After the show in San Luis Obispo, we were headed to Mikey’s house in Los Angeles for the night. It was a long drive, about 2 to 3 hours. Since the drive from San Luis Obispo to Jacumba (the next venue) would take around 7 hours, the plan was to drive halfway through the night and then stay at Mikey’s place to save on hotel costs.
We spent most of the midnight drive asleep, and by the time we woke up, we had arrived at Mikey’s house. After what happened with Oliver, I had become a bit wary about trusting other people’s homes, so I stepped out of the car with some doubt. But as soon as I saw Mikey’s place, I was shocked.
What an ideal home! Mid-century furniture and Peter Max posters all around. Real psychedelic vibes. You can tell the authentic psychedelic guys stand apart from the rest. It’s something you just don’t see in Japan.
Friday, April 18th
I didn’t get to bed until around 3 a.m. at Mikey’s place.
The next morning came too soon—7 a.m. for a long drive. Honestly, I felt like I hadn’t slept at all, and dragging myself out of bed was a struggle. Half-awake, I forced myself into the car, only to find two new faces with us. Mikey’s girlfriend and his roommate Gina had joined us.
Today’s venue, Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel, was right by the Mexican border and had natural hot springs. It was a place we’d been looking forward to for a while. When Mikey found out our room had six beds, he invited his girlfriend and Gina along for a little vacation getaway.
As we got in the car, Mikey dropped a bombshell. The Magick Portion tour band we met in Pulga had their tour van robbed a few days ago while parked on the street in Oakland. They lost everything—passports, cash, all of it.
We had also parked our van on the street in Oakland just a few days ago. It was too close for comfort.
Looks like we were lucky to have Oliver looking out for us.
(Instagram of @Magick Portion, reporting the incident)
The weather wasn’t great from the start of the day. Thick clouds covered the sky, and dense fog surrounded the road. Whether it was due to the low pressure or lack of sleep, I wasn’t feeling well. I had a constant headache and a feeling of tightness in my chest, and I occasionally had a cough. I really wanted to try the natural hot springs while I was here, but I decided to skip it, thinking about the rest of the tour ahead.
I got the message that the extra T-shirts I ordered at the start of the tour were ready. Since the shop was nearby Mikey’s place, I figured I’d grab them on the way to Jacumba. I’m so relieved they’ll be ready just in time for tomorrow’s show in Los Angeles. Now everything’s good to go.
We were almost at Jacumba when I caught sight of the border with Mexico from the highway. A quiet sense of unease crept in as I looked at it.
The stark, man-made boundary completely overshadowed the natural, flowing lines of the landscape. It felt like a symbol of the foolishness of us humans, constantly labeling everything we see with words. Japan, surrounded by the sea, has no borders like this on land. An unfamiliar, intense discomfort surged within me, rising from deep inside like a wave of nausea.
Tonight’s venue, the Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel, was a stylish hotel with a natural hot spring pool. It appeared suddenly in the middle of the white desert near the Mexico border. The interior was also quite cool. Next time, I’d love to take my time and enjoy it as a tourist.
After arriving at the venue, I dropped off my luggage at the Airbnb that had been arranged for us, spent a bit of time there, and then headed straight to the venue for rehearsal.
The wind was particularly strong, so the concert ended up being held inside a large temporary tent, which could accommodate only about 100 people.
The PA system wasn’t great—there was no way to mic the guitar amps, and the power seemed unstable, which made it clear the sound quality wouldn’t be ideal. This, of course, affected everyone’s mood and energy. We were sticking to the original timeline for soundcheck, but then the PA suddenly rushed us, saying, “We start in five minutes, hurry up!” and before we knew it, we were moving straight from rehearsal into the show. With only a few people in the audience, the performance kicked off.
During the first song, Ikeda’s keyboard suddenly stopped working. Even after rebooting it, the power kept cutting out. We had no choice but to continue the show without the keyboard.
With everything going wrong, we were delayed with troubleshooting and had to cut the set short—we had initially planned for four songs but ended up only doing three. The show was over.
Tomorrow, we had the biggest show of the tour in LA, and it was clear we needed to save our energy for that. We didn’t even need to discuss it; we all felt the same way.
After the show, I usually rush to the merch table, but today I decided to take care of my health. I asked the band members and Mikey to handle it, and I walked back to the Airbnb alone, down the pitch-black desert road.
