Photo by Taichi Nishimaki
Southern All Stars performed as the closing act at the “ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL 2024 in HITACHINAKA,” held on September 23. A live report has arrived.
On September 23, the weather forecast for Hitachinaka City was rain until just a week prior, but as if to celebrate Southern’s sunny stage, the weather turned perfect for the festival, along with the rising temperatures. As the clock passed 5:30 PM and the sky turned a deep orange with the setting sun, a jingle signaling the start of the live performance began to play on the monitors. The 50,000 people gathered to witness Southern All Stars’ last summer festival erupted in cheers as the support musicians appeared on stage with cheerful expressions, followed by the Southern All Stars. Amidst thunderous applause, the five members gathered at the front of the stage, holding hands in a lineup. This is Southern All Stars—unpretentious, not trying to show off, just five people standing together and raising their hands, filling the venue with smiles. The curtain rose on Southern All Stars’ “final summer festival.”
The opening number was “Oyo ni Boogie,” from the 1978 album “Atsui Mune Sawagi.” Riding on the lively rhythm marked by the claps of 50,000 people, the lyrics, which verge on being inappropriate for the Reiwa era (is it too much!?), bounced along. The choice of this playful song brimming with Southern’s characteristic style assured everyone present that this moment would be enjoyable and happy. After the first song, they expressed gratitude by saying, “Good evening! It’s the last day of Rockin’. Thank you so much for making it such nice weather, everyone! Thank you for staying until the end!” They declared, “We are Southern All Stars! Please listen to our new song!” The second song played was their latest track, “Greetings to Joan of Arc.” The overdriven guitar riff shook the air in the venue with a rugged band sound. Standing at the forefront of the music scene for 46 years, they have always fought with new songs. Their commitment to creating new music and delivering it to listeners is precisely why this stage exists today. Displayed behind them were the words “SOUTHERN ALL STARS,” with no frills, confronting 50,000 fans with pure rock, embodying the majesty of a national rock band, surely igniting the “spirit of summer.”
Time slipped back to the ’80s with two classic songs. Starting with the minor-key “My Foreplay Music”—marked by Hara’s precise piano riff, it enveloped the venue in a sultry mood until the sounds of the waves began, leading into the intro of “Umi” (Sea), as a refreshing breeze swept through. Sensual affairs and bittersweet love. Is there any artist other than Southern who can boast such a wide range from song to song? A slight digression—the last time they performed “Umi” was on June 25, 2020, during an audience-free live stream performance titled “Southern All Stars Special Live 2020 ‘Keep Smilin’ – Thank you all!! -.” At that time, an unprecedented pandemic had struck the world, casting a dark mood, and Southern took the lead in holding a large-scale audience-free live stream. It is fresh in our memories that, at that time, masks were mandatory in public, and of course, there were no audiences at the live show. The event lit a beacon of hope amidst the struggles faced by everyone, but years passed, and the “ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL” finally resumed at this venue after five years due to the pandemic, where 50,000 people could gather without masks to share smiles. This environment, while seeming normal, is precious and exquisite happiness.
When the song changed to “Kami no Shima Haruka Kuni,” the mood shifted from Shonan to a tropical paradise. Cheerful sounds pleasantly intoxicated the audience, then the sorrow of “Eiko no Otoko” stirred the emotions of the crowd. Before the lingering emotions faded, as they transitioned into “Ai no Kotodama – Spiritual Message,” the venue was bathed in red light, transporting everyone to another realm. The band sound merged with the horn section, swirling into an enchanting groove. As the intense performance and Kuwata Keisuke (Vo/Gt)’s rap overlapped, 50,000 people lost themselves in ecstasy, with no breaks, moving right into “Itoshi no Ellie.” The band’s uniqueness is evident not just in their collection of ageless hits spanning progressive and soul ballads but also in Kuwata’s overwhelming vocal prowess. Before they knew it, the sun had completely set, and amidst a refreshing breeze now blowing, the soulful singing suggested this was the peak of the evening, captivating the audience, bringing tears of emotion. In the ninth song, “Omoigoshi mo Koi no Uchi,” images from Kuwata’s early days were displayed on the monitors, creating a moment to reflect on how far they have come over the years to reach this stage today.
Before diving into the tenth song, they took a breather, and during the MC, Kuwata expressed, “Are you having fun? It’s amazing that 50,000 people have gathered here, thank you so much! I know it’s been a long time, but I truly appreciate everyone waiting for us,” as he touched upon the various artists who performed today. Then he suggested, “Let’s cheer up with a call and response!” And with that, Kuwata and the 50,000 audience engaged in a call and response that led into “Tokyo VICTORY.” The mirror ball began to spin, and lines of light cascaded through the venue, illuminating it brightly. While this song has also gained popularity as an anthem for cheering on sports, on this day, the lyrics “To the dream future, Space goes round / Friends, Forever young” resonated from the five members to the audience and seemed to motivate everyone at Rockin’. The moment when Southern and the 50,000 audience members, along with another 150,000 via the screen, united to shout “Wow wow” was overflowing with happiness. This joyful feeling peaked with “Manatsu no Kajitsu.” The lighting on stage reduced to only orange bulbs, creating a simple yet minimalistic presentation that amplified the song’s poignancy. During the final chorus, a starry sky of lights shone brightly on the monitor, uniting the entire venue with nature. Being wrapped up in the performance of Southern created a feeling of oneness with the world, a unique experience found only at outdoor live concerts.
