“Touring overseas always reminds us that music has no borders.” Age of Kid, a three-piece ska punk band from Tokyo, is preparing for another transnational tour. Their destination? Gainesville, Florida. You see, once a year, this college town becomes ground zero for punk worldwide.
For a quarter of a century, every October, punks from all over have made the annual pilgrimage to Gainesville for Fest, the DIY music festival featuring hundreds of punk bands as well as comedy showcases and even wrestlers now too. And for over a decade, here in Orlando international punk bands on their way to Fest make a stop in the City Beautiful for Foreign Dissent, Orlando’s all-international punk music showcase.
Happening Monday, Oct. 19, at Will’s Pub, this year’s lineup is stacked, with bands from Japan, Costa Rica, Austria and England taking the stage. Japan’s Age of Kid, featuring Taichi on vocals and bass, Norio on drums and Yoda on guitar, are eager to bring their latest record, 20 Years, to an Orlando stage.
The album is aptly named; though the band has experienced many incarnations and a hiatus, this year marks their 20th. “In the beginning, Age of Kid was a pretty straightforward melodic hardcore band. When we restarted, we stopped worrying about genre completely, and that’s when the style we have today really started to develop,” the band shares collectively.
Age of Kid today is self-assured in their eclectic sound and vision, blending ska, punk, reggae and rock, among other influences. “The three of us just play whatever sound feels right to us at that moment. So don’t be surprised when you listen to our records!” they explain with a laugh. “With this album, we cared even less about genre than we did before. More than anything, we focused on what we wanted to play and what we wanted to say.” This combination lends itself to a unique sound, though their live performances are peak punk house-show style with just the right amount of skanking.
Over the years, Foreign Dissent has created a global community, with artists and fans alike gaining friends around the globe. Age of Kid says their U.S. tour was “made possible with the support of so many friends from around the world whom we met on our previous tour. We can’t thank them enough. The way we want to repay them is by giving everything we have on stage.”
It’s a community the band relishes. “We’re not fluent in English. But inside a live house, that doesn’t really matter. So if you enjoy our set, please come talk to us afterward and tell us how you felt,” they implore. “Directly, in whatever way you can.”
It’s transnational goodwill that trades both ways: “If anyone reading this ever gets the chance to visit Japan, please go check out a Japanese live house. There are so many incredible bands in Japan that can stand alongside great bands from anywhere in the world. We hope to see you in Japan someday.”
7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, Will’s Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave., willspub.org, $27.
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This article appears in Oct. 14-20, 2026.