On a refreshingly cool Friday evening, indie rock group Japanese Breakfast hosted their second night at Boston’s Royale. The day prior (the 9th) kicked off the very beginning of the band’s fall tour in honor of their latest album, Jubilee. This show was in such high demand that they had to add a second one & fill both nights to the brim!
Japanese Breakfast’s supporting act, Luna Li, was a delightful addition to the bill as she emulated the same ethos & groove that “j-brekkie” fans all love. Luna Li also briefly mentioned how grateful she was to be invited on a tour with another Asian frontwoman like herself, and how important representation is in the music industry. (Just simply wanted to stress that importance!)
At 8:15pm, Japanese Breakfast took the stage with kaleidoscopic lights & each member assuming positions to the plethora of displayed instruments; from saxophone to violin to gong. Without any further ado, lead singer Michelle Zauner skipped out in a white satin dress & chunky boots to initiate the band’s full groove. Two of Jubilee’s singles, “Paprika” & “Be Sweet,” started off the set wonderfully as they broke the ice & warmed up the audience to dance in suit with the performers on stage. Although the setlist contained a majority of Jubilee’s favorites, Zauner made sure to sprinkle in some older classics from their debut record, Psychopomp, with “In Heaven,” “The Woman That Loves You” & the highly acclaimed “Everybody Wants to Love You.”
This year’s release of Jubilee was the group’s third full length since their 2017 record, Soft Sounds from Another Planet. It’s no wonder why there was such an overwhelming response… fans have been yearning for years! With all of this considered, the band also included a few performances as an ode to their sophomore record with the evocative “Diving Woman,” “Road Head,” & “The Body Is a Blade.” Not to mention their well-known 50’s-style cover of grunge rock Little Big League’s “Boyish.” Every now-and-then, Zauner would take a breather from dancing around to sit at the piano for some ballads including a song from her quarantine-born side project, BUMPER, titled “Ballad 0.” Whether she was running around rhythmically hitting a gong or delicately playing the keyboard, fans were locked-in. An encore was inevitable! Jubilee’s transcendent slow burn “Posing For Cars” & the effervescent groove of “Diving Woman” certainly made the grand finale, grand.
Although mostly masked, the crowd’s reaction to each performance was visceral. It was evident they were elated, awestruck & ultimately thankful to be a part of celebrating live music returning after such a long time. Japanese Breakfast is a live act everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. Until then, we recommend teaching yourself the gong & playing along at home.
