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Japan
Live Shows
I have compiled a list of all the live
dates I know about, but there is a lot more information that could be
added! Read this
page, then contact me if you have any more details. Be aware that the
actual live dates
may differ from some dates you may have listed on bootleg tapes or
CD's; they are in some
cases incorrect e.g. the "Methods Of Dance" bootleg CD states it was
recorded in
April 1980, but the concert took place in February 1981.
Sources; Viva Rock Japan Chronology, NME,
Melody Maker, Sounds, Record Mirror, Bamboo and various other adverts
and clippings from
"official" sources (e.g. promo flyer for the "Obscure Alternatives"
tour). Any corrections would be most welcome, but I need to know your
sources.
July 2002 update - credit must go to George
Gimarc's "Punk Diary 1970 - 1979" which includes a lot of the early
tour dates. You can visit George's website here.
01/06/74
- First Japan gig - Mick's
brother's wedding
Mick Karn: "June 1st was the 22nd anniversary of
Japan's first ever concert, which happened to be at my brother's
wedding. It must have sounded dreadful but, up to that point we had
been writing music based around songs that David had written. We were
only 14, and I was the vocalist but it was only moments before the
curtain went up that I froze and said, David, I can't do this - you
should do it as they're your songs and you know the vocals off by
heart. I was so nervous, I couldn't even remember half of the lyrics.
He reluctantly became the vocalist there and then." (from "Tooth or
dare" by Gibson Keddie, Bassist & Bass Techniques, Oct 96)
June
1974 - First "paying" gig
at a South London college
1975
- Goldsmith's College
Apparently when Japan played this gig they had Rod
Stewart haircuts. Info courtesy Chris Crader.
14/02/76
- Lewisham, London
The first gig after Rob Dean and Richard Barbieri
had joined the group - supporting The Fabulous Poodles (mentioned in
Bamboo Issue 9).
1976
- The Hope & Anchor, London
Early
1977 - The Rock Garden, London
Supporting Georgie Fame. Exact date needed.
Early
1977 - Big End Club, Munich, Germany
A club residency in the early part of 1977. Rob
Dean mentioned this in the magazine "Bamboo" (Issue 9). They played
there for two weeks and, like The Beatles in Hamburg, had to play a lot
of cover versions in the set. More information needed.
Spring
1977 - UK tour supporting The Damned
More information needed. The dates below are from a
Damned tape trader, so it is likely that more concerts were played,
including St Albans City Hall which Mick Karn told me about (he was hit
on the head by a brick during the show). They are the only possible
known dates where Japan could have supported The Damned. That is
because the earlier Damned live dates in 1977 were supporting Marc
Bolan, and at the dates after July they were supported by The Dead
Boys.
24/04/1977
Roundhouse, London
45
9-
20/05/1977
Southampton University
30
8+
24/05/1977
Nottingham University
45
8+
10/06/1977
Birmingham Barbarella's
30
9
12/8/77
- Music Machine, London
Supporting
Rokoto
29/8/77 - The Rock Garden, London
Supporting The Lurkers
October
1977 - UK tour supporting Jim Capaldi and The Contenders
Tour started October 13th 1977. More information
needed.
4/3/78
- Music Machine, London
Supported by The Stickers
April
- June 1978 - UK/European tour
supporting Blue Oyster Cult
More information needed. During this tour Japan
played mostly Odeon sized venues. Many thanks to Ralph from the Blue
Oyster Cult "Hot Rails To Hull" website. Click the links
below to read reviews of the shows, which include mentions of Japan.
According to Ralph, who attended some of the concerts, Japan did get
quite a following amongst BOC fans and he went out and bought
"Adolescent Sex" and subsequent Japan records as a result of this
tour. This tour took place in two legs, with the BOC playing
dates in Europe while Japan remained in the UK working on the "Obscure
Alternatives" album.
27/4/78 - Bristol Colston Hall
28/4/78 - Manchester Free Trade Hall or Manchester
Apollo (there may have been a change of venue)
July/August
1978 - Residency - Camden
Music Machine, London
This was a
residency supposed to last a
week but the last couple of dates had to be cancelled due to Steve's
appendicitis. Press adverts exist for the two later dates which must
have been rescheduled to fulfil the contract with the venuw. These
dates were sponsored by Radio Luxembourg.
31/07/78 - Bootleg tape exists. Support band were
White Cats.
1/8/78
2/8/78
14/8/78
31/8/78
5/8/78 - St Albans City Hall
Supported by Moonstone
This date was advertised in the music press (I have
a clipping) but I believe it was cancelled due to Steve's appendicitis.
