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Musicians

Interview: A chat with Mika Handa about the past, present and future of Mikabomb

26 July 2026

Japanese Events: Music

Hibushibire to return to Europe with a new tour and brand-new fifth studio album

26 July 2026

Japanese Events: Music

Mikabomb will soon kick off new summer tour in the United Kingdom

26 July 2026

Reports: Japanese Music Events

Live Report: Freak Out Jams With Hibushibire at The Victoria

12 July 2026

Giveaways

Giveaway: Win tickets for HYPER JAPAN Festival 2026

12 July 2026

Japanese Events: Music

What’s On! Japanese Music in Europe: July 2026

1 July 2026

Japanese Events: Music

Kokeshi to tour Europe for the first time

1 July 2026

Japanese Events: Music

Ni-hao!!!! to bring cheer punk from Japan to Europe with a tour

1 July 2026

Reviews

Photo of the four-piece alternative metal band Esprit D'Air standing side by side against a background featuring a large clockwork mechanism with gears, cogs, and springs, in golden/metallic tones. All members are dressed in dark clothing and standing in what seems to be an old clock tower. The same location and imagery can be seen in the music video for "Shadow of Time", which is produced by Mind Art Visual.

Music Reviews

Music Review: Esprit D’Air – Aeons (Album)

19 January 2026

'I'm hungry !!' album cover, where one of the band members of Moja is eating a cheeseburger.

Music Reviews

Music Review: Moja – I’m hungry !! (Album)

27 December 2025

Cover art for 'Dreaming Japanese' with a monochrome photo of Marty Friedman with long curly hair. Part of his face was painted in a kabuki theatre style, using the colours white, red and black. One of the photos of the same session has been used for Friedman's eighth studio album 'Tokyo Jukebox' (2009). Cover art by Jim Villaflores

Book Reviews

Book Review: Dreaming Japanese by Marty Friedman with Jon Wiederhorn

6 December 2025

over art for Hitsujibungaku’s new album 'Don’t Laugh It Off'. It shows a serene beach scene at sunset with two members of the alternative rock band from Japan.

Music Reviews

Music Review: Hitsujibungaku – Don’t Laugh It Off (Album)

21 October 2025

The photo shows a five members of the visual kei band Matenrou Opera. They are standing together closely, all dressed in black outfits. The background is also dark and it appears that there is a presence of bokeh.

Music Reviews

Music (Video) Review: 摩天楼オペラ (Matenrou Opera) – AGONY

2 September 2025

The photo features the three men of the band Hebi Katana standing in a Japanese traditional room in natural lighting. They are standing close together and are all wearing dark-coloured clothing. Photo by Hiromi Furukawa

Music Reviews

Music Review: Hebi Katana – Imperfection (Album)

9 August 2025

Musical Snack

Musical snack: A throwback to ICHION’s concert at Brussels’ Boom Café

by Francisca/Seraphinne

1 June 2023

Musical Snack

Musical Snack: Vaiwatt at Ruby Room Shibuya

by Francisca/Seraphinne

29 May 2023

Musical Snack

Musical Snack: cali≠gari’s 30th-Anniversary Celebration Kicked Off With Live Footage Throwbacks

by Francisca/Seraphinne

30 April 2023

Curtain-raiser

The mystery behind u crack irigaru

by Francisca/Seraphinne

1 June 2021

Curtain-raiser

In The Spotlight: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu

by Charles van Vessem

17 March 2015

Curtain-raiser

What has 10 years of PLASTICZOOMS brought us?

by Francisca/Seraphinne

23 February 2017

Concert- and festival news

The photo shows the four members of Hibushibire posing for the camera, three of them are standing, while one of them, the drummer, is sitting on a stool. The photo is colourful, because of the background. The wall is decorated with paint and graffiti and seems to be a live bar or venue.

