Southside Ballroom in Dallas, TX — April 24, 2025

Japanese Breakfast kicked off the second night of their ‘Melancholy’ tour at the Southside Ballroom in Dallas and despite the dour promise of the tour’s title, brought joy and radiance to the crowd. Their latest album, For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) was released in March and the album is rich with literary themes and allusions to classical arts. It balances imagery of the past with experiences of the present, imbued with modern melodies and the experimental indie pop sound quintessential of the band. 

The tour’s stage and costume design were set to perfectly mirror the album’s vision; a large seashell, reminiscent of perhaps ‘The Birth of Venus,’ was placed at the back of the center of the stage, providing a seat for frontwoman Michelle Zauner to perform the opening number, “Here is Someone” on acoustic guitar. Behind her, there was a dreamily painted sky backdrop that flashed colorful lights throughout the show, creating the feel of a renaissance painting clashing with turmoil. 

The aesthetic vision was established from the very start; the band emerged on stage in a cloud of fog and Zauner carried a lantern as if they were pirates at sea in some lost, long ago era, conjuring up feelings of wanting and woe. The themes continued to weave throughout their show in the setlist, as they performed the majority of their contemplative new album, along with fan favorites like “Kokomo, IN” and “Slide Tackle,” balancing the proclaimed “melancholy” with upbeat vibes and moments of reflection. They closed their set with a three-fold encore “Paprika,” “Be Sweet,” and “Diving Woman,” leaving their audience with gleeful hearts and much to ponder.

Words & Photography: Marquel Patton