Review: YOASOBI delivered a historic performance at Hollywood Bowl

"Is this real?," asked YOASOBI vocalist Ikura in front of a near sold-out crowd at Hollywood Bowl on Sunday. For the vocalist, who lived in Chicago for a bit as a small child, playing the iconic venue wasn't in the cards when they began the popular J-pop act back in 2019. Seven years later, they've become the first J-pop band to perform at the Los Angeles venue and earned a plethora of fans worldwide.

YOASOBI jumped right into their set with "Idol" from The Book 3. It's rare to see an anime song achieve massive success outside of Japan, and for YOASOBI, "Idol" launched them into uncharted territory. The bouncy tune could be heard everywhere from auto repair shops to supermarkets. The packed crowd was filled with glow sticks jumping around to the song as pyro lit up the stage. Ikura had the entire amphitheatre pumping their fists while Ayase held it down on a platform transformed into a pair of books.

Being from Japan, Ikura and Ayase had some fun with the crowd by having them repeat certain Japanese words. While Ayase's English is limited, it didn't stop the musician from professing their love to the fanbase. At one point, Ayase delivered a speech that was translated to English on the big screens.

Throughout the event, the big screens showcased various audience members singing along and dancing to the J-pop sounds of YOASOBI. The camera operators managed to catch one moment that brought loud laughter from the amphitheatre. Before performing "BABY," Ikura said, "We're gonna play some love stories." The screens cut to a man and woman looking awkwardly at the camera.

YOASOBI's set featured a plethora of memorable moments for both the band and the audience. For "Tabun," Ikura asked the audience to hold their cell phone lights to the sky. The end result was a sea of lights that took the entire band by surprise. At one point in the song, Ayase stared at the lights in amazement. "Orion" wowed the audience with a celestial rock intro while "Ano Yume wo Nazotte" delivered solos from the live band.

For the encore, Ayase decided to join Ikura on the floor for "Adrena," which is the opening theme for Hana-Kimi. YOASOBI ended their set with their debut single "Yoru ni Kakeru." Released back in 2019, the song still manages to find its way onto the Japan Hot 100 every year. With YOASOBI gaining traction at a fast rate, they'll only find themselves getting more opportunities at every turn. Whether they were a fan from the beginning or joined them after hearing "Idol," Ikura had one important question to ask everyone at the Hollywood Bowl show: "Will you stay on this journey with us?"

YOASOBI setlist at Hollywood Bowl

Idol

Shukufuku

UNDEAD

PLAYERS

Watch me!

Biri-Biri

BABY

Tabun

Halcyon

Suki Da

Yasashii Suisei

Orion

Yuusha

Kaibutsu

Seventeen

Ano Yume wo Nazotte

Butai ni Tatte

Gunjou

Encore:

Adrena

Yoru ni Kakeru

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