■ "Today was definitely the best day of my life!" (TAKENAKA YUDAI /Vo)

Novelbright completes tour with long-awaited solo concert at Nippon Budokan!

On June 23rd (Thurs) and 24th (Fri), Novelbright, a five-member rock band from Osaka, held their long-awaited solo concert at the Nippon Budokan. The two-day concert marked the finale of the "Novelbright LIVE tour 2022 Hope Assort tour - A tour that makes the common goal of "From street performances to the Budokan" a reality," which began in February this year and has toured 13 locations around the country while taking measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This report covers the final performance on the 24th (Fri), which was also broadcast and streamed live on WOWOW.

Before the show started, the audience was excited and waiting. The lights went out, the sound of dripping water echoed through the venue, and the opening video was projected on the screen. The members were lined up in a mysterious blue light, and then the tour title was projected. The stage doors opened on both sides, and the first song, "seeker," began as red laser beams cut through the darkness. This song was written specifically for the theme song of the Nippon Television drama "The Real Criminal Flag," and it amplified the thrill of the work. TAKENAKA YUDAI (Vo), YAMADA KAITO (Gt), OKI SOJIRO (Gt), KEIGO (Ba), and NEGI (Dr) performed with incredible tension that reached its peak right from the beginning without any run-up. As the song progressed, the smoke that overflowed from the stage into the audience seemed to visualize the energy overflowing from the five members' singing, playing, and whole body.

When Yudai shouted wildly, "Budokan! Let's hit the final of the tour!", gold tape spurted out with force. The mood brightened up and they performed "Okey dokey!!", a collaboration song for the team strategy battle game "Pokemon Unite". NEGI spun his stick and flew it into the air, overflowing with vitality from his whole body. Without a moment's pause, they performed their major debut song "Sunny drop", sharing claps with the fans in various rhythms, enhancing the sense of unity. "Can we go further, Budokan!" (Yudai) led them to "さよならインベーダー", and into a dazzling world of brilliantly colored LEDs. Sojiro and Kaito swapped positions and played guitar at the tip of the runway that jutted out on the left and right sides of the stage. The lyrics, which are refreshing and seem to directly express the frustration of the coronavirus pandemic, pierce the audience with their hard digital rock. While they couldn't cheer, the audience raised their fists and shook their bodies. "We were really looking forward to today. This is the final tour! Let's make this the best and most unforgettable day for us and for everyone!" (Yudai) shouted during the outro, and then the four front members turned to NEGI and finished in unison. After the raging opening, a moment of silence came.

After expressing his heartfelt gratitude to the audience who came and those who watched the live broadcast and live streaming on WOWOW, Yudai said, "I hope we can create a sense of unity with everyone," and then moved on to "愛とか恋とか." This is a pre-release song from the Major 2nd Full Album "Assort," released on May 18th, and is a fresh love song for Novelbright, with its lightness that makes you want to hum along. KEIGO takes on the synth bass, while Sojiro and Kaito spin a warm acoustic sound. The changing seasons and a pale pink sky are projected, and a warm atmosphere spreads throughout the venue, and the next song, "戯言," takes us straight into the world of seductive secrets. Kaito's song stands out in "Assort." While alternating between playing acoustic and electric guitars, he expresses the complex feelings of love that he has drawn through his own compositions through sound. The next song, "Too Late," is an innovative piece that takes on synth pop with English lyrics. Japanese translations are overlaid on the sepia-toned stage footage, carefully conveying the world of the song. "Friends for life," also in English (included in Major's 1st full album, "開幕宣言"), features beautiful bird's-eye views of the sparkling ocean surface and shoreline, creating a synergistic effect that draws you deeper into the world of the song.

