Hana Shounen Baddies at Akasaka Blitz

The show Dengeki Bonjour Atarihazure Edo Hamayaman was originally planned for the 12th of March, but in the total confusion following the disastrous earthquake that hit Japan the day before and the band members not even knowing if their families were safe, there was no way of carrying out the concert on that day. The fans had then waited patiently for three long months and finally, on the 15th of June, they stood crowded in Akasaka Blitz, filled with anticipation, looking at the red curtain before the stage.

A very traditional Japanese-sounding intro started and everybody in the crowd started to clap their hands. As they did so the curtains were pulled apart to reveal the band members who were also clapping their hands before launching into Bonjour. The set contained traditional wadaiko drums, colourful drapes as well as a wooden painted sign with the text "Atarihazure Edo Hamayaman" behind the stage, lit up with light bulbs and looking like it belonged to an amusement park from the 50's, all contributing to the creation of an old-fashioned, quite unique atmosphere. When pink cherry petals were showered over the stage for the second song, the image became complete — if there had been rock bands in the Edo period, it would have been something like this.

The band members themselves, all dressed in similar cardigans and checkered neckties, seemed to have a lot of fun and the songs were equally upbeat. In the third song NBL, bassist Tsubuku and guitarist Takuma had a rap part, thus adding a decidedly non-Japanese touch to the show. Singer Baku and guitarist Minemura then introduced the rest of the band and joked with each other and the audience before continuing with Curtain, a fun and fast-paced song that had the audience shout and jump, ending with the whole band except the drummer running around in a circle on stage.

Carnation started with all spotlights on Baku as he was sitting on a podium, and the slow bluesy song gave the show a slightly more serious feel. This did not last for long, however, as the band members put on the traditional kimono jackets worn at matsuri festivals for the next song, Atarihazureman. Minemura started hitting the wadaiko drum and the festival started — all Japanese know that matsuri means party and this crowd was no exception. When the song ended drummer Hiroshi disappeared from stage and Baku took his place behind the drumset. Both Minemura and Tsubuku started playing the wadaiko drums when a large square box on wheels was drawn in, on top of which a kimono-clad Hiroshi was standing with a microphone in his hand. Takuma, now wearing a ridiculous glittery bowtie, introduced Bonbi-man, and like a traditional performance Hiroshi sang while gesturing excessively, all while the audience cheered and laughed.

Another memorable performance was Blank, where two female dancers dressed in red and black appeared on stage and danced to the exotic, somewhat flamenco-inspired song. After this, paper hearts were flying around the venue like paper airplanes, and when fans grabbed them they could see hand-written messages from the band members on them. A number of upbeat, catchy songs followed, only interrupted by an MC where Minemura and Baku again joked around, and to the delight of the audience, they even managed to get Takuma to perform an imitation of the previous dancers. During the last song of the main set, Balloon, Baku made a sudden leap off the stage. Standing just in front of the first row of fans, he held out the microphone for the audience to sing along.

When coming back out on stage for the encore, Baku explained that they had been thinking a lot about what they could do after the earthquake, and they had eventually come to the conclusion that what was most needed was to create an opportunity for people to laugh again and therefore they put all their hearts into entertaining their fans. A piano had been placed on stage for Rakuyou and Minemura got to show off his multiple talents as the ballad started with only him on piano and Baku on vocals. After the happy, bouncy Rose helicopter, the band once again went off stage, only to come back shortly afterwards bathed in a red stage light, Baku waving a black flag. "Waga tousou" show, an old song from the time when the band was called Billy followed, a powerful performance showing a totally different, edgier side of the band,

The last song, Blossom, started with Baku rapping and a bass solo from Tsubuku. Halfway through, the fast-paced rhythm first slowed down to a ballad's pace and then the instruments went all quiet, letting the audience sing the chorus a cappella. The unaided voices of the audience and the band members resounded nicely in the venue, and the contrast when the band started playing again and the song returning to its original fast beat made for a nice finish. After thanking the audience and some more joking around, the band left the stage for good, leaving their fans with a smile on their faces.

Hana Shounen Baddies' way of mixing various modern music genres with Japanese traditions, such as rapping to wadaiko drums, make their shows a truly unique experience, both when it comes to music and visuals. It is also clear that this band does not only have musical skills but are entertainers in a broader sense and do not take themselves too seriously. Hana Shounen Baddies is not your typical visual kei band, and some of their concepts and jokes may be hard for a foreigner to understand, but they surely succeeded in their mission to cheer people up.



Set List:

01. Bonjour
02. Blue Bad Boy
03. NBL
04. Curtain
05. Carnation
06. Atarihazureman
07. Bonbi-man
08. Tuesday -kaibutsu wa koufuku ni michita-
09. Blank -boku wa sekai ni uso o tsuite iru-
10. Buranko
11. Yari ga furu
12. Sweet pea
13. Book
14. Ballerina
15. Balloon

Encore:
16. Rakuyou
17. Rose helicopter
18. Waga tousou show
19. Blossom