Japanese vs North American Concerts: Band-Maid Live in Tokyo

Last week, I gave myself the ultimate birthday gift I was lucky enough to see Band-Maid perform live in Tokyo! As a fan since 2018 with their release “World Domination”, I never thought I’d get to witness them play in person. It was everything I hoped for and then some, complete with an unexpected encore, an afterparty with fellow fans from around the globe, and memories to last a lifetime.

But this wasn’t the only concert I attended during my trip to Japan. I also went to see Coldrain a few days after, and Melt-Banana years ago. In this blog, I want to talk about my experience with how concerts are done in Japan compared to back home in Canada. What I liked about them more from the ticketing to the crowd etiquette. Here's the full breakdown along with my experience at Japanese concerts.

Getting the Tickets

Getting my hands on tickets was the hardest part, mainly cause I did not live in Japan. Japan's ticketing process is nothing like the click-and-refresh frenzy we're used to in North America. Instead, it often involves a lottery system, which means you apply for a chance to buy tickets.

For Band-Maid’s Tokyo shows, I entered four lotteries and struck out every time. It wasn’t until tickets went on general sale that I got lucky—with a little help. A kind stranger from Reddit, who lived in Japan, agreed to purchase them for me (for a small fee). Without a local address and ID, it’s nearly impossible to secure tickets yourself. Just snagging those tickets felt like a victory!

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The Venue

The concert was held at a floor-only venue, and entry was organized by zones assigned at the “airport” (venue entrance) in a completely random order. Once inside, you were free to stand at any spot that wasn’t taken and there was a respect on that with the attendees as who got there first.

I found a great spot, and when I left to use the bathroom, the people around me actually made space for me to return. Imagine that happening at a show back home! There were no drunk latecomers elbowing their way to the front or inconsiderate Shaq-height dudes blocking the view of those who got their first behind them.

A mandatory drink fee (basically, venue charges here) upon entry is another stand-out feature, which includes a drink ticket you could exchange for any beverage. It felt more transparent than hidden fees at checkout. Plus, the venue offered lockers inside and out for merch storage, a convenience I wish every venue would adopt. It made it convenient to buy merch and not have to carry them around all night, especially when there’s no re-entry!

Crowd Etiquette

One of the biggest cultural differences I noticed was the no-recording rule. Naïvely, I was the ignorant tourist who pulled out my phone to snap some videos and photos during the first song. Big The sea of heads around me—completely free of glowing screens—made it clear that this wasn’t the norm. While it wasn’t exactly punishable, more like frowned upon maybe?

Later, I learned that Japanese artists rely heavily on live DVD sales, which explains part of the no-recording culture. But honestly, more so it was refreshing. The crowd’s focus was entirely on the performance, not watching it through their phone lenses and the time capturing it for Instagram for clout that they were there like many of the shows in the US.

The bands also approached crowd interaction differently. Instead of quick quips between songs, Band-Maid had two or three longer segments where they engaged with the audience. I couldn’t understand a word, but the atmosphere was warm and personal—far better than the usual generic “Are you louder than [insert rival city]? Then make some nooiiise” banter. This was similar to when I saw Coldrain later on our trip or on any live music DVDs I’ve watched filmed in Japan.

Band-Maid

Band-Maid has been one of my favourite Japanese bands since I discovered World Domination in 2018. Like many fans, I was initially attracted to the cute maids in a rock band gimmick . But the more I paid attention the more I understood that they are far more than the gimmick. These are five insanely skilled musicians with distinct playing styles,and incredible chemistry, and seeing them live only amplified my admiration for these women.

I would define their music as—modern J-rock infused with hints of punk, jazz, post-hardcore, and evidently, idol vocaloids. They opened with “Forbidden Tale,” a standout from their latest album, and played a mix of new tracks and old favourites. The encore of “Choose Me” was a rare treat and made the night even more special.

The Afterparty

The night didn’t end with the show. Through a friend, I got in touch with a New Yorker online who runs a Band-Maid fan club in Japan. He invited my wife and me to their afterparty, but we almost didn’t go.

While navigating the subway back to our hotel feeling content with such a full day we already had such a packed day, but we got lost at the station and spotted a group of fans wearing Band-Maid merch. Taking a chance, I asked if they were heading to the afterparty and bingo—we had found our people!

We ended up at an all-you-can-eat-and-drink izakaya with about 40 fans from around the world: Singapore, Hong Kong, England, Australia, and even Canada (Toronto, represent!). These were hardcore fans btw. While this was my first seeing the band live, some of them have travelled all over and seen them more than 20-40 times! And it was so cool to make friends with people from all over

It was a night of toasts, laughter, and geeking out about music, and gained insights on things to do in Japan.

Winning the Signed Poster

As if the night couldn’t get better, I scored a signed Band-Maid poster by sheer luck. The merch booth had a promotion: spend a certain amount, and you’d get a free poster, with a select few autographed by the band.

Considering how far we’d travelled and that it was my birthday, I like to think it was meant to be. Along with the poster, I picked up two high-quality shirts with killer designs and a live Blu-ray, a format still thriving in Japan which I sorely missed back home as I love collecting and watching them constant!

Seeing Band-Maid in Tokyo was a dream come true. It was also a cultural experience as much as a musical one. I can’t wait to attend more concerts in Japan in the future —maybe next time with a little more Japanese under my belt!

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Have you ever attended a concert outside of your country? If so what was your experience like? Let’s trade some stories in the comments!

Thank you for reading, have a great rest of your week.