WING WORKS at HYPER JAPAN Christmas Market 2015

HYPER JAPAN Christmas Market, a seasonal offshoot of the UK’s biggest Japanese culture convention, was held in London on November 27th-29th, 2015. HYPER JAPAN events are known for being a feast for inciting the senses with their mix of delicious Japanese cuisine, countless amounts of Japan-related merchandise, and scintillating musical line-ups. On Saturday 28th, WING WORKS, the solo project of visual kei vocalist RYO:SUKE, performed in Britain for the first time. After his previous band Lolita 23q, with whom he played bass, went on hiatus in 2013, RYO:SUKE has stepped out into the spotlight and taken to the stage with his hybrid shock music.

As the show begins, the barren stage is in complete darkness until text starts scrolling across the video screen, explaining WING WORKS’s concept. It tells the audience of how in 2033, the world lies in ruins, and to save us from this future, an android is sent back to 2015 to change the course of history. Meanwhile, the intro of BURN YOUR SOUL can be heard in the background. When this electric beat is joined by fast-paced drum beats and guitar riffs, RYO:SUKE storms the stage, running left and right, inciting the crowd to jump around. They comply without hesitation.

After three song, it’s time to for an MC and for everybody to catch their breath after all the jumping. “This is WING WORKS!” yells RYO:SUKE before telling the crowd “I love you!”, at which everyone cheers. When the volume recedes, he asks if they like “Bleach”, “Neon Genesis Evangelion”, “Shingeki no Kyojin” and WING WORKS. With each suggestion, the crowd cheers get wilder.

Next up is MAD SQUARE GARDEN, a song that diverges from the previous upbeat ones, with a more jazzy vibe and hypnotic guitar riffs. The mood is instantly set when red and pink lights engulf the stage and RYO:SUKE starts swaying sensually. During the songs, he changes from singing to monologuing within seconds, showing the excellent control he has over his vocal cords by even hitting a few high notes in between. In the end, he’s on his knees acting his heart out as the song fades out and the stage in plunged back into darkness. The usually enthusiastic crowd is mesmerized by his performance, and only when he invites them to join him do they partake in furitsuke.

Then, it was time to get ready for the final section of the show as RYO:SUKE goes all out. ILLUMINA LUMINATION has more of a metal vibe, mixed with grunge and WING WORKS’ signature electronic beats. It’s an ideal song to let yourself go to, and the crowd at the front do just that, with RYO:SUKE running to the sides of the stage to sweep everybody up in the beat.

RAVVE OF MY TRINITY is a song with a mix of Japanese and English lyrics, and these are projected onto the video screen. From the first few notes, a tight, impressive drumbeat can be heard, with a synthesizer mixed to give it a dance vibe. On stage, RYO:SUKE continues to give it his all. He stands on one of the monitors and urges the audience members further back to join in with the furitsuke. From left to right, hands can be seen moving on the beat set by the master himself. Even in the far back, a few daring pairs of hands join in.

After the last song finishes, RYO:SUKE thanks the crowd profusely for their warm welcome and enthusiasm. He's smiling so much he can barely form the words: “London, I love you! This is WING WORKS!” When he leaves the stage the crowd continues to clap and whistle while chanting “WING! WING! WING!”

WING WORKS’ British debut show was a resounding success. Even without his backing band of WING MEN and minimal stage dressing, RYO:SUKE captivated the audience from the first moment they laid eyes on him. During this set, various influences could be heard, from jazz to dance and heavy metal, all wrapped up in the WING WORKS signature vibe called Hybrid Shock Music. Let us hope it won’t take long for WING WORKS to come back to Europe again.


Setlist:

1. BURN YOUR SOUL
2. Time:machine
3. VAD MAN
4. MAD SQUARE GARDEN
5. ILLUMINA LUMINATION
6. Mr. FANTASIX
7. IKAROS
8. RAVVE OF MY TRINITY
9. FIXXTION BOY