Motion

Shinjuku is a hive of live houses, and this is one of the best. The capacity is about 100 people, which means you can get really close to the performers. I love the explosive sound you get here. Motion and the other live venues in the area spotlight up-and-coming alternative and indie bands—you can hear new bands here before they make it big. On the same street, Shinjuku MARZ, Shinjuku LOFT, Shibuya O-nest, and Koenji UFO CLUB all have a similar vibe and focus on new alternative and indie sounds. Visit a few and see if you can find a favorite band. It’s no exaggeration that the compilation Tokyo New Wave 2010 was born in Shinjuku’s live houses.