc. lines) and Harajuku (JR Yamanote line) stations. Closest transportation is probably either Harajuku Station by JR or the Meiji Jingumae subway station on the Chiyoda line. Ten- or fifteen-minute walk from Shibuya (north). On east side of street. Hard to miss. I haven't been inside. In six months, there was only one band I was interested in seeing -- and I missed that show. Their schedule flyers have markers for the following categories: rock, jazz, soul, blues, latin, funk, country, Hawaiian, pop and traditional Japanese music.

La Mama
Primera Dogenzaka B1
1-15-3 Dogenzaka
Shibuya-ku 150-0043
(03) 3464-0801
(03) 3464-2343 (FAX)
Directions: (See Shibuya map) West and a bit south of Shibuya Station (JR Yamanote; subway Ginza & Hanzomon, Keio Inokashira, Tokyu, etc. lines). Take the West Exit and pass through and across the bus area. After crossing the street, pass between two banks. On the left is Sumitomo Bank; on the right is Yokohama Bank. Unfortunately, they are not indicated by English signs. You'll pass through an area of strip bars and izakaya. After the first block, you'll start going uphill. The road will jog to the left. Eventually you'll see a restaurant called Primera on the right. When you get to Primera, you can't miss La Mama. The La Mama office is located in the apartment building (manshon) above, suite 202. If you go for tickets during the day and there's no one at the La Mama box office, go to the club's inside office instead. Walking out of La Mama, turn left and then go up the steps to your left into the manshon. Once inside, there will be a flight of stairs to your left. At the second floor, turn right and follow the corridor around. The La Mama office door is on a balcony. This club more than others reminds me of an American bar that has live music. There is not much in the way of tables, for example (though there are some long ones in the back), which is unusual in a Tokyo live house. It even has neon Budweiser signs. The space is big (by Japanese standards). This is generally a good place to see a band. Though broad, it is not very deep, so you're never very far from the stage.

Mandala 2
Chuo Apartment Bldg. (manshon) B1F
2-8-6 Kichijoji Minami-cho, Musashino-shi 180-0003
(0422) 42-1579 (phone and FAX)
Web site (Japanese with very little English. Includes a map and schedule information)
Directions: (See Kichijoji map) Near Kichijoji Station (JR Chuo and Sobu lines from Shinjuku, also Keio Inokashira terminus, departing from Shibuya). East and a bit south of the station. Take the South or Park Exit (also labeled the Koenguchi Exit) and go to the left. Pass under the railbridge and cross the main street at the light. Go straight and pass the AM/PM. Mandala 2 is ahead on the left, opposite a Sunkus convenience store. It has a sign out front. Typical Tokyo live house (atmosphere of an American jazz café), but newer (or newly remodeled) and somewhat cleaner than the norm. They also have food that looks good and table service, though you are not required to order food at the tables. Lots of good bands. A bit of a hike from central Tokyo, but Keio advertises that on their express line from Shibuya, it's just 17 minutes to Kichijoji for ¥190.

Milk
ROOB6 Bldg. B1F
1-13-3 Ebisu Nishi, Shibuya-ku 106
(03) 5458-2826
(03) 5458-2900 (FAX)
Directions: Take the Hibiya subway line to the Ebisu stop. Take the Ebisu Nishi 1- and 2-chome exit and go up the stairs to the right. Make a U-turn out of the station exit and turn left between Wendy's and Harvester. Or if you take the JR Yamanote line to the Ebisu station and exit to the left (west) after passing the turnstiles, you can see Wendy's and Harvester. From that intersection, Milk is a little ways down on the left, in a big elaborate building (see photo). Milk is more of a dance club than a live house, though they have live bands frequently and the music is sometimes good. The interior is fairly elaborate, with at least two different levels. The admission fee is more than most places, usually upwards of ¥3000 plus two drinks (though sometimes if you bring the flyer for the show, you get a healthy discount). Also, shows at Milk tend to start late (like 10:00pm), so you may have to take a taxi home.

On-Air Planet K
Hachibankan Bldg. B1
1-8-10 Kichijoji Honcho, Musashino-shi 180-0004
(0422) 21-7767
Directions: (See Kichijoji map) A few minutes' walk from the Kichijoji Station (JR Chuo and Sobu lines, Keio Inokashira line terminus). Take the North Exit (from the Inokashira platform follow the signs for the Central Exit) and go along the Sun Road shotengai. When you come to the Matsuya on your right, make a left. The club is all the way at the end of this street on the right. This club opened in 1999 and is fairly large by Japanese standards. During a performance, they electronically mix different camera shots of the stage in music-video fashion and display it live on monitors on the walls. Kind of silly, but there you go.

Showboat
Oakhill Koenji, B1F
3-17-2 Koenji-kita, Suginami-ku 166-0002
(03) 3337-5745 (club, from 2PM)
(03) 5378-9230 (office, 11 AM to 2PM)
showboat@t3.rim.or.jp
Web site (Mostly Japanese, some English, including schedule. Map on website: follow Information Link, then Location/Map link at bottom of page.)
Directions: (See Koenji map) Near JR (Chuo and Sobu lines) Koenji Station, west and a bit north, in the Central Road shotengai (street mall) about a five-minute walk from the station on the right. Shin- Koenji subway station (Marunouchi line Ogikubo branch) is about a fifteen-minute walk from the club. Walk north from the subway station to the JR station. There is a sign out front that says "Four Roses" (a whisky brand). The word "Showboat" can be hard to see. Standard Tokyo live house and one of the best places to see music. Lots of good bands.

20000V
Dai-hachi Tokyo Bldg. B2F
4-25-4 Koenji Minami, Suginami-ku 166-0003
(03) 3316-6969 (voice & FAX)
info@livehouse.com
Directions: (See Koenji map) Inside the Arcade shotengai (street mall) just south of the Koenji JR (Chuo and Sobu lines) station, below another club called Gear. Shin-Koenji subway station (Marunouchi line Ogikubo branch) is about a ten- or fifteen-minute walk from the club. Walk north from the subway station towards the JR station. The sign outside says, "20000 Volts," but it's usually just called 20000V. Unlike most Japanese live houses, there are no chairs or tables, so it more closely resembles American clubs.