Having been active in the music industry since 2006, it is surprising to realise that tonight’s show featuring NANO will be her very first in the UK. They say that all good things come to those who wait and if that’s true, logic dictates that two decades we’ve waited for NANO means we are in for one hell of a show. In fact, such is the desire to see NANO that a queue starts to stretch outside The Underworld from early afternoon, not only for those with VIP, meet-and-greet passes, but those with regular tickets hoping to stake a coveted place in front of the stage. It all conspires to create an air of excitement as the minutes slowly countdown towards general admission.
As a veteran festival goer, I still find it strange when there isn’t a support band on the bill of a concert; they serve a useful purpose in warming up a crowd and creating a sense of anticipation, but anticipation is something we have plenty of tonight. On the plus side, it means that there’s not too long to wait until NANO takes to the stage and when NANO does appear she is greeted with a cheer that threatens to raise the roof. It is a track from her 2013 sophomore album that kicks things off, and Nevereverland, with its ice-cold, stark piano introduction, it makes a rather arresting opener, yet things kick into life when the song suddenly switches tempo, and this is the cue for the crowd to go wild as they jump in unison and wave go-sticks frantically in time with the beat.
NANO at The Underworld in London on 08.07.25 | Photography: JJ Grant (Wonderlens)
As is usual for a NANO performance, this show features just NANO singing along to a backing track; you might expect that such a set-up would find the audience’s attention slipping, but nothing could be further from reality. With just a few low-key dance moves and a voice that rings out strong and true, NANO keeps the crowd entranced over the course of 90 minutes. In fact, it is her vocal gymnastics which keep the crowd spellbound as she performs all sorts of twists and turns with a range that veers between a glass-shattering trill and low register growls. A bilingual artist fluent in both English and Japanese, she flits effortlessly between the two (and often within the same song) and as with her vocal range, she employs the different languages to convey various emotions through phonetics; the cursive, rhythmical nature of English is used for softer sections, whilst the more militaristic-sounding Japanese expresses harder moments. As such, throughout the show NANO’s vocals become an instrument in themselves and add an extra layer to the already lustrous backing track.
There are two types of fans who are attending tonight; there’s the casual supporter who stumbled across NANO’s work via various anime and television shows, and there is the more hardcore fan who knows the lyrics to every word of every song. And while war and politics might be dividing the population outside The Underworld, inside the venue, all ages, genders and ethnicities are united by a love of music as the usual divisions that separate people are levelled by songs such as No pain, No game and Now or Never which sweep everybody up in their life-affirming effervescence.
NANO at The Underworld in London on 08.07.25 | Photography: JJ Grant (Wonderlens)
While NANO engages in a small amount of talk between songs, it’s not too much and doesn’t stop the fast-paced nature of the show. In fact, it’s not until the mid-point of the set that a stool appears and NANO takes a seat to deliver a few slower numbers. Not only does this ensure that the set ebbs and flows, it also provides a moment of respite for both artist and crowd, and on a sweltering summer’s evening in central London, that’s a necessity. It’s during this section that NANO really engages with the crowd, outlining her struggles, hopes and fears, and also some of the inspirations behind the songs, and that only serves to strengthen the bond between artist and audience.
After the mid-section, we are back to the rock action with NANO dancing and gyrating to the music in a most energetic way. It follows the same kind of pattern as the first part of the show and ensures that the two halves of the show mirror the other and bookend the mid-section perfectly. It is with Do or Die that the set concludes in rather raucous fashion, but the crowd chant for ‘one more song’ and NANO is only too happy to oblige, not with one encore, but three, the last of which, Freedom Is Yours, drains every drop of fuel from the tank and ensures that nobody leaves feeling disappointed.
NANO at The Underworld in London on 08.07.25 | Photography: JJ Grant (Wonderlens)
Set List:
1. Nevereverland
2. SABLE
3. FIGHT SONG
4. No pain, No gain
5. Now or Never
6. DREAMCATCHER
7. Star light, Star bright
8. Histery
9. Lost In Gray
10. Oblivion
11. ENDGAME
12. SAVIOR OF SONG
13. Do or DieEncores:
14. magenta
15. Let’s Make Noise
16. Freedom Is Yours
Photography: JJ Grant (wonderlens)
