CHAI with HAIKU HANDS at the Velvet Underground, Wednesday, March 20. Rating: NNNN
On their first visit to Toronto, Japanese rock quartet CHAI brought their self-proclaimed Neo-Kawaii music, attitude and energy to an adoring audience, who seemed well-accustomed to the group’s staggering catalogue, feminist spirit and cheeky aesthetic.
Australian pop trio Haiku Hands opened and made quick work of endearing themselves to the sizeable crowd at the Velvet Underground despite their early set time. They even inspired some dancing (a remarkable feat considering the reputation Toronto crowds have for being stiff).
They sang, chanted and rapped in unison over electronic beats. Songs like Squat and Man Bitch taunted and teased with winking humour that felt strongly indebted to Toronto’s own Peaches. Having made their way north of the border along with CHAI from SXSW earlier this month, Haiku Hands were tour-tight: everything from their vocals, dance moves and costume changes were heavily choreographed and polished. That made them the perfect stage-setter for CHAI.
The Nagoya-based group landed in Toronto as a part of their first North American tour, riding some serious momentum from their word-of-mouth-driven sophomore album PUNK (out now on Burger Records in North America) and their aforementioned SXSW circuit last week, where they were the must-see band of the festival.
They opened the set with Choose Go!, bursting through the gate with a heap of nervy energy. While the group’s lively speed and hooks live up to their album title, the beauty of CHAI comes from their dynamic range of styles. The nucleus of their sound feels in line with 80s new wave, especially the saccharine pop and vocal harmonies of groups like the Go-Go’s and the Bangles, but they just as easily contort into the mutant disco of Tom Tom Club thanks to their killer rhythm section.
Kate KIllet
Set highlight Fashonista was a sweaty, funky delight. The song’s stomping drum beat and bass groove launched them into a string of equally hooky songs, including an acapella Japanese-language cover of ABBA’s Dancing Queen.
N.E.O., from their debut album PINK, followed with a fever and revealed the band’s equally compelling politics. Vocalist and keyboardist Mana introduced it by asking if anyone else in the audience had a “body complex” then indexed her own insecurities. “You are so cute, nice face c’mon! Yeah!” they sing. “We are so cute, nice face c’mon! Yeah!”
It’s a song informed by specific Japanese cultural signifiers – “Kawaii” translates as cute in Japanese, and CHAI’s Neo-Kawaii ethos re-constructs it into one where “everyone is cute” – but the message of body positivity, like their infectious pop, resonates with audiences well beyond their home country.
