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want to meet at fmd_good Market Deli
want to meet at fmd_good The Spot
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Experimental Music Live Houses in Tokyo?
super deluxe in roppongi is probably the most famous one but it's more of a club space that hosts experimental stuff rather than a dedicated live house. check their schedule before going cause they also do a lot of art events and parties. if you want something smaller and weirder, 下北沢の屋根裏 in shimokitazawa is a literal basement that's been around forever, they book a lot of outsider folk, drone, and tape loop stuff. cover is usually under 2000 yen and the vibe is very diy. ogikubo's 音や金時 was already mentioned but it's worth repeating cause it's genuinely one of the best spots for free jazz and electronic experimentation in tokyo.
tbh the scene in tokyo is kinda split between the loud noise end and the quiet listening end. for the latter, Checkpoint in ogikubo is worth knowing about. it's a second floor space run by a pianist who books a lot of prepared piano, field recording sets, and electroacoustic duos. shows are usually seated and everyone's dead silent. cover is like 2000 yen with a drink and they start on time which is rare around here.
for the really deep cut stuff, check out bears in koenji. it's a tiny room above a restaurant, maybe 30 seats, books a lot of contemporary classical and tape music composers who'd never play a normal venue. the guy who runs it is a composer himself so the programming is pretty serious, not just random noise shows. cover is usually 2000 yen and they have actual programs printed out which feels rare in tokyo
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Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.