Sunday was a big night for the Rookie a Go Go stage, more crowd than is usually found braving the post-midnight slots. Maybe it was the dry weather, maybe it was folks being unwilling to accept that the festival was coming to a close, or maybe it was the draw of the bands. Personal I think the latter had a lot to do with it, and Tokyo band hoon deserves a lot of the credit.

Rookie a Go Go is a stage that typically features a lot of young bands banging out hard, bands who are cutting their teeth and finding their sound. Hoon felt different, like a band who knew their own identity and knew just what kind of sound they wanted for themselves. This vibe was a lot more subtle than most bands, jazzy without being brassy, technical without being showy. They seemed like a band confident enough not to have to resort to gimmicks, which is somewhat of a rarity for Rookie a Go Go. And also a rarity for a band that prominently features a harp.

While they may not have been what you would expect to see at Rookie a Go Go, they certainly were a delight. The crowd seemed to agree, giving the band a lot of the last lingering bit of energy they had before Sunday night drew to a close.