The Depaysement

And then there’s The Depaysement, from Higashimatuyama, Japan, who I’ve only heard a teeny-tiny little bit of at this point. It’s interesting, though, a lot more low-key and oddball than I was expecting; these guys sound less like a Japanese rock band and more like some weird combo from Eastern Europe, oddly-accented English and all. The songs meander and bounce gently but insistently, with almost a ska-like beat to ‘em and soul-influenced vocals, and the result is…well, not half bad, frankly. - Jeremy Hart

And then there’s The Depaysement, from Higashimatuyama, Japan, who I’ve only heard a teeny-tiny little bit of at this point. It’s interesting, though, a lot more low-key and oddball than I was expecting; these guys sound less like a Japanese rock band and more like some weird combo from Eastern Europe, oddly-accented English and all. The songs meander and bounce gently but insistently, with almost a ska-like beat to ‘em and soul-influenced vocals, and the result is…well, not half bad, frankly. - Jeremy Hart

The Depaysement closed out the night. Between these guys and the Akabane Vulgars on Strong Bypass, I'm about to get all teary-eyed with pride over my Japanese heritage. This Tokyo group's mix of poppy tunes, harshly catchy riffs, oddball tempo shifts and deranged vocals reflected lessons learned well from the "Band Interests" listed on their Facebook profile: Iggy and the Stooges, the Ramones, Tom Waits, James Brown, etc. I doubt that anything I write could convey the joyous, manic intensity of this set. - B. Schultz

Lagitagida, one of several Japanese bands you should be stoked to see during the SXSW music conference.

In the most recent episode of Nihongaku Radio, I attempted to cram in as many of the Japanese bands playing SXSW as I possibly could. The good news is, it wasn’t easy. There are a ton of bands from Japan slinging guitars up and down the streets of Austin Texas this week. Read on to find out who’s playing where and when.

Kicking things off in grand style is a special Chicken Ranch Records day show at Elysium on Wednesday. See Electric Eel Shock at noon and Peelander-Z at 4:30. Between those bands is a fistful of other bands of a non-Japanese persuasion.

Pinky Piglets (who have recently changed their name to “Toquiwa”) have a 40-minute set at Swan Dive on Wednesday starting at 8:00p.m. Yes, it’s short and sweet, but so are the Pinky Piglets. Read more in the SXSW schedule.

Meanwhile, at Headhunters, Lagitagida is opening up the Wednesday night festivities with a set beginning at 8:00p.m. as well.

On Thursday, you’ll get a chance to see Pinky Piglets again at the Japan Preview Show at The Grackle starting at 1:00p.m. and running through 7:00p.m. The show is free and features short, but action-packed sets from all the bands playing Japan Nite and a few others. Make sure you’re there to see Lagitagida perform just after 6:00p.m. The preview show is also one two chances to see The Depaysement. You can also see them the following Saturday at a The Whip In Parlour Cafe and Market at a terribly early 11:00a.m. show. Dear lord that’s early!

Japan Nite, the annual SXSW showcase that I’ve been yammering on about incessantly since the last Japan Nite, goes down at Friday at Elysium starting with The Rubies at 7:00 p.m. The show continues with The Akabane Vulgars on Strong Bypass, Kao=S, Nokies!, Saito Johnny, ZZZ’s, and ends with Vampillia. If you can only make it to one Japanese show during SXSW, make this the one. Read more on the Japan Nite site.

Post-Japan Nite, the Peelander cometh. Peelander-Z, with Electric Eel Shock in tow, are headed to The Grackle on Saturday for Peelander-Fest starting at noon and running through 7:00p.m. Lagitagida will open that show as well!

Need more Peelander-Z? Peelander Family Jamboree follows on Sunday at Springdale Farm. While they’re the only Japanese band on the bill, there’s a bunch of other Austin bands ready to lay down the kid-friendly rock.

While there may be another show or two hidden in the nearly indecipherable madness that is SXSW, these are the highlights. So get some sleep, eh? Big things begin tomorrow. See you at the show.
- Jonathan

Mumfords live with The Depaysement - The Vanguard

KRUI’s number one goal has always been to bring music to every inch of Iowa City. Whether it’s with our yearly invasion of Public Space One during the Mission Creek Festival, or with the Low Frequency Concert Series, or, most obviously, with our 24/7/365 broadcast.

To further this goal, this year, KRUI is venturing into overlooked, underutilized, and just plain unusual spaces around Iowa City, to bring great music anywhere into our great community.

We’re proud to announce that Mumford’s & The Depaysement, with special guest Little Ruckus, will play Danforth Chapel on Friday, October 26th as part of KRUI’s Low Frequency Series!
- KRUI Radio

The Depaysement live at Goodbye Blue Monday in Brooklyn, NY This song is called "Sha.La.La" Let's sing all together!!!!!
Read more at http://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/AMnA-HqeyX0#bVzggOIzVDhC4tbA.99 - NME

The Depaysement deserve a paragraph of their own. The rock/punk/funk/blues quartet hails from Japan and had one of the more theatrical performances of the festival. They all wore matching t-shirts and short shorts. They had a bit with a guy in a wrestling mask. They called for “the best dancer in the world” to come on stage and bust a move. Ames native Evan Campbell was happy to oblige. Annalibera and Foxholes, indie up-and-comers from Des Moines, opened the night. - Maximum Ames

The indescribable Japanese freak-pop quartet The Depaysement (who had one of the most talked-about sets at last year’s MAMF) will open the show alongside Des Moines indie standouts Annalibera and Foxholes. - Ames Tribune

Originally from Japan, The Depaysement is a rock/punk/funk/blues band comprised of four men, who know how to keep the crowd excited. All dressed in blue t-shirts with “The Depaysement” in white lettering, tiny yellow shorts and colored sweatbands.

The Depaysement took command of the stage, constantly running around stage and hopping around in a hardcore-parkour manner, getting on top of speakers wearing superhero masks and pretending to be characters in a wrestling match. At one point, there was a staged fight between two masked men, one from the band and one who crossed through the crowd from behind the stage area, and the band member threw fake punches at the man, until he was brought down.

With fists pumping and the floor noticeably shaking from a number of audience members jumping up and down, the band stole the stage and captured the hearts of the fans, as smiles erupted all over the room. They even had a xylophone and played the big top circus intro slowly, then quickly, to entertain the crowd. As the song rapidly increased in pace, so did the jumping audience members, much to the band’s delight. The band started a fist pumping, “Hey! Hey! Hey!” chant, that evoked loud cheering.

Even though vocals were pitchy in places and could almost be compared to a drunken karaoke performance by the final few songs, the audience was so entertained that it did not matter whether the vocals were solid. The beat of The Depaysement’s music had strong percussion aspects and the band members had the highest levels of energy I have ever seen. Their blue t-shirts were unforgiving when it came to sweating, but the band was clearly enjoying themselves and pleasing the audience.

“This place is [the] hottest venue in the world!” the lead guitarist and vocalist screamed.

When the band finished their set, the audience began cheering loudly and chanting for an encore, to which the band obliged. The band chose a jaunty, upbeat tune for their final selection and invited the crowd to sing along, in a repeat-after-me style.

One man in the audience enthusiastically said, “That was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen!” - Iowa State Daily

Interview. - Iowa State Daily