You know when you go to a gig, and it just exceeds all expectations? Well, my night with Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra did just that and landed in my all-time top three.
What I thought would be a typical concert at which Ska Para (as they're called by fans) would appear with a support band in fact turned out to be 2 ½ hours of just them, a style of show that the Japanese refer to as a solo wanman raibu (one-man live).
The band is midway through a year of celebrations marking 30 years since the release of its self-titled debut EP, and has been on tour across the nation collaborating with a range of other acts.