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SAYONARA National Stadium FINAL WEEK, "JAPAN NIGHT" – Transmitting the Power of Music to the World!
At 5:30 PM on May 29th, with just over 50 hours remaining until the historic moment when the National Stadium, cherished for over half a century as a sacred ground for sports and music, would close its doors, the final performance of the two-day "JAPAN NIGHT" event—the stadium's last music festival—began.
The theme was "Japan to the World." Four artists actively performing overseas—SEKAI NO OWARI, Perfume, MAN WITH A MISSION, and L'Arc-en-Ciel—gathered under the purpose of "wanting people around the world to know the image of Japan and the power of Japanese music." Media from 70 companies across 22 countries and regions worldwide—not just Asia, but also North and South America, Europe, and beyond—covered the event, highlighting the high level of interest in Japanese music among international media.
Leading the charge amid the roar of 60,000 fans and blazing flames was MAN WITH A MISSION. This rock band consists of five ultimate lifeforms: wolf heads and human bodies. They made their major debut in 2011 and are scheduled to debut in the US this fall via Epic Records. As soon as they began playing, the audience stood up and started jumping up and down. With fists raised high, the stadium was instantly engulfed in a feverish energy that rivaled the scorching 28°C (82°F) heat.
During the stage transition, while the intense afterglow of MAN WITH A MISSION's performance lingered, massive waves spontaneously formed in multiple layers throughout the arena and stands. As the audience eagerly awaited the next act, SEKAI NO OWARI took the stage. Partnering with Live Nation, known for promoting Lady Gaga and Madonna's concerts, they've expanded their activities overseas. They sang about the pain, joy, and hope of living through songs like "Starlight Parade," "Nightmare on Galaxy Street," and "RPG."
As dusk fell and the area was enveloped in twilight, Perfume delivered a dazzling stage of light and sound utilizing cutting-edge digital technology. The group expanded their activities overseas starting in 2012, conducting their overseas tour "Perfume WORLD TOUR 1st" across four Asian cities. In 2013, they raced through three European countries (Germany, UK, France) on "Perfume WORLD TOUR 2nd." Expressing their aspiration to promote Japan more globally as "artists broadcasting to the world," they concluded, "This is our first and last time at the National Stadium. We'll work hard so that when it's rebuilt, we'll be invited again as representatives of Japan!"
The final music event at the National Stadium featured L'Arc-en-Ciel as the grand finale act, a rock artist who had already established a monumental presence at the venue. The group successfully performed there as the first rock band in 2012. Their second concert this past March drew 160,000 people over two days, setting a new attendance record for live performances at the stadium. Overseas, in 2012, they became the first Japanese act to hold a solo concert at New York's Madison Square Garden and embarked on the largest-scale world tour ever undertaken by a Japanese band.
When vocalist hyde shouted, "It's an honor to be called to this final stage. Let's all go wild together with no regrets!", dozens of fire columns erupted simultaneously from the front of the stage and above the roof, enveloping the entire venue in flames, seemingly reaching all the way to the back of the stands. Interweaving his a cappella rendition of "BLESS," the NHK Vancouver Olympics theme song, he captivated the audience with a hard-hitting yet fantastical world. Hyde stated, "I think this is the last time we'll see such an open landscape, so I want you to burn it into your memory before leaving. With gratitude for the history of the National Stadium, I want to sing, carrying dreams for a reborn future." The final number, "MY HEART DRAWS A DREAM," was then performed. As 60,000 voices sang "I'll draw a dream," countless multicolored balloons were released, painting a magnificent "L'Arc-en-Ciel" (French for rainbow) across the night sky. With the words "Let's meet here again," the stadium's final music event drew to a close.
The "rainbow" coloring the night sky was a bridge to the future. Carrying people's gratitude and hope, it soared high into the heavens.
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