How Sapporo's finest are reeling in the prize of Japan's best live band...
By TIM DAVID HARVEY
There's nothing like fishing in Spring.
Last month, Japanese rock band Sakanaction (a portmanteau of the Japanese word for "fish" and the "action" they always bring to arenas) played a fan club only member show in Tokyo to mark the awe-inspiring Ariake Arena being renamed to the SGC Hall. Counting down their fan favourite voted for songs (let's hear it for 'SORATO'), before breaking into their biggest hits 'Shintakarajima', 'wasurerarenaino' and 'Kaiju'. They also debuted a d&b Soundscape that could even give the Dolby Atmos, that last year's 'SAKANAQUARIUM' live shows and accompanying DVD were filmed with, a run for its speakers.
Speaking of fan favourites, their classic, like a yukata or kimono in the music video, 'Yoru no Odoriko' just went viral, re-entering the Japanese Top 50 at number one. Now being joined by the charting 'New Treasure Island' and the monster 'Kaiju'. One of Japan's most revered bands are well and truly back. But they really never left. A top ten in Japanese music, five if you just look at rock, Hokkaido's very own have been touring and soaring like a fishing line cast out to water.
What's next is to get a bite from overseas. But before all that, Ichiro Yamaguchi (vocals and guitar), Motoharu Iwadera (guitar), Ami Kusakari (bass guitar), Emi Okazaki (keyboards) and Keiichi Ejima (drums) are set to light up the Land of the Rising Sun with summer sunrises in the Far East beauty.
If last year's Shinkansen speeding and touring trip through towns, and last month's fan club in Ariake weren't enough, Sakanaction will play Japan's Summer Sonic festival in Tokyo and Osaka this August. Headlined by the likes of The Strokes, David Byrne, Jennie of BLACKPINK, FKA Twigs, Jamiroquai, fellow Japanese acts BABYMETAL and Bump Of Chicken, and of course, themselves.
Not only that, bassist Ami Kusakari will be performing at another festival this coming Saturday (May 23rd) in Gamagori, Aichi. The Mori Michi Ichiba festival at Laguna Beach and Laguna Shia, following Kusakari's performance with eclectic and electronic artist Kyoka last November for the MUTEK JP 10 festival at Shibuya's Spotify O-East, will see Ami play her personal passion project, last year's amazing album 'Garden Studies', which still blooms beautifully to this day, like a Ginkgo tree.
Speaking of nature, then there's the SAKANAQUARIUM that had everyone in Japan looking through the glass last year. It returns for the fall. Playing multiple dates in September and October, in Osaka, Kobe and Tokyo's Nippon Budokan. A former martial arts hall of the Tokyo 1964 Olympics, first played to rave and controversial reviews by some local lads called The Beatles, and most recently housing legendary acts like Norah Jones, The Smashing Pumpkins and Foo Fighters.
Iconic. Just as Sakanaction are in Japan, with a legacy the rest of the watching world outside of Asia needs to see. Anime soundtracks and such will help with that, but once the tank of their aquarium rocks and rolls over you, you'll be fishing for more.
Incredible set pieces, classic choreography, and laser shows that light up the night like neon crossing Shibuya's streams of tourists. You'll wish you could hold your phones up, but for the love of all that still exists in a live show...please don't. There's nothing like a Sakanaction set. Especially when it comes to the amazing Sakanaquarium.
Ichiro's (who started the year with his own solo set) inspired vocals hit the high notes and seats, whilst the great guitar of Iwadera influences more to come. The brilliant bass of Kusakari, and all the elements of the rest of the instruments she plays, are backed by Okazaki's incredible keys (the end of 'Kaiju' is iconic). All as Ejima gets epic on the skins.
The music, their music, is more than enough, but with a show that stops everything else in their tracks, some of their songs are joined by special Sakanaquarium music videos, starring dynamic dancer and actor Runa Miura and directed definitively by Yusuke Tanaka. Moviemaking moments of magic. Lights, camera, Sakanaction.
Surely a new Sakanaction album will come soon, following the amazing 'Adapt' in 2022. But it's not like this band isn't busy, with more concerts than the Tokyo Dome, knocking it out of the park.
In March they came forward with their latest single 'IRANAI', and it's incredible and playful, neon 80s like music video, featuring avant-garde dancer, model and actress Aoi Yamada with a blonde Bob. Wearing Yamaguchi's Talking Head like suit, akin to a second skin. You'll be wanting to play their hands on eating game with your friends, more than a Nintendo Switch 2, as you dance like John Travolta and Uma Thurman in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. The call and response of the "Iranai iranai/Iranai iranai/Na no ni kanjiteru" chorus that Ichiro Yamaguchi improvised with the fans on the spot at last month's SGC show was inspired, and something you'll probably see in concert at forthcoming shows that go to the future.
One that is Sakanaction's. Selling out the K-Arena, the largest venue dedicated to music, two nights in a row last summer, in Yokohama Bay. Get your cheerleading pom poms ready. They're number one.
Need any more proof that Sakanaction are the best live act in Japan?
Go fish!