12/08/78
- Bilzen Festival, Belgium
November
1978 - US Tour
6/11/78 San Francisco
7/11/78 The Starwood Los Angeles
9/11/78 Chicago
10/11/78 Hurrahs New York
11/11/78 Hurrahs New York
12/11/78 Boston Paradise Rock
Club. Members of Queen attended.
According to David they had planned to play
Max's but this never happened. Thanks to Henk Kamps for the additional
information. Thanks to Carl Mello for the Boston information.
November/December
1978 - "Obscure
Alternatives" Tour
17/11/78 - Crumpets, Batley
18/11/78 - Mayflower, Manchester
19/11/78 - Leeds Fforde Green Hotel (cancelled)
24/11/78 - Sheffield Polytechnic. The band played
for about 15 minutes then left the stage unhappy with the sound.
Refunds were issued to the audience.
24/11/78 - Birmingham Barbarella's Club (listed on
Obscure Alternatives flyer - presumably a *very* late show or it was
rescheduled to the 30th)
25/11/78 - Southampton University
26/11/78 - London Lyceum. Bootleg exists, including
a backstage interview.
29/11/78 - Sheffield Polytechnic (rescheduled date,
see above)
30/11/78 - Birmingham Barbarella's Club
1/12/78 - Nottingham University
2/12/78 - Northampton Cricket Club
7/12/78 - Leeds Polytechnic
9/12/78 - Manchester Mayflower
I am not certain, but I believe that the dates
prior to Sheffield Poly on 24th November may have been
cancelled and rescheduled due to illness in the band following the US
tour.
Typical set: see the list for the Japanese
tour (below), but minus European Son and the (as yet) unreleased Ballad
number. The tour was supposed to continue to continental
Europe and Australia, before going on to Japan, but the dates were
cancelled due to Rob Dean sustaining a leg injury at the rehearsal
studio.
March
1979 - Japanese Tour
5/3/79 - Budokan, Tokyo. A bootleg tape allegedly
exists of this show, but it is probably a mis-labelled version of the
one below.
6/3/79 - Budokan, Tokyo. Bootlegged as "Budokan"
(LP), "Big In Japan" (CD) or "European Son" (CD) from a radio show.
7/3/79 - Nagoya, Shi Kohkaido
9/3/79 - Fukuoka, Kyuden Kinen Taikukan
10/3/79 - Osaka, Bankokuhaku Hall(Expo Hall?).
Bootleg CD "Heartbreaker".
11/3/79 - Osaka (different venue)
Typical set list: Don't Rain On My Parade,
Obscure Alternatives, Love Is Infectious, Deviation, European Son (very
different to the
studio version), Suburban Love, Ballad (unreleased song), Suburban
Berlin, ...Rhodesia,
Sometimes I Feel So Low, Adolescent Sex, The Unconventional,
Heartbreaker (Rolling Stones
cover, unreleased), Automatic Gun, Communist China. This tour was well
covered by the
media so there are various TV and live video clips in circulation.
Thanks to Masamichi for updated information
on this tour.
March/April
1979 "The New Rising
Sound" Tour - Germany/Holland/Belgium/UK
25/3/79 - Munich
27/3/79 - Berlin
28/3/79 - Hamburg Musichalle
29/3/79 - Manneheim
30/3/79 - Wieshaden
1/4/79 - Nijmegen
2/4/79
- Groningen
3/4/79
- Germany
4/4/79
- Antwerpen
5/4/79
- Leiden
6/4/79
- Wageningen
7/4/79 - Amsterdam(Paradiso) -
Bootleg
tape exists from a radio broadcast, not the whole show.
8/4/79 - Sittard - This was the last time Japan
appeared in public with the full on glamour look. When they returned to
London for the Rainbow gig they made a few changes (see below).
12/4/79 - The Rainbow, London. Bootleg tape exists.
Set list: Halloween, Suburban Berlin,
Automatic Gun, Deviation, ...Rhodesia, Suburban Love, European Son,
Obscure Alternatives,
Adolescent Sex, The Unconventional, Life In Tokyo, Heartbreaker,
Communist China.
It sounds like Barbieri
has acquired some
new synths in Japan and the group are joined by backing singers.
Definite development in
their synth playing style during this tour which must have been from
working with Giorgio
Moroder. All of a sudden they sound like the Japan of Quiet Life! Some
film clips were also
specially made to be shown during this tour which so far have not been
in circulation,
though some stills can be seen in the 1979
gallery on this
site. The group had had a change of image for the Life
In Tokyo video and the first public appearance in this guise was at The
Rainbow in London.
Pictures courtesy Frank Broto. Also thanks
to Willem de Blaauw and Henk Kamps for updated information and
corrections.
