STAIRWAY to The Flower of Life: SUGIZO Final at ZEPP TOKYO

Following the release of his two albums, FLOWER OF LIFE and TREE OF LIFE, rock legend and self-titled guitar-wielding spiritual activist SUGIZO embarked on a national tour that ended on December 22 at ZEPP TOKYO. His solo work blends ethnic sounds, techno, rock and electrifying guitar and violin, a stark contrast with his work in LUNA SEA and X-JAPAN.

SUGIZO made a statement through his music in this memorable show, the song titles carrying obvious religious and political overtones. Not known for his singing abilities, SUGIZO made up for the lack of main vocals with his stage presence and skill on guitar and violin in an innovative and visually stunning show filled with surprises.

“CONSCIENTIA” from FLOWER OF LIFE, kicked off the show. Natural sounds took over the hall and the beat built up to SUGIZO’s electrifying guitar. The venue was submerged in a variety of sounds, haunting female backing vocals fulfilling the need for voice. The beat grew stronger for the classic “EXORCISM,” guitar taking the lead and setting the pace for the crowd.

“MESSIAH” brought with it smooth bass lines and a strong tribal feeling. The melancholy guitar slowly floated in a touching lament that contrasted with the steady drums and helped the transition to the powerful and impassioned “NO MORE NUKES PLAY THE GUITAR.” ZEPP turned into a night club as the techno sounds blended perfectly with potent guitar in an original piece that spoke more than words.

The crowd drowned in the beats of “PRANA” and “FATIMA.”  The staging and lights helped set the mood as goddess Fatima “Who weaves all life together” as SUGIZO puts it, transported us to space where we floated on the lulling tempo. The hypnotizing “Violin Solo ~MIRANDA” was one of the night’s highlights, no one daring to breathe as SUGIZO danced gracefully, violin in hand. One beam of light fell on the leading man as he embarked on his solo, piano joining in followed by a soft electro beat. As the rhythm grew stronger the water on screen was replaced by shooting stars that fell in time with the drums, transporting all from the depths of an aquarium to the infinity of space in a stunning performance.

Smooth bass and impressive backing vocals marked “ENOLA GAY” the screen blazing up with images of death, war, and destruction that materialized on stage as a cloud of gray smoke blew in. After the destruction, the prayer of “INITIATION” made another of the night’s highlights. While religious shots and a crowd in prayer flashed in the background, two belly dancers took the stage, their long hair twirling in the air as they shook their hips to the beat. SUGIZO’s guitar solo set the tempo for the dancing duo and the clear ethnic influences were well-mingled with the rock/techno beat. Like a beast tamer, SUGIZO, whip in hand, tried to control the two dancers who teased him as they averted his approaches. Obviously amused, he chased them from one side of the stage to the other, teasing the support band in the process. The percussionist joined SUGIZO up front, djembe drum in hand during “Elan Vital” last part, the initial techno beat giving way to a more cultural and edgy sound that eased the transition to “NEO COSMOSCAPE.” The African drums carried into the wild, the belly dancers returning now in blood red after their earlier white purity.

In “FOLLY,” the crowd pumped fists with the fast beat, SUGIZO headbanging to the guitar solo. Blinding light and fire took over the screen, smoke again invading the stage as images of war and destruction flashed rapidly to the thunderous drums, explosions coming to life with pyrotechnics. Haunting guitar solos and a ferocious beat materialized the images onscreen, the song slowing down as images of human rights legends appeared, from Martin Luther King to Gandhi and Mother Theresa to Che Guevara. The song reached an end and the stormy sky faded, giving way to light and hope with image and sound combining in a clearly political, magnificently presented piece.

The show ended with “DO-FUNK DANCE” and its determined rock beat. Shifting from the red destruction, the song was illuminated in the green representing hope, support singer Oliga’s voice making quite an impact between the fiery guitars and confident bass. Inviting his support band to the front, SUGIZO bid farewell to the crowd with a long bow but the band returned a few minutes later amid a thunderous cheer after the unusually silent wait.

For the next couple of minutes, SUGIZO launched a bold emcee that helped put his work and ideals into context. “You know, I really enjoyed the show today. The people in the front head-banged, the ones on the sides are a bit quieter, there’s something for everyone. I haven’t had a tour like this in two years. When I play, I don’t talk, so now I’m going to talk a bit more,” he explained. “Many things changed this year. Our country changed a lot. The tour with X-JAPAN was very good, allowing me to visit many countries. The one with LUNA SEA was also great. We are not alone and I want to pay my respect to the countries that have supported us.” The crowd didn’t dare to speak as he went on in a speech that is not common in Japan and that highlighted some of the recent worldwide debates regarding nuclear power. He even dared mentioning the Japanese tendency to keep itself closed to other countries and divergent ideas.

I think we need to open up to other countries. Sometimes we are right, sometimes we are wrong. Nuclear is wrong and I can’t support it. We need to find other options so we can pass this world to our children. I’m not a politician but I believe music can save the world and make a difference. I know some people in Japan don’t like this word but ganbare! (Try hard!)

After an awkward silence, the emcee was embraced in a loud cheer. Before diving into “TELL ME WHY?” SUGIZO added, “You can headbang, jump, dance or anything, just let your energy reach us!” Suddenly all went red for the explosive opening. On the screen, a digital sun twirled, welcoming the day as red turned to blinding white. For the grand finale, the lights went down, a blue moon welcoming SUGIZO, back on violin, for “SLEEP AWAY” in a memorable ending. The tribal electro ballad brought with it steady drums and contagious, primal nature sounds, the backing vocals giving an angelic tone to the piece as smooth bass and gothic visuals added a darker tinge.

As the crowd cheered profusely, the support band made their exit, leaving SUGIZO alone on stage. With a long, deep bow, he thanked the fans before leaving as he threw water bottles and waved. It was a unique and powerful show, both musically and visually, and we at ROKKYUU were touched by the musician’s poignant message.

Set List

1. CONSCIENTIA
2. EXORCISM
3. MESSIAH
4. NO MORE NUKES PLAY THE GUITAR
5. PRANA
6. FATIMA
7. Violin Solo ~MIRANDA
8. ENOLA GAY
9. INITIATION
10. Elan Vital
11. NEO COSMOSCAPE
12. FOLLY
13. DO-FUNK DANCE
14. Encore
15. TELL ME WHY?
16. SLEEP AWAY

Photographs courtesy of GORDIE ENTERTAINMENT.