Palace Bowl Presents, an open-air festival spanning 12 days across July and August, kicked off this summer in South London’s leafy Crystal Palace Park. Its major draw is a genre-spanning lineup of live performances including rock, soul, gospel, Afrobeats, electronic, and even Japanese city pop.
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The three Japanese artists who graced the stage for City Pop Waves, the U.K.’s first-ever city pop concert, were Masayoshi Takanaka, Junko Yagami and Himiko Kikuchi. Under the blazing sun, Kikuchi appeared in round-lensed sunglasses and took her seat at the Hammond organ, opening the show with “Ducky Ducky.” As she pounded out the keys, a sound as rich and full as a big band washed over Crystal Palace Bowl. “Today we’re playing songs from FLYING BEAGLE,” Kikuchi announced, turning around to show the crowd the back of her T-shirt, printed with the album’s memorable beagle artwork.
Jamie MacMillan
