A Musical Moment

In a city where the mainstream often drowns out the authentic, Slow Blues in Hoshigaoka is a defiant beacon for Nagoya's true music cognoscenti. This Saturday, September 28, it's not just another gig—it's a middle finger to the cookie-cutter pop that saturates the scrolling digital doomscape that soaks up so much of our attention, especially when it comes to music these days.

Slow Blues

It's the Sound System

Slow Blues is a raw, unapologetic celebration of what local music should be. In Nagoya, the chronically changing international crowd buries so much of the local scene. Not to mention that COVID did a real number on live music. So when you see a place like this still very much in action - a strum flicks up your back and pinches you on your ear. Music.

You won't get buried in a crowd here, and anyway, the reason people come is that the sound system isn't just good; it's a finely tuned beast that doesn't just project music—it hurls it at you with an intensity that'll make your bones vibrate.

The Lineup

A Triptych of Nagoya's Local Heroes

Nigel Grover

The Chameleon
19:45~

Nigel Grover isn't just a musician, producer, and songwriter–he's Nagoya's worst-kept secret. Nigel is a chameleon who's had his fingers in almost every musical pie the city has had a chance to bake. Tonight, he will be playing one song from each of REM's first six albums.

Nigel's decision to tackle REM's early catalog isn't mere nostalgia—it's a deliberate provocation. In an era of three-minute pop songs, he is taking a deep dive into the complex, often misunderstood early works of a band that defined "alternative" before it was an actual word—just what you'd expect from Nag's bold and brilliant musical enigma.

4-NINES

The Time Travelers
20:30~

In a world obsessed with the new, 4-NINES is the musical equivalent of a perfectly maintained vintage Harley—all gleaming chrome and raw power. But make no mistake, this isn't your grandad's oldies act. These guys don't just play vintage rock; they inhabit it. Their Beatles covers aren't imitations—they're séances, channeling the raw energy of the Cavern Club era. And when they dive into Vintage Trouble territory, it's with a ferocity that makes you wonder if they've got a time machine stashed backstage. In a scene often plagued by pretenders, 4-NINES are the real deal, unapologetically analog in a digital world.

Dragonfly

The Alchemists
21:30 ~

Closing the night, Dragonfly emerges as Nagoya's answer to the question no one knew needed asking: What if Crowded House had a lovechild with The Police, and Counting Crows was the quirky uncle? Their sound is an alchemical experiment, transmuting familiar elements into something eerily new. "HOME," their recent single, isn't just a song—it's a sonic Rorschach test, revealing more about the listener than the band. And "RIVER OF LIFE"? Well, we are about to hear it for the first time.

The Verdict?

Let's cut the bullshit—in a city where genuine musical experiences are increasingly rare, this night at Slow Blues isn't just another gig. It's a gauntlet thrown down to every faceless DJ and auto-tuned Tik-Tok poseur. It's a reminder that in the dark corners of Nagoya, real music—the kind that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go—is alive and kicking.

The Damage?

For ¥2,000, you're not just buying entry to a show. You're buying a ticket to the frontlines of Nagoya's musical resistance. It's a chance to say you were there, in the sweaty, pulsating heart of Slow Blues, on a night when three acts dared to be more than just background noise.

So, here's the real question: Are you content with the sanitized, safe music that populates most venues? Or are you ready for something real? Something that might just change the way you think about local music?

The choice is yours. But remember, in a world of endless scrolling and disposable "content," nights like this—raw, real, and unapologetically authentic—are increasingly rare.

Miss it at your own risk.

The Details

When: Saturday, September 28
Starts: 19:45 (Sharp)
Where: Slow Blues (Hoshigaoka)
Entry: ¥2,000

MAP