The Rainy Tapestry of Lamp’s “FUTURE BEHIND ME” Tour

The brilliant Japanese Shibuya-kei, city pop, and jazz band Lamp came to Seattle for the first time on October 3rd at Showbox SoDo. Lamp’s music is often regarded as its own genre, combining elements of bossa nova, jazz, pop, and electronic music. They use various instruments to corroborate these genres: the guitar being electronic, the melodies being pop, the vocals being jazz, and the saxophones being bossa nova.  It was their first time touring across America on the FUTURE BEHIND ME tour since their debut in 2003. 

They elated the audience with melodic, soothing, and smooth performances, playing various hit songs. You may have heard their music on media platforms such as TikTok since their rise to popularity in 2021. Though they’ve been a group for twenty years, their recent virality enticed them to tour across America. They are now known and praised by larger Western audiences and are loved for their spectacular discography. It felt novel to be one of the first audiences in America to view the greatness of Lamp. 

Lamp is comprised of three members, each bringing unique talents and voices to their music. There is Kaori Sakakibara, an accordion player and vocalist; Yusuke Nagai, a guitarist and vocalist; and Taiyo Someya, a guitarist. During their performance, they were accompanied by a few other musicians who played the saxophone, drums, keyboard and guitar to add more layers to their musical performance. This elevated their concert, adding complexity to their performance.

It was a perfect day for a Lamp concert—cloudy, hazy, and cold. The cover of their album “For Lovers” prompts two individuals reflecting on the sea, with the wind gently caressing their hair, surrounded with a murky atmosphere. When standing outside, you feel like you are in that album cover as the air brushes upon your clothing. Their songs encompass the feeling of misty weather, evoking the feeling of warmness, complementing the cloudy weather. Their lyrical titles contain words like Raindrop City and Windy Afternoon. It was an excellent time for Lamp’s first showing in Seattle and added to how exciting it felt they had came to Seattle. Their music often reflects themes of cloudy and rainy days, which matched the outside environment. As we entered the venue, the stage was misted by fog machines and crowded with numerous fans. It was an extensive wait for them to come on stage, but they began with an extraordinary performance. 

As the lights began to dim, they appeared on stage while the crowd roared. Their presence was serene as they began their performances. An epic symphony of jazz played in the beginning, inviting you to dance along. The saxophone, trumpet, keyboard, and guitar all came together to make a beautiful display of musical talent. It was a powerful opening experience, making you anticipate what was to come.

They opened with Hatachi No Koi, one of their most popular songs, which felt surreal to see and hear performed in person. Their performance undoubtedly sounded better live, as you could feel the instruments physically. While the iconic instrumental chorus played, its whimsical beat was magical. They performed songs ranging from Hirogaru Namida, Yokaze, From the Window, Yumeustsu, For Lovers, and more. Each song had a varying sensibility, whether playful, whimsical, jazzy, serene, or energetic, forging a dynamic concert experience. I adored their performance of For Lovers, as it is my favorite song from them. Hearing it in person made me beam with happiness. The music is free-flowing but has melodies you can feel in your bones, sending chills across your body. The music in their live performance was perfect, with a range of upbeat melodies to more calm ones. 

As the concert ended, the audience chanted for another song. Lamp eventually came back to do their encore performance, playing their renowned song, Last Train at 25 O’clock. Before the song began, an instrumentalist performed an insanely difficult saxophone solo- entailing rapid skillful, complex notes, which was remarkable. His performance included elements of jazz, bossa nova, classical, and rock music; it was a strong introduction to the song. Last Train at 25 O’clock was a true reflection of their concert, which portrayed all of their varying styles in one. Its joyful melody was a great closing number. 

Each member contributed a critical layer to their performance. Their stage presence paired with their skills was captivating to watch. Their lead vocalist, Kaori Sakakibara, had a soft and elegant vocal ability, contrasting the powerful instrumental. Her delicate vocal technique and tone were superb, and she shined in several songs. Yusuke Nagai, the band’s secondary vocalist and guitarist, was also wonderful. His rich and soulful voice was a great element of jazz. When the vocalists harmonized together, it was beautiful and memorable. Their main guitarist, Taiyo Someya, did an excellent job on the instrumentals. On some songs, the focus was on his guitar riffs, adding an electronic feeling to their music. His guitar ability was exhilarating, adding another dimension to their calming music. The background instrumentalists were also phenomenal, and they truly helped the performances shine. Each of the instruments flawlessly complied with each song. Most notably, the musician on the saxophone was incredible and was prominent throughout their performances. 

Although the performances were wonderful, the audience lacked energy, hardly engaging or dancing along to the music played. Some viewed the performances soullessly, standing in utter stillness. They weren’t dancing along to Lamp’s cheerful melodies, and weren’t swaying their heads to their sultry tunes either. Although Japanese culture is more reserved in crowd energy, the audience gave less energy to Lamp compared to other concerts. Crowd spirit doesn’t just induce screaming at the top of your lungs, it’s showing emotions and truly sharing your love towards their music. The audience lacked this true appreciation which was ingenuine. They only danced along to TikTok viral songs, and did not admire their other songs. Other than the enthusiasm of the crowd in Yume Utsu and Last Train at 25 O’clock, those around me lacked the energy Lamp’s performances demanded. I even saw individuals on their phones, and talking among their friends, hardly paying attention to the performances.

Ultimately, the FUTURE BEHIND ME TOUR was a fantastic experience, and it was amazing to see their glory in person. Their unique abilities and character contribute to their excellent performance. Lamp is amazing at bringing various genres into one, making a distinct sound unlike any other. Their concert was bizarre in making soft beats danceable. Watching them in person helps the listener understand why they are so special. While some in the audience did not share the energy Lamp's performance invigorated, all of those in attendance undoubtedly had a memorable time and were moved by their performance. 

Lead photo by Rowan Santos.

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