Live shows in Japan

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I was there… and it was worth all the sacrifice!

Live shows are an essential element in the career of a music artist, and Japanese acts know this very well, touring regularly and doing everything possible to make their shows always entertaining. Of course, the world is full of valid live acts, and this is just the regular pattern that every musician in the world follows. And of course, the way you can enjoy a live show is very subjective and personal as well, no matter if you’re in a huge arena attending a pop concert, or in a forgotten basement moshing to Metal tunes.

So what makes Japanese live shows special in their own way? In this case, I’d say the key words are innovation and interaction with the fans. Some artists take advantage of bigger arena venues to create spectacular sets following precise concepts, featuring top-notch technology that can’t be seen in any other part of the world (prime examples: Techno-pop trio Perfume and J-rock/Electronic outfit Sakanaction). Other smaller acts (mostly Idols, but also underground/indie groups) make the intimacy of small clubs and the non-existent distance with the crowd their strong points to interact with their fans.

I’ve had the chance to experience both kind of shows in Japan, and they were easily the best shows I’ve ever attended in my life: Perfume’s Dome Tour live at Tokyo Dome on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day in 2013, and BABYMETAL’s World Tour show in Italy in 2015: the first was a jaw-dropping performance filled with outstanding technology, such as projection mapping and mind-tripping lasers; the latter, an incredibly fun and entertaining show with lots of interaction with fans that made everything special and unforgettable. Very different experiences, but both really entertaining and worth every single sacrifice needed to attend them.

This section of my blog, dedicated to these beautiful shows, will give you any single information needed to attend these performances both inside and outside Japan. You can find all these guides linked down here and in the main menu of the blog, so be sure to check them out!

How to attend Japanese live shows in Japan and around the world

– Alex