I came here partly because of the music, so live houses were on my list from day one. My first few shows were a bit of a disaster though, mostly because I assumed things worked the way they do back home. The first thing that caught me out was the drink ticket system. You pay for the ticket, then at the door you pay again for a drink you have to take whether you want it or not. Nobody told me, and I turned up with exact change for the entry only. Slightly awkward. The second thing was how orderly it is. At smaller venues back home you push in wherever there is a gap. Here people were queuing outside in numbered order, and I had walked straight past the queue. Someone kindly pointed me to the end of it. The third thing, and this one took me longer to adjust to, is how quiet the crowd is between songs. Not unenthusiastic. During the songs it is loud. But the moment a song ends there is this hush while the band talks, and then it kicks off again. I found it unsettling at first and now I quite like it. A few practical bits for anyone thinking of going: Buy tickets early. Small venues sell out much faster than I expected, and the good ones do not have a big walk-up crowd. Bring cash. Some places take cards now but plenty do not, and the merch table almost never does. Go alone if you have to. I have been to loads of shows by myself here and it never feels odd. Everyone is there for the band. Learn the band's name in Japanese script. I have missed a listing more than once because I was searching the romanised name. The best part has been discovering bands I would never have heard of at home. I went to a show for one act and left as a fan of the opener, which happens far more often here because bills are usually three or four bands. Anyone else going to shows regularly? Always looking for recommendations, and happy to return the favour. #livemusic #japan #ukexpats