16/6/79 - Maarsseveense
Plassen Amsterdam
Bootleg tape exists. After a few songs
David said his voice wasn't up to it and they left the stage.
Information courtesy of
Willem de Blaauw. Thanks to Henk for checking the date again!
November
1979 - Toronto
24/11/79 - Ryerson Theatre, Toronto - 6.30pm
24/11/79 - Ryerson Theatre, Toronto - 9.30pm
A ticket for this concert was recently on sale at
Ebay. Many thanks to Peter Stevenson who has scanned the
advertisement
and two reviews for the show. Jason Nolan has provided a third review
and a scan of his ticket. All can be seen if you click here.
The advertisement confirms that Toronto was the last place that Japan
ever played in Northern America.
"Quiet
Life" Tour
31/1/80 - London, The Venue. A bootleg tape exists
of this show on which you can hear Sylvian or Karn introduce Life In
Tokyo with the line: "And now we're going to play the single that
nobody thought fit enough to buy."
4/3/80 - London, The Venue
5/3/80 - London, The Venue
16/3/80 - Tokyo Budokan. Source of the "Live In
Japan" EP.
19/3/80 - Osaka Festival Hall
20/3/80 - Osaka Festival Hall. Bootleg tape exists.
21/3/80 - Kyoto, Kaikan Duachi Hall
24/3/80 - Fukuoka. Bootleg tape exists.
26/3/80 - ? (Japanese venue)
27/3/80 - Mito Hall. This show was broadcast on FM
radio and has surfaced as a bootleg CDR.
29/3/80 - Sapporo Koseinken Hall. Bootleg tape
exists.
Set list: Despair (intro tape), Alien,
...Rhodesia, Quiet Life, Fall In Love With Me, Deviation (re-arranged),
All Tomorrows
Parties, Obscure Alternatives (re-arranged), In Vogue, Life In Tokyo,
Halloween, Sometimes
I Feel So Low (re-arranged), Communist China (re-arranged), Adolescent
Sex (significantly
re-arranged), I Second That Emotion, Automatic Gun. At spme of the
Japanese dates there
was an additional encore of Suburban Berlin.
Thanks to Henk Kamps for additional
information.
November
1980 - "Polaroids"
launch show - London Lyceum
An excellent show, regarded as a turning point in
the success of the group in the UK. There was also fan talk of a Paris
show from this time. More information needed.
"Polaroids"
Tour
7/2/81 - Hammersmith Odeon. BBC broadcast.
Bootlegged as "Polaroid", "Methods Of Dance" etc.
15/2/81 - Yashima Theatre (?)
16/2/81 - Kobe
18/2/81 - Sapporo Koseinken Hall
20/2/81 - Osaka Festival Hall. Bootleg tape exists.
One of Rob's favourite shows
21/2/81 - Nagoya, Shi Kohkaido. Bootleg tape exists.
23/2/81 - Kyoto, Kaikan Duachi. Bootleg exists:
"Kyoto" 2-LP or "Oriental Performance" CD
25/2/81 - Tokyo Budokan. Bootleg exists: "Relax and
Swing" Japanese 2-CD
Set list: Burning Bridges, Swing (with a
different intro to the album version), Gentlemen Take Polaroids, Alien,
...Rhodesia, Quiet
Life, My New Career, Obscure Alternatives (new arrangement, very
different), Taking
Islands In Africa, Methods Of Dance, Aint That Peculiar, Sometimes I
Feel So Low,
Halloween, European Son (new arrangement), Life In Tokyo, Adolescent
Sex (new arrangement,
very different), Automatic Gun. A lot of bootleg tapes for this tour
give dates from April
1981, but they are all wrong.
There was an equipment problem at one of
the dates (Sapporo?) and so some acoustic, piano and vocal numbers were
played e.g. The
Other Side Of Life.
"The
Art Of Parties" Tour
7/5/81 - Nottingham Rock City
8/5/81 - Norwich East Anglia University
9/5/81 - Manchester Apollo
10/5/81 - Leeds Tiffanys
12/5/81 - Edinburgh Odeon (called 15/5/81 Edinburgh
Playhouse on bootleg)
13/5/81 - Liverpool, Royal Court Theatre
14/5/81 - Birmingham Odeon
16/5/81 - Hammersmith Odeon
17/5/81 - Hammersmith Odeon. Bootleg tape exists of
this show.
This was the last tour with Rob Dean on
guitar. Set list: Burning Bridges, Swing, Gentlemen Take Polaroids,
Alien, ...Rhodesia,
Quiet Life, My New Career, Obscure Alternatives (re-arranged again,
almost sounding like
Ghosts), Taking Islands In Africa, Methods Of Dance, Aint That
peculiar, The Art Of
Parties, Halloween, European Son, Life In Tokyo, Sometimes I Feel So
Low, Fall In Love
with Me. The ticket prices for this tour ranged between £2.50
and £3.50, while Gary
Numan was charging £5.00 per seat at his concerts!
