It's tough to figure out where to take your band when you get some buzz in the media right out the gate. After getting noticed for its fuzzed-out pop jams from highly regarded online music outlets such as Pitchfork, Noisey and Gorilla vs. Bear, Kyoto's Hotel Mexico knew early on that it would need to play overseas. Finally, last summer the group made its first foray abroad with a pair of gigs in New York City.
Getting things organized for the self-financed trip was no easy task, and for one band member things did not get any simpler when he landed.
"Our vocalist Ryuyu (Ishigami) was stopped at immigration in the United States," laughs bassist Kai Ito. "The immigration officer asked him if he had any meat in his luggage because bringing meat into the United States is illegal. But Ryuyu misunderstood the question and thought the immigration officer was asking him about his favorite meat, so he answered 'pork.' He spent an extra 10 minutes waiting around nervously at the immigration counter after that."