WTK is back with a very special review. Although we mainly cover Korean cultural events and performances, seeing one of Japan’s hottest J-Rock bands was an experience which we just couldn’t miss!
ONE OK ROCK is a legendary Japanese rock band that has been active since 2005. Currently, it is made up of lead guitarist and leader Toru Yamashita, lead vocalist Takahiro (Taka) Moriuchi, drummer Tomoya Kanki, and bass guitarist Ryota Kohama.
With ten studio albums, two EPs, several singles under their belts, and twenty-seven concerts in Japan and abroad, ONE OK ROCK is not only an iconic group in the J-Rock scene, but the band is also a global superstar in the Rock, Pop, Punk-Rock, and Emo music scenes as well.
Yesterday, the members of ONE OK ROCK just finished their U.S. concert tour to showcase their latest full album, Luxury Disease. It was released on September 9th and its standard edition has 13 songs. What’s special about ONE OK ROCK is that they produce two versions of their albums: one in Japanese/English and the other completely in English. This easily contributes to their national fame in Japan while building a connection with international fans as well.
Thanks to Live Nation, WTK staff had the great opportunity to attend ONE OK ROCK’s concert in Atlanta! It was held on September 24th at The Tabernacle, a converted church with a capacity of 2,600 people. The beautiful old building still maintains its classic architecture while the inside has been painted with interesting, modern motifs to mix with the pre-existing stained-glass windows. Meanwhile, a line of excited fans were waiting to get into the sold-out show, a line stretching out the door and wrapping all the way around the block.
The doors opened at 6:30 p.m., and the show started at 7:30 PM as two talented bands served as the opening acts. Alternative pop and hard rock band Loveless filled in for Fame on Fire who was originally scheduled to perform that night. Known for their covers, Loveless recently debuted original songs through their first EP, End of an Era. The vocalists ramped up the energy in the crowd with their earnest vibe and the main singer channeled an electric performance as he wailed out his lines.
You Me at Six, an English rock band from Surrey, then took to the stage. They have currently released seven studio albums since their creation in 2004 and feature a more mature tone to their songs, along with the aura of seasoned performers. Both bands had different energies that did well in hyping up the crowd for the main act: ONE OK ROCK!
Around 9:45 p.m., the fog machines and stage lighting began to set the aura for the performance for which everyone was waiting! The energy was buzzing in the air, and the crowd surged forward to push toward the stage.
One by one, the members came out onto the stage to be met by loud cheers from the fans. Taka was the last to arrive, and his appearance drove the crowd wilder while a dramatic “voice of god” and “ONE OK ROCK IS BACK” was heard in the background.
Taka walked out with an unassuming gait and with his shaggy hair styled loosely. He dressed in a white tank top with long, thick, red fingerless gloves, and ripped jeans. When he took the mic stand in his hands, the whole place went dark and quiet. Excited screams filled the venue as the Toru’s opening guitar riff of “Save Yourself” began. Taka sang the first verse and the audience sang-shouted in unison with him.
The performance was closely followed by one of their most well-known songs: “Taking Off.” Next on their setlist, “Wonder” displayed major chords predominately and featured an upbeat and encouraging anthem which paired excellently with Toru’s flavorful guitar solos. Taka and Toru did a rather cute jumping dance duet during the chorus which made fans bounce along with them and sway to the beat.
“Let Me Let You Go” had the crowd pull out their phones and shine and wave the lights as the band evoked feelings of sorrow and loss. Fans speculate that this song is in reference to old fans that fall away when they tried different sounds and genres. A very insightful line to this drama is “I tried to love you, I swear I tried. But how can I love you if you are not here”. All artists deal with this feeling, and the lyrics were able to express it in a way that honestly conveys this loss.
“Renegades” woke the place up again and had the crowd fist-bumping and jumping. The song is co-written by Taka, Ed Sheeran, and Cold Rain’s Masato Hayakawa. It is the main theme used for the latest movie in the franchise: Rurouni Kenshin: The Final. In this song, Taka showed off his skillful high notes.
The song starts with a soft intro and then blasts into the first anthem-like chorus that is filled with angst before dropping back down in volume and dynamic for the verses. There is also a wonderful pre-chorus with increasing intensity before it rockets back into the chorus. One of the coolest moments of this song is in the middle, where Taka sings with an a cappella effect to the booming beating of Tomoya’s drums. It’s powerful to say the least!
Saying Hello
Finally, they took a break to grab some water, towels, and to say hello. They greeted Atlanta, and Taka introduced the members and band. Toru, Ryota, and Tomoya are good at English, and Taka is very proficient at this point in his career. It made the concert even more enjoyable because they could clearly express their jubilation performing for the fans and could have some fun being cheeky as well.
For the start of the next song “Neon,” Taka had the crowd chant and repeat after him the tagline “neon lights.” He had a rather militaristic and theatrical tone to his voice as he marched around the stage making sure fans followed along. Tomoya did a great job in guiding the crowd musically with solid bass drums and snares for when to sing “neon lights,” along with the intro into the main song.
“Neon” has a Queen-style energy right from the first lines’ sung in operatic a cappella fashion. Small flairs of Brandon Urie, who was one of the writers on the song, can be heard in the chorus when Taka reaches for those soaring high notes. It’s also quite charming that Shibuya is given some presence in the song. It gives the song a weightiness in referring to an actual location, especially one that is dear and unique to Japanese people.
“Vandalize” is the title track for ONE OK ROCK’s new album, Luxury Disease. It’s soulful and crooning, yet it cries out and drowns in melancholy. Taka is extremely impressive in his stamina to hold out the notes of this song, unwavering and able to evoke such emotion. He was given full attention as one spotlight lit up his small platform almost like the light was marooning him on the shore of fans, away from the rest of the band.
