Discover Tokyo’s hidden music scene, one dish and record at a time as we explore the intersection of Japanese punk culture, local food, and community.

Description:

This episode is the English dubbed version of the original Japanese-language documentary, which can be viewed, with English subtitles, as well as samples of their music and clips of their concerts and cafe, on YouTube:

Is it possible to balance the life of a legendary garage-punk band with running a full-service cafe in the heart of Tokyo?

In this episode of Pico’s World Japan Vibes, we step off the streets of Koto-ku and into TriTech Cafe, a unique “Punk Rock Cafe” run by the three members of the iconic garage-punk band, Akabane Vulgars on Strong Bypass.

Join us as Yumi (lead guitar and vocals), Miki (bass guitar), and Kei (drums) share the stories behind their name, their deep connection to the 1960s Detroit proto-punk sound, and the grueling (but rewarding) search for their signature Reverend guitars in the US. We talk about staying true to an original sound for over two decades, balancing touring with baking carrot cake, and what it’s like to serve coffee while vintage vinyl spins on the turntable.

The Akabane Vulgars have toured across the US, Australia, Canada, the UK and Japan.

Connect with our guests:

* TriTech Cafe: Instagram | Facebook

* Akabane Vulgars on Strong Bypass: Instagram | X (Twitter) | Facebook

* Pre-order the new 7-inch Vinyl: Available here

Upcoming Shows:

* April 2: Live gig at the Ruby Room, Tokyo (Details)

* May 6: 7-inch Record Release Event! (Tickets)

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