Four-piece punk rock band Otoboke Beaver, fresh off a world tour in 2023, are back in North America to celebrate their 15th anniversary as a band. At their Portland stop, they drew an enthusiastic crowd and sold out the Wonder Ballroom. The Japanese punk rockers, known for their in-your-face music and fiercely rebellious lyrics, bring an even more intense energy onstage.
Opening for Otoboke Beaver was labelmate Drinking Boys and Girls Choir (DBGC), a pop-punk trio from Korea. Drummer MJ and bassist and lead vocalist Meena, the band’s founders, were joined by Megan on guitar. DBGC’s lineup and sound has evolved over the years, and while this is the first time they’ve had all female members, they continue to use their music for gender-inclusive advocacy. Their music draws from influences outside of punk, including psychedelic rock, indie, and shoegaze, but it retains the edginess and societal awareness characteristic of the punk genre and the riot grrrl subgenre. It was delightful to hear the interplay between MJ and Megan during the instrumental interludes; it was like the bass and guitar were having a fluid conversation. And several of the guitar solos drew appreciative whoops from the audience for the tasteful bending and an unhurried, trance-like quality. In a recent interview, Megan noted that she doesn’t see herself as a purely punk rock guitarist, and her melodic sensibilities are already proving to give the band a unique gleam.
“Do you know ‘Linda Linda’?” Meena asked a cheering crowd. “Linda Linda” is an iconic punk rock song originally released by the Japanese band The Blue Hearts in 1987, and DGBC’s rendition gave this track a youthful, preppy spin. One of their next songs, “Wish,” was fast paced, but the melody was relaxed and simple enough to sing along to, and it was nicely harmonized by Meena and Megan. Who knew punk rock could be so cheerful?
To witness an Otoboke Beaver show is to experience brain-bending whiplash–one second the band is murmuring some ominous invocation, the next they’re in full surf-rock mode, and the next they’re yell-chanting over rhythm section gymnastics.
Many of the Kyoto-based band’s songs are shorter than the typical pop or rock track–“I won’t dish out salads” and “I checked your cell phone” are less than two minutes long, but even within this limited real estate, they manage to pack in several changes in tempo, repeated rhythms, and instrumentation. There’s barely time to process the changes before a new groove sweeps you into their grungy whirlwind. Everything is fast, unhinged, and provocative.
There’s an odd duality about the whole experience. On one hand, there are four petite women in short dresses with a cutesy vocal timbre, but on the other hand, they’re practically shouting and playing unexpectedly intense and disorienting hardcore punk. You’re forced to confront the stereotypes of passivity and meekness associated with Asian femininity. Good luck finding anything passive or meek about this experience, all the while aggressively headbanging to the music. Their lyrics are often scathingly critical and straight up full of rage over injustices and societal expectations.
Frontwoman Accorinrin is equal parts seductress and provocateur, embodying the energy of a fearless ringleader and easily commanding the whole venue to silence with a single gaze. Reminiscent of the oversized doll from Squid Game, she is cute in appearance but intimidating in reality, unafraid to throw punches, middle fingers, and invisible baseballs at the audience. Bassist Hirochan exudes grace while effortlessly executing high-speed basslines; guitarist and designated English speaker Yoyoyoshie is bright and spirited and plays with her guitar hitched way up high; drummer Kahokiss is almost machine-like in her speed and precision and plays with just the biggest grin on her face. They perform in perfect synchronicity, especially in the irregular pauses and abrupt transitions within songs.
For their encore song, “Bakuro book,” they threw a giant O-shaped inflatable beaver into the audience and Yoyoyoshie clambered on top of it, one arm extended to almost touch the disco ball suspended from the ceiling. Ending the night with a celebration, they brought out Drinking Boys and Girls Choir to sing happy birthday to Meena.
Click on the photo below to view our photos from the concert:
