BOYS AND MEN: Concert reports from J-Music LAB Ambassadors

BOYS AND MEN is an upcoming boys idol group formed in Tokai area. They had a first Nippon Budoukan concert on Jan 7, and here’s a live report from a J-Music LAB Ambassador!!

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There is no doubt that Japan is the founder of Asia’s pop music culture. Japanese songs and idols are always the lead of the Asian trends, which fascinates the whole world. “Boys and Men” is definitely a name that will pop into your mind when speaking of Japanese pop music. “Boys and Men” is a Japanese music group established in 2010 and has been very famous, and today continue being so. While most of the Asian idol groups are all formed by young teens, “Boys and Men” members have a wide range of age, from teens in junior high school to 25 years old. They call the members in high school “Boys”, and the rest are referred to as “Men”, therefore, “Boys and Men” is a name that suits them the best, and this also makes them outstand from the rest of Asian idols groups.

The reason why they continue being successful in such a competitive market such as Japan for 6 years is that their songs always convey a positive message. By only listening to their music, all the worries and cares are immediately blown away by the brisk melody. Their songs are exceptionally unique since they combine modern Japanese pop music with traditional Japanese music in such a coordinate way, that people can appreciate both different styles from their music. Their videos are always memorable due to their stylish but easy to follow dance move, what allows the audience to be able to dance with them and enjoy themselves; and the catching lyric, which you can help but keep repeating it even after the songs were played.

On Saturday, 7 January 2017 at Nippon Budoukan, I had the opportunity to go to Boys and Men’s concert. As soon as I walked out the train station, I saw enormous crowds heading to the Budoukan. Seeing all these keen fans made me even more excited to be in this show. The concert opened with the 11 members introducing themselves and the color that represent the each of them. MIZUNO MASARU, the leader of the team; TAMURA YUKIHISA, the first place of popular vote; HONDA TAKAFUMI, who has stayed in the group for the longest time. When they finished introducing, they started to have a little talk show. Although it was in Japanese and I could not understand all of their jokes, when I heard how loud the audience were laughing and how happy they look like with those big smiles, I can feel that everyone was really crazily in love with these 11 big boys.

When they begin to sing and dance, everyone in the crowd stood up and moved their body with the melody. Their fans changed the color of the light sticks into different color which stands for each of the members while they were singing one by one. Every song they played that night caused a series of exciting screams. When they sang one of my favorite songs of the concert “I.M.C.A.”, the lyric was so catchy that I thought I actually heard every one sang along with them. Even I was not familiar with this song in the first place, I still joined the big chorus soon and really enjoyed myself.

Despite the fact that it was a great concert without a dull moment, there was a scene that I think I can never forget for a life time. When they sang the song “all for one, one for all”, which, by the way, was their first hit, I knew it was the moment that the whole audience had been waiting for since the concert began. The screaming of the crowd was too loud and too long for them to begin singing, they had to wait quite a time before they started the song. In the middle of the song, the big screen on the stage began to play a video that had recorded the 7 years they had gone through since the time in which they made their appearance in the Japanese music scene. The leader of the team use the time of the interlude to thank all their fans.  “There is no way we can be here without you all.” All of a sudden, he burst into tears. When his tears fell down, the other members stepped forward to him and they all hugged together. Some of them were crying while singing and the other of them smiled more brightly and sang loud just like they want to put more effort into playing this song for each other. When the song was over, many fans are crying with them too. The scene was dramatic and touching. Although I had not followed them for many years, I felt a strong connection with them and their fans at the moment since I was part of their dream, which is having concert in Budoukan.

When the concert was over, people were not willing to go, everyone were expecting more, nobody thought they had enough, and I definitely did not want this amazing night to be over. So we all started yelling “Encore!” together. After a while, the big screen projected the scene that they were changing cloth, the audience immediately burst into laughter. They use “Young Man” to end this concert perfectly. And while they were singing it, there are big balloon with small balloon inside in different color been thrown to the audience. Big, satisfied smile were on everyone’s face. Undoubtedly, I was not the only person who really had an amazing night.