Playing the World’s Fastest Polka in an Old Japanese House
We played the world’s fastest polka in a traditional old Japanese house.
Just south of Koenji, there’s a wonderful little place called HoiPoi — an old Japanese house that’s been beautifully renovated into a unique space with a bar that feels a bit like a convenience store selling booze, along with a disco ball and a DJ booth.
The first time I discovered this place, I immediately thought, “Ah, this would be absolutely perfect for Pinch of Snuff.”
And that’s exactly what happened. We played there for the first time in February this year, just before our Ireland tour, at one of our final shows in Japan before heading off.
Loads of Irish people came along that night, and the place was absolutely packed. It was a brilliant, full-on show, and it gave us a real push and a bit of extra confidence before heading off to Ireland. It’s been a very special venue for us.
Sadly, Koenji HoiPoi is closing its doors at the end of August this year.
The owner asked us if we could play one more show before they closed, so we put the gig together at very short notice. Despite that, reservations came flooding in and the show sold out almost immediately.
It’s incredibly sad to see this place disappear, but I’m looking forward to seeing someone create another grown-up playground that carries on the spirit of HoiPoi.
Thank you so much to everyone who came along.
Thank you, Koenji HoiPoi. The memories we made here will be treasures we carry with us for the rest of our lives.
Everything that exists in physical form will eventually disappear. But some things live on as memories, stories, records and traditions. They are passed from one person to another, spoken about, remembered and carried into the future.
People, places, music, paintings, culture, fashion — all sorts of things can leave their mark in this way.
There’s something incredibly romantic about history, isn’t there?
Irish traditional music is the same.
Tiny little love songs and beautiful melodies that have been cherished for hundreds of years travelled all the way across the world to a small island nation in Asia, and they are still being loved and played today.
We absolutely love the culture that has influenced us more than anything else: the pub — the Irish version of the Japanese izakaya — where people drink, laugh, sing and play music together.
That’s the kind of space we’ve always loved, and the kind of space we’ll always love.
Pinch of Snuff wants to remain that kind of band, now and for many years to come.
See you at the pub.
Sláinte!