By no means do I intend to pigeonhole the stylings of talented piano/drum duo goodluckheiwa, but imagine if you will, Vince Guaraldi Trio’s Peanuts theme from Charlie Brown accompanied by full drum set. This, in a sense, is the rollicking sound of Takuji Nomura (keys) and Daichi Ito’s (drums) instrumental project.

Playing to a energetic Naeba Shakudo crowd, the duo was joined on stage for a few numbers by friend Ryosuke Nagaoka for a bit of backup.

Each song was complex and most of them upbeat, with a meandering freestyle feel though still structured enough to have a consistent melody throughout. The crowd, who have undoubtedly caught them live in previous Fujirock appearances or their regular touring schedule, were tapping their feet and swaying to the pianos rambling notes.

goodluckheiwa’s strength lies in their ability to craft complex instrumental numbers with minimal materials. With as large a crowd as they drew to the Naeba Shokudo stage late Friday, it won’t be long until we can expect them back again on Fuji Rock soil.