Translation from SPONICHI
The famous rock band that garnered much popularity in the 90’s‚ LUNA SEA has announced their reunion after seven years on the 27th of this month. They will be holding a one-night only concert at the Tokyo Dome on December 24th. The resurrection of this legendary band will surely be the best Christmas present for the fans. The news was officially announced on the 28th of this month, on the night of the lunar eclipse from which the band’s name was inspired.
It has been seven years since they made their curtain call, at the peak of their popularity after eleven years of activities. Ryuichi Kawamura (37), returning as RYUICHI, and the original members of the band‚ SUGIZO (age undisclosed), INORAN (36), J (37), and SHINYA (37) will unite on stage.
The location for the concert will be Tokyo Dome, where they held their last concerts on December 26 and 27 of 2000. The event is titled GOD BLESS YOU ~ One Night Dejavu ~ and plans to gather approximately 50,000 audience at this memorable place. Dejavu is a well-known song from the band, and was included in their major debut album IMAGE, and just as the name represents, the event will replay the familiar sight that once took place.
This plan of resurrection was first mentioned at the end of last year. The year 2007 marks the 10 year anniversary for each member’s solo career, and the 15 year anniversary of their major debut. With their fan club still continuing after the disbandment, calls for their reunification have become more and more apparent.
The five members had announced the end of the band’s activities gracefully with a positive attitude, naming musical differences as the reason. After the disbandment, each member carried on with their solo work or formed units with different musicians. According to their acquaintances, they met up at the end of June this year and discussed the events leading towards Christmas Eve. This was the first time that all five members met up together since the disbandment.
LUNA SEA has released a total of 30 singles and albums combined, including the album SHINE of which 15 out of the 30 made number one on the Oricon charts. They have also made an appearance on the KOHAKU* show in 1998. In 1999 they became the first Japanese rock band that toured Asia, and the leader of the rock music world at the end of the 20th century. Recently young bands that have been inspired by LUNA SEA‚ old style have become very popular and have also made their entrances into the European/American markets. This reunification will be one that is accompanied by the fact that their influences are still evident even to this day.
*Annual Japanese New Year celebration TV program
Translated by Christina Fang