[Live Report] 2023/2/18 'THE SUN ALSO RISES vol.176' KEMURI / Five State Drive
A two-man show overflowing with ska-punk love, featuring KEMURI and Five State Drive, was held at F.A.D YOKOHAMA. The previous day, a three-man show including GELUGUGU was held at GORILLA HALL OSAKA, making this the second consecutive day the two bands have performed together.
Personally, this was my second time visiting F.A.D YOKOHAMA, the first being on February 17, 2008, for 'SPACE BOYS presents “FEEL YOUR SPACE!! vol.3” ~BIG MAMA 1st full album “Love and Leaves” release tour~'.
That day featured SPACE BOYS and BIGMAMA, as mentioned in the event title, as well as TOTALFAT, banbi (before they became sumika), and RIDDLE.
RIDDLE is also a band that Yuto Miyazaki, who is serving as the support drummer for KEMURI today, is currently supporting outside of KEMURI. Feeling a small connection, I headed to F.A.D YOKOHAMA for the first time in (exactly) 15 years.
The floor had that classic live house feel, with people wearing band T-shirts and towels around their necks. As the many audience members waited in anticipation for the show to start, the venue lights dimmed, and Nagoya-based ska-punk band Five State Drive appeared.
Five State Drive
Montero (Vo), wearing a tank top with the KEMURI logo, kicked things off by saying, 'We are Five State Drive, a ska-punk band from Nagoya, and we're here to blow you away! Let's do this!' and started the show with 'Anthem'.
In an instant, the floor shifted into top gear, and a storm of stage diving began in no time. Responding to Montero's call of 'F.A.D, come on!', the crowd jumped in with joy.
Furthermore, during 'Don't Let Me Down,' which began with Montero's voice saying, 'F.A.D! I came to see you guys! Let's dance together,' kids started stage diving. I couldn't help but grin at their practiced behavior that didn't interfere with the performance.
Looking at the side of the stage, I saw KEMURI's support drummer, Yuto-kun, watching over them with a smile.
'Raise the Flag' is a catchy number with a pop melody that makes your heart dance. It makes you want to throw away all your belongings and start dancing.
Montero said, 'You guys love ska-punk, right? Then even if you don't know the songs, just dance your hearts out!' That is indeed the great charm of ska-punk—you can enjoy it to the fullest even if it's your first time hearing the song. Five State Drive embodied the fact that a ska-punk live show is something you can enjoy without needing to 'study' beforehand.
During the MC, they said, 'This is getting so hyped. We've never done an F.A.D like this before. So many people showed up! Earlier, the KEMURI fans finally started dancing in the second half! Today is a battle to see how many people in KEMURI T-shirts will dance. Thanks to those who always come to see Five State Drive, too!'—a message directed at both KEMURI fans and Five State Drive fans.
The live show continued. After performing 'D.H.C.' and 'F**K YOU,' which features a great guitar solo by Hora (Gt), they played 'Msncheese' after a call-and-response. Even though masks were worn, seeing a live house filled with loud voices made me happy to feel the true breath of a live music venue.
The setlist also included a ska-punk cover of the classic song 'Johnny B. Goode,' famous for the iconic scene with Michael J. Fox in the movie 'Back to the Future.' It's a fun song that highlights Hora's electric guitar playing and GORiLLA's (Ba) bass work.
They also played songs like 'Would you like to play volleyball?', and the members commented on the state of the floor, saying, 'The fast ska-punk makes it feel like your feet can't keep up, which is great.'
'I'm so happy to be doing a two-man show with the legendary KEMURI at my favorite venue, F.A.D.' 'Two days with KEMURI is a reward.' 'Can you guys still go?'
Following Montero's respectful MC about KEMURI, they played songs like 'Warning' and 'Song for Babylon,' making the floor dance thoroughly.
They mentioned that they are celebrating their 10th anniversary. Looking back on their early days, when they went to live houses to ask to be an opening act even though they didn't have any songs, they expressed their joy that their dream of performing with KEMURI had come true over these two days. They added, 'We want to become a band that others feel that way about (wanting to perform with) too.'
'If there's anyone out there who has the mindset of loving ska, let's start a band! Let's do it together. It's okay, even if you're an old guy. Ska-punk is fun! As long as I have ska-punk, a live house, and my favorite friends, this place is paradise!'
