Regurgitator Return To Japan For First Shows In 17 Years With Shonen Knife

Regurgitator have returned to Japan in July 2026 for their first performances in the country since 2009, reconnecting with long-time collaborators Shonen Knife and revisiting one of the band’s most enduring international markets.

by Paul Cashmere

Australian alternative rock veterans Regurgitator will play their first Japanese dates in 17 years this month, returning to a country that embraced the Brisbane band from the mid-1990s and helped establish one of their longest international relationships. The July run of shows will see the group perform alongside Osaka’s Shonen Knife, nearly three decades after the two bands first met backstage in Japan.

The tour marks another chapter in Regurgitator’s long association with Japanese audiences. While the band have maintained a profile in Australia through constant touring and recording, their Japanese appearances have been sporadic in recent years.

Their last shows in the country came in 2009, when they headlined the invitation-only Kevrock festival in Nagano and played a one-off Tokyo date.

Regurgitator manager Paul Curtis said the band had extensive history in Japan before their long absence.

“Regurgitator toured here a lot in the late 90s and early 2000s… maybe 10 times,” Curtis said. “It was always fun. First time back to do shows since 2009.”

The band’s relationship with Japan stretches back to December 1995 when they played their first Tokyo club shows after touring Europe with Filter. A planned Osaka date at Club Quattro was cancelled because of visa delays in Hong Kong, but the Tokyo performances introduced Regurgitator to an audience that quickly embraced their genre-blurring mix of punk, electronic music and hip-hop.

They returned in 1996, sharing bills with Japanese experimental rock outfit Boredoms and American hardcore band Civ. It was during that visit, backstage at a Boredoms show in Osaka, that Regurgitator first encountered Shonen Knife.

The meeting would prove significant. Regurgitator later invited Shonen Knife to appear on the 1997 Big Day Out in Australia, beginning a friendship that has continued for almost 30 years.

In 2019, Shonen Knife travelled to Australia to join celebrations marking Regurgitator’s 25th anniversary. The upcoming Japanese dates effectively complete the exchange, with Regurgitator now joining the Osaka trio for their annual 712 Day celebrations.

Shonen Knife’s 712 Day events have become a fixture of the Japanese live calendar. The annual concerts celebrate the band’s name through Japanese wordplay, with “7-1-2” pronounced “na-i-fu”, sounding similar to the Japanese pronunciation of “knife”. The shows frequently feature special guests and this year’s edition includes Regurgitator as part of the festivities.

Japan has historically been one of Regurgitator’s strongest international markets. The band’s 1999 album …art enjoyed modest chart success in the country and helped establish a dedicated following. Their appearance at the Fuji Rock Festival in 2001 further elevated their profile and led to subsequent headline tours.

Frontman Quan Yeomans has previously spoken about the band’s affection for Japanese audiences, recalling how attentive crowds could move from complete silence during quieter moments to enthusiastic reactions during the more energetic sections of their performances.

The 2026 itinerary includes a sold-out appearance at Tokyo’s Live House Fever with Shonen Knife, an additional Tokyo date with Osaka Ramones, and performances in Osaka and Nagoya. Several shows will feature local Japanese acts including Howling Mountain, Milk Tea and The Probes.

For Regurgitator, the return represents more than another overseas tour. It reconnects the band with a territory that embraced their musical experimentation early in their career and fostered friendships that have endured for decades. Nearly 30 years after first sharing a backstage area with Shonen Knife in Osaka, the two groups will finally tour together in Japan.

2026 Japan Tour Dates
4 July, Tokyo, Live House Fever (with Shonen Knife)
5 July, Tokyo, Club Goodman (with Osaka Ramones)
10 July, Osaka, Hokage Music Bar (with Howling Mountain, Milk Tea and The Probes)
11 July, Nagoya, Club Upset (with Shonen Knife)
12 July, Osaka, Live House Anima (with Shonen Knife)

Ticketing details: The 4 July show at Live House Fever is sold out. Tickets for remaining dates are available through the respective venues.