Tokyo Sound Navigation #1 - Shibuya LUSH

2024-09-06

How many music events are held in Tokyo in a single day? On weekends, events are held day and night, featuring both amateur and professional musicians. With so many venues, varying in genre, style, age, and gender, how many live music venues can you discover and fall in love with? The search is fun. Today, I want to navigate through the underground music scene in Shibuya.

- Shibuya LUSH -

Exit Shibuya Station toward Miyamasuzaka. As you climb the hill for a few minutes, imagining what kind of music you might encounter, turn left just before the Miyamasuzaka-Ue intersection. You’ll find it near a tropical-looking hamburger joint, in the gray building Gloria Miyamasuzaka III South. You might hesitate at first, but head down the stairs to the basement, and there you’ll find Shibuya LUSH.

LUSH is a genreless venue, offering everything from black music to acoustic performances to idol shows. The atmosphere, the sound, and the friendly staff all have a great reputation. Manager Shimoishi and the staff are passionate about music, and their careful event booking is truly inspiring. The venue is like an alternate world, where the intense energy of people who love music comes together.

Now, I’d like to introduce some of the hottest events held at Shibuya LUSH.

“Dynamite Soul City”

This dance event takes place on the last Wednesday of every month. Hosted by manager Shimoishi, it alternates between DJ sets and live band performances. The DJ sets feature a mix of R&B, funk, soul, city pop, hard rock, and hip hop, all designed to get you dancing. The bands, including the six-piece YAKA, which roots itself in soul, funk, and disco, and wave rhythm section, a rhythm-section band based in Tokyo, are all grounded in black music. The groove will get your body moving naturally. Regulars were even dancing flamenco-style on the floor. The warmth, the friendly atmosphere, and the comfortable flow of music make this event a perfect experience.

“RIVET”

Curated by Shun, a super-savvy booker, this mixed event features high-quality live performances, often with well-known artists. It’s a chance to feel the raw energy of Japan’s rising indie bands. Other events, centered on hip hop, hyperpop, and UK rock, also keep the momentum going strong. One of the biggest highlights was the collaboration with the wildly popular event Jijo earlier this year.
I can’t wait to see what new events Shun will come up with next.

“Soshite Seikatsu wa Tsuzuku” and “Run High”

These events are irregularly held, created by the female booker Maro. Soshite Seikatsu wa Tsuzuku is an acoustic event, while Run High features many girl bands. These warm, delicate, and gentle events are essential to LUSH. Whether you’re hoping to catch a rare acoustic set from a popular band vocalist or listen to singer-songwriters, these events never disappoint. Run High also includes DJ sets, where you can sometimes enjoy iconic tracks from Japanese music history. It’s a lovely experience.

There are many more events at Shibuya LUSH, such as band-organized shows, one-man shows, birthday events, and countdown parties that I can’t fully cover here. If a musician you’re interested in is playing at LUSH, I highly recommend checking it out. Even if there’s no specific artist you’re aiming to see, trust that you’ll discover great musicians and music, and those encounters will come naturally. I hope this article helps guide you on your own journey to find new music.

You can also find more event information about Shibuya LUSH on Sound House’s official social platform Sound Navi. Be sure to check it out.

nishiyama naoki

2022年からソロミュージシャンとして活動をスタート。都内を中心に弾き語りとバンドセットで月4本ほどライブをやっています。幼いころからFunk、Soul、Jazzなどのブラックミュージックをよく聴いており、中でも愛してやまないのがPrince。リスペクトを込めてPrinceと同じギター「MAD CAT」を使用。レコードでDJをするときは、一発目にかけるのは決まってPrinceの「sign of the times」。趣味はDVカメラで撮影する事、詩集を読む事。使用しているDVカメラはビクター製。好きな詩人は俵万智。