Is X Japan headed to SXSW?

On January 27, 2011 X Japan released official word that the band is partnering up with EMI Music for the release of its first, American album. In the press release, X Japan band leader Yoshiki Hayashi had much to say about recording the album and the inherit challenge of outfitting some of X Japan’s biggest hits with English lyrics. The press release had very little to say about following up the band’s all-too-short North American tour from last year. The only mention was a short, vague sentence at the bottom of the page: “To support the new album, X Japan plans to tour extensively in 2011.”

Tonight, it appears those extensive tour plans may include a performance at SXSW.

Nihongaku is awaiting official confirmation from X Japan publicist Heidi Ellen Robinson-Fitzgerald, but according to sxsw.com, X Japan is scheduled to play a 1 a.m. performance at Rusty Spurs during the SXSW Music Festival on March 19. Word came to me from Japan Nite Organizer Audrey Benten’s twitter account earlier this evening.

There have been no mention of this performance on X Japan’s official site or Yoshiki Hayashi’s Twitter account. That said, the fact that this show is listed on the SXSW schedule (admittedly with almost no information aside from the date and location) makes this seem very likely. (Update: it turns out this is not the case.)