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Summer Sonic’s 25th anniversary celebrations just got bigger with the announcement of three massive shows in Tokyo on August 13. Billed as ‘Summer Sonic Extra’ performances, David Byrne, Steve Lacy and Holly Humberstone will each play gigs around the city the night before the main event kicks off in Tokyo and Osaka.
David Byrne is currently on a world tour supporting his latest album Who Is the Sky?. The album is a collaborative effort with New York-based ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra, and the tour sees the former Talking Heads frontman performing with a band of 12 musicians, singers and dancers.
The show was one of the most talked about of this year’s Coachella and saw the band perform tracks from the latest album as well as the acclaimed ‘American Utopia’ and more than a handful of Talking Heads classics. David Byrne and co will perform at the new SGC Hall in Ariake.
England’s Holly Humberstone has gone from strength to strength since her debut EP, 2020’s Falling Asleep at the Wheel. She’s made multiple appearances on the Tonight Show in the States, won a Brit award and performed with high-profile artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift.
Her new album Cruel World, the artist's second full-length release, takes on a more upbeat and optimistic pop sound and will bring her to Japan amidst shows in the UK, Europe and the United States. She’ll perform at Duo Music Exchange in Shibuya before appearances at Summer Sonic Tokyo and Osaka on August 14 and 15.
Steve Lacy will also be touring a new album this August. The ‘Bad Habit’ singer and former The Internet guitarist is set to drop his third full-length album, Oh Yeah?, this July, a follow-up to 2022’s highly successful Gemini Rights.
In the intervening four years, Lacy has won a Grammy award, been named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world, performed on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and headlined the inaugural Re:Set Concert Series. Lacy will perform at Toyosu Pit on August 13 before heading to Summer Sonic Tokyo on August 15 and Osaka on August 16.
In addition, Summer Sonic’s 11th artist announcement included 15 new acts, including a special event on the Pavilion Stage in Osaka on August 15 called Happy Flower Live. Kasabian, who were due to perform on the Mountain Stage in Osaka on August 15, have now moved to the Air stage in the slot before The Strokes.
Summer Sonic will take place June 14-16 at Tokyo’s Makuhari Messe and Osaka’s Expo ’70 Commemorative Park. Three-day and Platinum tickets for the Tokyo festival have sold out, but 1-day tickets are still available. All tickets for Osaka are still available, except for Platinum tickets for August 14 and 16.
General sale for Summer Sonic Extra in Tokyo starts on July 4 for the David Byrne and Steve Lacy shows and July 11 for the Holly Humberstone date. For more details, see the Summer Sonic website.
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