Funabashi ROOTS (Funabashi, Chiba)

Tucked inside Honcho's 4-Chome in Funabashi is the Live Hall called Funabashi Roots (船橋ROOTS). Aside from being a rental hall, it also hosts live events (Live@Roots) that gives a chance for some underground indie or up-and-coming bands to get the full 'live concert' experience with its kick-ass sound system and lighting.

It has a spacious ante-room/lounge at the front which serves as a buffer from the sounds produced inside the hall so no sound escapes outside. You do have to remember to close the door behind you as the doors, although heavy set and seems soundproofed, isn't equipped with a door closer.

The finishing inside is almost bare. The exposed ceiling and mechanical ducts above does give this place its underground flair (beside the fact that its is under the ground, its in the basement of a building).

I was able to attend one of Funabashi Roots' 8th anniversary live events. And there are few tables with chairs on the sides, mostly the patrons are standing up, with enough space to dance around or slam and stuff.

And yes,they do have a bar. Located inconspicuously at the rear at the hall, without any fancy design or gimmicks, dishing out beverages. I wasn't able to check their food entrees as we were just handed the beverage menus and there are no tables to place our food if we did manage to get any.

Featured Band: H.M.K.

 

Another band that I got the pleasure of watching at Sokehs Rock is the instrumental band "H.M.K.".

I can best describe their music as a fusion of jazz, blues and funk played with such precision, with such an amazing display of technical prowess, and a harmonic collections of climaxes and hooks that leaves you astounded and wanting more.

And the guitarist is also an accomplished architect. The more I find out about this guy, the more I'm impressed.

Featured Band: Yotsuya Jihen

Yotsuya Jihen (or Incidents Yotsuya) is a jazz-pop-fusion band based in Yotsuya, Tokyo, which I was able to catch a live performance of at Sokehs Rock. Now I am not really into jazz, but their brand of fusion was able to get me riled up during their set.

As indicated in their FB page, they started out as a "copy band', emulating Shiina Ringo's  Tokyo Jihen, but started to do their own thing as time progressed for the group.

To me, they sounded like a jazzed up 'Every Little Thing' with the playfulness of Shiina Ringo's earlier solo work, creating a jazz-pop fusion that they can call their own.

Sokehs Rock (Yotsuya, Tokyo)

 I spent a lot of time looking for venues that cater to underground Japanese indie music. And with not much to go on to with, I ended up failing.

Until a friend invited me to this place called Sokehs Rock (pretty easy to spell, but I find it hard to pronounce at first). They don't necessarily cater to the undeground scene but they do offer a pretty spanking place for bands. Its like the 6Underground (at Ortigas) meets Watering Hole (at Mandaluyong)

This cozy venue located at Yotsuya's 3 Chome, just right across the...uhhh...Yotsuya 3 Chome station of the Marunouchi Line, offers good food (I recommend their Mixed Pizza), good booze, friendly service and an intimate setting for where bands can perform.

The venue is a small, which at times the patrons are persuaded into sharing their seats and tables, but I saw that in some cases, the guests are now interacting with one another.

As I understand, Sokehs has its own roster of bands but are open for some events.