Too jetlagged and intoxicated on boredom for bikinis pt2

Praha Depart kicked my ass and was arguably my favorite band at Tokyo Boredom on Saturday. It's a shame they had to perform so early (12:30) but at the same time they were a good band to warm up the crowd. SIKA SIKA based out of Nagoya performed next. In N America it's rare to see females in rock bands unless they're the singer. Occasionally there'll be the bassplaying muse and much less frequently female drummers and very rarely female guitarists. In SIKA SIKA, the lead singer is male while the instruments are played by females. In Japan, female involvement in rock bands is MUCH higher and women playing instruments are treated (more closely) as peers as opposed to token members added for their sex appeal. SIKA SIKA is a band that typifies this prevailing mindset/attitude.

SIAMESE CATS (abbr シャムキャッツ; shamucats) are local favorites in the underground scene. The members are always in the audience at shows supporting other bands. One might think shamucats are out of place at Tokyo Boredom with their melodic pop leanings but they have a rough edge and quirkiness to their sound that clearly separates them from standard Jpop fluff

oh crap. Internet connectivity has been sloth-like and I need to check out of the hotel now. I'll finish up my live report of Tokyo Boredom and Neutral Nation when I get back to Toronto.