If there's a saving grace to living in a megalopolis of 12 million people, it's that there's a scene catering to the whim of every kind of music fan. And scenes don't come with much more grace — and style — than the one created by Tokyo's mods.
Yes, mods like to dress up for a party. At the forthcoming Mods Mayday '07, which takes place at Kawasaki Club Citta on May 19, the revelers will likely be spending as much time preening in front of the venue's bathroom mirror admiring the jib of their well-tailored suit as they are to be performing cartwheels to classic northern soul stompers on the dancefloor. According to Aochan, whose band The Fave Raves play this year's event, the scene is growing in numbers. "More people are aware of it today compared to its early days — whether that's a good thing or not I'm not sure," the vocalist says. "The important thing is that everyone's kept happy."
In addition to The Fave Raves' deep-soul sounds, aiming to keep the punters happy all night will be 10 other bands and a dozen DJs. Since playing last year's bash, The Fave Raves have played around 30 shows, performing in Sendai, Fukuoka and Okayama. But the Mayday holds a special place in Aochan's heart. "It's a chance to perform in front of a larger number of people compared to a usual live show, so of course we're excited. Not just anyone is invited to play this event. We're very proud."