The floor's energy surged as they flowed seamlessly into 'Paradise' following a sharp MC. They then launched into their anthem 'Nice Coke!!' as if to pile on the pressure. Montero jumped down into the floor, drawing everyone in for an explosion of skanking. With the frontman himself even stage-diving, the excitement reached an absolute peak.
Just when it seemed they had burned out completely with the closing 'Theme of FSD,' they realized they had time left and did an encore of today's first song, 'Anthem'.
With circle pits, stage dives, and call-and-response, it was packed with those moments that define 'the live house experience.' It was a 60-minute set where Five State Drive fully showcased their charm, filled with love for ska-punk, live houses, and KEMURI.
KEMURI
Next up, of course, was KEMURI. They follow a DIY style where the members themselves come out on stage before the show to do their own soundcheck. The kids were already in battle mode before the start thanks to Five State Drive, with cheers erupting from the venue just from the horn section tuning their instruments.
Before long, the familiar SE, NOFX's 'All Outta Angst,' played, and the members appeared on stage. The support lineup for this show was the same four who could be called the 'usual crew'.
Yuto Miyazaki (Dr)
Kentaro Yamagata (Tp)
Kosei Nagata (T.Sax)
Hiroyuki Suga (Tb)
Fumio Ito (Vo) appeared last and finished his customary ritual of wrapping the mic cord around his left hand. After the whole band played a sound together, a moment of silence followed, then the drum count kicked in, Yamagata-san's beautiful trumpet rang out, and the show opened with the (personally) unexpected 'in the perfect silence'.
It's no exaggeration to say this is my favorite KEMURI song, so there was no way the show wouldn't be exciting. The sight of the long-awaited kids going wild—truly deserving of the word 'chaos'—unfolded right before my eyes.
The second song was 'our PMA,' a setlist choice that felt like pouring gasoline on the fire of the live show, making the floor heave. Seeing Noriaki Tsuda (Ba) and Yukihiko 'T' Tanaka (Gt) playing with smiles on their faces made me feel incredibly happy.
'Please look out for each other and have a great time until the end! Let's go, Yu-chan!'
Following Fumio-san's words, 'I am proud' and then 'Blue Moon' were played back-to-back, further raising the heat at F.A.D.
When T-san's guitar played a gentle, mellow melody, Suga-san's trombone blew that super beautiful melody to start the legendary song 'prayer.' It's a staple, high-impact number that starts with a relaxed, grand scale before suddenly accelerating the BPM.
During the song, when there were no instrumental parts, there were scenes where Suga-san would do ska dances and Yamagata-san would lightly headbang, showing that they themselves were enjoying the music on stage.
In 'Workin' Dayz,' with its ear-pleasing looping bassline by Tsuda-san and cutting guitar by T-san, I found myself jumping along despite holding my bags. There was even a rare (?) moment where Fumio-san crossed his hands to flash a heavy metal sign.
'Patience' has a very unique and impressive intro. Nagata-san's flashy sax play during this song is a must-hear. Compared to when they first joined as support, both Yamagata-san and Nagata-san seem more integrated into the team, or rather, they seem to be enjoying the live shows more, which makes me happy and reassured as a fan. By the way, I have the impression that Yuto-kun was firmly a member of KEMURI from the early stages, playing in a way that pushed his great seniors forward.
After a light rehearsal at Fumio-san's signal of 'It's a new song, so let's practice,' they performed 'Cancel Me.' Rather than 'new song,' the expression 'latest song' fits better for a track released about a year ago. Seeing Yamagata-san's ska dance moves really got our excitement levels up.
'Mr. SMILING,' which starts with T-san's spirited guitar, is a song where ska dancing fits perfectly. Montero was watching the show intently from the side of the stage, as if trying to absorb something. In the latter half of this song, there's a highlight where you swing your towel. The sight of many KEMURI towels waving around reminded me once again of the live houses of those days.
Seeing Suga-san and Yamagata-san dancing together as if in unison brought a smile to my face during 'SOLIDARITY.' Fumio-san sang passionately while occasionally flashing an incredibly charming smile.
