Anybody who has witnessed a MUTANT MONSTER show live, will not be surprised by the following review, but if like some in attendance that evening, this is your first time watching MUTANT MONSTER perform live, it wouldn’t be a show you would forget any time soon.
Formed in 2008 and consisting of three members, Lead vocalist and guitarist MEANA, secondary vocalist and bassist BE, and backup vocalist and drummer CHAD. MUTANT MONSTER made a name for themselves overseas with their passionate and energetic live performances, becoming regulars at London’s annual HYPER JAPAN Festival.
Returning to the United Kingdom only six months since their last visit, it’s safe to say that they have once again retained their energetic, lively and ear-bursting performances, delivering their strongest form and their tight setlist we have come to expect from their live shows. Choosing to continue their Nekokaburi tour setlist, they once again treated the audience to fan favourites Abnormal, which kicked off the performance, Bara Bara, Girl’s Fight, Lazy Guy and Clap Your Hands to name just a few – while also performing their latest release Let Go.
One of MUTANT MONSTER’s greatest strengths is the encouragement of crowd participation, and the level of interaction between the girls and their fans, from their simple introduction to the beginning of the show, introducing themselves, their home country of Japan and taking regular intervals between songs to speak with the audience, encourage their fans to speak with them in return – this is also just as common following the show, when the girls will stand behind their merchandise table, greeting any fan who wishes to speak with them.
Their May 31st performance at Jimmy’s bar in Manchester, held one of their largest crowds yet during a UK tour, though it will not be their last, the crowd energy was lifted by their performance carried through during their show and continued long into the evening, long after the three-piece had departed.
Though MUTANT MONSTER have not yet announced any further trips to the UK this year, it’s likely that if they were to return, it would be around November time – so keep your eyes out, and if you haven’t been to their shows yet, then I highly recommend you do.
