Music

HEY-SMITH steals the show at Supernova Ska Festival 2024

October 24, 2024

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The Supernova International Ska Festival marked its 10th anniversary in 2024 by turning the beach at Fort Monroe, Virginia, into a vibrant celebration of ska culture. The festival offered a well-rounded experience with two concert stages, an authors and education tent, afterparties, and nonprofit showcases, making it a cultural hub for fans.

On Sunday, September 15, strong winds whipped colorful flags above a sun-soaked crowd eager for a full day of performances. It was the perfect setting for HEY-SMITH, the high-energy ska-punk band from Osaka, to make their debut at the Supernova Ska Festival.

This stop was part of their 19-show US tour with icons like The Suicide Machines and The Mad Caddies. The tour held added significance as it marked trombonist Kanasu’s temporary departure. While HEY-SMITH will bring in a replacement, fans hope for her quick return.

Though it was HEY-SMITH’s first performance at the Supernova Ska Festival, their reputation preceded them. Steve Douglas of Australian band The Resignators introduced them personally, recalling how they became one of his favorite bands after seeing them live in Japan the year before. He summed it up with one word: “Saikou”, meaning “They’re the best!”.

Steve Douglas, vocalist and guitarist of The Resignators, left. On the stage, from left to right, we see trumpeter Ken Iikawa, bassist-vocalist YUJI, and guitarist-vocalist Shuhei Igari.Supernova Ska Festival

With that heartfelt introduction, HEY-SMITH stormed the stage. Initially, the horn section stole the show—trumpeter Ken Iikawa, his light brown dreads bouncing, and saxophonist Mitsuru, shirtless and wild, brought chaotic energy to the stage. As one festivalgoer quipped, “Mitsuru scares me, in a good way”. Adding even more flair was trombonist Kanasu, neon-green hair glowing under the lights as she blew playful kisses to the crowd.

In contrast, the rhythm and guitar section grounded the brass’s panache. Here we met drummer Task-n, with his rugged bandana and backward snapback, and bassist/vocalist YUJI, wielding a well-loved powder blue bass. Frontman Shuhei Igari, clad in black from head to toe, brought it all together with his charisma, vocals, and guitar. Igari also composes and writes all of HEY-SMITH’s songs.

All players raised their instruments triumphantly, while Igari addressed the crowd for the first time. “We are HEY-SMITH from Japan,” he shouted into the mic. “Are you ready?!”. If the audience thought they were ready, HEY-SMITH was about to prove them wrong with a wall of sound that hit like a tidal wave.

Frontman, vocalist, and guitarist Shuhei Igari.Supernova Ska Festival

The six-piece band wasted no time, tearing into their set with the intensity of a launch coaster. The horn section fired off punchy melodies as they powered into 2nd Youth, a standout track from HEY-SMITH’s fourth album, STOP THE WAR.

Even while coordinating six unique musicians, HEY-SMITH played with expert precision—from the rapid guitar riffs and rolling drums to the tight, unified playing of the brass section. Their sound is a fierce blend of genres: the rhythmic grooves of reggae collide with the urgency of punk. Their music hits fast and hard, with an overwhelming spirit of youth.

Trumpeter Ken Iikawa, left, and trombonist Kanasu, right.Supernova Ska Festival

Next up was Say My Name, HEY-SMITH’s most popular track on Spotify with over 4 million streams. Before the set even started, I heard a festivalgoer belting out the opening lines while waiting for the show to start, speaking to the song’s popularity. Say My Name serves as the ending theme for the anime series Tokyo Revengers, making it a familiar favorite among fans as well.

That’s not HEY-SMITH’s only claim to fame in global franchises, thanks to their recent signing with major Japanese label Pony Canyon. Pony Canyon is helping elevate HEY-SMITH’s presence in the global entertainment scene, with more anime tie-ins boosting their profile. Their 2024 single, Feel My Pain, was featured as the opening theme for Netflix’s Kengan Ashura Season 2, Part 2, further cementing their place in Japan’s “cool culture” powerhouse.

Say My Name showcased HEY-SMITH’s distinctive sound, featuring rapid, sharp snares and powerful gang vocals. These elements highlighted the band’s punk edge, a style that deeply inspires frontman Igari. Still, we were only two songs deep into the set, and we had just started experiencing the layers of HEY-SMITH’s music.

The band blazed on with infectious energy. Inside Of Me stood out as a triumphant moment, driven by tight, danceable horn lines and a catchy melody. Supernova Ska Festival even honored it with a live concert video on YouTube, which you can check out below. Watching the video, you can feel the incredible synergy between the band and the audience—the crowd vibing with intensity, while the band fed off that energy and delivered it back, amping up the voltage of the festival grounds.

