Most bands in Japan come to Tokyo to reach for stardom. Indie rock act Mothercoat did the opposite, however, when its members all relocated to Fukaya, Saitama Prefecture, two years ago.
"We don't really see a point in being based in Tokyo anymore," says bassist and singer Toki "Tokirock" Imada. "When bands tell us they're going to Tokyo, we tell them they shouldn't do it. People come anyway, though, so I guess there's still some point to it . . . but it's really not for us anymore."
Imada and her bandmates — singer and guitarist Hitokazu "Gigadylan" Giga, guitarist Fukunosuke Abe, drummer Jun Irimajiri and sound manipulator Jumpei Sugihara — have their sights set on someplace else: the world. Specifically, the South By Southwest (SXSW) Music Conference and Festival taking place from March 7 to 16 in Austin, Texas. The band will be playing at two official showcases this year, the International Day Stage on the March 12 and the Japan Nite showcase on March 14, as well as several one-off shows. They will share the stage with other Japanese acts such as Jungles from Red Bacteria Vacuum and Happy. This will be the second time Mothercoat has played SXSW; they first played in 2007.