Clisms at Shinjuku Marz

Clisms at Shinjuku Marz

Clisms electrified the Shinjuku Marz tonight. They converted me. My second time seeing them, this time at this rock club in western Tokyo, I've officially become a fan of the rock quintet (whose name is properly pronounced Chlistmas).

There are many radical things about this band. Let's start with the drums: they have two drum sets, one drummer facing the other. They make a ruckus, but a very musical ruckus. The two pound the drums so hard you can feel air hit your body like shock waves from artillery fire.

Then there's the music. If the Clisms were a college course, Post-Punk 101 would be a prerequisite. It's not required that you take Modern Jazz 10 and 20th C. Avant Garde Music 101 beforehand, but it's highly recommended in order to get the most out of the lectures. This is like fusion-era Miles Davis meets Captain Beefheart meets Spinal Tap Mark II.


But don't let me get carried away. This is just great rock 'n' roll, and anyone with ears should enjoy the Clisms.

The band is also a lot of fun to watch on stage. They're all clad in white cardigans. There are the two drummers, of course, who bang away like tomorrow won't arrive. There's the keyboardist, playing with an unperturbed expression in the midst of sonic chaos, as if he's walking down the street to the corner shop. The guitar and bass are long-haired hipsters, but the bass talks with a disarmingly soft and gentle voice.

If you ever have a chance -- have yourself a merry Clism.