Since I couldn’t enjoy the hot springs, I filled the Airbnb’s bathtub and took a long soak. Once I finished, I went straight to bed. After 20 days of touring, days like this are bound to happen—days when nothing feels right.
On days like this, it feels like there’s no way to shake off the frustration. Or at least, that’s how it used to feel.
But now, I’ve gotten into the habit of keeping a journal. Writing like this, even if it’s not perfect, slowly helps to calm my mind. I’ve come to realize that the sense of peace I find through creative work is a form of escape, a refuge I can always turn to.
I’m okay now. Even while on tour, even when I’m far from home, this habit of creation will protect me from any disaster or misfortune.
Saturday, April 19
As I was lost in thought, before I knew it, morning had arrived. The feeling of being unwell had passed.
I believe it was because I had the chance to soak in a bath for the first time since the tour started and actually went to sleep around 11 PM.
It made me realize how much I take the simple pleasures of everyday life in Japan for granted.
Everyone except me seemed to enjoy the hotel’s amenities to the fullest. It was nice to see them happy.
I asked the two of them about yesterday’s sales. The result was $801 (around ¥114,000). Considering it was a small venue, I think it was a decent outcome. So, the remaining expenses now stand at $8,435 (around ¥1,204,000). It’s still a tough situation, but I’m choosing to think positively, knowing that I have enough merch and energy left for tonight’s Los Angeles show.
The venue for the LA show, Teragram Ballroom, is the largest of the tour, and LA is also where our music streaming numbers are the highest of any city on this tour. This show should offer the greatest potential for attendance and revenue.
Live performances abroad tend to feel more relaxed than in Japan. While I don’t get nervous, the anticipation before the LA show felt similar to how I feel before a Tokyo show.
I looked out the window, hoping for a great performance tonight.
To be continued next time
Click here to see the article in the series
maya ongaku US TOUR dates 2025
Apr 08 Seattle, WA, US｜Neumos
Apr 09 Bellingham, WA, US｜The Shakedown
Apr 10 Victoria, BC, Canada｜Wicket Hall
Apr 11 Vancouver, BC, Canada｜The Pearl
Apr 12 Portland, OR, US｜Wonder Ballroom
Apr 14 Chico, CA, US｜Argus Bar + Patio
Apr 15 Oakland, CA, US｜The New Parish
Apr 17 San Luis Obispo, CA, US｜SLO Brew Rock
Apr 18 Jacumba Hot Springs CA, US｜Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
Apr 19 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US｜Teragram Ballroom
Apr 20 Flagstaff, AZ, US｜Coconino Center for the Arts
Apr 22 Santa Fe, NM, US｜Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery
Apr 23 Oklahoma City, OK, US｜Resonant Head
Apr 24 Austin, TX, US｜APF 25: Kickoff Party
maya ongaku
maya ongaku is a three-piece band formed in 2021 by Tsutomu Sonoda, Ryota Takano, and Shoei Ikeda, hailing from a coastal village near Enoshima, Japan. Rooted in an organic, psychedelic sound that feels both grounded and untethered, their music draws from collective improvisation and the atmosphere of their local music scene.
The band’s name—maya ongaku—is a coined term, not taken from ancient history, but imagined as a landscape beyond the visible frame, hinting at the spiritual and the unseen. The group sees their beginning as a kind of spontaneous emergence—like life arising from non-life—something that simply happened, without pretense or planning.
In May 2023, they released their debut album ‘Approach to Anima’ via Guruguru Brain and Bayon Production, followed by a successful EU/UK tour in November and a domestic tour across Japan in December.
Their latest EP ‘Electronic Phantoms’ was released in August 2024. That same month, they hosted “rhythm echo noise” in collaboration with WWW, inviting Dutch artist Felbm to Tokyo. The band was also named Best Breakthrough Artists at the inaugural TOKYO ALTER MUSIC AWARD 2024, a new platform highlighting emerging voices from Tokyo’s independent scene.
maya ongaku has performed at major Japanese festivals such as Mori, Michi, Ichiba, FFKT, FUJI ROCK, Asagiri JAM, and FUJI & SUN. Internationally, they have appeared at festivals in Korea and China, steadily expanding their presence in Asia and beyond.
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