Shinjuku Loft

If you happen to have dabbled in Japanese punk any time in the last 25 years or so, chances are you’ve heard of Balzac. Their collaborations with the Misfits earned them a much broader international following in the early ’00s and, despite some setbacks over the last two decades or so, they’ve hardly slowed down since. Maintaining an incredibly strong cult following in Japan, they typically treat fans to more than a handful of shows each year. But with the September 2025 death of Manabe, their drummer of 24 years, things have been comparatively quiet. Billed as a major comeback for the band, the September 19 show will coincide not only with the first anniversary of Manabe’s death but also with the 30th anniversary of the band’s first performance at Loft – and the release of their third single, ‘Isolation From No. 13’. Curious about the (somewhat unwieldy) event name? It’s a nod to a message the band received from the Misfits’ Jerry Only.