ZUTOMAYO’s Conceptual ‘OMOTE EXPO’ Show at Osaka/Kansai Expo Celebrates ‘Noble Solitude’ of Human Progress: Concert Recap

Osaka is presently hosting its archetypal world’s just successful 55 years since Expo ’70 that took spot nether the taxable of “Progress and Harmony for Mankind.” Throughout the presently ongoing EXPO 2025, assorted performances person been featured astatine the EXPO Arena “Matsuri,” and a peculiarly notable amusement took spot earlier this period astatine this outdoor venue. The peculiar concert, ZUTOMAYO’s independently produced lawsuit entitled OMOTE EXPO 2025 “MEIKŌ WA GUNARUGA GOTOSHI,” was made imaginable aft the set negotiated straight with the Osaka/Kansai EXPO organizers to marque it happen.

ZUTOMAYO’s MEIKŌ WA GUNARUGA GOTOSHI (roughly meaning “Celebrated Achievement is similar Foolishness”) arena circuit that ran from March to May this twelvemonth drew 120,000 fans nationwide. Under the conception of “Midnight Forever Expo connected the Far Side of the Sun,” the circuit drew attraction for its unsocial staging that brought to beingness “another Expo” that mightiness person been happening down the scenes during Expo ’70, conscionable arsenic the existent EXPO 2025 is underway.

That said, what this seemingly outlandish circuit expressed was a connection astir the inefficient, yet profoundly endearing creations and creation that are calved erstwhile radical effort to marque things done proceedings and error, oregon conflict to execute thing — and yet astir however radical live. OMOTE EXPO 2025 “MEIKŌ WA GUNARUGA GOTOSHI” presented an accidental to showcase that fictional Midnight Forever Expo connected the signifier of the existent EXPO happening close present successful 2025. (Omote, pronounced “oh mo tay,” means the broadside facing the beforehand successful this context.)

As the archetypal unrecorded performance produced independently by the creator to instrumentality spot astatine EXPO 2025, summons holders of the world’s just could participate the lottery for entree to the amusement escaped of charge. After the lawsuit was announced, fans rushed to participate the draw. The 16,000-capacity EXPO Arena “Matsuri” became packed, mounting a grounds for the largest attendance for a unrecorded lawsuit held astatine this outdoor venue. The lawsuit was received with specified enthusiasm that fans gathered extracurricular the arena to perceive the dependable leaking out.

What stood retired astir during the show was how, contempt its conceptual format, the amusement remained filled with vigor and a celebratory vibe throughout. Following the opening narration by Koji Ishizaka — a salient Japanese histrion who besides narrated Expo ’70 — the excitement successful the venue soared from the opening with high-energy performances, with highlights including the opening fig “DNA,” featuring CRT show drums and electrical instrumentality harps, and “Byoshin wo kamu,” wherever the assemblage joined successful with claps.

What feels strangely compelling is however ZUTOMAYO’s euphony is composed of a operation of highly analyzable elements. The songs battalion a wide scope of elements into a azygous track, starting with rock, pop, soul, funk, dub, nine music, and rap, positive assorted different essences, from singer-songwriter-like qualities to euphony originating from Japan’s net similar Vocaloid. The distinctive mode everything comes unneurotic and washes implicit listeners arsenic axenic popular feels amplified expone...