YOASOBI, undoubtedly one of anime’s most popular musicians right now, held a concert last night and it was truly glorious and unforgettable.
Even if you may not know them, you likely have heard songs from the dominant music duo in some way or another in recent years. Perhaps it’s the viral internet sensation Racing into the Night or the various banger anime tracks such as the inescapable Idol or more recently, Yuusha, the opening of arguably one of the hottest anime right now, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.
The point is that they are a big deal and having them come to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for a concert tour was certainly something surreal and unexpected.
Racing into the Night
Considering tickets sold out in under 3 hours, the venue is without a doubt crowded with exciting fans but the excitement. At exactly 8, when the concert officially started, YOASOBI took the stage, and enthusiastically shouted, “We are YOASOBI!”. Wasting no time, they immediately launched into their hit song Racing into the Night without any warmup and heated up the crowd. Of course, as one of their most iconic song, I and many of the audience members were already fond of the track and were captivated from the start.
From here on out, the performances go on with seamless transitions between songs and a high level of enthusiasm maintained from beginning to end, with almost every track prompting the fans to sing along. One major highlight is the song Gunjou where vocalist Ikura directly involved the audience as the entire crowd joined in, creating a sort of unity.
Meanwhile, high-energy songs such as Yuusha, Kaibutsu, and Idol, would bring the crowd to a fever pitch with everyone bouncing and moving in sync with the melodies. This, of course, is complemented by the excellent sound mixing and Ikura’s remarkable vocal performance. Truly, the way she sings matches the voice you hear in the official CD releases. What a thoroughly unforgettable and enjoyable experience.
Idol
Aside from excellent performances, Ikura also gave a few speeches, expressing gratitude for everyone’s attendance and talking about their experiences in Malaysia. Of course, in a country known for various of delicious foods, Ikura also shared her love for Nasi Lemak, describing it as scrumptious and attributed to her energetic performance that night.
The entire performance lasted for an hour, which did feel disappointing and it was a bit regrettable that they didn’t perform several more songs. That said, the grand finale was marked by the song Adventure, and after the last note resonated, there was no immediate exodus as anticipation lingered for the encore.
The crowd erupted into chants, calling for more as they cheer for YOASOBI. Accepting the fervent requests, the duo returned to the stage and performed one last song. The famous and catchy opening of Oshi no Ko, Idol, reignited the atmosphere and had everyone jump up for a dance.
Concluding the performance, YOASOBI posed for a group photo and expressed heartfelt gratitude. Marking the end of an unforgettable night.