Photo Credit: Allen Halas
Japanese Breakfast
Japanese Breakfast’s show at the Generac Power Stage was nothing short of hypnotizing. The alternative pop sensation played for a little over 90 minutes, and the rain did not discourage fans from packing the audience to hear every dreamy indie-pop song. The combination of the unparalleled vocals of lead singer Michelle Zauner and the band’s transcendent musicality made the performance one that stood out at Summerfest this year, and one that left audiences eager for more Japanese Breakfast.
The staging was lit up by technicolor, bright hues that were perfect for the genre of music Japanese Breakfast dominates. The lights moved from a warm glow to a rainbow display that was mesmerizing to watch. The stage also featured a large, light-up gong. Zauner is a multi-instrumental musician, moving from electric to acoustic guitar, to piano and then back to vocals.
On the higher side of her range, Zauner’s vocals are airy, light and surreal, and on the lower side, her voice is husky and smooth. In every song her vocals are crisp and clear, and the result was a performance almost peaceful in its execution. The flow of the set list was an expert display of the range of music Japanese Breakfast has between albums. They opened with two of their most upbeat, popular songs, “Paprika” and “Be Sweet” off of their most recent album Jubilee. Many songs also came from sophomore album Soft Sounds from Another Planet, such as “Road Head” and “Boyish.” The performance of “Boyish” was a stand-out moment from the concert; the texture of the song was silky, ethereal, and harmonically stunning. The band also played a song from the video game soundtrack Sable, an experimental album with some of their most unique sounds.
At the heart of the Japanese Breakfast show was emotion. In their more upbeat songs, one felt Zauner’s joy and in their more mellow songs, her sentimentality. Another stand-out song was “Posing for Cars,” a song written by Zauner about her husband, guitarist and bandmate Peter Bradley. Bradley played part of the song as a duet with Zauner, making for a very sweet moment on stage that had audiences captivated.
Toward the end of the show, confetti was fired off into the crowd during “Everybody Wants to Love You.” The combination of confetti and light rain falling from the sky with the multi-colored lighting made for an otherworldly experience unlike any other at Summerfest this year. Japanese Breakfast pulled audiences in a trance with their set list, staging, and musicianship. The concert last Friday was an unmatched presentation of their talent and was a must-see for festival audiences.
