This article appeared in the February 2002 issue of Japan Zine.

Club Water

Club Water… why do they call it “Club Water?” It’s on the third floor!!

Club Water is one of those gritty little live houses in a back alley just a stones throw away from the sleazy heart of it all in Namba’s Dontobori play area. Dodge the pimps with the bad hair and the Ols on their way to okonomiyaki and karaeoke and tap into a little musical madness at one of the smallest musical venues in Osaka to still have a full bar. They also have a great sound system and stage and just enough room to dance and mosh about in front of it (and sofas to pass out in too if you dance and mosh too much). Club Water has been home to a few pretty crazy shows over the years, so get in on the action and find out what it is all about. On any given night at least five bands will play, so even if you only like half of the bands that play… And besides, with shows starting at 7, you can still be in and out and back at the gaijin pub for last call. Tickets are 1800 yen per person, 1500 advance.

Some good shows are coming up in August to give you an excuse to check it out for yourself. On Saturday the 10^th witness the rock sounds of Karma Stench and Golden Syrup Lovers. If you like what you see, on Sunday the 11^th you have a reason to go back and catch the talented Sly Stone, a punk outfit with a lead singer who can actually sing – and yet has nothing to do with the other Sly Stone, sounding more like an impossible mesh of the Pixies, Nirvana, and Radiohead. They might be a band to watch. Same night Boiled Fish Paste play for their record release. Another band to watch is Speedway Baby on Wednesday the 21^st, an energetic group of wild kids who crank out a hypnotic buzz of Dinosaur Jr.-like nuggets of tasty pop-core. Great. On Friday the 21^st, the Born Headless event seems to be either grindcore or death metal: featured bands are Ogre, Wheels of Doom, Pukelization, Tacit Mercy, and Inflated Gale. Great names, especially Pukelization! I’m getting my advance ticket!!! If you haven’t made it to any of these dates, there’s still a chance at the end of the month - the raw posing spitting smoking gutter rock of Morgue Side Cinema on Friday the 30^th. And then things continue in September, October, November…

Keep abreast of events and check out Club Water’s excellent website at www4.ocn.ne.jp/%7Ec.water/ for schedules, maps, and band links. To get to Club Water by Subway, get out at the Midosuji Namba station and leave by exit 14. Walk along past the kabuki and movie theaters and big crab/blowfish/red-white drummer man izakaya kitsch mascots. When you see Kinryu Ramen, hook a right. Quickly take the first left down a dismal looking alley and walk a hundred meters. Club Water is on the third floor of a building on your right and next to a porn video shop. Not the nicest neighborhood, but really not too dangerous either. Just don’t go into the video shop, the owner’s not very friendly. After the show, backtrack and get your yummy ramen eats at Kinryu Ramen, although Kamakura Ramen next door is said to be even tastier!