With the deep afterglow still lingering, KEIGO was busy checking his sweaty hair, which drew laughter from the audience, while Yudai once again expressed his gratitude to the audience and passionately stated, "I think music is necessary especially in times like these." He also said, "I hope that our music can heal even a little," and delivered the sad ballad "夢花火." Sparklers were projected on the screen, evoking an image of a fleeting but hot burning. Yudai's singing voice, with its fine vibrato, seemed to reflect the trembling of the heart. At the end, Sojiro's emotional guitar solo touched my heart. As the blue laser beam spread a band of light in a fan shape, they continued with the farewell ballad "Futatsu no Kage," and a constellation of light was formed on the ceiling of the audience. Not only Yudai's singing, but also NEGI 's well-timed hits and Kaito's sobbing guitar, everyone was "singing" with their own instruments.

"Please sit down and listen," Yudai said, and the band moved on to the acoustic section. Yudai began speaking with Sojiro playing piano, describing his first album, "開幕宣言," as a "business card," and his second album, "Assort," as "what we want to do, taking the best parts and selecting them all." He revealed that the tour title (Hope Assort) was meant to express their desire to "gather hope" as much as possible in a world where dreams and hope are difficult to feel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also mentioned the tour subtitle ("From Street Live to Budokan") and commented that they set up an acoustic section as a band that has always valued street live performances. All the members sat down and first delivered "Oneワンルーム," a sequel ballad to "Two Shadows." NEGI played cymbals in addition to the cajon. Yudai was sitting on a chair, but leaned forward so much that he was about to stand up, and KEIGO was still sitting, but his bass phrases were moving around vigorously. Following Yudai's whistling, they performed "See you tomorrow." The acoustic guitars of Sojiro and Kaito, who were like having a conversation, were beautifully intertwined, and in this song, everyone was "singing" and in perfect sync.

The gentle zone doesn't end here, but rather gets deeper from here. I was watching the video of "ツキミソウ" released on the YouTube channel "THE FIRST TAKE", which cuts out one-shot live performances with a total of 10 million views, and I gasped. Just before the song started, the video cut out and switched to the real Yudai singing on stage. After singing one chorus a cappella, a piano and then a string quartet appeared on the stage. Yudai sang a powerful yet pure voice with tremendous energy and emotion, moving his whole body widely. After a moment of silhouette in the backlight, the world of red lighting spread in the big chorus, and the excitement reached its climax. When the song ended quietly, a particularly loud applause rang out in the venue. As the quartet began to play again, all the members came together again to sing "ライフスコール". This dramatic number was the theme song for the movie "Inubu!", and is a grand, fast-paced song that combines band sounds with strings and piano. Everyone on stage sang with full power, making sounds, and the stage was filled with energy. The fans, who were immersed in the music, conveyed their feelings by clapping, and the exchange of heat with the stage was repeated endlessly.

As I was immersed in the exhilaration, the sound effects of heavy rain started to play and lightning flashed across the screen. The thrilling and heavy digital beats resonated, leading to the instrumental song "Anima". The members of the instrumental band were projected on the screen in four parts, highlighting the unique characteristics and charms of each of their playing styles, sometimes battling and sometimes leaning together, creating sparks with the chemical reaction of the sound. The audience, who had been standing and listening, gave a huge round of applause. They immediately rushed into "Morning Light", and Yudai joined them, shouting "Now, Budokan! The second half starts now!" and sang passionately. Although it is not possible to sing along to the chorus part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the audience raised their hands vigorously to convey their feelings to Novelbright 's powerful singing and performance. After the five members faced each other and synchronized their breathing, a tremendous sense of unity was created in the venue during the big chorus. In the psychedelic disco tune "Kii-Kii Cat" from "Assort," colorful animations of cats holding musical instruments crossed the screen, and Yudai, Sojiro, Kaito, and KEIGO stepped forward and repeatedly jumped to the rhythm. The tempo of each solo, which included introductions of the members, was good, and the performance and presentation were dynamic and magnificent. "ファンファーレ," an evolved killer tune of Novelbright 's classic, also from "Assort," was performed with the music video behind them. Yudai's gorgeous singing voice, which made full use of falsetto, and the performance were energetic. It is a passionate message song that sends encouragement, "Take a step forward with faith," but it never forces you to listen, and it reaches your heart smoothly with a mysterious refreshing feeling. "It's so much fun, thank you!" said Yudai, smiling and sweating.

