The (seemingly) annual Tube Drivers strikes, which paralyse London and bring the city to a standstill, are just beginning as we await entrance for tonight’s gig. From our vantage point in the queue, we can see Camden Underground station being shuttered as the network reduces its services for the following week. With no way to get home after the show, I’m sure the strike has scuppered a lot of plans and it seems to have affected the attendance tonight. There’s not half as many people here as there have been for comparable shows and that’s a shame because tonight’s concert promises much goodness from two artists who have very different aesthetics and display both the light and the dark side of Japanese music.
Takeru at The Underworld in London on 07.09.2025 | Photography by JJ Grant (wonderlens)
After those lucky enough to grab VIP meet and greet packages have got their cheki and autographs, we mere mortals are admitted and descend into the cavernous depths of Camden’s Underworld venue. While the crowd might be few in number, they certainly make up for it in noise and an excited hubbub fills the air as we await tonight’s first artist, Takeru. Former vocalist of SuG, Takeru is more than just a musician, also working in the fields of fashion, design and video production. Tonight he appears in the guise of a singer, yet his performance also incorporates elements of his other work and as he appears on stage, he cuts the figure of a vampire who has just awoken from a long sleep. With his flowing black coat and jet black hair, his solo project has a definite gothic influence (one of his albums was called GOTHIC STREET STYLE, after all) and this is where his work in other disciplines comes into play; his look and sound combine to create more than just a solo project and that means he has no trouble in commanding the crowd’s full attention. He has a huge impact on the audience and connects with them on a deeper level than most artists and I fear that some who are near the front might swoon and faint as they are overcome with emotion. Others punch the air and sing along with every word whilst glow sticks illuminate the darkness (many in the shape of butterflies; his trademark) and it all conspires to create a celebratory air. It means that his set passes far too quickly and just like a vampire, he departs by disappearing into the ether.
Takeru at The Underworld in London on 07.09.2025 | Photography by JJ Grant (wonderlens)
After the inky black aesthetic of Takeru, Verde/ appears as if an angel in white; if you’ve ever seen footage of Elvis Presley in his white sequinned suit, that’s the kind of figure Verde/ cuts (although without the sequins). Verde/ even moves like Elvis and throws similar poses as he points to people in the crowd and makes this a very interactive kind of show. He has a similar kind of effect on the audience as Takeru (and, indeed, Elvis), and with no security guards at the front of the stage, it looks as if the crowd might invade the stage at any moment as fans become overexcited and rush forward as they try to get close and touch their idol. It’s interesting to note how the crowd react to each performer; with Takeru there seemed to be a distance, not in any contrived way, but as if he was a being from another dimension (a vampire?), yet there’s a more earthy vibe to the Verde/ experience and while glow sticks were waved at Takeru, hands are thrust towards Verde/, inviting contact.
Verde/ at The Underworld in London on 07.09.2025 | Photography by JJ Grant (wonderlens)
It shows what a great idea it was putting these two artists together; there’s a neat tension of opposites between the pair, not only with their visual aesthetic, the foil between light and shade, but also in their performance styles: it feels as if someone has held a mirror between the two, with each artist highlighting the facets of the other. However, different they might be, they also find an easy equilibrium, especially when they join forces towards the end of the evening for a joint MC section where they indulge in some good-natured joshing, proving that, despite their differences, they fit together like the yin and yang, and it’s here where they operate as a united force. Each artist thanks their fans (to deafening screams) and each expresses a desire to return, Takeru as a solo artist, while Verde/ promises to come back with a full live band.
Verde/ at The Underworld in London on 07.09.2025 | Photography by JJ Grant (wonderlens)
There’s time for a few more songs, but such was the enjoyable nature of this show that the evening passed quickly, meaning that it is over far too soon. By putting these two artists together, this European tour, titled youthpit, has proved an enchanting experience and one I hope will be repeated.
Photography: JJ Grant (wonderlens)
Many thanks: Killing Daze
