You’d be hard-pressed to find an act that can match the energy of Japan’s all-woman four-piece disco-punk band, Chai. Famous for their non-stop energetic and choreographed performances, Chai brought some much needed brightness to our midwestern winter during Saturday’s performance at Milwaukee’s Cactus Club.
Cactus Club was a delightful setting for such an animated performance. The venue’s modest size made the larger-than-life performance feel like a VIP experience.
That night was the second stop of their North American “Wink Together” tour, following the release of their third full-length album, “Wink.” The first stop on the tour was in Chicago, and they will be stopping at several other midwestern and east coast cities before heading west to open for Mitski’s tour.
Cactus Club doesn’t have a backstage. Performers have to navigate through the venue and the crowd to get to the stage stairs. Usually, that’s no big deal. For Chai’s sold-out show, it allowed for an immediate connection with the audience.
The four women, twins Mana and Kana as well as Yuna and Yuuki, entered in metallic raincoats to a room of cheers. They walked on stage during the ominous introduction of their song, “No More Cake,” where they quickly created the high energy atmosphere that they’d carry throughout their whole show.
Their first two songs, “In Pink” and “Nobody Knows We Are Fun,” went by in a blur of energy before they took a musical intermission for self-introductions. They chanted “C – H – A – I – CHAI,” before the audience quickly joined in for a spontaneous call and response. Mana, Kana, Yuna and Yuuki then took turns introducing themselves, their interests and sharing their gratitude to the audience.
To keep everyone on their toes, the musical introduction turned into a cover of High School Musical’s “We’re All In This Together.” The audience indulged the band in a sing-along. At some point, all four women took off their metallic jackets to reveal Carrie Bradshaw-esque pink tulle dresses.
“This is our first time in Milwaukee,” said Yuna, Chai drummer. “We cannot wait to come back soon. We have been eating your cheese curds. They are so, so delicious!”
About halfway through the set, Chai performed their song “END,” which was written about the band’s experience handling sexism. The song repeats a powerful “shut up” between every handful of lyrics, backed by a track that could have come from “License to Ill”-era Beastie Boys.
A high point of the show was the band’s cover (and reinterpretation) of Mariya Takeuchi’s “Plastic Love.” The song starts with the captivating repetition of “I’m just playing games, I’m just playing games.” The pop-disco song would feel right at home at a club with Kylie Minogue and Donna Summer.
Yuna and Yukki then came center stage to perform the powerful anthem “United Girls Rock N’ Roll Club,” which was written and recorded with the Spanish band, Hinds, another all-woman four-piece.
The song’s lyrics, “Come with us to a radical place, we have the right, we have the power to change,” features a chorus of “Oooh! United Girls Rock ‘N’ Roll Club,” with verses in both Spanish and Japanese.
After the songs “Wish Upon a Star” and “Donuts Mind if I do,” the audience got a little surprise. Chicago’s very own Ric Wilson hopped on stage as a special guest. He joined the women in their collaborative R&B single, “Maybe Chocolate Chips.” Unfortunately, the microphone Wilson used was not working, and his performance was barely audible. However, on the track itself, Wilson brings warm vocals and thoughtful commentary.
That was supposed to be their closer.
However, the audience’s response was so powerful that they returned for an encore to perform their hit “N.E.O.” Their self-described “neo-kawaii” spirit was in full drive during the song. The commanding pace featured a catchy refrain that repeats, “You are so cute, nice face, come on, yeah! We are so cute, nice face, come on yeah!”
As the second stop in their tour, Mliwaukeans were some of the first people to experience Chai’s pent-up energy since their last tour in early 2020. The next time they return to Milwaukee, they will undoubtedly be at a bigger venue. The intimacy made Saturday’s performance extra special for the audience–a lively and powerful celebration of all things feminine.