LUNA SEA rocked the stage at Hong Kong’s Asia World Expo, the first performance in the city in a decade. After successful lives in Germany and the U.S. to celebrate their 20th anniversary with the REBOOT world tour, the group brought the house down once more.

Pre-show, a massive crowd of Hong Kong fans quietly mingled as they prepared to enter the arena. Some were showing off funky concert gear, though most were more concerned with getting to their seats. Moments after the lights dimmed, the audience got to their feet and cheered the appearance of LUNA SEA, some leaving their seats to get closer to the stage. For the rest of us, two large screens showed close-ups of the performing band members. The crowd roared even harder as Ryuichi sang “LOVELESS”. Then they performed “DÉJÀ VU”, and Ryuichi asked the audience “Are you happy?” in Cantonese, provoking very enthusiastic screams of “YES!”

Next the venue was filled with the classic sounds of “TRUE BLUE” and “RA-SE-N”, and serenity came over the crowd with the slower tempo of these songs. In between guitar squeals and bass thumping, Inoran treated the crowd with his calm confidence on the guitar. Sugizo also demonstrated his talents: not only his jamming skills, but his violin playing as he pulled the strings at the beginning of “Providence”.

And the pace picked up again at amazing speed when Shinya appeared once again for a drum solo. His playing was full of optimistic energy as J returned to join in with a bass solo. The two were clearly rocking the house as everyone revved up to the rhythm the pair generated.

Once the rest of the group came back on stage, the crowd started calling out individual names, as more well loved songs were belted out. With the songs transitioning almost non-stop, LUNA SEA drove the audience to higher and higher levels of excitement. Popular tunes such as “TIME IS DEAD” and “ROSIER” had the crowd singing along and waving their arms in the air towards the end of the show.

After LUNA SEA left the stage, the audience shouted for more, not ready to let the band end the night this soon. The lights came back on to reveal Ryuichi holding a LUNA SEA towel like a banner, and the encore started with I For You, followed by other favorites “BELIEVE” and “WISH”.

By the end, as Shinya threw his drumsticks and Sugizo took a photo of the audience with his phone, there was no question that LUNA SEA had delivered an extraordinary performance that left its audience feeling that it’s a good thing they’re back together.

Live Report by: Amantis
Edited by: Ali W.