Report and review

Report: Kouki ignites emotions and connections at Otakon

Sep 10, 2023

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...

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 ...

Japanese band ASTERISM Live at S.O.B.'s in New York 7/11/23

Report: ASTERISM heats up in New York debut

Jonathan Lane

Jul 24, 2023

Report and review, Tour and event

Back in the US after four years, MASS METAL powerhouse ASTERISM delivers a free world-class performance in its debut appearance in New York City. Fans lined up outside S.O.B.'s in lower Manhattan on a blazing J...

Review: DIR EN GREY’s 25th anniversary concert captures intense emotions, haunting silence

Erica

Jul 16, 2023

Releases, Report and review

DIR EN GREY released live footage from their momentous 25th-anniversary concert, titled 25th Anniversary TOUR22 FROM DEPRESSION TO ________, on July 5.As ardent followers of the band know, DIR EN GREY has t...

Report: Rolling Quartz’s first US tour welcomes fans to Rock’n’roll Paradise

Bri

Jun 19, 2023

Report and review, Tour and event

On Sunday, May 14, South Korean girl band Rolling Quartz arrived at the Wayfarer in Costa Mesa to meet their fans and play some good old rock and roll. This was the fourth stop on the Rock N' Roll Paradise US T...

Report: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu showers LA with love in “WORLD TOUR 2023 -POPPP-“

Nori

May 31, 2023

Report and review, Tour and event

A gray Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles marked the second stop in Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s “WORLD TOUR 2023 -POPPP-”. Contrasting the dull overcast, a motley assembly in palettes of glitter ascended two flights of ...

Report: ACME dazzles crowds at Anime Detour Minneapolis

Astrid

May 29, 2023

Report and review, Tour and event

ACME returned to the US this spring, hitting the stage at Anime Detour in Minneapolis and Catch One in Los Angeles alongside QUIETUDE and EIGHT COLD HELLS. ACME bore the honor of being Anime Detour's first-ever...

Review: D=OUT’s twin singles “Dorobou Neko” and “Ten” couldn’t be more different

Erica

Apr 23, 2023

Releases, Report and review

On February 14, the visual kei band with traditional Japanese flair D=OUT released their 33rd and 34th singles simultaneously, Ten (天) and Dorobou Neko (泥棒猫). The music videos for the title tracks were also rev...

Report: MORRIE celebrates birthday with concert “Flesh Odyssey”

Ziggy

Apr 17, 2023

Report and review

MORRIE celebrates another trip around the sun with his birthday special concert "Nikukatamarisei Tanmatsuri -Flesh Odyssey-" on March 4. The show took place at Tokyo Kinema Club, an intimate venue with a charmi...