The most surprising moment of Yoasobi’s Neverending Story concert at the Hollywood Bowl was when their composer Ayase said it was the first time a Japanese pop group had performed at the legendary venue. You might think someone like Hikaru Utada would strike first. But after checking it on the Internet, it is indeed the case. Props Asobi Their popularity is evidenced by their immense achievements.
They definitely made me a fan through their anime-related events. I rarely check out J-pop groups’ pre-anime catalogues, but their catchy melodies never cease to amaze me. It’s even rarer for me to continue to enjoy their subsequent releases. So when they announced a concert in Los Angeles, I was all in.
In another life, I would have done this activity alone, pencil and notepad in hand. This time, it’s a complete family affair. I went with my wife and my 7 year old partner. We’re talking about a 7-year-old whose musical interests include a healthy dose of Maaya Sakamoto, various Vocaloids, and, of course, Yoasobi. I would even go so far as to say that she knows far more about Jo Asobi’s work than I do. Since this was her first time performing live, her expectations were high. So on a warm August afternoon, we arrived at the Hollywood Bowl along with many other Yoasobi fans, and not a single seat was available.
After the stage was set, Yoasobi began their popular animated opening: Son of Shinobu“Idol”. Ikura’s energetic speech excited the audience. My kids were equally fascinated, not only by the sounds, but also by the lighting effects and back-screen visuals. It made such a strong first impression that she declared “Idol” her favorite moment. Anime continues to come out; Ikura is followed by “Blessing” (Gundam: The Witch from Mercury) and “UNDEAD” from Story series.
After a brief interlude, Ikura asked everyone to repeat “mou Ikkai!” in preparation for the next song. This marks the next release of a song, “PLAYERS”, commemorating the release of the first-generation Playstation. Informed fans eagerly let out the signature, impassioned “Mou ikkai, mou ikkai!” as the chorus began, adding the line “Play on, you and me, set on the Legacy,” creating an electrifying atmosphere.
Speaking of electric, after a cheerful “Look at me!” Ikura asked people if they’d heard of Pokémon. This elicited a roar of enthusiasm, including from my children. Those in the know were excited about the energetic “Biri-Biri,” and my kids happily enjoyed Ikura’s performance.
At this point Yoasobi switched from their anime and game tie-ins to their original catalog, starting with the saccharine “BABY”. In the next song, “Probable,” Ikura asks the audience to turn on their smartphone flashlights. The resulting sea of light passing through the bowl feels magical. So much so that Ayase said how beautiful it looked from where he stood on the stage.
Ikura was brilliant through it all. Her ability to manage the crowd was exceptional, using the entire stage and even the front of the garden box to keep the crowd energized. Due to her English proficiency, her emcee job complemented the performance by providing the audience with more background information on the songs and Yoasobi’s overall mission to grow Japanese pop music overseas. Finally, her vocals are solid, especially her dreamy, wistful solo intro to “Ano Yume wo Nazotte,” which is absolutely moving.
But that’s not Ikura’s only solo! The second surprise of the night was when she showed up with an electric guitar and ripped a riff from the beginning of “Butai ni Tatte.” I’m so impressed with her guitar work! Finally, the main show ended with “Gunjou” which I felt was a perfect choice to leave the audience excited and wanting more. Part of the reason is because of the refrain that so many people (including my kids and myself) have sung:
Shiraz Shiraz Kushta Tower
The sound of the original head wo hibikasete yo, hora
Mineforish Tetmo
Taxika you Soko you Aru
After “Gunjou” ended, both Ayase and Ikura expressed their gratitude to all the fans for their support, and they and their bandmates posed for photos with the crowd before leaving the stage.
It was then that I became confused by the people who started to leave their seats. Maybe I’m an old hand (admittedly I’m in the older segment), but since the lights in the venue haven’t been turned back on yet, the encore is clearly coming soon! Oh well. The wait for the encore did take longer than usual, resulting in some scattered shouts of “Mou ikkai!” From time to time. But most are determined to wait.
To keep the crowd from getting agitated, Hollywood Bowl photographers kept people entertained by showing some of the fans’ reactions on a screen near the stage. One standout feature is a young woman performing Aqua’s routine while waving her penlight at a B-Komachi concert. Son of Shinobu. It was such a joy and she cheered.
Yoasobi does eventually come back, because of course they do. Ikura promised two more songs and then launched into the energetic “Adrena.” This choice piqued my anticipation for “Yoru ni Kakeru” and it turned out great, ending it nicely.
The concert was a joy from start to finish. For someone who has been out of the loop due to life events, it was nice to step away and appreciate an artist that I love so much. Being able to share this experience with my kids, who absolutely loved the concert and couldn’t stop talking about it, was an added bonus.
Playlist
- Idol
- bless
- undead
- player
- Look at me!
- bilibili
- baby
- perhaps
- Harujin
- Suyoshida
- comet
- Orion
- brave man
- monster
- seventeen
- my dream
- Butenitat
- Quncheng
- Adrenaline
- night song