Brit-Japanese punk squad STRAIGHT BACK FORWARD will close out 2025 with their biggest show to date, joining J for his mega year-end event in Shibuya. The LUNA SEA co-founder has invited the band to perform at his final show of the year, taking place at Shibuya O-EAST on 30 December 2025. The event is titled Hokama Daibounenkai (The Arsonist’s Year-End Riot) and features ROTTENGRAFFTY and BONE DAWN, along with special guests Toshiya of DIR EN GREY and Takada Metal of ELLEGARDEN and MAYKIDZ. Additional performers will be announced soon.

2025 has been a standout year for STRAIGHT BACK FORWARD. The band centres around guitarist masasucks (Fullscratch, the HIATUS, Radiots, Puffy, Team Shachi, J Band, and more) and Joshua (NEATZ), and is joined by a rotating cast of heavy-hitters from Japan’s punk scene who jump into the lineup whenever their schedules allow.

In 2025 their debut single ‘Don’t Back Down / Haunted Home’ was released through London label JPU Records, and lead track ‘Don’t Back Down’ landed on more than 200 Spotify playlists. To mark the moment, the band dropped a live video of the track, filmed at Shinjuku ACB on 9 October 2025 when they supported Dizzy Sunfist and GOOD4NOTHING.

With momentum building fast, STRAIGHT BACK FORWARD look set for an even bigger 2026. Watch this space.