After a short pause, at the signal of 'Let's go, T-san!', the guitar was strummed, and everyone was thrilled by one of the live show's essential anthems, 'Ohichyo.' Raising our fists, jumping, and singing along through our masks, 'Like Ohichyo.' This was the moment we had been waiting for. I felt that sensation again for the first time in a while—the feeling of various things being expelled along with my voice, almost like a detox.
The series of classic hits continues. Next up is the well-known song "P.M.A," which has permeated even beyond the core fanbase. With ska dancing, sing-alongs, and the entire floor—plus everyone on stage (except Yuto-kun)—jumping, the energy was electric!
It was so hot, hot, hot that I regretted wearing a hoodie. It brought back memories of how a live house filled with the sound of ska-punk is incredibly intense, even in the dead of winter.
Before the final song of the main set, Fumio-san took a moment on behalf of the band to express his gratitude to the members and staff of Five State Drive.
"After watching your rehearsals and live performances, I truly felt from the bottom of my heart that ska-punk is cool."
He sent words of encouragement to the band, who also perform on tours like Hey-Smith's, saying, "I am very much looking forward to performing with you again after you've seen so many different sights." He also commented to the venue, "To everyone at F.A.D who invites us to play these events every time, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart on behalf of the band. Please, please, keep having us back."
He then thanked the staff, saying, "To the lighting, counter, merchandise, sound, instrument, and all other staff members, thank you so much." He continued, "And above all, to everyone who stayed until the end to watch KEMURI, sweated so much, and sang along while wearing masks. Being able to feel everyone's passion until the very end and perform this show allowed us to create so many unforgettable moments today."
He continued, "Where there are meetings, there are partings, and while there are times when it feels like there's nothing but partings, sometimes a wonderful encounter pops up and changes your life. So, I know everyone is going through a lot, but let's meet again at F.A.D." "For the last song, I'm going to sing it with all sorts of feelings. We're going to play it. If you can sing along, please do!"
With that message, they played the intro to "Shiroi Bara" (White Rose), which Suga-san had described as the "most nervous he's been in years" at the Osaka show the day before. It is a masterpiece born about 20 years ago following the accident of then-member Ryosuke Morimura, filled with thoughts of mourning, parting, and recovery.
Just recently, another great musician passed away, leaving us wrapped in great sadness. I'm sure many fans are still carrying that damage. I savored "Shiroi Bara" while thinking about how we might feel angry at sudden partings, feel sullen, but hopefully, someday, we can properly come to terms with it and say 'goodbye.'
As the main set ended with great emotion, the floor naturally called for an encore. After a short break, the members returned to the stage, and Fumio-san said:
"Since this is a serious two-man battle of the bands, I'm not sure about an encore."
His words reflected an attitude that it's not about who is better or worse, and I think that same sentiment was behind his later comment, "Sometimes it irritates me to be treated like a damn legend. I'm not even a legend."
"The exit is right there, but the next time you come, it should be even more fun. You'll be able to sing with more peace of mind, those who want to dive can dive, those who want to spin around can spin around, and those who want to grumble about watching that can grumble."
Affirming stage diving or circle pits often leads to the negation of those who disagree with them, but Fumio-san is amazing for saying that everyone should enjoy themselves, including the 'people who grumble.'
For the encore, they generously performed three songs: "Don't Know," "New Generation," and "Ato-Ichinen." The members of Five State Drive, who had been 'observing' during the main set, also joined in on stage, messing around, singing chorus parts, and ska dancing. This is what a two-man live encore is all about.
I have watched KEMURI's live shows under various restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they always adapted to the situation to make the shows as enjoyable as possible. Today, although there were still mask-wearing restrictions, I felt that the live house, with many other things now lifted, was able to fully demonstrate its potential.
The floor's reaction is definitely reflected back onto the stage. It was the best kind of night, one that made me realize once again that a live performance is a communication of heart, body, and voice between the stage and the floor, between the artist and the audience.
Setlist
01.in the perfect silence
02.our PMA
03.I am proud
04.Blue Moon
05.prayer
06.Workin' Dayz
07.Patience
08.Cancel Me
09.Mr.SMILING
10.SOLIDARITY
11.Ohichyo
12.P.M.A(Positive Mental Attitude)
13.Shiroi Bara
EN.
14.Don't Know
15.New Generation
16.Ato-Ichinen