JOY SHINES THROUGH AT JAPANESE BREAKFAST’S FIRST LA SHOW SINCE COVID-19

Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast at the Regent Theater, LA by Jacob Alvarez and edited by Paige Strickland

MICHELLE ZAUNER PLAYED ONE OF TWO SOLD OUT SHOWS IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

I was determined to see Japanese Breakfast this year on their Jubilee tour. I had tickets the day they went on sale back in June. I was just uncertain if the pandemic would allow the band to actually perform. Thankfully, they pulled up to the Regent Theater in the heart of Downtown LA to play a packed house.

Toronto native Luna Li and her band opened the show, playing some smooth jams as well as shredding on her two guitars, one of which was shaped like a butterfly and aptly named “Butterfree” after the Pokemon. They played a solid set and before exiting, they thanked Zauner for the opportunity to be on the tour. Luna Li shared her appreciation by telling the crowd that a few years ago, she attended a Japanese Breakfast show as a fan and it was then that she first felt represented on stage as an Asian woman. Come a few years later, and she’s opening for one of her heroes. It was a tender moment that just begun the night of joy, honesty, and tenderness.

I went into the photo pit and awaited for Zauner to take the stage. The room went dark and the band entered. Not saying a word, the artists went right into “Paprika,” off their latest LP, Jubilee. It was emotional with a single light illuminating Zauner as she sang. The song ended with the crowd screaming their heads off, but before they could take a breath, the beat to “Be Sweet” started. The audience went crazy and began jumping as the light show sprung into action.

After the first three songs, I tried to take some shots from the balcony which didn’t work out too much thanks to the sold out crowd holding their places. The band’s set went much more intimate, playing somber cuts off the record like “Tactics” and “In Hell.” Zauner payed homage to her first band Little Big League by performing “Boyish” which arguably put her on the map. It was amazing to see fans cheer for that track as well.

Zauner has had one crazy year and it was very much wrapped into this show. She was selling signed copies of her New York Times Bestseller, Crying In H Mart which is currently being developed into a feature film. She played a cut off the video game soundtrack, Sable that she scored. Zauner stated that it felt great to make music from a fictional place that’s full of wonder rather than creating songs from her own emotions.

The band finished off strong with “Everybody Wants to Love You” with Zauner jumping up and down as confetti canons blasted the audience who were doing the same. Of course, the fans chanted for an encore which soon followed. Zauner came out alone and had a heart to heart with her audience, telling how she was so thankful to have the best job in the world and it was all thanks to the fans. Her body of work has always been about her love for her family and the hardships and tragic loss of her mother to cancer. The room felt heavier as she played “Posing for Cars,” the amazing six minute track that ends her latest album. The song transforms with the instrumentation becoming more complex and grand as the song progresses which worked well as Zauner began the track and her band members one by one joined her on stage to take the track all the way home. I thought the show would end here nicely, but to my surprise, the band went on to perform “Diving Woman” to end the night.

At moments, my eyes did get teary-eyed just because of the similarities I share with Zauner. Getting to interview her about loss and trying to seek joy through life still back in June and her appreciating the action figure I made for her made me feel a close attachment. Having felt the same loss of my own mother made this night feel that much more meaningful. The music is true and compelling and it made me feel it x10 more live than listening to it spin on my record player. Check out the set list here!

PS: Check out our gallery of photos from the performance!