T.M. Revolution Live at Otakon's 20th Anniversary

For hours, fans waited in the August heat, crowded around the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, for the dual performance of Home Made Kazoku and T.M. Revolution (“TMR”). By late afternoon, the doors were finally opened and the show began with an hour-long performance by Home Made Kazoku.

When TMR finally graced the stage, the entire arena went into a frenzy of screaming fans. TMR was dressed in a leather outfit with a gladiator styled kilt and delicately placed feathers. For the first couple of songs, TMR remained behind the podium but was still wild, headbanging and fist pumping to the music. During FLAGS, brilliant white and pink lights splashed the stage, with strobes intermingling during the chorus.

By the third song, Zips, TMR broke out into a wide step dance, and moving along the stage under a sea of yellow and red. He encouraged the fans to make noise, and grinned when the screams echoed through the arena.

Before Invoke began, TMR shouted, “I’m back! I really wanted to see you again!”

During this song, he encouraged the fans to sing with him, looking on in wonder as the chorus of voices drowned out his own. Glowsticks were waved by fans throughout the arena, and the stage was covered in spinning white lights.

The next few songs were equally wild, with TMR headbanging and dancing on the podium box in the middle of the stage. The lights continued to change and shone in brilliant colors of greens and purples, transitioning to blues and yellows. TMR ran from side to side, fist pumping and riling up the fans, encouraging them to follow along and get them to cheer.

After resonance, TMR held his first MC in a mix of English and Japanese: “Otakon, you’re the best! You guys are great … you guys are awesome. It’s so good to be back Baltimore. Ten years since I have last been to Baltimore, but you guys have never changed. I should have called you back earlier. I became an anime ambassador of Japan, and I wanted to share more of the Japanese culture with people of the world. I need your help guys ... can you do it? Can you do it? Can you do it?!”

Following the throng of screams, TMR beamed and continued his MC.

“Amazing. Totally amazing. I love you. I really really love you. Thank you. So, my album Geisha boy has sold out in one day. Whoa. Amazing. I knew there were some who want to get it, so look forward to it. Thank you! I’m sorry, my English is not great. Are you okay? Really? Thank you. Now, I know you want to hear more T.M. Revolution. So, okay, let’s go. Are you ready? Let’s get crazy.”

Soon after, TMR launched into Naked arms, and after a very hard intro, began fist pumping with the crowd as he sang, running up and down the runway under an explosion of lights. During the next song, TMR tossed away his jacket, and revealed much more skin by pulling his shirt up over his head to reveal his chest, which was audibly appreciated by the crowd. While he sang SWORD SUMMIT, he had a number of call backs with the fans, making them shout “Yeah!” in unison.

TMR launched straight into ignited under a stream of pink and rainbow flashing lights, jumping over the box on the stage and walking from side to side of the stage, standing on the very edge to reach towards fans. Soon after, he held another short MC.

“Thank you! It feels great, really. I want to thank Otakon for including me in their 20th anniversary. It is truly amazing. 20 years! I want to thank you, and you, and you! To think it all started 20 years ago. Another thing … Do you remember the Japanese earthquake?” After fans cheered, TMR smiled. “Thank you!” he shouted enthusiastically. “Can I speak in Japanese? A lot has happened in ten years. I’m very happy to be here after ten years. Thank you very much.” With the fans cheering, it seemed the language barrier was no issue for TMR and his fans.

During his final song, the fans clapped along with TMR as he sang and he moved across the stage one final time. At the end of the song, he walked down the runway, laughing and smiling. “I love you Otakon!” he shouted, before heading offstage as the lights dimmed.

Fans continued to cheer and cat call for T.M. Revolution and within minutes, TMR returned to the stage now in a tour shirt, and began fist pumping to the song as he sang, fans joining in and singing along. This song displayed more fan service, causing the crowd to go wild right up until the end.

“Whoa! Thank you! You guys are so awesome. I am so happy to be back at Otakon! Can I sing one more song with Home Made Kazoku?”

With the crowd screaming, TMR beckoned the other band to return to the stage, who jogged out waving, also now wearing tour shirts. The two bands soaked in the screams and cheers before TMR finished his MC with Home Made Kazoku in Japanese.

“It is great to be here performing together in the United States. It is great you all love Japanese culture, music, and anime. It makes us so happy, and we’re so thankful.”

As the fans cheered, the guys high-fived each other before launching into the final song, Tomorrow Meets Resistance, and the guys jumped as they sang, running up and down the runway, high-fiving fans, and grinning as they danced together. As they reached the bottom of the runway, confetti suddenly burst into the sky, eliciting gasps and cheers from the crowd in the arena as rainbows of colored paper fell from above.

The boys shouted that they loved the fans and would see them again, echoing once again how awesome Baltimore was before they all walked to the end of the runway, linked hands and bowed, before jumping in unison. The cheering of the fans was deafening as the band high-fived fans and waved, taking in all of the cheers of love and appreciation as they exited the stage.

For the Otakon 20th anniversary, the show certainly was a highlight to the convention and well worth the ten-year wait.


Set List

01. Preserved Roses
02. FLAGS
03. Zips
04. Invoke
05. Save The One, Save the All
06. resonance
07. Naked arms
08. SWORD SUMMIT
09. ignited
10. HEART OF SWORD ~YOAKEMAE~
En 1 The party must go on
En 2 Tomorrow Meets Resistance (with HOME MADE KAZOKU)