Thursday 07/08/03 Yumi Yumi, Electric Eel Shock @ Night & Day, Manchester

The Japanese are getting their own back. After what must seem like an eternity of Posh n Becks strutting about their part of the world, they've come over here looking for a piece of global domination, starting with Manchester's Night and Day.

Support comes in the form of cartoon-like girls Yumi Yumi (pronounced You-me You-me). Lead guitarist Kaori and bass player Yumi share vocals while a lickle teddy bear named 'Naughty Bob' sits where the drummer should be.

The basis of their sound lies in a backing track of strange noises, beats and swirls, vaguely reminiscent of the Chemical Brothers. That is until heavy rock riffs crank across it, just leaving enough room for the singsong angelic vocals, sounding bizarrely in parts like The B52s. The short set closes with an absolute blinder, evoking images of singing Japanese school kids (perhaps because that's exactly what it is, albeit in recorded form). Layers of Playskool piano tinklings interweave as the girls sway and sing, wind-up-doll style.

Yumi Yumi are undoubtedly yummy but to gain the full benefit as a listener, you must first be in a silly hyperactive mood and have pigtails.

STAND WELL BACK! Headliners Electric Eel Shock should come with a health warning and Parental Advisory sticker. Where to begin? Well naked drummer Gian is a good place to start. Naked, that is but for a strategically placed sock and 4 drums sticks, neither of which do much to preserve his modesty. Then there's vocalist Aki Morimoto, who wields a Flying V like an axe whilst shooting the crowd 'evils' from under his volatile afro. Finally, expert bass player and climber Kazuto Maekawa was not to be outdone and took to hanging off the ceiling, vaulting amps and lurching out at the front row when they least expected it. Whilst this was hugely entertaining, hilarious and occasionally scary, the EES are not being worshiped as the new gods of Eastern punk metal for nothing.

Rock & Roll Can Rescue The World signalled the birth of a room full of believers whilst building a mountingly terrifying potion of searing riffs, firing squad drumming and spiked vocals. Lyrically, there were numerous name checks for their diverse influences, from Black Sabbath to John Lennon. There is no other word for Suicide Rock 'n' Roll than downright cool. The army of people singing along word perfect illustrated just how infectiously massive this band could be, whipping onlookers into a Metallica-esque frenzy.

After what seemed like hours of excitable Mancs shouting "MAD FOR IT!" Morimoto finally succumbed, offering the ecstatic crowd a snarled "Ma' fo' eeet!" You've got to believe them when they say, "We don't know much English but we love rock n roll!"