INDEX
Key Figures in Shaping Sapporo’s Local Scene
Shibata: Looking at event flyers from Hokkaido on social media, I see many exciting lineups, like solo performances by the two members of LAUSBUB and PLASTIC THEATER’s events. Even though I can’t attend, there are a lot of stimulating options.
Nishiyama： Interesting things often happen simultaneously in a region, and people from different fields might accidentally meet and create some kind of chemical reaction because there are no other venues. These moments rarely get documented, so being present for such scenes feels like a real stroke of luck.
Shibata: It’s quite fascinating that someone like loli shugo-kun, who is of the same generation and in the same Sapporo as the two members of LAUSBUB, exists.
Iwai: Loli shugo-kun recently DJed by the river using only an iPhone, which was pretty wild and inexplicable [laughs]. Everyone gets along well, though. Those local connections really do feel like a stroke of luck.”
When I was in Osaka, I noticed that compared to Tokyo, there aren’t enough people in the local scene to pick and choose friends based on genres. As a result, the friends I hung out with had very diverse activities. If people don’t get along personally, you can’t really connect, so the groups tend to form around shared fundamental ideas and philosophies rather than just musical genres.
That’s why music recommended by friends, even if it’s from a genre I’m unfamiliar with, often turns out to be really good. This approach to connections allows for a broader perspective, revealing various musical values and ideas, which I think is a great benefit.
Local scenes often develop through personal connections and the places where people come together, rather than by genre.
Takahashi: Loli Shugo-kun is an example, but I think there are quite a few people in Sapporo who don’t try to belong to any particular scene but show up everywhere in a more laid-back way. When you talk to these people, you often find common ground in values and ways of thinking, and the connections that form in such interactions tend to be strong.
Iwai: In Hokkaido, there’s also an alternative band called Glans that released music through ‘Jūsangatsu.’ The vocalist, Tatsuki Egawa, is also a DJ for juke/footwork and has a unique perspective. He talks extensively about things like how being too fast can make you feel slow, or being too slow can make you feel fast (laughs). There are some truly eccentric and fascinating people like that in Sapporo.
Iwai: Also, while everyone is somewhat shy, they can be quite blunt, saying things like, ‘The performance earlier wasn’t that great.’ It seems that many of my local friends have a strong sense of commitment and aesthetics.
Takahashi: Earlier, Shibata mentioned the ‘Dento’ event organized by PLASTIC THEATER, hosted by someone named mostin fantasy. Mostin is very attuned to the Sapporo scene, and the lineup for the events often features people from completely different fields. It’s a unique and enigmatic space, offering experiences that you can only find at that particular event.
Iwai:
Mostin fantasy even attends university events and shows up to these very local events on his own. Yamada Aoi from the hatch is another key figure. Even while based in Tokyo, he is deeply involved with the Sapporo scene and is dedicated to the music community there.
We also had the opportunity to perform at ‘THE JUSTICE,’ a Sapporo event organized by the hatch. It featured MOFO from Kyoto and toiret status from Yamaguchi, attracting a diverse audience ranging from teenagers to people in their sixties. The event was unique in bringing together music across genres and generations in a single venue.
Shibata: Salon Tarememe also seems like an interesting place.
Iwai: That place is also one of the really interesting spots right now. We hosted a listening party event there, and I think it’s a venue where you can try out a lot of different things.