Igari called for a circle pit, and the crowd eagerly responded, churning into motion. Concertgoers tore up the grassy field in a frenzy. Flags flew victoriously in a blur of checkerboard, as people of all backgrounds joined in. The swirling mass of bodies moved in sync with the music, while the beachside wind offered reprieve from the sun’s relentless heat.

The band’s razor-sharp precision on stage was no surprise, a testament to their long history of playing together. Unlike most bands that follow the usual cycle of releasing an album and then touring to promote it, HEY-SMITH takes a different approach. They release albums in stride, playing each song in their repertoire with care until they’ve completely mastered them. This might be their secret to consistently blowing away crowds with their expert craftsmanship, their sound blasting across the festival grounds and captivating everyone.

Trombonist Kanasu, who will take a hiatus from HEY-SMITH later this year.Supernova Ska Festival

Transitioning from Inside Of Me, trumpeter Ken Iikawa led an instrumental session with a jazzy trumpet solo. Then the band picked it back up, rolling with the sharp, snappy drums into their next appropriately named song, Into The Soul.

In the following songs, each member had their moment to shine, showcasing their skills. Mitsuru delivered an unhinged, yet technically brilliant saxophone performance. Before their next song, Fog And Clouds, YUJI’s slow, erotically charged bass solo stole the spotlight, grooving effortlessly with a pick held between his teeth as he performed slap style.

Igari and YUJI shared vocal duties without one overshadowing the other. Both were equally commanding—YUJI delivered rapid-fire lyrics in the mid-to-lower range, while Igari’s higher, soaring choruses provided an exhilarating contrast. Along with his vocals, Igari brings in charged, powerful guitar riffs that lean more towards metal than ska, adding an extra layer of intensity to the band’s sound.

Saxophonist Mitsuru.Supernova Ska Festival

During the brief horn breaks, the band seamlessly shifted into rock mode. Wide-eyed Mitsuru two-stepped with wild energy, while Kanasu headbanged, mimicking air guitar with her trombone. Then, as if this presented no cardiovascular challenge at all, they all rejoined the music with unified blasts from the horn section, as if they were playing a single, powerful instrument. The ability to deliver such charged solos, and then return to the fold in unison, reflects the years of live experience they share under one belt.

The festival setup was no-frills and rugged, much like the music itself. With two stages positioned side-by-side to handle the nonstop flow of global acts, the focus was purely on the music. Sunlight filtered through the stage backdrop, offering a view of the Chesapeake Bay feeding into the Atlantic Ocean. The waves seemed to crash in sync with the rhythms, adding a natural backdrop to the performances.

“This is amazing!” Igari shouted, his voice ringing out over the crowd. A fan echoed Steve Douglas’s earlier words, calling back, “Saikou!”. Igari flashed a grin, embracing the connection. “Arigatou gozaimasu! Thank you for having us!”.

With a resonating guitar chord, they launched into Summer Breeze, a song that perfectly matched the festival’s atmosphere.

Rounding out their set, HEY-SMITH seemed to rush through the remaining songs, announcing how many were left as each one wrapped up. The previous act had run about 20 minutes over, which likely added to the packed schedule. Nonetheless, this frenetic pace fit HEY-SMITH’s high-energy style, driven by youthful animation.

As they approached their final song, Igari thanked the crowd once more, flashing the rock ‘n’ roll horns. “I want to see the biggest circle pit! The biggest one! Are you guys ready?!”.

The sun set on HEY-SMITH’s last performance, casting a vibrant cerulean blue over the scene. In that beautiful twilight, still bright enough to capture the writhing crowd, they closed with their final song, Come Back My Dog. The circle pit thrashed harder than ever, moving in full force with the breakneck guitars and crashing drums. The melody flowed seamlessly, yet each staccato phrase was punctuated by the barking call of “Come—back—my—dog!”.

Ken Iikawa unleashed the final trumpet blasts of the song, and the band leaped into the air, finishing with a final, echoing chord that roared like the ocean waves.

The emcee captured the moment perfectly, declaring, “Supernova Ska Festival 2024: truly international. Beautiful.”.

At the merch tent, I picked up a copy of HEY-SMITH’s album Rest In Punk – World Edition on stunning aqua blue vinyl. This special edition includes a full-color inner sleeve featuring the album’s lyrics. To top it off, I was fortunate enough to have my copy signed by all six members of HEY-SMITH, making it a cherished addition to my record collection.

Rest In Punk is available on all major digital platforms, so whether you attended the Supernova Ska Festival or not, I highly recommend checking it out. Listening to it instantly transports me back to the festival, capturing HEY-SMITH’s electrifying energy right in my living room.

If you enjoy live versions, you’re in luck. HEY-SMITH just released Dear Freedom – Rest In Punk Tour Final, a live album recorded in Okinawa. You can stream it now on major digital platforms, and experience the energy of their unforgettable performances.