Here’s one to file under near misses. I’ve been a Yuragi fan since well before my J-gaze/rock/pop obsession began a few years ago, but naturally have never gotten to see them perform as they’ve yet to leave Asia for any live performances. But now, as I roll into their hometown of Osaka, I have just missed their show at Yogibo Holy Mountain by one day. On a certain level it kills me, but it’s okay as I am a grown-ass man. I’ll try to compensate with finishing off my collection of their discography direct from their label, Flake Records‘, retail store.

One of the items I still need is their debut EP Night Life, which was originally self-released in 2016 but got reissued last year on both CD and 12″. Because I’m a grown-ass man, I will probably settle for the CD because it’s easier to transport halfway around the world and the whole thing is only like 19 minutes long. I don’t need to risk a broken record for that.

This performance of the opening track from Night Life dates way back to late 2018 in Tokyo. It’s a sugar bomb of a first impression and certainly doesn’t hint at all at the prog direction they’d take with future releases.

And to round out, here’s a couple guitar covers. The one playing it on a shredder super-Strat is some sweet cognitive dissonance.