Japanese Breakfast – The Palace Theatre – St. Paul MN – September 9th 2025

September 9 – Japanese Breakfast at the Palace Theatre – St. Paul Minnesota

Review and photos by Catherine Zons

I came to the Palace on a rainy Tuesday evening for a couple of bands that I really didn’t know much about. I wasn’t familiar with the music of opening act Ginger Root, nor, really, anything from Japanese Breakfast. (I’d actually come to the show thinking they were a different band with a similar name!) So, when I walked beneath the Theatre’s flashing ‘PALACE’ marquee and into the venue, I was very pleasantly surprised by the lively music emanating from the stage.

Ginger Root, a musical ensemble fronted by Cameron Lew, is an indie soul project founded in Huntington Beach, California. Lew describes Ginger Root’s sound as “aggressive elevator soul,” an apt description of the excited, experimental melodies I heard. Among the lineup were some apparent fan favorites—the crowd cheered loudly for “Loretta” and “Only You” off Ginger Root’s albums City Slicker and SHINBANGUMI, respectively. I was struck by how packed the place was already; to see such a vibrant and full crowd for an opening band on a Tuesday night was really incredible! The performance closed out with “Show 10,” a spirited track inspired by the concurrent struggle and joy of performance.

After a brief intermission, the house lights dimmed, and some on-stage smoke machines began rolling purple fog off the stage and into the crowd. To thunderous applause, the members of Japanese Breakfast took the stage and the performance opened with “Here is Someone,” a longingly dreamy song from For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), the band’s latest album. With a sound loosely associated with indie pop, experimental lo-fi, and shoegaze, Japanese Breakfast pairs the hauntingly ethereal vocals of frontwoman Michelle Zauner with a host of instrumentation, including acoustic and electric guitar (Peter Bradley and Deven Craige), violin (Lauren Baba), saxophone (Adam Schatz), drums and piano (Craig Hendrix). The band fuses these musical voices that I’d typically consider to be individually overpowering into a subdued and perfectly synchronized sound. The Palace Theatre’s domed performance space provided the perfect acoustics for a rich auditory experience.

Visually, the show was incredible too. A mix of purplish and low-key spotlights illuminated the band’s large ocean- and clamshell-themed set pieces. Often interrupted by vivid red and blue strobing lights, the pyrotechnics, like the sound, masterfully conveyed both softness and intense emotional energy. Japanese Breakfast’s over 20+ song setlist included tracks from a decade of albums (all of which I’ve been dutifully been getting acquainted with since the show.) After an encore, the show ended far too soon with “Diving Woman,” an experimental track that combines silky and gentle vocals with an arrestingly grungy guitar riff.

I left the show with a deep appreciation for two new musical groups and a newfound curiosity to explore the worlds of indie soul and shoegaze music. I’m so glad my poor memory of band names led me to the Palace Theatre on Tuesday night, because the show I got was incredible, unexpected, and so, so much fun. The next time Japanese Breakfast comes to town, I’ll be there–on purpose!