HANABIE is a band that you've probably not heard of before, but that's okay. Let's fix that right now.

I first learned of the band via the good ol' YouTube algorithm back in January. I was driving back from Las Vegas and the song Osaki ni Shitsureishimasu came on via autoplay. I had never heard it before, but I loved it. The combination of shamisen with modern electric guitars and drums

For those of you familiar with Japanese workplaces, it's also a counter-culture punch against forced nomikai (drinking parties) and the titular "osaki ni shitsureishimasu" uttered when people leave before their colleagues, even when there's still work to be done.  Some of my friends in Japan absolutely loved the song and its video as a rebellion against workplace norms.

Osaki ni Shitsureishimasu was a hit and it garnered the interest of not only various festivals around the world but Epic Records Japan, a subprint of Sony Records Japan, to which the girls are now signed to.  

The band released their first major label album, "Reborn Superstar!," under Epic just a couple of months ago. They embarked on a European tour and now an American tour. They've received quite a bit of backing, undoubtedly to capitalize on the exposure garnered by Osaki ni Shitsureishimasu. They are however more than that, and describe themselves as being "Harajuku-core," after the famed area of Tokyo known for its fashion and art. Musically, I would describe them along the lines of metalcore with a bit of electronic influences and a punk spin to their lyrics.

They'll be performing at three festivals in the US, namely Blue Ridge Rock Fest in Virginia, Louder Than Life in Kentucky, and finally Aftershock Festival in Sacramento.

Interspersed between those festivals will be a series of stops alongside Star Wars metal band Galactic Empire. After Louder Than Life, they'll be supported by the bands Fox Lake and Dropout Kings.

Tour dates as follows:

9/9 Danville, VA - Blue Ridge Rock Fest
9/12 Greensboro, NC - Hangar 1819
9/13 Spartanburg, SC - Ground Zero
9/14 Atlanta, GA - Masqeurade
9/15 Orlando, FL - The Social
9/18 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
9/19 Austin, TX - Come and Take it Live
9/20 Dallas, TX - Trees
9/22 Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life Festival
9/23 New Kensington, PA - Preserving Underground
9/24 New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
9/26 Fort Wayne, IN - Pieres
9/27 Joliet, IL - The Forge
9/28 Madison, WI - The Annex
9/29 Des Moines, IA - Lefty's
9/30 Denver, CO - Marquis Theater
10/1 Colorado Springs, CO - Black Sheep
10/3 Phoenix, AZ - The Nile Theater
10/4 San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick
10/5 Los Angeles, CA - Whisky a Go Go
10/6 Sacramento, CA - Aftershock Festival