In the MC that followed, they looked back on the tour and shared amusing memories, but when they went off on a tangent, Yudai restrained himself by saying, "All five of us have our parents here to watch today (laughs)." Yudai made fun of Kaito, the fashion leader, and NEGI had a mini-comedy exchange using the electric fan that was installed that day. The first half was all about comical topics. Apparently, the members all had dinner together the night before the Budokan performance, and on the way back, Yudai went to Don Quijote to buy citric acid for cleaning, and all the other members accompanied him. "It was emotional. I was happy," Yudai recalled, and Sojiro, who ran home to catch the last train, laughed nostalgically, saying, "It's the same as the old days." In the second half of the MC, the gears were changed and Yudai confessed the regrets he had been carrying. "Three years ago, on various social media sites, people said that our songs were shallow, that they would disappear quickly, that the music we were making was a lie and didn't resonate with anyone," he recalled. "We did street performances, quit all our part-time jobs, and said, 'Let's work hard and become popular!' Then, when we finally released one song and were just starting to get going, people wrote comments on social media saying, 'They'll disappear soon anyway,' or 'They're just a street performance band, aren't they?'... I was annoyed at how many haters there were, but I thought, maybe we can show them if we go to Budokan." He spoke passionately about how he used that regret as his driving force to move forward. "A lot of people said that this song was all they had. But thanks to that song, we made it to Budokan! So let's prove that we weren't wrong that day!" "To all the people who were screaming back then, let's show them with this song!" he shouted, and then he dropped the important song that became the starting point of his breakthrough, "Walking with you." Starting with Yudai, whose clear singing voice resonates as if the energy born from regret is instantly transformed into pure water, the five members put their whole body and soul into a pure performance. As they performed "青春旗", flags of goods fluttered in the audience, creating a spectacular sight. The members performed a bold and aggressive performance while changing the formation rapidly. Sojiro stood on a platform in the center, leaning back and strumming the strings for a guitar solo. Meanwhile, Yudai, who had moved to the left side of the stage, dashed back to the center and sang the chorus with passion. After concluding the song amidst a great excitement, they performed "Designs of Happiness" with a vigorous run, and then, "This is an important song that I wrote when I was 18 years old. I'm glad that the day has come when I can sing this song here" (Yudai), and moved on to "Photo album". A number of precious shots, such as past live photos, off-shots in the dressing room, and members interacting with each other on stage, were projected on the screen. It's a precious photo that vividly conveys the history of Novelbright and the feelings and trust that exist there. The lyrics, which seem to directly express the story of the group as they continue to run to make their dreams come true, struck a chord with me. At the end, a close-up shot of the five of them on stage with their arms around each other's shoulders was shown. After finishing the song, Yudai shouted "Thank you!" without using the microphone.

"I'm so happy, thank you so much!" (Yudai) said, and the applause started and gradually grew louder. While savoring the joy of the tour reaching its finale, he revealed that he has severe asthma and said with relief, "To be honest, there were times when it was tough, but thanks to everyone's support, I was able to run through it somehow." After expressing his gratitude to the staff of the team that went on the tour, the words of thanks "We all love the five of you! Thank you for your hard work!!! From Novelbright CREW" were displayed on the screen. He also called out "everyone who met on the tour" and expressed his gratitude to the fans who came to the live show. "I think there are worries at school, at work, and in raising children. I think I was able to meet you because you walked every day," he said, thinking about each person's life and demonstrating his attitude of being close to them. It is because each person has struggled and survived their daily lives that they are able to reach a place called a live show and meet each other. He spoke passionately about the preciousness of that.