Japanese Events: Music

Hibushibire to return to Europe with a new tour and brand-new fifth studio album

26 July 2026

The photo features the four members of Mikabomb (Also written as MIKA BOMB), all dressed in an alternative fashion style, wearing punk-inspired attire. They are standing close together on a flight of stairs. Photo by Shu Tomioka

Japanese Events: Music

Mikabomb will soon kick off new summer tour in the United Kingdom

26 July 2026

Photo is taken during Haru Nemuri's performance at V11 in Rotterdam | Photography: Francisca Hagen

Japanese Events: Music

What’s On! Japanese Music in Europe: July 2026

1 July 2026

The four members of kokeshi standing on a staircase of an old building that is filled with statues, while it seems to be derelict and maybe also declared unfit for habitation. All members are dressed in black clothing and not looking into the camera lens. © kokeshi

Japanese Events: Music

Kokeshi to tour Europe for the first time

1 July 2026

The four members of cheer punk band Ni-hao!!!! posing together before or after a show. They are all dressed in black clothing and wear coloured socks. © Photo by Yukiko Ono

Japanese Events: Music

Ni-hao!!!! to bring cheer punk from Japan to Europe with a tour

1 July 2026

The photo is a black and white photograph displaying a performance of Seppuku Pistol in a street in Japan. The performers are dressed in traditional Japanese attire and holding instruments and dancing while there are audience standing around to watch the performance.

Japanese Events: Music

Seppuku Pistols to tour Europe in July

30 June 2026

Musicians

Interview: A chat with Mika Handa about the past, present and future of Mikabomb

by Peter Dennis

26 July 2026

Musicians

Interview with DEVILOOF: “With ‘Inshu’ we found the path we should take”

10 November 2025

Musicians

Interview: A chat with Jean-Ken Johnny about 15 years of MAN WITH A MISSION and upcoming European tour

29 September 2025

Musicians

Interview: Wednesday Campanella on “Summer Time Ghost”, performing in Asia and upcoming shows in Europe

21 July 2025

Live Reports

Bandleader of Hibushibire, Changchang, plays the guitar on the stage of The Victoria in Birmingham. The musician is wearing colourful clothing, a reddish shirt and vertical striped pants in the colours green, red, and yellow. In the background there is another member, Tetsuji Toyoda, playing the bass. Photography JJ Grant (wonderlens)

Reports: Japanese Music Events

Live Report: Freak Out Jams With Hibushibire at The Victoria

12 July 2026

Reports: Japanese Music Events

Live Report: Fizz, Foam, Froth: Mass Of The Fermenting Dregs at The Hare And Hounds

31 May 2026

The three-piece THE LET’S GO’s in the middle of a performance at New Cross Inn in London. The guitarist and vocalist COCO is in front playing her guitar and interacting with the crowd. On the left, a bit of the audience is visible, partly enjoying the show and partly filming the show. Photography by JJ Grant (wonderlens)

Reports: Japanese Music Events

Live Report: THE LET’S GO’s at The Night Owl in Birmingham

14 April 2026

Live photo of the idol group ASP on stage, in the middle of performing a song. The stage is brightly lit with red and blue lights. They have their right arms raised while singing. The members are dressed in leather(-like) clothing, giving the idea that it is inspired by motor clothing. The clothing is mostly black but differently decorated, with red and blue stripes, white stars in different sizes, and other symbols or words. Some of them are fully dressed like that, while others have extra additions, like a tartan-style skirt. Photography by JJ Grant (wonderlens)

Reports: Japanese Music Events

Live Report: ASP at The Underworld in London (UK Tour Final)

31 March 2026

Reports: Japanese Music Events

Live Report: Verde/ x Takeru at The Underworld in London — The Light And The Dark

11 March 2026

A black and white photograph that captured the energetic live performance of MIKABOMB at The Fox And Newt in Leeds. In the photo three musicians are visible, all playing their (bass) guitars. At the forefront is Mel Roxy with a head and Mika Handa on the right side, both facing the audience. Photography by JJ Grant (wonderlens) on behalf of AVO Magazine.

Reports: Japanese Music Events

Live Report: MIKABOMB Explode Across The United Kingdom

18 February 2026

Editor’s Letter: May continues to bring Europe some fantastic Japanese music

11 May 2026

Random Staff Picks

Staff picks

Summer Anime 2019: 10 titles to look forward to!

27 June 2019

Random Review

Music Reviews

LP Review: Boris – PINK (Deluxe Edition)

30 December 2016

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Online magazine since 2012 and based in the Netherlands. AVO Magazine is a Japan-related entertainment website with information about events in especially in Europe. There is a big focus on Japanese music. Other content we publish are reports, reviews, informative articles, and interviews. AVO Forum, founded on May 16, 2003, served as the foundation for AVO Magazine.

Press releases: press[@]avo-magazine.com Collaborations: francisca[@]avo-magazine.com

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