"Visions
Of China" Tour
7/12/81 - St Austell, Cornwall Coliseum
8/12/81 - Portsmouth Guildhall
10/12/81 - Leeds Queens Hall (see photos)
11/12/81 - Lancaster University
12/12/81 - Liverpool Empire
13/12/81 - Manchester Apollo
14/12/81 - Newcastle City Hall
15/12/81 - Edinburgh Playhouse
17/12/81 - Birmingham Odeon
19/12/81 - Brighton. Bootleg tape exists - whoever
was playing the Marimba in "Ghosts" manages to drop something on it
during a quiet part of the song, much to the amusement of the audience.
Also circulating on CDR.
20/12/81 - Leicester De Montford Hall
21/12/81 - London Drury Lane Theatre
22/12/81 - London Drury Lane Theatre. Bootleg
exists: "Drury Lane" 2-LP or "Japan" 1-LP
23/12/81 - Hammersmith Odeon. Bootleg CD "Methods
Of Tin Drum".
27/12/81 - Hammersmith Odeon. Bootleg CDR in
circulation.
David Rhodes was the guitarist for this
tour and the group supporting Japan was Blancmange, who he went on to
play with. Set list:
Canton, Swing, Gentlemen Take Polaroids, Alien, Talking Drum, Visions
Of China, Quiet
Life, My New Career, Ghosts, Cantonese Boy, Methods Of Dance, Still
Life In Mobile Homes,
European Son, The Art Of Parties, Life In Tokyo, Fall In Love With Me,
Canton (finale).
7/10/82 - Stadsgehoorzaal
Leiden - Photos here Bootleg CD "Leidenese Boy"
8/10/82 - Brussels Flemish University. Bootleg
exists, including soundcheck..
11/10/82 - Paris, Le Palace
20 ~ 21/10/82 - Portsmouth Guildhall (2 nights)
22/10/82 - Brighton Dome
22/10/82 - BBC TV "Old Grey Whistle Test" -
"Nightporter" & "The Art Of Parties".
24 ~ 25/10/82 - Glasgow Apollo (2 nights)
26/10/82 - Edinburgh Playhouse
27 ~ 28/10/82 - Newcastle City Hall (2 nights)
30 ~ 31/10/82 - Sheffield City Hall (2 nights)
1/11/82 - Leicester De Montford Hall
2 ~ 4/11/82 - Birmingham Odeon (3 nights)
6/11/82 - Lancaster University
7 ~ 8/11/82 - Liverpool Empire (2 nights)
10 ~ 12/11/82 - Manchester Apollo (3 nights)-Photos here
14 ~ 15/11/82 - Bristol Colston Hall (2 nights)
17 ~ 22/11/82 - London Hammersmith Odeon (6 nights)
29/11/82 - Bangkok Youth Welfare Centre
3~4/12/82 - Hong Kong AC Halls (2 nights)
8/12/82 - Tokyo Budokan (with YMO members).
Broadcast on FM. Bootleg exists: "Visions Of China" 3-LP
9~10/12/82 - Tokyo Nakano Sun Plaza. Japanese
bootleg CD exists from one show.
12/12/82 - Tokyo Koesi Nemkin Hall (1 matinee, 1
evening performance)
14/12/82 - Osaka Festival Hall
15/12/82 - Kyoto kaikan Daiichi Hall
16/12/82 - Nagoya Shi Kohkaido. Bootleg exists:
"Yebi" 2-LP and "The Last Show" CD
Masami Tsuchiya played on this tour and the
support band was Sandii & The Sunsetz, who made the occasional
guest appearance during
Japan's set for Life In Tokyo and Fall In Love With Me. Set list:
Burning Bridges, Sons Of
Pioneers, Alien, Gentlemen Take Polaroids, Swing, Cantonese Boy,
Visions Of China,
Nightporter, Canton, Ghosts, Still Life In Mobile Homes, Methods Of
Dance, Quiet Life,
European Son (new arrangement), The Art Of Parties, Life In Tokyo (new
arrangement, with a
long ambient guitar intro from Masami), Fall In Love With Me. During
the Budokan show,
Bamboo Music, Taking Islands In Africa and Akiko Yano's song Goodnight
were also
performed, with Sakamoto, Takahashi and Akiko onstage.
Thanks to Masamichi for updated information
on this tour.
This YouTube clip is of Masami performing
"September Love" but includes backstage and audience footage shot
during the tour. Enjoy!
. Bootleg tape exists.
