There is always a problem lying in the darkness. It's the question of who is listening. Whenever I lose a bit of confidence or my feelings drift away from the music, that darkness comes rushing in.
—————- Norio Nakai, "Symphony on the Mountain Top"

Today, especially after that Corona pandemic, it may be self-evident that the forefront of dance music is no longer in nightclubs. It could now be in the bedrooms of suburban housing developments, in a room of a university club building, or perhaps at a riverside at midnight with a collection of poor Bluetooth speakers. Maybe it’s even a virtual party on VR that doesn’t physically exist? A laptop with DAW and sample sounds, a microphone is sufficient with a smartphone, type beats, DJ controllers, and the financial costs and technical hurdles for creation are lower than ever. Anyone can do it and start at any time. What value is left in making my way to Shibuya on the last train and climbing up Dogenzaka? I might get tangled up with scary people, the pickup lines are annoying, and dealing with seniors is a hassle; wouldn’t it be more fun to hang out with the same friends instead?

Yet still, many people gather at clubs every night in search of something. What they seek in the ongoing parties and the endless loud music varies from person to person. The glamorous and extravagant, or dark and suspicious dance floors are filled with ‘extraordinary’ experiences that cannot be had in daily life. There, for a moment, people release their repressed selves, become intoxicated by wearing masks to perform their ideal personas, swaying their bodies in anticipation of something exciting to begin, conversing with someone they merely brushed past, and eventually, when the party ends, heading home with the morning sun. Life goes on.

On the other hand, for the venue staff, that extraordinary experience is their daily routine. The reasons for choosing to work in a playground for many people vary. At clubasia, facing countless faces, they steadily carry out routine work beside those extraordinary moments that feel miraculous to someone. While you, reading this, are swaying in the early morning train, the staff are cleaning up ashtrays and waking up people who have passed out drunk. They may even be desperately trying to scrape gum stuck to the floor (of course, the curses that slip out at that time cannot be written here).

Amidst that daily routine, they are always listening for changing trends, newly emerging genres, and above all, the DJ's performance and the corresponding reactions from the crowd. In the rapidly changing daily parties, what are the club staff feeling? And if they had an opportunity to output that, what might be created?

The new intermittent series “SIDE-B” starting this Thursday aims to have those staff take center stage as players. They invite people who caught their attention at daily parties, bringing together their respective specialties in hip-hop, reggae, house, and techno, while exploring alternative forms of partying and creating an evening. It’s a different perspective on the behind-the-scenes of parties. A new facet that can’t be seen at regular parties, truly the B-side of clubasia, “SIDE-B”.

To those who feel a bit unsatisfied with the usual dance floor, and to you, who is considering that maybe they want to touch on entirely different genres; perhaps new encounters await you here? The answer is always found at the end of letting yourself go and dancing to the sound.