DAY6’s first album “The Day” September 2015 on sale recorded second place US Billboard World Album Chart. Their single “If -Mata Aetara-” released on March 14 2018 was a green light for their debut in Japan serving as the theme song of the Japanese TV drama “Repeat Unmei wo Kaeru Juukagetsu”. They have been on the world tour since June 2018 from Korea to Asian countries, Australia, Canada, America, and Europe. Besides the release of their 1st ALBUM「UNLOCK」in Japan in October, they have held “DAY6 2nd LIVE TOUR in JAPAN “UNLOCK”. Their Tokyo performance was on Oct 24 (Wed) at Mynavi Blitz Akasaka, Tokyo.
When it comes to Korean music scene, you may first image boys groups whose performances are mainly dance and vocal work. However, regarding band scene there are a number of high quality unique band groups blending with Western music scale and pursuing melodious elements. Nowadays DAY6 has been in the spotlight in the genre. Their visit to Japan last time was in June to only Tokyo and Osaka thus it is an amazing scale up that they are visiting Sendai, Tokyo, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Osaka in this tour.
In the venue where tickets were sold out there were full of excitement from their fans waiting DAY6 member appearing before starting the concert. When the lights on the audience the member came out to the stage without SE, people cheered. Like their album “UNLOCK”, the concert started from “Live Your Life”. With the magnificent rock-beats like the sound of opening a door and intro with asking audience to join a chorus seems to expect concerts in Japan. Their music became like three-dimensional by the contrast of Sungjin (Vo,Gt)’s deep backing with his strong will and the lead play of Jae (Gt,Vo,Rap) as if he is drawing picture on a whit canvas. On the other hand, Young K (Ba,Vo,Rap) and Dowoon (Dr) beat out a tight rhythm accurately. They serrve the song’s world or image rather than showy performance. Wonpil (Kb, Syn,Vo) added a nice touch on the songs like “My Day” and “Better Better” which had dynamics by his keyboard and synthesizer. They made such songs more romantic each part blending and unloosing.
Their deep music goes beyond several genres such as Piano rock, pops, emo, rock’ n roll, alternative, black music like R&B and funk music are resulted in the fact that members write and compose their songs and four of the members take part in the main vocal. The things which make every song has extraordinary impression are outstanding melody and vocal works. We can realize it from ballade songs. Their sound scape are engraved on listeners’ mind of their work in a piano ballade “When you love someone”, which let us image a lonely and beautiful winter sky, and “Goodbye winter” which five member’s sound mixed together ultimately from Sungjin’s long sustain and Jae’s two sensitive guitar sounds called Arpeggio towards the chorus part. Gradually they were likely to be relax so Jae and Young K expressed their music “Nobody Knows” in the album “UNLOCK” emotionally swinging their body.
Also, it was a good impression that they talked in Japanese between the songs to the audience. Young K said in fluent Japanese “Have you listened the album? ‘UNLOCK’ has the will to let you listen songs beyond the music genres.” Dowoon commented “I like your beautiful smiles.” Chatting in Japanese each other like “We envy Jae because he looks like a model” made us warm feeling.
After Young K said “this is the songs for you, beautiful guys”, Sungjin changed his guitar to acoustic one and they performed “Beautiful Feeling” and “I’m Serious”. When we look into DAY6’s lyrics, the main character in their songs cannot to be said strong, brave, and clever, but includes boy’s mysterious aspect and youth’s emotional feature. The moment the unique vocalists sing, the character is as if he is getting alive. We can see the new worlds or images coming and passing like looking outside from a train window by changing the vocals freely and adding fluent choruses with Sungjin’s well-carrying voice, Jae’s sweet voice, Young K’s deep voice, Wonpil’s sexy voice, and Dowoon’s smoky voice appearing sometimes. Thus it is quite understandable the four of the members stand in a line in the front side of the stage.
After Sungjin told the audience “Everybody can enjoy rock ‘n roll in the next song”, the song “Everdybody Rock!” started with Jae’s jaunty guitar cutting and hand clapping from audience. Then they played “What Can I Do” with surged base line, and “Somehow” which had a rock tune like EDM making us feel like dancing. When introduction of glamorous and mysterious “Shoot Me” began, the audience shouted with excitement. They had performed such aggressive songs that blossomed their vitality of being players.
