Since 1996, Japan Nite, the official Japanese music showcase of SXSW, has transported an oh-so-precious few bands from Japan to a stage positioned directly in front of an audience comprising Austin townies and SXSW goers. What generally happens as a result is a genre-defying concert that has something for everybody. This year’s show case, held last Friday, featured a “festival punk” band called Samurai Dynamites, the return of an Americana band (from Kyoto) called Pirate’s Canoe and the ultra chill wave aesthetic of The Fin.

Last Friday’s show also marked Japan Nite’s twentieth anniversary, which the organizers celebrated with little additional fanfare by doing what they always do, putting on a great show.

In anticipation of the twentieth anniversary, I put together a short radio segment for The Texas Standard, an hour-long, daily radio news show orchestrated by KUT 90.5 in Austin, TX and broadcast all over the state and beyond. In it, you can hear Japan Nite organizers Audrey Kimura and Hiroshi Asada as well as Production Manager Bryan Nelson. Also on the recording is the production manager for San Francisco’s Independent music venue where Japan Nite will perform on Monday, March 30.

Listen to “Need a Japanese Music Fix? Better Head to…Austin?” on texasstandard.org.

Japan Nite is currently touring the U.S. for more information on dates and venues, visit japan-nite.com.

For more ramblings by Japan Nite fans (primarily me and Roberto Villegas) listen to this episode of My So Called 8bit Life. Roberto also did a two-hour show about Japan Nite for Rakuten.FM. Be sure and check it out!