Sunlight poured through the eucalyptus trees as Japanese Breakfast settled into Stern Grove on Sunday afternoon. Blankets stretched across the hillside, picnic baskets were open long before the first note, and the setting encouraged people to sink into the music instead of rushing toward the stage.
“Paprika” opened the set with a slow, confident build before “Orlando in Love” and “Honey Water” added a little more urgency. Michelle Zauner, visibly very pregnant, performed with the same calm presence she’s known for. It registered for a moment, then disappeared behind the songs.
From there, the set found its rhythm. “Kokomo, IN” carried a quiet warmth that fit the afternoon perfectly, while “The Woman That Loves You” reminded everyone how much emotion Zauner can pack into an understated performance. Then came “Savage Good Boy,” breaking up the softness with a sly, uneasy energy that kept the set from becoming too comfortable.
One of the afternoon’s strongest moments arrived with “The Body Is a Blade.” The song never reaches for melodrama. Instead, it lets its weight settle naturally, making the silence between phrases almost as important as the music itself.
Later, “Posing for Cars” gave the band room to stretch out before “Be Sweet” lifted the mood with its irresistible groove. Nobody seemed eager for the afternoon to end, so the encore—”Diving Woman” followed by “Everybody Wants to Love You”—felt less like a victory lap than one last chance to stay in that moment a little longer, beneath the trees as the sun lingered over Stern Grove.
