If you know what’s good for you you’ll keep your eyes firmly planted on Tocago. There are a number of reasons why:

Number one – trust any band who has and knows how to deploy a good steel guitar player.

Number two – trust any frontperson who plays guitar and sings like they have more years behind them than they possibly could

Number three – if you are going folksy, you need a bit of distortion to push it all over the edge.

The list goes on. Their Saturday late night Rookie a Go-Go set seems primed to be one of the ‘I was there then’ moments the lucky few who stayed up to experience it will brag about in the future.

The band was tight and polished, and played much smokier and refined than their sound on their records. Lead singer Chizuru Oki led the band thorough their criminally short 30 minute set like a road-tested veteran. It was the roght mix of gritty bar room Americana and Japanese pop sensibility, a tough combo to pull off so well.

Ten bucks says they will be back on a big stage here at Fuji Rock next year. Any takers?