I first caught Bo Ningen (which aptly translates as “stick men”), live last year at the 2000 Trees Festival. I’d been listening to them for a little while after their 2010 self titled debut album caught my ear. However listening to these four London-based, Tokyo ex-pats, recorded is one thing, but seeing them live is quite a different kettle of Sushi.

With more hair between them than a stadium full of Cousin Itt’s, these four Japanese noise merchants took the Gloucestershire countryside by storm with their psychedelic krautrock sound and brilliant stage presence.

Despite being utterly blown away by this, I had seen nothing yet…

The following February, the much more intimate Green Door Store turned out to be a considerably better place to get up close and personal with the Bo Ningen live experience.

I’ve never seen a “supporting” act outplay the main act to such an extent as Bo Ningen did to S.C.U.M that night, who once they took to the stage looked as shell shocked as the rest of the crowd for long into their own set.

I’m not sure what made the loudest noise during those first few minutes of Bo Ningen’s performance, the musical mayhem of the band’s opening number, or the collective dropping of eighty-odd people’s jaws crashing to the cobbled floor.

Bo Ningen, who describe their own sound as “cosmic lullaby and chant”, aren’t just one trick noise ponies. Their sound is often very rhythmic, definitely psychedelic and at times even has a bluesy edge to the krautrock chaos.

As we received the onslaught of the band’s short sharp set, I almost enjoyed the look on people’s faces as much as the performance itself.

Being in “support” the band were actually quite well behaved, defying much of what I’ve read about the usual demise of their stage come the end of each Bo Ningen set, but you don’t have to search far online to find such antics.

So come 10 October, even if you aren’t instantly attracted to what you hear recorded, get yourself down to the Green Door, get behind the Bo Ningen live phenomenon, buy the t-shirt, buy the new album, grow your hair, but maybe, just maybe, don’t lend them your drum kit.

Matt Russell