“So Far Gone” is a more demure rock ballad that laments the heartache of losing someone you love, whether platonically or romantically. Again, the phone flashlights came out and became a sea of lights illuminating the hall, all the way up to the third balcony. The song started off with a comforting acoustic guitar solo from Toru, then bloomed into a wailing melodic chorus from Taka. Toru also has another melancholic solo in the interlude of the song with a bit more energy than in his first solo. The verses are soft too, with just the addition of a light tapping of a cymbal from Tomoya and strum of Ryota’s bass guitar.
There was a brief pause and the next song played was “The Beginning.” This being one of ONE OK ROCK’s first major hits, the nostalgia crashed into the hearts of the crowd as they danced up and down and sang along. On YouTube, the music video has almost 200 million views as of this review.
This song was featured in the franchise Rurouni Kenshin which helped expose them to a larger, more mainstream audience. One of the most notable parts of this song is Taka’s pleading notes paired with Tomoya going crazy on the drums like the beat of an excited and desperate heart. Tomoya also ends the song in another triumphant drum, snare, cymbal solo.
“Prove” is a powerful song from the Luxury Disease album with the message to keep climbing and don’t give up on your dreams. It resonates with many who struggle with mental health and listeners fall in love with Taka, not because he is giving them advice from a pedestal, but he’s singing right next to you and struggling with his own inner demons. It has a pleading edge, but at the same time, it has the feeling of “take it or leave it” too: “I have the choice to prove myself to you and most of all to myself.”
Crowd favorite “Stand Out Fit In” got the whole place bumping and jumping to the pop rock beats and airy synths. The most poignant line in the song that everyone listening should take to heart is, “I just wanna be myself, I can’t be some else.” In other words, “If I could be someone else, I’d still choose me.”
The last song before their final talk, was “Wasted Nights.” Taka said, “Okay! This is our last song!” and there were wails and cries from the fans. He laughed into the mic and said, “Look, I know. I know. You and I are on the same page here, but… we gotta go.” He is so cheeky and confident! He mentioned he was truly happy he was in Atlanta and that this concert was the most “lit” so far on the U.S. tour. Everyone cheered with pride! Indeed, it had been a highly charged concert where the passion of the fans and band were almost palpable.
“Wasted Nights” is a motivational call to action to seize the day (or night!). It’s passionate and raw and ever hopeful. It ended with dramatic pauses as Taka looks around at everyone, then displays incredible stamina with an almost 16 second sustained high note. After his final note echoes strongly into the hall, Toru, Ryota, and Tomoya finish off the song with a quick guitar and drum button.
Encore!
ONE OK ROCK left the stage as the lights dimmed. Only the theatrical lights in the hall stayed on. Immediately, the crowd started chanting for “encore” and “one more song” and even stomping on the floor in rhythm. After a few minutes, of course, they came back on stage.
First of all, Taka sang a solo while Toru played on the guitar. It was a stripped back version of “Always Coming Back” that featured a slowed-down moment that left fans hanging on every note of both the guitar and vocals. After the song ended, the other two members joined them onstage as well.
Playfully, they said, “This next song is for you! That’s right, all you American girls!” Screams erupted, and the beginning notes to the fan favorite track “American Girls” blasted out. Fans sang and danced along with great energy the whole song, even holding out notes along with Taka this time.
“Thank You, Atlanta!”
Unfortunately, the show had to come to an end. Taka said he was very grateful and couldn’t believe his luck that he has been able to stand before so many people all these years. Fans shouted and waved goodbye to the members as they too waved and bounced off the stage into the wings. How they all have that energy is truly impressive. How Taka’s vocals haven’t given out over all these years is astounding, but it shows what a professional he is at his job and how well he supports his voice through proper technique! It makes sense that he is in both British magazine’s Kerrang! and Rock Sound’s list for most influential figures in rock.
Support The Artists
ONE OK ROCK’s finished the last show of their U.S. tour yesterday on October 20th in Los Angeles. If you like artists like Linkin’ Park, Panic! At the Disco, Foo Fighters, and other J-Rock bands, then you do not want to miss out on this amazing and legendary band!
You can follow ONE OK ROCK, Loveless, and You Me at Six on their websites and socials down below:
–ONE OK ROCK: Follow them on Apple Music, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. You can also watch their documentary, ONE OK ROCK: Flip a Coin (2021) on Netflix.
–You Me at Six: Apple Music, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.
–Loveless: Follow their musical journey on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.
In the meantime, check out more of our photos from the ONE OK ROCK concert in Atlanta below! Use the arrows at the side to scroll through the gallery.
Thank you again to Live Nation Entertainment and ONE OK ROCK for allowing us to attend the event in order to bring this article and these photographs to our fans and readers! Make sure to follow Live Nation Entertainment here in order to keep up with their upcoming concerts.
Did you attend any of the ONE OK ROCK concerts during their U.S. tour? Are there any other J-Rock bands or Japanese artists that you would like to see live? Let us know by tweeting to us @whatthekpop1 or leaving us a comment on Facebook or Instagram!
AMP_POWER is an Asian culture enthusiast from the US who enjoys having discussions with fellow fans about the industry and newcomers who are interested in broadening their horizons and expanding their taste in music. Having lived in Asia for a few years, she would be overjoyed to grab a cup of tea and sit down with you to tell of her cherished adventures. Art is her Life.
Media: What The Kpop
Photography by Solita Delacruz, Review by Ann Powell