REVIEW: Japanese Breakfast in Chicago
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY AMELIA RODRIGUEZ ☆
Photos by Scott Teresi for The Salt Shed
A MIXTURE OF WHIMSICAL WONDER, HEADBANGING JAMS AND SOFT SOUNDS FROM VENUS’ HALF SHELL — Japanese Breakfast didn’t just serve up melancholia on a silver platter—they blew the roof off Chicago’s Salt Shed on night one of their three-show run.
On tour for their new album For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women), Japanese Breakfast wove moments of melancholy that fluttered through the crowd on songs like “Here is Someone” and “Leda.” These soft moments were contrasted by unexpected bursts of pure, filtered fuzz, paired with darker ambiance on tracks like “Honey Water” and the powerful finale of “Diving Woman.”
Michelle Zauner’s voice is an echoing enchantress that you cannot resist. Her energy is ultra-captivating as her flowing attire and harsh gazes capture and then release you back into the abyss of overpowering sound.
One moment she’s shredding, and the next she’ll be skipping around with a big smile and nothing holding her back. Most of the new album was covered, but it would not be a Japanese Breakfast show if the gong wasn’t rolled out for “Paprika” and other classics off of their earlier records, “Jubilee” and “Soft Sounds from Another Planet.” Although the setlist ranged from slower songs to sudden bursts of energetic ones, the band managed to make it work, and it all felt balanced out in the end.
With some on-stage banter—including a moment where Zauner mentioned she got “in trouble down south” for calling out her guitar tech, Kyle, she jokingly asked the crowd, “Where does the Midwest stand with giving shit?” after he handed her the wrong guitar—the audience felt just as connected to the performers as Zauner clearly felt thrilled to be on stage.
“Chicago really knows how to make a musician feel special,” Zauner said.
Photos by Scott Teresi for The Salt Shed
The band coordinated various versions of suits, dress shirts, and pants, some featuring ruffles down the sides or along the sleeves, all in line with the theme of their music video “Orlando in Love.” Zauner, of course, stood out in ethereal attire—a perfect ruffled cloud held together by a striking corset and black strappy lace tights. She effortlessly captures the essence of her own music, always looking uniquely herself.
The stage design itself deserved a standing ovation. From the half-shell inspired by the “Orlando in Love” music video and the picture-perfect blue waves, to the glowing “Meloncholy Inn” neon sign that lit up during the intimate “Men in Bars” duet, every detail enhanced the performance. Zauner’s ability to capture fleeting moments and stretch them into an entire evening of teetering emotions is truly beyond comprehension.
She has created this dreamscape—this sort of tide pool of love, pain, grief, and yet pure light of hopefulness and acceptance of it all. She guides us through using a lantern with powers that influenced the performance at times. Glowing uncontrollably, it launched us into a metamorphosis of emotion, transforming the space into a living, breathing entity of its own—where every note and every flicker of light felt like a moment of personal revelation.
Whether it was an array of acoustic waves washing over the crowd adorned with playful notes on the recorder or saxophone, we would still then be suddenly washed over in a sonic haze that made you close your eyes, scrunch up your nose, bite your lip and headbang as you began to drown in its waves of sound.
Drawn to the fantastical and storytelling elements, the fandom is uber supportive and the perfect amount of rowdy. Although the soundscape and lighting design were a massive part of the environment, Zauner’s lyrics are to be enjoyed like the finest caviar. Zauner is intelligent, clear and clever. She can bring you to tears in the song’s intro and have you dancing like a madman by the chorus.
The Salt Shed itself deserves a mention. Not only was their social campaign roll-out for the small residency flawless, but they featured a special menu item that prepared one for all the emotional and physical activity they were about to endure. The “Japanese Breakfast sandwich” was warm and hearty, featuring a fluffy egg, hash brown, bacon jam and cheese on a soft bun. The shed never fails to impress with attentive staff and smooth sailing.
Japanese Breakfast returns to the Salt Shed for two more nearly sold-out nights on May 1 and 2. A show that makes you want to come back again is a rare reminder of what makes live music so special. It's the power of an incredible band led by a truly revolutionary rockstar—one who transforms sadness and grief into moments of pure bliss and emotional liberation.
Photos by Scott Teresi for The Salt Shed
