When people ask me what kind of band Kero Kero Bonito is, I usually have some difficulty describing them. I’ll be like “It’s kind of like pop, but the lead singer sings Japanese and English. Oh, and they’re also kind of like punk inspired, but also they use samplers a lot.” So partially I’d say I’m just not well-versed enough in music to accurately describe the band, but more importantly, I think Kero Kero Bonito is one of the most unique bands out there right now. 

This is actually the second time I’ve been to one of their live shows, but this one was very different from the first one. To begin with, I was going with friends (vs going with my uncle for the first time), so I was able to experience the mosh this time around. This time I also got more of a punk/rock vibe to all of the music, vs the first time being more electronic in nature. The opening bad was also different, and I think I liked this opening band just as much as the last one, which is to say, they were pretty good. 

Kero Kero Bonito’s appearance on the stage was pretty fun. Gus and Jamie stepped up, following them was Sarah Bonito in a big puffy jacket that obscured her face. Sarah proceeded to reveal her face to the crowd, garnering a lot of cheers and applause. The setlist was pretty nice, popular songs like Flamingo, and Trampoline, as well as mixing in some of their newer stuff off of their EP Civilisation I. All their songs have a noticeably different sound when played live. Regularly Sarah’s vocals have a kind of electronic shimmer on most of their releases, however, in person her voice sounds more normal and genuine. I wouldn’t say I prefer one over the other, only that it makes it nice to hear live. 

My favorite moments in the show had to be when they played “Sometimes”, and the encore. When playing the song “Sometimes” Sarah asked the audience to turn on their phone lights, and sing along. Although the crowd was pretty rowdy and off-key it made for a pretty memorable performance. The encore came with the performance of a song new to the KKB catalogue, the “King Of The Hill” theme. At this point in the show I was in the center of the mosh pit, holding onto my girlfriend for dear life, as the theme song from an animated comedy show played loudly on the guitar. 

All-in-all the Kero Kero Bonito Concert was a success, and a really fun experience I won’t forget anytime soon.

Written by: Lars Walker