the LOW-ATUS

Socially Aware Rockers Show Lyrical Sass

Question: What do you get when you take famous ex-Ellegarden (currently The Hiatus and Monoeyes) vocalist Takeshi Hosomi, add Brahman vocalist Toshi-Low and garnish with a bit of political banter and nuclear power discussions?

Answer: Apart from the music collaboration The Low-Atus… You get a really, really crowded Gypsy Avalon. Really crowded. Even the bugs were must have been there see them, because they had buzzed off by the next show.

Whether the crowd was interested in social issues, or there for the band namesakes is anyone’ guess, but they were definitely listening intently as the artists spoke about the importance of being informed when it comes to politics, public policy and how it affects the average salaryman.

The Atomic Cafe discussion went over… then finished abruptly with Hosomi saying, “But this is all old man talk, anyway.”

Once the duo’s performance finally started, it was a quiet and intimate showーdespite the mass of people. Toshi-Low and Hosomi chatted and jokedーoccasionally coming up with such comedic quips that almost deserved its own space.

The first, and main song, which Toshi-Low expected people to after, was titled “Jieitai”ーthe name of the Japanese Self Defense Force (SDF)ーwith lyrics including “let’s join the SDF / we’ll get the USA to help us”… biting political commentary both in songs and between, which isn’t standard fare for most Japanese artists. Perhaps that’s why they knew many people would leave after the first song.

Regardless, the pair continued singingーand drinking, and chattingーand seemed to enjoy both each other’s company, as well as that of the audience around them. And on a sunny afternoon, what more could you want?