SXSW preview: Japan Night @ TT's

A little bit of SXSW and a little bit of Japan are converging tomorrow night in Central Square. The SXSW Japan Showcase makes a few U.S. stops in addition to the big indie weekend in Austin. And, lucky for those of us unable to make a pilgrimage to Texas, Japan Night drops by TT's this weekend.

Japan Night includes garage punk band The 50 Kaitenz. In addition to strains of The Ramones (one of their signature songs is titled "Thank You For RAMONES!"), Chuck Berry, Dr. Feelgood, and 60's Japanese garage bands, the 50 Kaitenz throw in a good deal of off-the-wall humor -- which they promise won't get lost in translation. However, the band urges you to "please remember, The 50 Kaitenz are not comedians. They are rock-o-medians!"

Also on tap are "Samurai Rock 'n' Roll Trio" The Emeralds. "Big in Japan," the band is starting to make a splash in the U.S., having been a mainstay in the SXSW Japan Showcase for the past three years (they also made an appearance at Boston's NEMO Festival in 2005). Straight ahead rock with a rapid-fire vocal delivery, the Emeralds sound like they are trying to tame Iggy Pop's punk with The Knack's pop. In "Cranberry Classic," from Surfing Baby, the band sings about Tom Petty, but Bostonist has no idea what they're saying.

But Bostonist is most excited about Asakusa Jinta, who bill themselves as an "Asianica hardcore marching brass band." Asakusa Jinta mix klezmer, rockabilly, punk, and Japanese Kenka and Kayokyoku music from the 1930's. As the band puts it, their sound is: "accordions and saxophones and trombones all playing lightning fast happy melodies while stand-up bass and drums and tubas throw down polka-style rhythms. The Hawaiian shirts and vaguely lounge-lizard-like outfits add the finishing touch." Cowabunga.

TT the Bears, 18+, $12, 9pm, Saturday, 3/10/07

The 50 Kaitenz: website | Saturday Night.mp3 (Bay City Rollers cover)
The Emeralds: website | Talk About Love.mp3
Asakusa Jinta: website | Tokyo East End Rockers.mp3

Post contributed by Matt Durutti