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Nippon Budokan in 2023
The likes of the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin and Queen have all performed on the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo however for me it was Blur’s Japan-only launch ‘Reside on the Budokan‘ (1996) which introduced the place to my consideration again when such overseas import CDs had been a giant deal for music followers. It was one of many first CDs I purchased not lengthy after touchdown down in Japan years later as an ignorant foreigner with little or no information in regards to the nation.
Scottish indie-rock band Franz Ferdinand had been a band I used to be actually into in these early days in Japan and again in February 2006 they got here to Japan to play 4 live shows over 5 days throughout three cities. The tour started at Zepp Nagoya on the eighth adopted by two dates within the capital at Zepp Tokyo (ninth) and Nippon Budokan (tenth). The ultimate date was at Zepp Osaka on the twelfth.
I assume my girlfriend of the time purchased us the tickets as I’d have little question been incapable of doing such a factor again then! It’s nonetheless not the best of duties! On the day of their look on the Budokan I met up together with her for some mid-afternoon tempura earlier than happening to fulfill my colleague Richard (we’d solely labored collectively a number of occasions at this level) having discovered three days earlier than that he additionally had a ticket. We agreed to fulfill up beforehand at British pub chain Hub at 5:00pm for a few pre-gig gin & tonics.
Simply in case you didn’t know what a G&T seemed like!! Think about this image was taken in 2006!
It was on to Kudanshita after that which is the closest station to the Budokan and the controversial Yasukuni Shrine is only a stones throw away too.
Yasukuni Shrine! Effectively I’ve gotta fill this publish with some photos as there are only a few of the particular Budokan live performance!!
Nippon Budokan is a 14,471 seat indoor enviornment in Chiyoda Ward which was in-built 1964 able to host judo on the Tokyo Olympics that very same 12 months. Its main use is supposedly for martial arts nevertheless it has maybe gained extra fame for its use as a musical efficiency venue since then.
Help got here from The Magic Numbers who had been a band I used to be listening to lots again then in order that was one more reason for attending this gig. I can’t bear in mind an excessive amount of about their set however I do recall singer Romeo had discovered a number of brief Japanese sentences which all the time goes nicely down with the locals. Then once more, they’re typically simply blissful to listen to arigatou regardless that that does change into slighly tedious after you’ve heard it for the tenth time!
Franz Ferdinand got here on after that and bashed their approach energetically by one of the best of their two albums in a fast-paced 14 track set earlier than leaving the stage previous to the inevitable encore. I nonetheless don’t perceive why bands all the time do that different than simply needing a little bit of a relaxation and to (hopefully) construct anticipation for his or her remaining few songs! They really got here again on for 5 extra songs moderately than the same old two or three.
Simply consider me that Franz Ferdinand are on stage on this image!
Setlist: This Boy; Come On House; The Darkish Of The Matinee; Auf Achse; What You Meant; Take Me Out; Stroll Away; Eleanor Put Your Boots On; Darts Of Pleasure; The Fallen; Do You Need To; Van Tango; 40; Michael; Jacqueline; Evil And A Heaven; You Might Have It So A lot Higher; Outsiders; This Fireplace.
The band are nonetheless collectively and have now been round for simply over 20 years however haven’t been in a position to match the business success of the primary two albums. I don’t know what their units have been like since early 2006 however I bear in mind being fairly staggered that they performed their signature tune ‘Take Me Out‘ so early on. There may be after all much more to the band than that tune and people two albums are packed stuffed with actually nice songs.
I’ve handed by the Nippon Budokan a number of occasions within the continuing years (the place I simply occurred to have a Franz Ferdinand CD on me!) however haven’t been again inside as there simply haven’t been any artists taking part in there that I actually wished to see. Given the big variety of sports activities I’ve watched lately there’s in all probability extra likelihood of returning to this venue for martial arts moderately than reside music!
Bonus: Six years later I used to be again on the Budokan when Noel Gallagher’s Excessive Flying Birds had been taking part in their first live performance in Japan. Nonetheless, I didn’t even have a ticket however was simply shut by throughout a break from work. I took a photograph and posted it on social media within the identify of fooling individuals into believing I used to be there. It labored however in hindsight appears a bit of bit unhappy!!
What a prankster!! I stated prankster, not w*nker!!
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