A lot less well-known than the Harajuku girls in Tokyo, or their predecessors, the Elvis impersonators of the same address (the remnants of which can still be seen around the entrance to Yoyogi Park in Harajuku), are these punk and rock bands that assemble along the road between the JR Osaka-jo station, and the Osaka castle itself, near the Osaka business park. They gather there on weekends, mainly Sundays, complete with road crews, which are needed to lug and assemble the incredible amount of gear they have, and belt it out, for free.
Judging by the expressions, and rehearsed routines they go through, they are very serious about it all. Bands of four or five members, mostly young males, seem to be the norm. They have the complete set of stage gear, expensive guitars, full drum kits, loudspeaker towers, amps, foldbacks, synthesizers, mixers, microphones, all fed by electricity from who knows where, with miles of cord snaking off to some remote power source. And the equipment is not cheap, often being state of the art gear that you would see top concert acts using. Quite incredible to see all of that gear assembled for a free, outdoor busking event.
On a cold, grey winter Sunday in Osaka Castle park, with the Osaka Business Park as a backdrop, one rock band belts it out, while another warms up with a sound check, waiting its turn to perform free for its admiring audience of mainly teenage girls.
And they make lots of noise. But it is all well-mannered, and seemingly well organised, with each band (five groups on the day I was there, and it was only midday, so probably more to follow) taking turns to do sets. There were a few people dancing, and a couple of street performers out front doing fire tricks, etc., but most of the growing audience had come for the music. Osaka castle attracts quite a lot of tourists on the weekends, of all age groups, although most of the mums and dads hurried the children away from the noise, so the passing public was obviously not the intended audience. But there were more and more teenagers arriving, probably the dedicated fans of each of these groups, and the audience had numbered several hundred by the time we left. I'm not sure what attracts the bands to do it. The hope of discovery, perhaps, or a wallet-consuming love for their hobby, just seeking attention, or a genuine desire and need to entertain?
RK
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