Concert Report; Poporo: June 2006 (Leader talks about the tour)
Photography: Matsumoto Kentaro
Text: Kawabuchi Kazuhiko
TOKIO
[Ishikawa～Tokyo] The Tour Files of Sweat and Tears, as told by Leader
"After finishing the final 'Hanauta', I put my pick in my pocket."
The festival that comes once a year. That's what it is. TOKIO's concert tour happened at this time of year again. This year the five of them showed us a concert that was a bit different. TOKIO, in their 12th year, continue to change. The behind-the-scenes talk passionately told by Leader and a full report of TOKIO's concert!
2006.3.30 @ the Nihon Budokan
TOKIO Ashita wo Mezashite!
LIVE TOUR!! 2006
☆Part 1☆ Leader Joshima Shigeru Interview
"The Budokan Motsuni was the best"
☆Gochi Taichi's heartwarming party too!
First of all, for this year's tour, while our desire to put on a stage better than last year's came first, what was really big was, "This time, let's put on a concert made by our sound." So we ventured to take out the entertainment elements, like the dance corner, and have everyone see us as band should be. Leave the flashy, what I call "Johnny-gy" type stage, to our kohai (laughs). Though the result was the five of us on stage the whole time except to change outfits (laughs). But it is our once-in-a-year tour and our fans have their expectations so we want to give them something great.
But we had no worries about this tour at all. To be honest, we were confident this tour would be a success.
The tour started on February 4th at the Ishikawa Kouseinenkin Kaikan. Because it was opening day, the fans probably had a lot of expectations, wondering "What kind of concert are they going to show us?" We also had a good kind of nervousness when we went on stage.
In the opening show, something happened that was a new experience for us. When we played a song called 'Symphonic', the crowd cheered. All the members were like "Why?" It was a new kind of surprise. This tour is a tour without an album release so putting songs like that into the set menu was a lot of fun and it turns out that the fans were waiting for those songs too.
After the Ishikawa show we went to Niigata, Iwate, and Sendai in our traditional bus ride. While riding the bus we had discussions and watched movies. And because these four shows were our opening acts, we had the most butterflies in our stomachs. It was like a first love (laughs).
Speaking of first times, for the February 19th Oita show it was our first time to go there on a tour. Oita was also a new experience. Rather than intense TOKIO fans, the audience was normal and their reactions were like at a normal event (laughs). The feelings of "So this is what that TOKIO we see on variety shows is like as a band" reached the stage and we had a lot of fun playing with this new feeling.
And then Nagoya. Century Hall is built differently from the other halls and in that sense you could see all of the members well; it really felt like a real concert hall.
Also for TOKIO, Nagoya is the place where many incidents=legends were born (laughs). That's how much it's not an exaggeration to say the enthusiasm is different there. Also, we're in Nagoya two days, so the fans who came for the first day knew this and went crazy in a "You guys are staying overnight anyways, so play more!" way (laughs). And also the staff party for this tour was in Nagoya. This year's organizer was Taichi and we went to the same place as last year, but including the members and the staff, it was about 50 people. It must have been hard work.
Of course it was all you can drink, all you can eat. And Taichi paid for everyone. Everyone said, "Gochi ni narimasu!" (laughs).
As this year's organizer Taichi made T-shirts, worn at the concert too, and passed them out to everyone at the party. There was a bit of trouble and it seems like there was a possibility they wouldn't be ready in time for the party and Taichi was really worried, but I could feel Taichi's kindness and determination towards the tour; it was a thankful day.
☆In twelve years, first time ever! What was this memorable first experience?
And then, right into March, the Hokkaido show. Every year there is an incident concerning the Hokkaido show. Last year it was heavy snowfall, and as I wondered what would happen this year, everything went rather smoothly. Then, at the last greeting from the members, Yamaguchi did his greeting before he was supposed to (laughs). Sure enough, something happened at the Hokkaido this year too.
For the March 11th Budokan, Matsuoka brought his traditional gift of food. This time it was motsunikomi that he simmered for a week, but he put honeycomb in there. Yamaguchi doesn't like honeycomb, but he actually ate it (laughs).
And then Osaka. Osaka is a big hall and it's a hard box to play since there's a time lag in the sound. Osaka people are severe including their comedy, and we thought a lot about how to satisfy a crowd that would be difficult in a more ways than one, but in the end we went with what Nagase said in the beginning "Let's go simple!" And I think we got through it beautifully.
The close of the tour is the Budokan, always in bloom this time of year. I don't like to think that only the last concert is special and I believe that, like I always say, "Each time is the only time." But this year's last Budokan was different. In the twelve years we've been done concerts, I experienced something for the first time.
That was the moment we finished playing 'Hanauta' in our big final show; I slipped the pick I was holding into my pocket. It's been 20 years since I started playing the guitar, but this was the first time I did that and I was surprised at myself afterwards.
This tour's title was "Ashita wo Mesashite!" I reaffirmed with this tour that we are going to start walking a new road. TOKIO will aim for 2007 and do our best.
Member episodes, told by Leader
Kokubun Taichi ver. - Taichi always says, "I'm so nervous," right before going on stage. But this time, he never said it. I think it's proof of how much he was into the tour. But instead, it made me nervous (laughs).
Joshima Shigeru ver. - I messed up my final words on the last day (laughs). Next year I'll make sure not to. And when we finished the last song of this tour, I put my guitar pick in my pocket. First time that ever happened. It will always be a special moment in my life.
