SID rang in the new year and kicked off their 15th anniversary with a live show on January 1st at Zepp Tokyo. The show began promptly at 5 pm when the semi-transparent, white curtain obscuring the stage dropped to the floor as the first notes of "chapter 1" began to play. The venue was filled to bursting with fans who were screaming with excitement as the band came into view. Vocalist Mao, guitarist Shinji, bassist Aki and drummer Yuya were all dressed comfortably and smiling at the crowd. To the back of the stage were multiple LED panels that lit up in an array of colors and patterns that matched each song.
"ANNIVERSARY" was next and the room was buzzing with the energy of the crowd who were dancing, shouting and pumping their fists in time to the music. Aki, Mao, and Shinji were moving casually around the stage, keeping the fans in high spirits until the end of the song. "XYZ" was right after and Mao stepped onto a lower platform that brought him close to the crowd, who reached out to touch his hands as he sang.
"Happy New Year!!", Mao screamed at the crowd when they paused for a break. "From today on it's our 15th anniversary!" He thanked the audience for their support and then got them ready for the next song, "アリバイ (Alibai)", which had everyone screaming in excitement. It was almost impossible to keep still and everyone was dancing including the members on stage when they played "V.I.P" and "MUSIC".
Mao asked them, "Can you spin round and round like you're drunk?!" and as soon as he said that, they started playing "循環 (Junkan)" and the room was filled with dancing, laughing and spinning fans having tons of fun. The LED panels at the back showed a dizzying swirl of colors, adding to the chaos.
After the song, Aki told the crowd, "It's the first day of the year but you all came out. Thanks so much. We've got a great set list coming up so look forward to it." Shinji wished everyone a Happy New Year and since it was the year of the dog, he talked about the dog he used to own called, "Chibi (tiny)" even though it was a fairly big dog. Following that, he told the audience, "This year, let's go big!"
Yuya commented on how awesome it was getting to see all their faces on the first day of the year. "Y'all are gonna keep this energy until the end right?!" The fans roared their response and then Mao took over getting them even more excited.
"Are you sure you guys aren't drunk?", he asked.
"If you aren't we'll make you drunk!" He teased, causing everyone to scream in amusement. They got the crowd to scream even more and then everyone burst out laughing when Mao said,
"The next song is a ballad!!"
It took another moment for everyone to settle down but then the stage lit up in soft pink lights as the band performed "ハナビラ (hanabira)". The crowd fixed all their attention on the stage as the band poured their energy into an amazing performance. The instruments were rich and poignant and Mao's final note stretched on until the end of the song.
The lights changed to soft blue and white and they immediately moved into an intense performance of "影絵 (Kagee)". The stage was darker and the members switched their focus entirely on the performance, making sharp gestures and moving around the stage dramatically. Shinji and Aki were tossing their heads around, spinning and dropping to their knees as they played and the crowd looked on with rapt attention.
It ended abruptly and then they immediately began "モノクロのキス (Monokuro no Kiss)". The lights brightened and the fans began to move again, matching the music with hand gestures (furitsuke). They followed with "妄想日記 (Mousounikki)", a fan favorite where everyone did the complicated furitsuke in perfect unison while still dancing and cheering for the band.
From there it was a nonstop ride with "dummy" followed by "プロポーズ (propose)" where Mao screamed, "Marry me!" at the beginning. The final song was "眩暈 (Memai)" and everyone went wild; jumping, headbanging and dancing together with the members. It was the most energetic song of the night and brought the set to a satisfying close.
The band left the stage but returned for an encore after hearing the calls of the fans. They began immediately again with "必要悪 (Hitsuyouaku)" and the energy instantly shifted back to intense and frantic. Afterwards, the members each introduced their specially designed towels, making the crowd laugh at the silly words written on each one.
They thanked the crowd again for coming to the show and said that the next song was for anyone to enjoy. It was "Dear Tokyo" and the audience cheered in excitement and sang along together with all the members. During the bridge, Mao screamed "Happy New Year!!" getting the crowd even more hyper. They followed with "one way" and the crowd's response was so lively that Mao told them, "The next song was supposed to be the last one but do you want another song?"
Of course, they screamed their agreement and the members grouped together to decide which one to play. After a moment Mao said, "Okay we've decided. If you guys don't bring it, it's gonna be embarrassing." They performed "吉開学17歳(無職) (Yoshigaimanabu Juunanasai(Mushoku))" and the fans did not disappoint.
"You all are awesome!"
Mao invited the crowd to follow them throughout the year as they celebrated their 15th anniversary. The final song was "光 (hikari)" and the crowd fixed their attention on the stage as a disco ball lit up overhead, bringing the concert to a quiet end. They took their bows and they concluded with everyone doing a single clap, wishing for luck and good fortune in the year to come.
Setlist:
1. chapter 1
2. ANNIVERSARY
3. XYZ
4. アリバイ (Alibai)
5. V.I.P
6. MUSIC
7. 循環 (Junkan)
8. ハナビラ (hanabira)
9. 影絵 (Kagee)
10. モノクロのキス (Monokuro no Kiss)
11. 妄想日記 (Mousounikki)
12. dummy
13. プロポーズ (propose)
14. 眩暈 (Memai)
Encore
1. 必要悪 (Hitsuyouaku)
2. Dear Tokyo
3. one way
4. 吉開学17歳(無職) (Yoshigaimanabu Juunanasai(Mushoku))
5. 光 (hikari)
Photo credit: YOSHIHITO_SASAKI
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