College of Rock is a music event held twice a year—in summer and winter—in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture. As the name suggests, it’s a festival planned and run mainly by college students and other young people. In summer, it takes place on an outdoor stage set up at the Ishigami-no-Oka Museum, and in winter, it’s hosted across multiple live houses in central Morioka, featuring many young bands. There also appears to be an open application process, so if you’re in a band in the Tohoku region, why not give it a try and enter?

This is a circuit event organized by Shikachan, an event promoter active in Fukushima Prefecture. Shikachan is reportedly a staff member of TONEFOLK, a music information site based in the Tohoku region. Although it’s a small-scale circuit event held across two venues, the lineup mainly features up-and-coming bands on the verge of breaking through, making it an event you won’t want to miss.

Six artist acts will perform live across six venues in five bars of the GULLIVER Group. Unlike a typical circuit event, each artist stays at a fixed venue and plays two to three sets with breaks in between. Attendees move from venue to venue to enjoy the shows. The event runs from 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., so you can relax and enjoy food, drinks, and music at your own pace.

A circuit-style event held in the Shimokitazawa area—home to restaurants, vintage clothing stores, record shops, and live houses, and a hub for diverse culture—Shimokitazawa Nite. The organizers are the band THE Love Ningen. The event is held with the theme of creating new connections through music. With a stamp rally and performances by elementary and junior high school bands, it’s an event that can be enjoyed not only by adults but also by children.

MemeFes is a circuit-style music event hosted by the band Memeta. The great thing about circuit events is that, beyond seeing your favorite bands, you can discover new artists, visit a variety of live venues, and enjoy new connections among fans. With that wish in mind, the lineup of artists gathered is something to look forward to. Big venues are impressive and powerful, but we also recommend the unique closeness between artists and audiences that only live houses can offer. Throughout the event, messages from fans easily reach the artists, making for performances with a strong sense of unity.