Kikagaku Moyo

Last night I went to Philly to see Kikagaku Moyo. I had to drive through floods and find my way around closed roads to get there. I had my eye on the clock the whole time, as I had to get up at 6:30 today for work. And, I was as sober as a judge in every way, due to the circumstances, which I admit often puts a damper on my fully appreciating live music. They were playing in a club in a general admission setting. As I get older my hatred for general admission increases, and the sound of a loud rock band in a club annoys me--often it's just too muddy, or you can hear that the guitar player is wailing out but the nuances are washed away in the mess of sound. It was hot in there, and I might as well have been on a very crowded subway platform, craning around a pillar to try to get a glimpse of the action. I couldn't tell you what kind of guitars they played, though I could sort of see their heads. I planned to leave at 11 or so even if they were still playing. In the event, they only went to 11:10 (short set, they started at 10! my only criticism) but by then I knew I was in for the duration.

Crucially, the sound was excellent--I could hear every instrument clearly and, most importantly, distinctly. And they are an incredible live band! That may have been the best show I've seen in years. And I don't know how many times I've been blown away by a concert for which I was not high on anything--I didn't even get an 8 dollar beer--but not many. It's hard to get swept away and not wind up losing focus or feeling frustrated by the sound quality otherwise. I admit it-- rightly or wrongly, it's optimal for me to be a little high and/or drunk at a concert.

I couldn't help but feeling this is how music is meant to be played. At one point the band sounded like a jet engine. But this was at the peak of a jam, and not an artifact of poor sound quality--it was awesome. "Dripping Sun" and "Gatherings" from the new one, and "Smoke and Mirrors">"Streets of Calcutta" from Forest of Lost Children, were huge highlights. Because so many of the songs have Japanese titles and none of the lyrics are in English, there were a lot of songs where I said "Oh yeah, that one!" but couldn't remember which one. I will admit, that drove me a little crazy!

The band really knows how to make a beautiful weave of sound, and also how to then take it to a higher level and rock a place. They are magicians with what's in their heads and what they hold in their hands!

Live music done well is, at best, something that can enlighten you as to music's possibilities, and reveal the true aesthetic core within the familiar in a new and exciting way, and this is exactly what happened. Often when I see a band, I have been listening to them a lot in preparation, but for some reason I rarely listen to them for a little while after the show--I feel surfeited or something, once it's done, even when it's really excellent. Last night on the drive home all I wanted to listen to was Kikagaku Moyo, even though I had planned to listen to Sleep's Dopesmoker since I had an hour drive and I rarely have a long enough trip for that album.

Absolutely fantastic. If any of you ever have the chance to see Kikagaku Moyo, DO IT! In my estimation, last night revealed to me that they are a GREAT BAND.

Let me start by saying that I love KM. They're in my top three psych bands. For this reason, I bought tickets to both of their NYC shows. As expected both shows were great. They destroyed both nights. My only peeve was that they played really short sets. 45-60 minutes just isn't enough. I was just getting into the groove of things before they walked off stage. Furthermore, they don't do encores. That may be a cultural thing, but I was disappointed with that. In any case... see them if you can. They're amazing.

great show except vocal wasn't loud enough and bass was a bit strong sometime. They did some improvising between songs, that was fun!
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Amazing show, the members had a lot of energy and gave an incredible concert. I strongly recommend going to the show if you are not afraid of truly enjoying the musical experience they are willing to offer. The artists were present before and after the show to discuss with the public, which I found was a great way to get to meet the interesting personalities behind Kikagaku Moyo. I will not forget this experience

First found out about these guys when I saw them open for Earthless at Blueberry Hill in St. Louis in 2018. I was blown away and made a point to catch any of their future shows. Saw them at the Riot Room in Kansas City last night (2019). Great show, they are all extremely proficient in several instruments and cover a range of moods in their set. I would highly recommend them to music lovers of all stripes.

10/10! Blown away by the awesome show. I can't even begin to describe how exceeded my expectations were. One of the best sets I have ever experienced live. Sheer bliss for our ears, I cant thank the band enough. Truly talented musicians. I also was able to catch them for a chat- what lovely people. Thanks guys! Thanks so much for coming to Toronto. Hope to see you again soon.

Marshall

Fucking bomb. Opening act Weeed kicked ass, vocalist was AMAZING and I was surprised by their use of two drum sets. And KM blew me away as always. Nothing quite like a sitar running through a pedalboard. Definitely a must see live act. A strange amount of middle aged dudes in button down shirts and ties were there as well. Overall stellar show.

This was my first time seeing Kikagaku Moyo and they certainly live up to their studio sound.

A relatively short set but jam-packed with intense and chaotic jams followed by blissful and subdued moments of beauty.

I am impressed and inspired.

Absolutely awesome show, fantastic musicians and the brudenell is a great venue. If you get the chance to see these guys go for it, you won't be disappointed, they sound amazing.

These guys sound AMAZING live! They play their hearts out; you will not be disappointed. Good mix of tunes too, mixing in some of the slower stuff in between the heavy hitters.