Two men in their early 30s, drenched in sweat, face each other on a cramped stage. They¡¯re staring at one another, taking turns screaming. The audience is doubled over in laughter.
The pair are members of the Aichi Prefecture-based group BBBBBBB (that¡¯s seven Bs) and they have traveled to Bushbash music venue in Eastern Tokyo on a Sunday night in September to present their brand of digital hardcore. They¡¯re already halfway through an intensely physical set in which they¡¯ve hurled themselves across the stage, nearly falling onto the audience. The screaming bit resembles a variety show segment, albeit with a hefty dose of distortion. When the music plays, one performer screams until it stops. The bursts of noise gradually get shorter, to the point where their howls last a mere second.
¡°I wanted to be a comedian,¡± BBBBBBB founder Ryuseigun Saionji tells me a few days after the show. ¡°But I gave up that dream and moved back here. I always liked music, so why not (combine the two)?¡±
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.