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Japanese loud rock idol group PassCode - GROUNDSWELL Tour 2023

Report: PassCode earns a “GROUNDSWELL” of love from NYC fans

Oct 12, 2023

Loud rock idol group PassCode enchants fans at New York's Gramercy Theatre during the mid-point of "PassCode US TOUR 2023 -GROUNDSWELL-"—its first US Tour, which also includes stops in Dallas and Los Angeles. T...

Interview: YOSHIKI’s mission to shatter music boundaries worldwide

Erica, Nori and NBT

Oct 5, 2023

Interview, Tour and event

YOSHIKI, one of the most influential musicians in Japan, has made an enduring impact in both the rock and classical music realms. He's renowned as the founder of the globally beloved rock band X Japan and the l...

Interview with Momoiro Clover Z: 15-year idol journey of vibrant music

NBT

Sep 30, 2023

Interview

We recently connected with the idol group Momoiro Clover Z to delve into its incredible journey as the group marks an impressive 15-year anniversary!With such extensive journey in the music scene, captivati...

Interview: MAN WITH A MISSION’s Jean-Ken Johnny talks world tour, “WOLVES ON PARADE”

Erica and NBT

Sep 27, 2023

Interview, JROCK ONSEN, Tour and event

MAN WITH A MISSION is a rock band that defies convention in many ways. For starters, their five-member lineup consists of superior lifeforms who are half-human and half-wolf. Like the hybrids they are, their mu...

Interview with MAD JAMIE: The spirit of “Kawaii is Fxxk” and idol punk rock

NBT and Kay

Sep 25, 2023

Interview

Back in late July, we had the chance to sit down with Kanjosen Akubi (感情線あくび) from MAD JAMIE, who at the time had just performed at NärCon, Northern Europe's largest anime convention. This marked MAD JAMIE's fi...

Interview with Kouki: Bridging cultures through music and passion

Erica, Omatsu, afaenia and Nori

Sep 20, 2023

Interview, Tour and event

Meet Hanamizakura Kouki, a star in the visual kei scene dedicated to promoting Japan's distinctive culture to global audiences. With a Tsugaru-jamisen guitar in hand and a resplendent folding fan, he embarks on...

Report: Kouki ignites emotions and connections at Otakon

Erica

Sep 10, 2023

Report and review, Tour and event

Kouki, the charismatic vocalist of the visual kei rock band D=OUT eagerly accepted the invitation to perform at Otakon, a revered gathering for anime enthusiasts and one of the largest Japanese culture conventi...

Review: Try a taste of Japan’s Moon Festival with TokyoTreat snackbox

Bri

Aug 30, 2023

Report and review

Is there a better way to appreciate nature than finding the perfect snacks to pair with the seasons? Japanese cuisine is known for having specialty flavors and ingredients that are unique to specific regions or...

Report: BAND-MAID completes 10th anniversary victory lap in North America

Nori and Jonathan Lane

Aug 23, 2023

Report and review, Tour and event

The hard rock waitstaff of BAND-MAID conquered the west on their 10th ANNIVERSARY TOUR, wrapping up the North American leg in Mexico City on August 18. JROCK NEWS reporters Jonathan Lane and Nori made a few lon...

Report: Dream Theater unites metalheads across Silicon Valley

Nori

Aug 14, 2023

Report and review, Tour and event

Prog bellwether Dream Theater hunkered down in San Jose, California on July 24 with colleagues Animals as Leaders and Devin Townsend for another night of its traveling festival Dream Sonic. With only three stop...

Interview: Dream Theater’s John Petrucci on breaking international barriers

Nori

Aug 11, 2023

Interview, Tour and event

For nearly 40 years, prog metal flagbearer Dream Theater has stood tall and fortified the redoubt of guitar-driven rock. For aspiring amateurs as well as professional musicians across the world (and especially ...

Review: Discover traditional Japanese snacks with Sakuraco

Zephyr

Aug 11, 2023

Report and review

As folks who enjoy Japanese snacks, we were intrigued when Sakuraco reached out and kindly offered to send us one of their traditional Japanese snack boxes to try out.Sakuraco delivers the taste of traditio...

Review: BAND-MAID live Blu-ray “TOKYO GARDEN THEATER OKYUJI” raises the bar

Jonathan Lane

Aug 7, 2023

Report and review, Videos

Dive into BAND-MAID's live Blu-ray TOKYO GARDEN THEATER OKYUJI and prepare to be mesmerized! Can't make it out to a show during the second half of the 10th ANNIVERSARY TOUR? This disc promises to immerse us in ...

Report: SiM’s sold-out “THE RUMBLING iN LDN” performance serves explosive display of showmanship

Sizergyia

Aug 6, 2023

Report and review, Tour and event

Within the space of nearly a year, reggae punk outfit SiM, also known as "Silence iz Mine", recently saw their overseas activities materialize in a big way. In August 2022, the band performed in the US at both ...