With an exhibition in collaboration with artist Hanayo in the same venue, THE NOVEMBERS close their promotional tour in Ebisu LIQUIDROOM.
The waiting hall of Ebisu LIQUIDROOM is filled with pictures of THE NOVEMBERS, promoting the exhibition being held along with the sold out tour final in the same venue. Inside the hall people wait, listening to a music box-like tune that has a Sigur rós feel to it. The disco ball that colors the room with green and yellowish spots give a bit of a magical atmosphere.
After seven, intro music starts playing and the members walk on stage. Immediately the bass starts pounding as they start off with zeitgeist, the first song of the new album with the same name. Yusuke Kobayashi’s voice is clear with a hint of melancholy in it. The music fits in perfectly, and the use of syncopation by drummer Ryosuke Yoshiki, who plays his part with full concentration, gives the song depth and layering. The audience watches and listens in silence, mesmerized.
THE NOVEMBERS are grouped in with alternative rock, but there’s room for experimenting with sounds and vocals too. It’s not music to rock out to; Listening and enjoying the performance is more applicable for this type of music, and this is noticeable in the venue. There’s some bobbing of heads, and some of the audience move a bit to their music, but that’s about it.
The audience applauds when the vocalists thanks the crowd and continues the show. The stage is dyed an orange red, and flashes of white light add energy to the stage, matching the music. primal has soft and hard elements, the drums and guitars guiding the song. Yusuke Kobayashi shows a different side in his vocals, his screams powerful while he also manages to get the high notes that go straight to the heart.
Meursault starts off with downward spiraling stairs projected on the back of the stage. The guitar part immediately gives off a melancholic vibe, which is accentuated when the bass kicks in. Slowly but steadily, the background starts changing; The stairs change colors and morph, altering the shape of the spirals. Yusuke Kobayashi’s voice is low, dark and even feels a bit hollow when he sings. His voice breaks once, but he continues performing the song with strength and concentration, the song not affected at all.
Lines appear in the screen at the back of the stage as the drums introduce Louder Than War (2019). The vocalist grabs his guitar again, after a performance of Sky Crawlers without it, where he focused on the vocals only. With every beat of the drum, the lines on the screen distort. After a while, the melody for the song starts, but sometimes it’s difficult to hear with the loud drums and bass. Yusuke Kobayashi’s screams and howls come through clearly, giving the song a dark ambiance. The lines in the background change and colors are added while the lines come together and then divide. The audience are greeted with flashes of white light matching the rhythm of the drum, the lines in the background straighten up. The guitar then ends the song with plenty of distorted sounds and screeches.
Next, the colorful video clip of Tetsu no yume is projected on the screen. The guitarists and bass player rock out in this song, adding to the energy that the clip shows. The song is outstanding and contains all kinds of different elements, in terms of both vocals and instruments. Kengo Matsumoto plays his parts perfectly, headbanging during the song while Hirofumi Takamatsu challenges himself by playing with different rhythms during the set.
After the MC, the disco ball is turned on and green dots once again cover the hall when Flower of life starts. The video clip of the song is projected in the back, showing all kinds of flowers. The audience applauds when the members leave the stage after finishing the song. Yusuke Kobayashi bows before he too leaves the stage.
The disco ball turns off after the members enter the stage to start the encore. They begin with the quiet song mer, the vocalist strumming chords and singing while the others fill in slowly. The song is slow but turns into a more rock song closer to the end. The last song is an interesting choice. Kengo Matsumoto changes instruments, now standing behind a keyboard. Bassist Hirofumi Takamatsu helps out Ryosuke Yoshiki, drumming while strumming the snares at the same time. It feels experimental and gives a whole different sound than the songs before. Mixing up instruments, adding and losing elements, it's a great way to end the concert. Yusuke Kobayashi gives his all, holding his guitar in the air at the end, and the band receives abundant applause and cheers before they walk off the stage, completing their tour with a great and varied last concert.
THE NOVEMBERS have announced a new single for May and will be going on a new tour titled The World Will Listen, starting in May and ending in July.
Set list:
1. zeitgeist
2. We
3. D-503
4. primal
5. Fiedel
6. brooklyn saishu deguchi
7. pilica
8. philia
9. Meursault
10. Amaretto
11. Sky Crawlers
12. Louder Than War (2019)
13. Tetsu no yume
14. dogma
15. Higan de chiru ao
16. Wire (Fahrenheit 154)
17. Ceremony
18. Flower of life
Encore
19. mer
20. Saisei no asa
