Our Second Tour to Sapporo!
For Golden Week 2022, Snooze Potato again visited Sapporo for 2 live shows. This time we visited BESSIE HALL and ZIPPY HALL, thanks to the help of IYPresents (@FLUKEsapporo) and Kosuke (@Kosuke_dayooon) on support drums.
Since the shows were separated, we actually had some time between to enjoy Sapporo and the surroundings. COVID cases were spiking at that time, but at least that meant I could walk around Otaru without the heavy crowds.
Sapporo Food and Sapporo Beer
Hokkaido’s famous Jingisukan, or lamb BBQ, surprised me! Usually I can’t really eat lamb, but Sapporo makes the best Jingisukan in Japan. We wanted to try the famous Sapporo BBQ restaurant Daruma, but the lines were outrageous each night. At least we had no problem getting plenty of Sapporo beer! We drank so much. It’s amazing we survived!
One night we went to a small, local Izakaya that Irokawa knew, after we gave up on Daruma for the second time. Everyone was friendly there, and the food was delicious. I’m sure Irokawa has lots of great recommendations for restaurants in Sapporo!
スタジオ シーラカンス Rehearsal
Studio Coelacanths (スタジオ シーラカンス) seems to have become our default studio when we visit Sapporo. The studio has an interesting wooden interior and plenty of equipment in great condition. Some rooms in Studio Coelacanths are even big enough to host a studio live.
It’s not far from the station, and it’s below a great restaurant with an all-you-can-drink menu. We bumped into some acquaintances of Uesaka at the studio, so I guess Studio Coelacanths must be popular with bands in Sapporo.
Snooze Potato Live @ BESSIE HALL and ZIPPY HALL
First we played at BESSIE HALL. I think many people in Sapporo know this place. Garage bands and Alternative Rock bands should feel at home performing at BESSIE HALL. The stage and floor is huge. Also, the banner and logo is really cool. I couldn’t help but feel nervous. I hope we can go there again now that the COVID restrictions are a bit more relaxed.
Next we played at ZIPPY HALL, which stands defiantly across the street from a major police station. The staff said they sometimes invite the officers to join, but they never come inside. Maybe they believe it’s a kind of bribe. Hopefully they never get in trouble!
I feel like a real underground band when I play in this building. Its atmosphere is really inspiring. I can’t explain the feeling, but it is definitely different from the places that we play in Tokyo.
Also different from Tokyo is the bands themselves. Listening to the other players perform both nights, I could understand why a lot of my favorite bands in Japan came out of Sapporo. The music scene here is exciting, but also warm and inviting. Even though we are outsiders, I easily felt like I was part of their community. After the show at ZIPPY HALL, we all shared a hot meal and drank…a lot. In fact, I almost missed my plane back to Tokyo to work. I left a lot of things at the hotel by accident. Anyway, it was worth it! I can’t wait to go back to Sapporo and meet more great bands and see our friends again.
