San Diego is a great place to see live music, but there isn't always a synth-heavy, eccentric, Japanese spaz-punk band around when you need one. In a gracious effort to fill that void, Tokyo natives Polysics will be playing the Casbah on Jan. 30.
Citing Devo as a major influence, Polysics are truly a sight to behold. With their orange jumpsuits, science fiction glasses, and synchronized robotic movements, the hyperactive quartet put on one of the most bizarre and exciting shows around. The band's self-described "technicolor pogo punk" is a thrilling spectacle, made all the more enthralling by front man Hiroyuki Hayashi's boundless enthusiasm and slippery grasp of the English language.
The San Diego show is one of the first dates in a cross-country tour that holds special significance for the band. In addition to promoting their new album, Absolute Polysics, the group is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a band. The festivities will unfortunately be bittersweet: The U.S. tour will be the final one with longtime keyboardist Kayo, who is set to leave the group in March.
Polysics' music is some of the most energetic, unbridled stuff around, but they may meet their match with their opening band on Saturday: San Diego's own Beaters. Comprised of Jeremy Rojas, Andrew Montoya and Aldo Bustos, of Ale Mania and the now-defunct the Sess, as well as Craig Barclift from the Powerchords and Cuckoo Chaos, the band has been the subject of much buzz since forming last year.
The show is an early one, with doors opening at 6 p.m., so get there early to see the two bands vie for punk rock supremacy.
Chris Maroulakos is a writer and editor for the San Diego music blog Owl and Bear.
