Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2011

Bayside superclub Ageha, which became a temporary crashpad for commuters unable to return home on March 11, returns with a vengeance. The upcoming week of events takes in musical strands from hip-hop to electro, trance, techno and house.

The week launches Thursday with “Young Machine,” presided over by the respected duo of Shinichi Osawa and Masatoshi Uemura, who together have spearheaded the electro movement in Japan for the better part of a decade. Osawa came of age amid the acid jazz boom that centered on storied Shibuya club The Room, but in recent years has left his jazz leanings behind to pursue a harder-edged sound on albums like last year’s SO2.

Ageha then turns its turntables over to long-running hip-hop/R&B event “Fever,” which has a two-part Golden Week program slated for Friday and Sunday. Friday sees Japan’s own gangsta rapper Zebra take the stage, with veteran selectors Muro and Hazime behind the decks. Sunday is headed up by two Japanese DJs who made their names in New York and returned sprinkled with the fairy dust street cred that a stint in the city imparts in the eyes of locals. DJ Kaori regularly drops compilations on the lighter side of hip-hop and R&B, while DJ Souljah has opened for the likes of 50 cent and spun at Timbaland’s birthday party.

After a Saturday night nod to the gay scene with “Black Ball,” Ageha teams up Tuesday with progressive trance outfit Mother for “Mother x Ageha GW Special.” The night will see a six-hour set from club-slaying German duo D-Nox and Beckers (pictured), as well as a live performance from innovative taiko-trance group Gocoo. D-Nox joined the worldwide rave scene in the early ’90s, and recently with Beckers has been dealing out punishing beats at clubs from Israel to China.

Wednesday welcomes a posse of domestic trackmakers to the decks for “Daishi Dance –the L.O.N.G. Set–,” with an extended set from house DJ Daishi Dance slated for the main floor and harder-edged techno provided on the side by Q’hey.

Friday heads in the opposite direction with the second edition of “Nama Oto,” which roughly translates to “raw sound.” Headed up by Kyoto Jazz Massive DJ Shuya Okino, and Toshio Matsuura and Raphael Sebbag formerly of DJ collective UFO, the idea is to spin only music that has been created with real musical instruments: sampling and sequencing are strictly forbidden.

Ageha’s Golden Week marathon comes to a suitable close by offering a little bit of something for everyone. Emma, perhaps Japan’s most famous house DJ, will be holding it down on the main floor, with sets also slated from hip-hop turntablist Masterkey, reggae dancehall stylist Masterpiece Sound, as well as eye candy in the form of pole dancers and acrobats.

Young Machine. Boys Noize, Osawa, etc. Apr 28, 11pm, ¥3,500. Koto-ku. www.ageha.com