In the last part of the concert, they played popular songs for Japanese people such as their debut song in Japan “If –Mata Aetara-”, Japan 2nd single “Stop The Rain”, and “Breaking Down”, which was ending theme song from November to December of Nihon TV programme “Down Town DX”. In particular, “Stop The Rain” blew audience mind since it was produced by Shinichi Ubukata (Nothing’s Carved In Stone, ELLEGARDEN) it became more dynamic music like changing from “quiet” to “active” introducing new guitar techniques or effects that DAY6 had never done before.
Welcomed by a big encore, the members came back to the stage again. There was the biggest chorus in this day with the audience for the song “Congratulations” creating a united atmosphere and even the members shouted “Hoo!” In the ballade song “You were Beautiful” their magnificent chorus work dramatically surround the concert hall.
Then the members thank to their fans in Japanese. “Your support for us led us come to Tokyo and Osaka in June first time and now hold a tour here. Thank you very much” (Sungjin). “I am so happy that I could fully enjoyed with you this time” (Jae). “Though it has been just six months since we debut in Japan, I am really glad to have had a lot of experiences and I could see you today” (Wonpil). “Please love us DAY6 more and more. We will work hard to meet your expectations” (Young K), “Thank you so much for coming today. I am too excited to go back home! Have a nice dream of DAY6 tonight.” (Dowoon) speaking with a shy smile. Their last song on the day was “DANCE DANCE” which was cheerful number suiting for the end of the party.
Their enthusiasm of all songs were like a climax every time, literally delivered “world class” performance to the audience. Despite being on the way of world tour, their performance was enough to comprehend their future capturing the mind or hearts of world listeners and audience.
Concert report: Motomi Mizoguchi
Photo: Masahiro Yamada
【release information】
DAY 6 JAPAN 1st ALBUM “UNLOCK”
2018.10.17 Now On Sale
■ First Press Limited Edition (CD + DVD)
Part number: WPZL- 31524/5
Price: \ 3,500 (main unit price) + tax
■ Normal Edition (CD Only)
Part number: WPCL-12947
Price: \ 3,000 (main unit price) + tax
■ Picture label board (CD) All 5 forms
Price: \ 2,200 (main unit price) + tax
SUNGJIN ver. WPCL-12948
JAE ver. WPCL-12949
YOUNG K ver. WPCL-12950
WONPIL ver. WPCL-12951
DOWOON ver. WPCL-12952
01. Live Your Life
02. Breaking Down
03. Stop The Rain
04. Say Hello
05. Everybody Rock!
06. I Just
07. Nobody Knows
08. Falling
09. If ~ Mata Aetara ~
10. Baby, it’s okay
01. “Breaking Down” Music Video
02. DAY 6 JAPAN 1st ALBUM “UNLOCK” Making Video 03. “If ~ Mata Aetara ~ Music Video Another Ver.
04. “Stop The Rain” Music Video Another Ver.
Trading card
* 1 out of 5 types randomly included
Trading card included
* Including trading card of the same member as member of each picture label board
【DAY 6 Profile】
Five member’s boys’ band.
Four out of five members are the main vocals. Members writes and compose their own songs.
In September 2015, their debut album “The Day” won the second on the US Billboard World Album Chart.
In December 6, an album “MOONRISE” was released and won the first place on the US Billboard World Album Chart.
In October 2017, they performed in SUMMER SONIC even though it was before their debut in Japan. In 2018, Their single “If-Mata Aetara-” released on March 14 2018 was a green light for their debut in Japan serving as the theme song of the Japanese TV drama “Repeat Unmei wo Kaeru Juukagetsu”. They have been on the world tour since June 2018 from Korea to Asian countries, Australia, Canada, America, and Europe. During the tour JAPAN 2nd SINGLE “Stop The Rain” produced by Shinichi Ubukata (Nothing’s Carved In Stone, ELLEGARDEN).
On October 17, their first album in Japan was released. Moreover, from 22 October DAY6 2nd LIVE TOUR in JAPAN “UNLOCK” had started and closed successfully.
【Links】
·Official site
http://day6japan.com
· DAY 6 JAPAN 1st ALBUM “UNLOCK” delivery
https://lnk.to/XYYyW
· “Breaking Down” Music Video
https://youtu.be/QmBaZKYEXN8