It’s insane how this show starts out. It makes more sense when you realize that though this is a different venue, it’s only about 20 minutes away from the On Air East. It feels continuous, as if the “YEM” encore from 6/9 is actually the first song of this set. All the songs are self-contained, which makes the show feel a little more vintage throwback than usual (especially in light of the segue-fest that is Drum Logos coming up in a few days). But it overall feels like a bit of a cool down show after the intensity of that previous night’s “Tweezer.” Even the intense “Down with Disease” and “Piper” in this set feel like they could be within the package of jams emerging out of that On Air “Tweezer.” “Piper” in particular goes some intense places and feels like the highlight to me. I also really like the “Gin” and “Loving Cup.”

Overall, that context helps me sit with this show differently than I would if I came to it by itself. As a standalone show, it doesn’t do a whole lot for me. But as a piece in the larger context of the Japan 2000 run, I see where it fits and I like the role it plays. I also see how the elements are beginning to coalesce into what will be the Drum Logos show. Zepp Tokyo is atypical. Nothing particularly exciting but nothing particularly bad either. Worth hearing in the context of Japan 2000.