The twelfth song performed was “Koi no Boogie Woogie Night,” clearly one of the highlights of the live show. This new song, which premiered their activities in 2024 and was featured as the theme song for the widely acclaimed Fuji TV drama “Shinjuku Yasen Byoin,” took the media by storm this summer, and this performance marked its first live rendition alongside “Greetings to Joan of Arc.” As the intro began, cheers erupted, and chaotic elements like flashy lasers, a strangely glowing vending machine, and sexy dancers in long dresses transformed the venue into a disco. At the end of the outro, Kuwata, in full throttle, declared, “Rockin’ is the best!! Thank you for tonight!!” From here, the pace accelerated rapidly. The audience erupted into song during “LOVE AFFAIR – Himitsu no Date -,” raising their fists in excitement during “Machilda BABY” and “Miss Brand-New Day,” leading into the obligatory summer festival anthem. Before they started the song, during the overture, they humorously sang in an enka style, “Summer festivals are too hot, so goodbye to the grandparents. Don’t cry, Shibuya-san. Let’s keep this going, everyone,” delivering messages to the former president/current chairman of Rockin’ On Group, Yoichi Shibuya, who stepped down this year, and the younger musicians who have taken up the festival baton, then transitioned into “Minna no Uta.” The 50,000 people waved their hands, and of course, there was the customary water spray from Kuwata. The final song of the main show was “Manpi no G★SPOT.” While avoiding direct reference to the title, lyrics, or the images displayed on the monitors, it’s undeniable that Southern is the only artist who can start with “Oyo ni Boogie” and conclude with “Manpi no G★SPOT.” The disarray overflowing in the public sphere, transmuted into music over time, embodies what pop music and entertainment truly are. It was an awe-inspiring stage filled with the essence of this principle.
Responding to the unending applause and cheers for encores, Kuwata returned with another thank you, performing “Kibou no Wadachi,” which they had performed as the first song when they appeared at the same festival in 2018. This beloved song ignited a warmth in the audience’s hearts. The trail left by Southern All Stars over their 46 years is tremendous. And the final song presented at the “final summer festival” was the opening track, “Katte ni Shindobaddo.” Accompanied by about 40 samba dancers, a massive sing-along erupted. In a surprising twist during the finale, all the artists from the September 23 concert, including Yabai T-Shirts Yasan, Momoiro Clover Z, Ryokuoushakai, Creepy Nuts, WANIMA, and THE YELLOW MONKEY, appeared on stage! The scene where Kuwata called out all the artists’ names and engaged in a call and response during the interlude is sure to become a memorable moment in the history of Japanese summer festivals. A magnificent fireworks display created an unparalleled celebratory atmosphere. Southern All Stars’ final summer festival performance closed amidst wild enthusiasm. In fact, the setlist covered a spectrum of songs released from their debut “Katte ni Shindobaddo” to their latest “Greetings to Joan of Arc,” spanning the 1970s, ‘80s, ‘90s, 2000s, ‘10s, and ‘20s. Southern’s music is an intrinsic part of everyone’s life. Their performance exceeded expectations, ensuring that not a single person among the over 200,000 audience members nationwide, including in movie theaters, was left behind; it was a 100-minute stage overflowing with love from Southern All Stars.
Kuwata concluded his final MC, saying, “I am truly sorry for causing such a commotion. For the time being, we will be graduating, but I genuinely believe that the wonderful young artists will continue to strive, and I hope this festival remains amazing.” A memorable night was created as a baton was passed from the citizens’ rock band Southern All Stars to the next generation of talented artists in the history of Japanese music that will be cherished forever.
However, the “summer festival” is the only thing that has come to an end. It has also been announced that an original album will be released this winter, and as Kuwata stated, “See you somewhere again!” it is certain that there will be new announcements soon. Indeed, Southern All Stars will continue into the future――.
Photo by Taichi Nishimaki
［setlist］
01. Oyo ni Boogie
02. Greetings to Joan of Arc
03. My Foreplay Music
04. Umi
05. Kami no Shima Haruka Kuni
06. Eiko no Otoko
07. Ai no Kotodama – Spiritual Message –
08. Itoshi no Ellie
09. Omoigoshi mo Koi no Uchi
10. Tokyo VICTORY
11. Manatsu no Kajitsu
12. Koi no Boogie Woogie Night
13. LOVE AFFAIR – Himitsu no Date –
14. Machilda BABY
15. Miss Brand-New Day
16. Minna no Uta
17. Manpi no G★SPOT
En1. Kibou no Wadachi
En2. Katte ni Shindobaddo
▼Book Information
Nobuaki Onuki
“About so-called ‘Southern'”
6398303:L
For more details on “TAISHITA CAMPAIGN 2024” click here ⇒
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