Yu "Jay" Aoki, an American Forces Network broadcast technician, peforms with his band, Garage Crap, at the Chicken Shack near Yokota Air Base, Japan, on May 4, 2025. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — An American Forces Network broadcast technician has spent the past three months preparing for his band’s performance at the upcoming Friendship Festival on this airlift hub in western Tokyo.
Yu “Jay” Aoki and his band, Garage Crap, are making their third appearance at the annual, two-day open house, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors for static aircraft displays, flybys, food vendors and entertainment on multiple stages.
“I’ve been watching Friendship Festival performances as a listener since before I started Garage Crap — they always have great bands and big crowds,” Aoki said in an interview Friday. “That stage was my dream, so I wanted to share this opportunity with more people.”
Airman 1st Class Maria Washler, an American Forces Network broadcaster, performs with Garage Crap at the Chicken Shack near Yokota Air Base, Japan, on May 4, 2025. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)
Yu "Jay" Aoki, an American Forces Network broadcast technician, performs with Garage Crap in Musashimurayama, near Yokota Air Base, Japan, on May 11, 2025. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)
U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Jae Knight performs with Garage Crap in Musashimurayama, near Yokota Air Base, Japan, on May 11, 2025. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)
Aoki said he founded the band 13 years ago, drawing inspiration from the Foo Fighters. The band’s frontman, Dave Grohl, once said he recorded their seventh album in a garage.
“I love cars and motorcycles a lot,” Aoki said. “So, the word ‘garage’ kinda fit my taste.”
Garage Crap plays mostly original garage and indie rock, sprinkled with a couple of fun covers, such as the “Friends” sitcom theme.
Aoki said the band’s mission is to share love, joy and respect through their music. That spirit was behind his decision to collaborate with several service members and friends and family on a performance of “This Is Me,” from the film “The Greatest Showman.”
Garage Crap is slated to take the Friendship Festival stage at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, with “This Is Me” closing out the set, Aoki said. Planning began in mid-March, and the group has held two rehearsals and three live performances since April to prepare for the event.
The crowd gets into a Garage Crap performance in Musashimurayama, near Yokota Air Base, Japan, on May 11, 2025. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)
Airman 1st Class Maria Washler, an American Forces Network broadcaster, performs with Garage Crap in Musashimurayama, near Yokota Air Base, Japan, on May 11, 2025. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)
Airman 1st Class Maria Washler, an AFN broadcaster and a member of the band Sick Nasties, is one of two guest vocalists performing with Garage Crap.
“Singing with Jay’s band has been such a wonderful experience. Being able to have fun and share all of our passions for music together has been so memorable,” she said Monday by Messenger. “I am so grateful to be a part of the growing friendship and love that Jay’s band and the rest of the group brings.”
Aoki said the idea to perform “This Is Me” came from his wife. He immediately agreed, as “The Greatest Showman” is one of his favorite movies.
“If everyone has love and respect, the world is going to be more beautiful,” he said. “That movie and the song ‘This Is Me’ are powerful. Love, respect, friendship and family are good things and fit in the Friendship Festival.”
