Concert Review: Japanese Breakfast Gives The Concert of A Lifetime
Japanese Breakfast’s performance at Brooklyn Steel was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In part, because you walked away feeling like you had just seen an artist reach a new peak in their career. I have seen Japanese Breakfast a few times, and this show felt like a confirmation that sooooooo many more will be seeing her. It was confident, fun, and a sonic/ visual proof that crowds grow as you grow, as well.
Japanese Breakfast, a.k.a Michelle Zauner, is so “THERE!” In essence, she is so settled and empowered in her vision for Japanese Breakfast that her concert has become a full manifestation of everything she wants as an artist. Hence, she WILL keep on rising. The first time, I saw Japanese Breakfast, compared to Brooklyn Steel, it was as if I was watching “the meal” be cooked. There, Zauner was blending her interpersonal skills with a galactic prom ambiance; inviting every person that, like herself, understood what it was to not be included and telling them it is okay to dream and dance amongst stars. Yet, Brooklyn Steel felt like a culmination of that desire, in part, because of its massive production.
With screens seemingly etched together like shards of glass, the images splashing behind her went from wedding photos to a kaleidoscopic, Rorschach tests. The pictures became like a concert version of Memento, and you had to piece together every visual to frame what it was that you were not “remembering.” My ultimate conclusion: we were forgetting to have fun. From “Jimmy Fallon Big!” to “Diving Woman,” the entire night felt like a reminder that you NEED to let loose. Whether you have relationships problems, struggle with self-doubt, or the news has convinced you the Apocalypse is nigh, you still need to have a moment to feel good, even if bitter. Song such as, “Machinist,” “Till Death,” and “12 Steps” oddly refreshed that advice; allowing people to see that if you cannot get rid of the sour focus on building the sweet, which is something Japanese Breakfast exemplifies.
From her voice to her presence, everything about Japanese Breakfast was dulce and radiant. She was so genuinely happy and positive that this show was both a symbol and launchpad for more to come. It felt like it. I saw it with H.E.R. and Alice Merton, and I see it with Japanese Breakfast, as well; It is as if a force surrounds these women propelling them into more opportunities to sing to the youth trying to figure what “opportunity” means anymore. For More Information On Japanese Breakfast Click Here.
