Anticipation for YOASOBI’s first ever San Francisco show was clear as day, as the line to enter the Warfield wrapped around the entire block twice before doors opened. Upon entering the building, many fans rushed to line up for merch before the show, and that line already started getting so long that people had to line up on the stairs. Others with floor tickets opted to secure a spot as close to the stage as possible and filled up any available space where they likely wouldn’t be able to move from for the rest of the night. All in all, it was a packed house from the floor to the balcony, and there was a palpable air of excitement as the audience eagerly waited for the show to begin.
A flurry of rock instrumentals began playing to flashing lights and then one by one, the ensemble took the stage. The crowd cheered as vocalist ikura stepped onto a platform that raised her up into the air, before she settled into position and began singing the explosive “Seventeen.” On the main stage below was producer Ayase and a live band featuring a guitarist, bassist, drummer, and keyboard player. With glittering symbols on the large background screen and dozens of lights beaming into the crowd, the group packed a punch with their opening song and set a vivacious tone for the rest of the show.
While the powerful instrumentals certainly invigorated the crowd, ikura’s clear and sweet singing alone had its own command over listeners. The vocalist has a gentle intensity; she doesn’t move all that vigorously, but she’s able to ignite the audience’s energy with her light vocals and dainty gestures. In songs like “Tracing a Dream” (あの夢をなぞって) and “Probably” (たぶん), she started both songs acapella, allowing her voice to take center stage, and the audience burst into excited cheering.
Additionally, the impressive concert visuals elevated the experience, particularly the creative “Pop Out” portion of the show. Ahead of the show, attendees were given 3D glasses to be worn during a specific set of performances that began with the screen showing a book opening up, as if inviting attendees into a new world. The first song of this set was the upbeat “Biri Biri,” full of video game-inspired sounds, that paired with 3D visuals of a Minecraft-like world building itself coming off the screen. A delightful touch that brought the performance to the next level was ikura executing choreography in time with the visual elements, which made the 3D visuals feel more real.
The highlight performance of the “Pop Out” set was “If I Could Draw Life” (もしも命が描けたら), in which ikura returned to the raised platform to sing among dramatic visuals of Japanese lyrics and quick moving elements like blooming flowers and swirling colors. It all culminated in a spotlight on ikura’s vocals during the bridge, complemented by beautiful glowing lights floating upwards in slow-motion; the moment stunned the crowd in silence. Not long after, the band returned to join ikura for the chorus, and together they woke the crowd from their reverie and brought the song to a spectacular end.
Ayase took some time to read an English letter he prepared about his excitement to perform a solo U.S tour: “Let’s all sing, dance, and make this a perfect night together!” Immediately, “Idol,” one of the most anticipated songs of the night began with its iconic gospel-esque chanting. Vibrating with energy, the crowd cheered nonstop throughout the entire song and shook the venue. As if electrified by the audience’s energy, the ensemble performed with renewed vivacity. Another track the audience couldn’t get enough of was “Monster” (怪物). Bathed in red lighting, ikura showed off a different side to her in this song, singing with a lower tone during the verses, headbanging, and swaying her body with a self-assured confidence. Head down and eyes up with an intense gaze, the vocalist maintained eye contact with several members of the audience as they sang together.
As the night came to a close, YOASOBI performed “Heart Beat,” a song that aims to reflect the sentiment of today’s Japanese youth and is inspired by submissions from 1,000 teens across Japan. The feel-good song had concertgoers swaying together and singing along in unison. However, the show couldn’t truly be over without an encore to perform their debut track, “Racing Into the Night” (夜に駆ける), that skyrocketed them to worldwide fame. For one last song, the ensemble thrilled the audience with a heart-pumping performance to close the show. Leaving the crowd with a night to remember, YOASOBI successfully concluded their two-stop West Coast tour with a thoughtfully planned and invigorating show in San Francisco.
Click on the photo below to view our photos from the concert:
