ONE OK ROCK deliver on their first show in London
I've always been surprised by ONE OK ROCK's 'lack' of success both in their own country and worldwide; don't get me wrong, I realise they play huge arenas in Japan and have a dedicated global youtube following, but for a band that can sing in both English and Japanese (perfectly) and churn out such great music, they aren't as big as they should and deserve to be.
The audience today seemed to be mostly non-Japanese and judging from some conversations I overheard, had found out about the band from 'Rurouni Kenshin' and subsequently downloaded their entire discography.
The band came on in classic Japanese fashion i.e. on time and opened with the explosive "Ending Story". As soon as the audience started to sing along to the Japanese bits, Taka gave a huge smile as did the other members, and throughout the whole show you could tell they were happy and astonished by the overwhelming reaction they were getting.
Despite the band's heavier offerings such as "No Scared" and "Deeper Deeper", there were a surprisingly low number of mosh pits. During ballads and slower songs such as "Be The Light" and "Wherever You Are", everyone swayed in unison with hands raised in the air, which was a sight to behold.
Every member was on top form tonight and the three instrumentalist's (Toru, Ryota and Tomoya) talents were fully showcased in a jam session during the middle of the set. Taka sung better than he does on record for most if not all of the songs, with "c.h.a.o.s.m.y.t.h." and "Clock Strikes" being particularly emotional and standout songs.
For a first show in London, arguably one of the most prestigious of locations for a Japanese band to play in, they nailed it with their likeable brand of hard rock and their effortless confidence. Another aspect that puts them head and shoulders above other Japanese bands who have played here is Taka's ability to speak English, which obviously allows him to interact with the crowd in a way that bands here do. If you had never heard of them and wandered in during their show, you would be forgiven for thinking they were an American band. Here's to them coming back soon.
10/10
