Running after the three Japanese musicians from Limited Express (Has Gone?) has proven exhausting. Not that it’s not worth it, they are just too energetic. Their hectic calender sees them jetting to Korea before Brisbane for the Soobiesta festival and they have spent the interim gigging down the coast to Melbourne, and doing all the things we Australians take for granted. Fish and chips, picking strawberries off the farm, big burgers with beetroot and a more spiritual than gastronomic encounter between singer Yukari and a bird on a quiet stretch of coastline.

Here at Melbourne’s currently spotless Pony, Yukari is about to grab a couple of minutes sleep on the raised floor up the back of the band room, in fact her head has just hit the pillow made of a bag that probably contains her on-stage outfit. I hesitate, not sure whether to interrupt, but she notices my footsteps through the din of Turnpike’s soundcheck and beckons me over.

Last night was one of the best shows for us” says Yukari of the gig at the Northcote Social Club. It’s the sort of statement you might expect a band from overseas to say, but Yukari knows she means it and it’s clear on her face that it’s the truth, at least until the next one. Her energy bubbles through her lethargy, she is bright eyed, attentive to the reporter. The band’s success means a lot to her and success means good press I cynically think.

It wasn’t until after their show that her demeanour began to make more sense. Their performance is an uncompromising display of their will to be new. In Japan, or at least in the Japan that Yukari, JJ and Josh know, the stresses on a person to be different are intense. “The young generation [has] grown up listening to Boredoms or Melt Banana. Then, they made [a] new sound in Japan and we [have] grown up in that new sound and we make more new sounds, its very interesting now” said Yukari.

Which brings us to the Kansai scene, a bubbling spring of the new Japanese culture. “We have lots of new post rock or post punk bands, they play drums or guitars [wearing] strange and weird costumes” relays Yukari referring partially to Osaka’s Watusi Zombie who perform in Grand Buddha masks. Australian audiences can take post-punk and experimentalism for granted, but coming from Japan’s conservative history; leather, drums, distortion, sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll is a new paradigm. For the performers it’s about breaking out of Japan’s strict codes of conduct in the most explosive way possible.

The latest offerings from the pedigree of Guitar Wolf and Boredoms have more spunk, less junk than their pop ancestors. It’s a simple tale of high energy entertainment value. Asked about her idea of the greatest crowd the band could have, she said “I don’t think about it, I want everyone to dance and have a good time with us.” Well, we’ll certainly try, especially once she says “I cant live without singing or playing.”

I ask Yukari about how she sees her band in the context of a cultural revolution, is Limited Express making a lasting impression? “I’m aware of what [impression I’m making] but maybe [it happens] without my knowing” she responds. Spy, their song with JJ’s cascading and ascending guitars, jazz rhythms and short sharp vocalisations from Yukari, was a number one hit for five weeks in 2002 (before their first album’s release). It was an unexpected bit of kudos for the band, and might get them to a position they want. “I want to change the overground music scene” she confirms.

I let Yukari get back to what she was doing, sleeping, and she promises to catch up later for a final chat. In the meantime we watch Turnpike blast out their honed and chiselled sound, displaying their 13 year experience in Brisbane playing only the rawest, most unripe post-punk of them all. Without knowing their history a listener could quickly mistake them for riding the new wave. Their support of Limited Express coincides with their release of their album humans find patterns. Talkshow Boy also recites his oz hip hop storytelling act, and before we know it we have reached the main event.

Yukari and JJ front the stage in front of the skeletal horse graphic that now graces the back wall of the Pony stage. Already someone has adjusted it to show anatomical correctness, in a cartoonish way. Josh, the drummer, is smiling and looking to his bandmates for signs of readiness, JJ is cavorting in front of his audience, Yukari is giggly, she seems overwhelmed by the crowd like she never got used to having one. The Pony sold out at 11:15 that night, possibly a record, and by Limited Express’ post-midnight start the crowd is baying for their ‘exploding grooves’. Word got around about their impressive NSC performance. Shouts in Japanese from the crowd, from ‘arigato’ to other more complex phrases, make the band bashfully turn away. They start with ‘Aloha’, one of Yukari’s favourite songs to get the crowd dancing. At this stage the floor of the Pony threatens to give way, without any embellishment the hyped crowd are bouncing around like they’re on a trampoline.

As we progress through the set list, onward to Yukari’s pet song ‘Sacrificial Jesus Child’ the crowd hasn’t lost any of its force and energy. Behaviour breeds behaviour and the band are becoming even more animated than ever with smiles, giggles and jumping around giving way to more impressive moves where Yukari scales the drumkit, JJ rides the monitors and crowdsurfs, and finally for “Tiger Rock’ Yukari immerses herself in her fans. She makes it from the front stage to the back of the room. Her male fans want to be close to this punk rock beauty, they foist her up on their shoulders and carry her around the room like a hero.

Limited Express finish their show with ‘Talk to Me’, as if they needed to mention it. They quit the stage to recuperate after playing an hour of their high energy party punk. The crowd aren’t moving, just cheering themselves hoarse. “Encore”. “Arigato”. “More”. Steam rises off the sweaty frames. Afros lose their body, flattened by the humid air full of beer, spit and sweat. Yukari’s diary once again comes to mind where she wrote of a Korean show “I see a lot of jelly beans in the audience”

They play three more roaring tunes, willing their deflated bodies on. Yukari is pushed forward by will. The support of the audience pumps her up and she is a little bit embarrassed by it. She gets over it though, by the time she sits at her merch table with JJ meeting all the fans who have questions or things to say to them. I take them outside for some final questions before they leave Melbourne once again.

“Today’s audience was so great! The best! Melbourne’s audience is the best in the world, [we’re] travelling 14 countries. This city is the best musical city” says Yukari through my translator, Makoto, better than Sydney I lead her to add. “Australian people like drinking and like yelling, [Limited Express] can enjoy together so the atmosphere is good for them and the audience gave them so much energy to continue playing.” Makoto continues.

Priming them for my next question, I ask about what gives this band their biggest thrill “If she gave the best performance to an audience, and if they give back to them a good reaction so its an awesome time for them” says Makoto. What’s the best music to make love to? I ask. “Limited Ex, yeah it’s very exciting” JJ and Yukari chime with a big nervous laugh. Yet I quickly connect the two, they score so many influences from jazz, why not Sun Ra or James Brown? “They want to play the newest songs which nobody played ever, they love listening to music but they pick up good things but they want to make the newest music” says JJ via Makoto.

I leave them outside the Pony among the slow moving cabs and fans lining up. Three disturbing older guys brandishing posters, cameras, CDs and textas move closer to Yukari for a signing session.