Nagase Tomoya ver. - Nagase was the one who suggested singing 'Kimi wo Omou Toki' a cappella. But when he sang at rehearsal, the staff cried. It was a show of Nagase's growth as a vocalist and I was very happy.
Matsuoka Masahiro ver. - Every time, for the last day of the tour, it's become a custom for Matsuoka to bring his homemade curry, but this time he also brought motsunikomi and the curry was really good too. He must have been so busy with his drama, I don't know how he did it.
Yamaguchi Tatsuya ver. - In any case, Yamaguchi is a wild, live man. This time during the concert he got into it and said "Let's have an acoustic concert!" Before anything's been determined. It's also because this tour moved him so much.
The BEST SHOT selected by Leader - The electric TKO decoration that hung from the ceiling for this tour is symbolic of the name our agency's president gave to us, TOKIO: "A band can show off to the world." We'll get the world on a Technical Knock Out.
☆Part 2☆ March 30th The Burning Hot Stage: Complete Report
In the Budokan, surrounded by scattering cherry blossoms, the smiles of the 5 and the audience burst out.
☆For their 12th concert tour, they were thoroughly particular about their sound
In this "Ashita wo Mezashite! LIVE TOUR!! 2006", there are no big tricks like Matsuoka's drum set or Kokubun's keyboard set moving around. This time was a simple and heavy stage to have everyone hear their band sound.
The opening song, 'for you', cut through the air in the Budokan, filled with the excitement of a full house. Centering on songs recorded on the "ACT II" album, they put a lot of thought into this year's song selection.
The eyes that were glued to the center stage went left and right with 'Ashita wo Mezashite!' Nagase and Joshima energetically ran to the wings of the stage and lit fans' fuses. Matsuoka had his long hair pulled back in a ponytail and with his powerful drum sound, the stage spit out fire. With Matsuoka and Yamaguchi's songs 'No More Bet' and 'Starving Man' the stage spit fire again and the fans jump. After a hot stage, they play 'Hummingbird', as the beautiful scenery of Hokkaido is shown on the back screen. And with 'Hanauta' after the MC, they have us hear Joshima, Yamaguchi and Kokubun's sweet harmony with Nagase's vocals.
In 'Uwasa no Kiss' that started with Yamaguchi's bass solo and Matsuoka's drums, Nagase, on the center lifter, Joshima and Yamaguchi, on the lifters to the left and right, go up the second floor to do their traditional performance in front of the fans.
Kokubun's piano solo quietly flows through the hall overflowing with green laser lines and then the spotlight falls upon Nagase, who sings 'Kimi wo Omou Toki' a cappella. A back chorus adds to Nagase's vocals that sound out in the Budokan; they give us goosebumps. Then, all the members come together for 'Joshima SONG 2006' and everyone laughed at the member introductions delivered on a heavy sound. Joshima, totally rocking, turns his back to the fans and bares his (fake) butt!
When they plunge into 'Transistor G Girl' with Nagase screaming "Let's keep rocking! Loosen one more screw in your heads for us!" Kokubun comes running onto the stage with a guitar! The hall becomes a dance hall and after Nagase, Joshima, Yamaguchi, and Kokubun do their performance play on stage, with Nagase's "Now it's your turn!" 'T2' starts. With Taichi's vocals, the traditional jet balloons fly.
With the last song, 'Mr. Traveling Man' the members made the Budokan a large live house and with the encore song, 'Jibun no Tame ni' they promised to meet the fans again. Run! Towards tomorrow!
Extra: Reprinting the hilarious MC! ☆ In 50 years, Leader doing a concert at 86?
Kokubun: Today when I came to the Budokan, there were a lot of people. And while I was thinking TOKIO was amazing, I saw it was grandmas coming to see the flowers.
Joshima: But if we continue TOKIO for 50, 60 years, we'll be grandpas.
Matsuoka: Leader'll be 86.
Yamaguchi: If you can't move anymore, we'll hang you up with a wire from the ceiling.
Kokubun: We've played the Budokan since before we debuted, but in these 12 years, they've changed the toilets to Washlets (laughs).
Yamaguchi: It's nice to not sit on a cold toilet seat (laughs).
Matsuoka: This is our 43rd show in the Budokan, with tomorrow, that 44 times, 500,000 people. But we still have to work hard. Our kohai are coming up too.
Kokubun: But they can't do concerts like us.
Nagase: But if we don't make it, we could be a back band.
Matsuoka: Or just the MC?
Kokubun: If we become a back band, Yamaguchi-kun, it's ok if you get fat (laughs).
Nagase: Oh yeah, it was Gussan's suggestion, but it would be cool if we can do an acoustic concert around fall.
Yamaguchi: Will you guys all come?
Matsuoka: I'll be a Yamaguchi fan.
Nagase: Yeah, because Yamaguchi-kun is good at building houses (laughs).
Yamaguchi: When I went on location, I got told by a woman and her child "Look, it's the man who wears a towel" (laughs).
Kokubun: I get told "Gotchi ni narimasu" (laughs).
Nagase: But right now, Matsuoka's popularity in Kabukicho is unbelievable!
Matsuoka: Well, I do control about a third of Kabukicho already.
Kokubun: And Nagase's "Tiger & Dragon" is on reruns. I cried watching that.
Nagase: I still say "Jirettaiga!" don't I?
Matsuoka: And I was really moved when Leader died in action on "Hagure Keiji."
Kokubun: Every time we get to talking about Leader, that's the only topic, isn't it? (laughs).
Matsuoka: In 3, 4 years, he'll be working with Enari-kun and Pinko-san? (laughs).