After their concerts at the Tokyo Dome last year to celebrate their 20th anniversary, NEWS returned with a new album and tour this year 「NEWS LIVE TOUR 2024 JAPANEWS」 promised from the very first moment to be a show full of light and color that would make their fans live an unforgettable experience. The tour attracted 163,000 people (33,000 at the final performance in Chiba), in 17 shows and 8 cities across Japan. The album title that gives this tour its name is an obvious reference to their CD debut: “NEWS Nippon”/「NEWSニッポン」released on 7 November 2003, making clear the group’s intention to bring Japanese culture to the rest of the world.
Source: NEWS X account
To support this intention, Dumpling Box was at the LalaArena TOKYO-BAY on November 15th to experience it in first person!
The live show, organized as a ‘Japanese Guidebook’, is divided into 3 different parts called: “Japan’s Charms,” “Japan’s Attractions” and “Japan’s People,” with the image of NEWS navigating through today’s Japan. The album “JAPANEWS” will be the core of the show, but will also incorporate songs from their previous albums and as a return to their roots, they chose the theme of “Japan“.
In front of a stage covered with a huge black curtain where you could read the word “JAPANEWS” in a vibrant red tone, lit by spotlights of the same color, the band made their appearance after the introductory Interlude started with voice actress Masako Nozawa‘s narration “Hello, everyone in the world”, leading to the first song “JAPANEWS,” welcoming the audience who greeted the members with cheers. In the following song “ROOOTS,” the laser and flame effects turned up the heat even more.
The sense of unity in the venue increased during “NEWS Nippon”/「NEWSニッポン」, and during “BLUE,” the entire audience was moved by Keiichiro Koyama‘s call of “Towel round!” the whole venue was moving. Then they performed “Chankapana“/「チャンカパーナ」 on the center stage and were at top speed from the beginning of the show.
Source: Oricon.co.jp
“Travel guide, chapter 1: ‘The charms of Japan‘” / 旅の手引き 第1章 「日本の魅力」made up of songs that flowed between the most intense and danceable rhythms like “JANGARA“, passing through the most fun “Omochidesuka!“/「おもちですか！」and the most subtle ballads, where they sang “Origami”, “Cherry blossom girl”, this being a nod to their well-known hit “Sakura girl“/「さくらガール」or “Distance” which they performed for the first time at the concert.
The three members were also able to show their essence in each of their solos.
Keiichiro Koyama; the first to present his song “Karankoron”/「カランコロン」 in a pop style intertwined with more traditional background notes, accompanied by dancers in kimonos. Shigeaki Kato, showed once again the intensity and particularity that characterizes each of his solos with “almond“, it was performed by drawing letters with lights and making the most of the silhouettes. The last to present his work was Takahisa Masuda with “kawaii” where he unleashed his dancing skills on the central stage, moving to the rhythm of the melody.
During the MC, in the middle of the show, Keiichiro Koyama asked the audience: “Aren’t you tired?” after expressing his concern for the audience, he looked around the venue and said: “You are so close.” They chatted casually, admiring the seating arrangement in the new stadium.
“Travel Guide, Chapter 2: ‘Music in Japan‘”/旅の手引き 第2章 「日本の音楽」the setlist included “Narukami“/「鳴神舞」, “Urameshiya“/「うらめしや」 and “Gifted”/「ギフテッド 」, which seemed to symbolize J-pop. The band’s sound boomed, the voices of the three singers sounded powerful and the performance of “Sweet Martini” was mesmerising with the use of chairs.
Finally, the last part of the show: “Travel guide, chapter 3: ‘People of Japan’“/旅の手引き 第3章 「日本の人」 where they sang some of their most appreciated songs by all their fans.
It was not NEWS but their fans who opened this last musical block by singing together, as usual, the first verses of “U R not alone,” considered one of the group’s greatest anthems. Later, their voices were joined by those of the members to sing this unique piece together. It was a truly emotional moment, where an involuntary tear always escaped while the boys’ voices filled an entire arena with courage in the face of the promise that “we are not alone.” The band also performed “weeeek” and “SUMMER TIME.”
Source: Oricon.co.jp
Consecutively “We are Team NEWS” and “Full Swing”/「フルスイング」the first with its danceable melody and the second with its warmth, tempered the hearts of those present before giving way to the last song “Hi Izuru Tokoro”/「日出づる処」, the perfect finale to the show offered by the members, a piece that echoes their clear intentions of not giving up in the face of adversity, as each of the guys conveyed in their parting words encouraging all the attendees to work hard to achieve their goals, to focus on oneself without losing sight of their dreams, reminding them that although sometimes we go through complicated times the light at the end of the tunnel always shines again because we are not alone, and to live. Above all: live, keep on living.
In the 22nd year since their debut, NEWS members and fans have overcome both sour and sweet moments. Thinking that they are working hard for the happy day that will come again someday, they can start working hard again from tomorrow.
Check out more of NEWS through the member’s accounts on SNS!
Takahisa Masuda Instagram | Keiichiro Koyama X Account / Instagram | Shigeaki Kato X Account / Instagram