Here’s What You Missed Out On: Kenshi Yonezu’s NYC Concert

Tantalizing Stage Presence

From the moment he entered the stage, Yonezu stood firm center stage with a handy guitar and robust vocals. He introduced himself with the buzzy bassed-out “Red Out.” Right before the chorus, he crescendos singing “disappear” until he hits the pinaccle with the utmost grit. There wasn’t a moment where the energy dipped—his vigorous power came in consecutive waves. Even in the heartfelt and ballad-infused “Eine Kleine,” the singer devoted complete focus in giving his all.

A Hypnotic Creative Vision in Full Force

As the creative director of the show, Yonezu packed in stunning visuals, versatile choreography, and an expansive repertoire in the span of three hours. A hard feat for nearly anyone, but to Yonezu, it seemed like it was second nature. He recruited long-time dancing collaborators Team Tsujimoto for the tour, and each dancer basked in their own respective spotlight, putting their own authentic vivacity into Yonezu’s music. When they first entered for the poppy “Kanden” and later transitioned into the playful but bittersweet-tinged “Sayonara, Mata Itsuka!,” Radio City turned into its own vibrant and intimate party. 

When it was just Yonezu and his band on stage, the huge LED screen makes you feel swept away in dreamy, lush landscapes that are accompanied by his mesmerizing voice and instrumentals. The aforementioned The Boy and the Heron song “Spinning Globe” immersed the audience in a world akin to the nostalgic Ghibli films, one that’s filled with a mix of longing and content acceptance.

Electrifying Fan Favorites

The setlist was an elaborate balance of his recently released album Lost Corner and the songs that were eternally loved by any Kenshi Yonezu fan. A particular highlight was Yonezu’s performance of Chainsaw Man’s first theme song “Kick Back.” The song immediately descends into chaos, but as the song reaches a satisfying climax, Yonezu looked straight into the camera with crimson lighting flashing all around him and a deranged look in his eye. But for some reason, it’s extremely visually appealing for the rapidly paced song. The audience was all in for the thrilling ride. 

The crowd roared once more when Yonezu sang “Donut Hole”— a song he made under Hachi. The Vocaloid was traded for Yonezu’s own singing voice, and the thunderous intensity pulsated throughout the theater. Throughout the encore, everyone’s spirit seemed to still be at that elevated high with his guitarist Hiroshi Nakajima lightening up the mood with his funny antics. Kenshi wrapped up the concert with “Lost Corner,” the eponymous track from the 2024 album. The last line of the song is translated to “Dreams, hopes, misfortunates, and struggles, all of it, well it is what it is”— leaving us to reckon with the reality we left behind and had to face once the house lights came on.

Kenshi Yonezu NYC Setlist

1. RED OUT
2. Kanden
3. Margherita
4. Eine Kleine
5. LADY
6. Azalea
7. Yume Utsutsu
8. Sayonara, Mata Itsuka!
9. Chikyuugi
10. POST HUMAN
11. M87
12. Lemon
13. Umi no Yuurei
14. Tomaremiyo
15. Flamingo
16. LENS FLARE
17. Mainichi
18. LOSER
19. KICK BACK
20. Peace Sign
21. Donut Hole
22. Garakuta
23. BOW AND ARROW
24. Plazma
25. LOST CORNER
26. Ohayou