The aptly named PUNKSPRING festival is held every spring and features punk rock bands.
This year, the event was initially scheduled to take place at the Osaka Intex (mentioned here), but it was ultimately moved to the Dojima River Forum. Located right in the middle of the city, it’s surrounded by shops and offers several transportation options. The festival team apologized for the inconvenience, but honestly, we lucked out!
It all started with the wildfires that devastated parts of Los Angeles, which reminded me of a Bad Religion song about… wildfires in Los Angeles. While listening to it again, I got a notification in the app: Bad Religion is on tour. Well, well… They’re coming to Osaka! And they’re bringing Pennywise and Yellowcard! That settled it—I was in.
The organizers had the great idea of publishing a schedule for the day. We arrive a little before 2 PM for Pennywise’s set and leave a bit after 8 PM, following Bad Religion’s performance. The breaks between sets allow us to catch our breath, grab a drink at a café, or grab a bite to eat. Very enjoyable! However, there are several rows of barriers right in the middle of the venue. Good for leaning on, not so great for moving around.
Pennywise
The sound isn’t incredible: at times, the vocals are hard to make out, and the melodies are drowned out by the bass and drums. Still, I am happy to hear some classics: Living For Today, Same Old Story, Stand By Me, Society, Fuck Authority, Bro Hymn… Great energy, solid show!
Yellowcard
This is the biggest surprise of the day. The sound is super clean, though the violin is a bit subdued. The setlist is excellent—I know most of the songs (to be fair, their discography isn’t as extensive as the other bands’). The band members are clearly happy to be there, and it shows! Even the backing vocals sound great. Top-tier!
Sex Pistols And Frank Carter
There is a striking contrast between the three Sex Pistols members playing their parts quietly and Frank Carter, the younger addition, who brings the energy as the lead singer. I don’t know much about this band beyond their big hits, Anarchy In The UK and God Save The Queen, which are, of course, on the setlist. The other songs aren’t particularly melodic and feel a bit repetitive to me.
Bad Religion
The sound isn’t great—what a shame. There are crackling issues with the singer’s mic (they changed the mic and cable, but it doesn’t help), and the overall volume may be too high for the speakers, which seem to be pushed to their limits: everything sounds a bit distorted. Still, the set is powerful and packed with great tracks, especially the second half: You, American Jesus, True North, 21st Century, Infected, Sorrow, New Dark Ages… Special mention to the two guitarists, who take turns shredding solos.
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