As part of the Youtube Live Weekend, Yabai T-Shirts Yasan performed as part of the Saturday lineup. The band was formed in 2013, where Takuya Koyama (Guitarist and vocals), Aribobo Shibata (Bass and vocals) and Morimorimoto (Drums) met at Osaka University of Arts. Despite their name, there is a theme of tank tops surrounding the band, with their mascot (adeptly named Tank Top-kun). After a couple of years of finding success in band competitions, they signed to major label Universal Music where they have released four albums. Before we begin with the show review, it must be mentioned it wasn’t new and specifically recorded for the event Youtube Live Weekend, but compiled from joining various live shows together from 2016-2019. Nonetheless, let’s find out more about this put together set.
The show starts in the best fashion with We Love Tank Top, which for the most part is a lip-synced theatrical performance by dancers which was fantastic and the last thing you expect at a rock show. Instead of the lights dimming and them appearing for the final part it would have been cooler if they just burst through but it was a small stage. With a quick edit, it jumps to energy inducing tracks of Tank-Top of the World, quickly followed by Galaxy of the Tank-Top. Powering through their Tank Top themed songs (although not all of them), creating a really solid start of the show.
Taking a heavier turn, next is L.O.V.E., with the live performance the heavier breakdowns are played slower to give more of an impact once the song kicks back in again. Only going up from there, next up is 喜志駅周辺なんもない (There is nothing around Kishi Station), which for the Youtube live really hits as the quality drastically improves as this is from their latest blu-ray. There is an improvement in camera angles being just focused at different points of the stage, to more sweeping shots, including those of the audience to boot. As the song has a fun part poking fun with call and response, the increased quality is great as you can hear the audience clearer and makes the viewer feel like they are in the concert hall instead of their own house.
A fan favourite, 無線LANばり便利 (Lan Wifi is Convenient), yet another track absolutely packed with energy. The camera pans to the crowd, showing shots of everyone enjoying themselves, jumping around and singing along. They even get the crowd to sing the bridge before the last chorus. From here they bounce straight into another of their most energetic songs, ヤバみ (Yabami). By far it is the song with the most out-there lighting design, their performance mixed with an array of flashing colours and spinning lights. A true audio-visual experience, it is a shame more songs didn’t have an interesting lighting design like this.
As the end draws near, they play one of their newer singles, KawaE, moving away from their heavier punk songs to their bouncy pop-rock. Going to showing they can still ram the energy into the performance as the whole room jumps along to the song, even finishing with a synchronised jump. They end the show with their most famous song to date, Happy Wedding Song, sending inflatable balls and balloons into the crowd as they play. Interestingly, never did I think it would be so impactful to hear a whole crowd shout kiss but that is exactly what it was. It truly is such a strong track, bringing all to an end perfectly as Koyama screams a thank you out to the crowd and brings it to an end.
All in all, it was a great show and a welcome distraction from what’s going on in the world. The setlist was solid, although it can’t be escaped that it was disappointing for those who have the Live DVDs, even so, acted as a great advert for them. In a way they were clever as they start with the older footage, moving to the newer to minimise the quality jumps but the cut between songs was a bit too quick. Still, it is a fun show nonetheless.
Set List
We Love Tank Top
Tank-Top of the World
Galaxy of the Tank-Top
L.O.V.E.
喜志駅周辺なんもない (There is nothing around Kishi Station)
無線LANばり便利 (Lan Wifi is Convenient)
ヤバみ (Yabami)
KawaE
Happy Wedding Song