Yudai also revealed that his grandfather had recently passed away, while refusing to say that it was a personal story, and was overwhelmed with joy at being able to invite his grieving grandmother to the Budokan. He also said that his father had once been aiming to perform at the Budokan as a musician, and said with a smile, "I've made my father's dream come true!" He looked straight into the audience and expressed his gratitude for meeting his beloved members, "and above all, for meeting you, whom I love so much." The members were overflowing with tears as Yudai's passionate MC poured out his feelings, and when their figures were shown in close-up, they too welled up. He spoke to the fans with a loving voice, saying, "We will give you more energy, smiles, and vitality to live, so please come and see us," and declared, "I'm putting my gratitude for your daily support into this song," and carefully sang "Dear, Dear You." Kaito, the only one who didn't shed a tear during Yudai's MC, sang the chorus with a big smile on his face, looking genuinely happy and relaxed. Each of the five members is true to themselves and unique, and they are united in their pursuit of their own individual expression while moving forward as a band. It was a dazzling sight.

The last song of the main part was "流星群", the last song of "Assort". The beautiful scene was created by the starry sky lights behind the stage and the lights of the fans' smartphones. The song and performance were like a prayer, as if they were trying to seal all their feelings in this place and make them eternal.

Called by the enthusiastic applause for an encore, the members reappeared in their official merchandise T-shirts. After a promotional time for Sunny Drop, another official merchandise, Yudai joined the group at the end and commented, "I think this was the best day of our lives." "Since this is the final Budokan performance, we'll play a new song!" he said, and performed his new song "どうして" that was just completed last week. As Yudai introduced it, "It was completed last week. It's a brand new, very sad ballad," it is a medium-tempo heartbreak song with a beautiful melody that hides the true feelings of "I love you" behind the words "I hate you." The audience seemed to be listening intently. For the finale, they chose "開幕宣言." It is the lead song of the 1st album of the same name, and is an important song that opened the 2021 Osaka Castle Hall performance. On this day, it was just announced that the song would be the theme song for the nationwide high school dance club support project "Dance ONE Project '22" on "Sukkiri" (Nippon TV). Using the words he had repeated many times that day, Yudai expressed his feelings in the greatest way possible, saying "Today was definitely the best day of my life! Thank you very much!" The long, stirring sound seemed to be reluctant to end. Novelbright chose this song to conclude the tour finale with the determination and spirit that it was all going to start from here. I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds.

Before taking a commemorative photo with the fans behind them, Yudai made a series of important announcements. He announced that they would hold a joint band tour in the fall ("KICK THE AGE TOUR Vol.2"), and further added, "On June 27th, we will hold a one-man concert at Shibuya O-Crest, where we have performed many times." He explained that this was a project that they used to do often in Osaka, and added, "We will hold a backstage final!" Although the tour is over for now, they made a "promise" to meet the fans again soon. The five members lined up in a line and moved from one end of the stage to the other, politely greeting the fans. Finally, Yudai, who was the only one left, expressed his gratitude on behalf of the group, saying, "We will become a band that makes you feel glad that you supported us, so please continue to support us!" The show ended around 9:30 p.m. Novelbright 's candid, emotional, and straightforward appearance touched my heart at the tour final. I would like to keep an eye on where they go from here. (Interview and text by Omae Tae)

Novelbright" Novelbright LIVE tour 2022 Hope Assort tour ~ A tour that realizes the common goal of "From street performances to the Budokan" ~"

June 24, 2022 Nippon Budokan Setlist

01. seeker

02. Okey dokey!!

03. Sunny drop

04.さよならインベーダー

05.愛とか恋とか

06.戯言

07. Too Late

08. Friends for life

09.夢花火

10. Two Shadows

11.ワンルーム

12. See you tomorrow

13.ツキミソウ

14.ライフスコール

15. Anima

16. Morning Light

17. Kii-Kii Cat

18.ファンファーレ

19. Walking with you

20.青春旗

21. Designs of Happiness

22. Photo album

23. Dear You

24.流星群

<Encore>

25.どうして

26.開幕宣言

▼Setlist/Playlist

https://Novelbright.lnk.to/20220624_budokan