with Drinking Boys and Girls Choir
Leicester’s Musician hosted a memorable night of Asian rock music, featuring some of the finest punk bands the Far East has to offer courtesy of London-based independent record label Damnably and Leicester’s own indie promoters Magic Teapot.
Taking to the stage first was skate punk trio Drinking Boys and Girls Choir from Daegu, South Korea, who started off the night with a bang.
The majority of their set was derived from their latest full-length release, 2018’s Keep Drinking, which was recorded over a year or so while drummer Myeong-jin was recovering from a scooter accident. The final product is a heavily varied album, effortlessly transitioning from energetic melodies to more hardcore riffs while maintaining the same danceable vibe.
Naturally, this brand of music translates amazingly well in a live context, and the band did a great job at setting the tone before the headliner’s set. They closed with one of their signature tracks, KEEEEEEEP DRINKING!!!! (not to be confused with Keep Drinking!! from the same album.) I’m sure the venue owners thanked them for helping to keep the bar busy all night.
Hailing from Kyoto in Japan, Otoboke Beaver borrowed their name from a local love hotel (look it up.) That should sum up what the band is about: irreverence, energy, and most of all, fun. You might be forgiven for not expecting a band consisting of four women in flowery dresses to sound as fast and furious as they do, but that’s part of their appeal.
Their latest album, Itekoma Hits, contributed to most of their set. Fierce punk rock with a decidedly riot grrrl attitude invigorated the crowd, leading to plenty of movement. Vocalist Accorinrin’s shouts were occasionally backed up by the rest of the band, while Yoyoshie’s guitarwork occasionally took on a math rock-bent edge. It comes as no surprise that they’ve managed to impress critics, fans and audiences the world over.
This tour was intended to celebrate the decision by the band to quit their day jobs and focus on music full-time, and if this performance was any indication, they’ll have a bright future ahead of them in the music industry.
Reviewed by Kashif Hussain
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