It has been quite a journey for artist Ayano Kaneko. From playing in small bands to selling out the legendary Budokan venue, hers has been a career in perpetual motion, but the one constant has been the delicious brand of indie rock. After winning fans across to globe and racking up millions of views on YouTube, it now feels as if its time for the UK to fall under her spell, and on the strength of tonight’s gig, that’s a mere formality.
Sumwot? at Hare & Hounds in Birmingham on 20.05.2025 | Photography by JJ Grant (wonderlens)
Hailing from Wolverhampton and originally going by the moniker SumWotGrrrl, a name change to the more snappy Sumwot? found this quartet with a new sense of vim and vigour. The name may have changed but it’s still the same band delivering a heavy brand of post-punk and they serve up a hefty dose tonight. Sumwot? cite the likes of Black Flag and L7 as influences and it’s to their credit that they sound like none of them, sure, they share a certain aggressiveness with them, but they bring a refreshing originality to the table. With two vocalists in the band (guitarist Alex and bassist Rowan), there’s plenty of variety on offer, and with songs such as Get Away in their arsenal they really can’t go wrong. With power, force, motion and drive, the band are an unstoppable force. Future mayhem beckons.
kanekoayano at Hare & Hounds in Birmingham on 20.05.2025 | Photography by JJ Grant (wonderlens)
Performing solo as Ayano Kaneko and as a full band with kanekoayano, it is in the latter guise that Kaneko appears tonight and it is heartening to see that amongst the older, familiar faces you find at Japanese gigs in the United Kingdom, there are many of a younger generation attending tonight. It makes for an excited atmosphere, meaning that when the band take to the stage they are welcomed with a huge cheer and the band respond in kind by turning in an energetic performance, the energy levels of which barely dip below danger level. The benefits of Kaneko now having a stable band have become obvious and when compared to last year’s show in Birmingham (reviewed here) they are much tighter and deliver the songs in a sharper, clinical fashion.
Special mention must be made to guitarist Hirotoshi Hayashi who lives every note he plays and bends his strings to breaking point, but it would be unfair to single out any one member as they all lock in well and display an obvious chemistry, meaning that the sonic shifts in the likes of わたしたちへ (Watashitachihe) are handled with apparent ease and the huge conclusion to which it builds, with layers of glorious feedback, becomes an immovable structure. However, it is Ayano Kaneko’s vocals that are the real star of the show and evidence an impressive range, from the sweetest trill to a throat-shredding rasp, her vocals become an instrument within themselves and are the thread which weaves songs such as さびしくない (Sabishikunai) together.
kanekoayano at Hare & Hounds in Birmingham on 20.05.2025 | Photography by JJ Grant (wonderlens)
While there are a few fan favourites peppered throughout the set, tonight finds the band looking towards the future, and most of the songs are culled from their previous and forthcoming album. Some might argue that it is a risky move, yet there’s a strange kind of familiarity, even to the new songs, which ensures they are welcomed like old friends. The band’s second Birmingham show inside a year finds them building on past success, and it feels as if the United Kingdom is becoming their second home, and long may that continue.
Photography: by JJ Grant (wonderlens)
