Rainer Maria + Comeback My Daughters + Overleaf

The Japanese don’t like to do anything, how can I put this eloquently, “half-assed”. Generally speaking, for them it’s all or nothing. Females here just can’t purchase the ridiculously overpriced, brown designer purse that 90 percent of the population carries around. They also have to buy the matching belt, watch, wallet, luggage — you probably get the picture. Although this “go all out” attitude can get a little annoying at times, it’s precisely what makes touring this country such a great experience for bands. To be a music fan in Japan is a big commitment and something that is not taken lightly. Concert tickets are expensive (tonight’s gig cost $35 U.S., including a mandatory one drink charge) and in order to ensure that they receive top value for their yen, the Japanese go crazy at shows. There’s no arms-folded, indie rock posturing here. People cheer, clap, yell, jump, and dance. They respect and adore the artists on stage and treat them like they are the biggest act in the world. This is what keeps bands coming back for more. Overleaf got the night started with a tight performance of poppy art-rock. Comprised of four Japanese males and one female, their potent mix of boy-girl harmonies was well received by the growing crowd, who nodded along in approval. Highly infectious, their songs had a heavy undertone at times, but always remained very melodic. Slightly reminiscent of early Rainer Maria, the quintet managed to hint at their influences, but still retain their own distinct sound. Up next was Comeback My Daughters. Extremely energetic, the quintet focused on tracks from their new album, Spitting Kisses. Borrowing heavily from the Get Up Kids, their set essentially played out like Something to Write Home About with one track from On a Wire thrown in towards the end for good measure. From the moment they took the stage Rainer Maria were treated like kings. Opening with “Mystery and Misery” from last year’s Long Knives Drawn, the band could do no wrong in the eyes of those in attendance. Kyle Fischer paced back and forth waiting for the opportune moment to explode, while Caithlin De Marrais’ vocals filled the room. The near capacity crowd pumped their fists in unison and screamed along to every lyric as the trio kicked into “Artificial Light”. Fischer quickly established himself as the focal point on stage. The guitarist sang along to every lyric and showcased his inability to stand still for more than two seconds as he bounced around like a four year old in desperate need of some Ritalin. His relentless energy and Townshend-esque windmills enthralled the audience of mainly Japanese indie rockers and emo kids. He continued to entertain between songs by engaging in conversations with the crowd and attempting to decipher comments being yelled at him in Japanese and broken English. The biggest surprise of the night was the strength of the material off of Long Knives Drawn. Although not a bad record, at times De Marrais’ vocals come across as being too strong and seem almost forced. Taking on a more upbeat and fuller sound when performed live, her singing on the tracks sounded more natural and passionate. This helped elevate the songs to A Better Version of Me level and made cuts such as “CT Catholic” and “The Double Life” some of the best of the night. On the last night of their week-long Japanese tour, the trio were extremely appreciative for the hospitality they had been shown. Taking time to thank the promoter of the show, Some of Us, and most importantly the fans, De Marrais stated that the trip was “a life-changing experience.” Not wanting to be left out, Fischer used this opportunity to grade the cities based upon the shows for the crowd. Tokyo and Osaka ranked first, with Kyoto a close second and Nagoya ranking fifth (which is pretty bad since only the four cities were visited). A man up front exclaimed that he “was born in Nagoya,” which caused Fischer to bow and say “I’m very sorry” as the audience laughed. After an intense version of “Ears Ring”, which was bolstered by William Kuehn’s frantic drumming, the trio made their way off stage. Much to the crowd’s delight they quickly returned with Fischer wearing a mask of Japanese superhero Ultraman. Launching into “Tinfoil”, everyone in the packed venue began clapping along to the classic gem off of the group’s 1997 debut, Past Worn Searching. De Marrais’ singing dominated the song as Fischer’s out-of-tune vocals were muffled by the plastic mask. Playing beside each other as the track winded down, De Marrais pulled back Fischer’s disguise to reveal a huge “I really am having the time of my life” smile. Not content to call it a night yet, the crowd continued to cheer and clap together in unison until the group re-emerged for a second encore. As the show closed with “Breakfast of Champions”, the audience showed their appreciation by singing along and dancing wildly. The amount of enthusiasm and admiration bursting from the floor was overwhelming and easily overpowered anything put forth by concert-goers in North America. It is huge outpourings of support and gratification like this that continually make foreign touring acts want to return to Japan and which will undoubtedly bring Rainer Maria again. Although they may opt to skip Nagoya next time.