Kishi Bashi @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 3/25/2022
Kishi Bashi at 9:30 Club in DC (Photo ©2022 Mauricio Castro)
Ten years ago, Kaoru Ishibashi released his debut solo album, 151a. In Japanese, the phrase ’151a’ means ‘one time, one meaning,’ a reminder to cherish each moment. That album, created in his parents’ attic, changed the trajectory of his musical career from of Montreal live band member to full-fledged solo artist and documentary filmmaker (his movie Omoiyari debuted at SXSW’s film festival this year). The album is a joyous piece of chamber pop with many songs that still resonate today, like “Manchester” and “I Am the Antichrist to You”, so Kishi Bashi stopped by a sold-out 9:30 Club to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the album’s release.
No longer a touring one-man band with a looping machine, Kishi Bashi’s four-piece live band performed the entirety of 151a, and the rest of the set was dedicated to other fan favorites from his more recent output. Not leaving his loop pedal past behind, he provided multiple opportunities during the show for new fans to see just how inventive he can get with one. And for longtime fans, the Mr. Steak mascot returned, not just for “The Ballad of Mr. Steak,” but also for an entertaining cover of Meat Loaf’s “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).” His encore included a performance of “Violin Tsunami” off of his latest album Omoiyari, a reminder of just how much he has grown as a musician and a storyteller since the days of 151a, and a sign of how much more of his stellar musicianship we’re fortunate to still receive in the years to come.
Opening for Kishi Bashi was Tall Tall Trees, a ‘space banjo’ player known for being Kishi Bashi’s sidekick in his touring band. He’s got a penchant for getting weird on the banjo - in a good way, of course. He not only finger-picks his banjo, but he also uses a violin bow and a drumstick to hit the strings and loves his loop pedals just as much as Kishi Bashi. His latest release is the album A Wave of Golden Things, released in 2020 through Joyful Noise Recordings.
