On Monday Amber Bain, known as The Japanese House hit London’s electric HERE at the OUTERNET, plotted a stone’s throw away from Tottenham Court Road station.
The much-anticipated show marks the end of a sold-out UK tour before flying off to the States for her new album ‘In the end it always does’.
With collaboration from George Daniel and Matty Healy from The 1975, this album is her most experimental and intimate work to date. From upbeat indie melodies that have you dancing to piano ballads that are beautifully melancholic. Upon entering the very angular and modern warehouse-looking building, I couldn’t believe it was in the centre of London. It felt like a secret cave that I had stumbled upon. It wasn’t long before the lights dimmed and the crowd cheered for the 5 piece band entering the stage. The electric piano and Amber’s vocals slowly fill up the room with the new song Sad To Breath, before jumping into the bedroom pop drums that get the crowd off their feet. This is when I see how amazing the lighting is in this venue. Behind the artist is a huge LED screen bursting with colour that silhouettes the band and reflects the mood of each song flowing into each other. Since releasing her debut ep ‘Pools to Bathe in’ in 2015 under the label Dirty Hit, Amber has built a large following in the indie scene and it is shown tonight. The crowd is youthful and well-dressed, showing off the creative culture in London at its best.
The fans are loyal and vocal, knowing all the hits and singing at the top of their lungs. Her music is romantic and speaks for the young crowd like a coming-of-age film. There are little words spoken between songs, letting the music speak for itself and the crowd transcends into the fairytale world of The Japanese House. The band are incredible, blending rocking drums with saxophone solos and modern synths that add all the layers to a wonderfully complex sound bouncing off all four walls. The band finished on their biggest hit song yet ‘Sunshine Baby’. The crowd are in awe and shouts as loud as they can. The lighting turns to a burnt yellow resembling a soft sunset as Amber starts to play her acoustic guitar. It is almost hard to hear her sing over the electric crowd echoing every word. The crowd are left satisfied but still wanting more, after this sold-out show Amber plays Chalk in Brighton to finish off her UK tour, I would think a lot of the Londoners would be getting the train down to see her again after that amazing performance and the Americans are in for a treat this winter.
LISTEN TO IN THE END IT ALWAYS DOES
Photography: Lewis Graham
The Japanese House 2023 Live Dates
OCTOBER
12 – Glasgow – SWG3
14 – Newcastle-Upon-Tyne – Newcastle University
15 – Manchester – New Century
16 – Nottingham – Rescue Rooms
18 – Bristol – The Trinity Centre
19 – Oxford – O2 Academy Oxford
20 – Southampton – 1865
22 – Birmingham – O2 Academy Birmingham
23 – London – Outernet SOLD OUT
24 – Brighton – CHALK
NOVEMBER
1 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
2 – New York, NY – Webster Hall SOLD OUT
4 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club SOLD OUT
6 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
7 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre
8 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
10 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
11 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
12 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
14 – Santa Fe, NM – Meow Wolf
16 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
17 – San Diego, CA – The Observatory North Park
18 – Pomona, CA – The Glass House
20 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre SOLD OUT
21 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore SOLD OUT
23 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue VENUE UPGRADED
24 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre SOLD OUT
25 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
27 – Salt Lake City, UT – Salt Lake City Union Pacific Depot
28 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
30 – Lawrence, KS – The Granada Theater
DECEMBER
1 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s
2 – Minneapolis, MN – Fineline SOLD OUT
3 – Chicago, IL – Metro SOLD OUT
5 – Detroit, MI – El Club
6 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
8 – Montréal, QC – Studio TD
9 – South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground – The Ballroom
10 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner VENUE UPGRADED
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