Spring is here and May is the last month before festival season really swings into gear. Before you start saving money for Fuji Rock or SummerSonic, there's a few shows you may want to check out.
One of the most highly sought-after tickets is for one of Kraftwerk's eight shows. The electronic-music pioneers will play May 8-11 and May 13-16 at Akasaka Blitz in Tokyo (7 p.m. start, 5 p.m. start on May 11; ¥8,500 in advance; [03] 3402-5999). The group will present one album each night to give a complete overview of its work in what's being touted as a 3-D and digital experience. Only tickets for the May 8, 9 and 14 shows were still available at press time, but they could sell out fast.
Moving on to some Japanese acts, eclectic electro-pop group (M)otocompo will headline an interesting gig at O-Nest in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, on May 5 (¥3,500 in adv.; [03] 3462-4420). The day will be split in two parts with an afternoon show (2 p.m.) featuring both (M)otocompo and some supporting acts, while the evening show (8 p.m.) will solely be (M)otocompo.