Written by Shelby Schulz | October 30, 2026
Kaoru Ishibashi is a Japanese American multi-instrumentalist who performs and releases music under the name Kishi Bashi. Before starting his own project back in 2011, he previously recorded and toured with Regina Spektor and Of Montreal. He was also part of an indie rock band called Jupiter One.
Ishibashi primarily plays violin onstage, as he was classically trained and attended the Berklee College of Music where he majored in film scoring. He has made appearances on several late night television shows and even co-directed the documentary “Omoiyari,” which features songs off of his album of the same name.
Photo by Shelby Schulz
Ishibashi just finished a run of shows as part of a tour celebrating the 10 year anniversary of his album Sonderlust.This album marked a turning point in his creative journey as a musician. While his previous albums were very maximalist and featured complex patterns created by looping his violin, with Sonderlust he took a step back and created music that was stripped down and made heavier use of synthesizers.
Ishibashi’s band for his Sonderlust tour included three other members who are equally as talented as he is. Graham Richards played keys, Seth Hendershot was on drums and Mike Savino (of Tall Tall Trees) played both the bass and banjo. During their show at Mohawk in mid October, each member of the band had an opportunity to shine with incredibly impressive solos. The other members who weren’t soloing would take a step to the side and proudly point at the soloing musician. Savino especially wowed the audience with his use of the banjo. He didn’t just pluck the strings like you usually see banjo players do, he also played the instrument with a violin bow and even a drum mallet at one point!
Near the end of the run of songs from Sonderlust, the band welcomed some interesting characters on stage. The first was a large honey pot who danced along to the band’s upbeat track “Honeybody” and even played a “drum solo” on a tiny, bee themed drumset that Ishibashi held up in the air. Later, a large T-bone steak appeared to dance along to “The Ballad of Mr. Steak.” Plushie versions of these two mascots were being sold at Kishi Bashi’s merch table, but Honeybody and Mr. Steak also threw some out into the crowd while they were dancing onstage.
The crowd at Mohawk was a very supportive one. The fans encouraged solos and the appearance of the two mascots on stage with loud cheers and applause. One could tell that many of those in the audience were long time fans of Kishi Bashi, as they sang along to songs even when he performed tracks off of his very first album from 2012, titled 151a. Some of the band members also had friends and family in the audience. Even Ishibashi’s wife and her parents were in attendance!
The encore that closed out the night was incredibly special. The band members walked out into the middle of the audience to perform their final songs. Ishibashi stood on top of a stool and slowly rotated in a circle as he sang and played an acoustic guitar. The large crowd gathered around and people pulled out their phones to record the intimate moment. Everyone in the audience sang along with Ishibashi, who was standing just inches away. The last song he performed was “Manchester,” off of his first album. It was hard not to feel hopeful and a part of something special while surrounded by hundreds of people singing about finally feeling alive and in love again after a very long time.
Follow Kishi Bashi:
Instagram: kishi_bashi
Spotify: Kishi Bashi
