Tag Archives: Seimei/Still Alive

News

The second proper night (third including the SHOWCASE of the SHOWCASE) of B’z SHOWCASE 2017 -B’z In Your Town- is here with the best possible setlist when it comes to pairing the gems these shows are known for!

The full setlist is posted below to avoid spoilers for those attending the shows.

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News

The official kickoff of B’z SHOWCASE 2017 -B’z In Your Town- is upon us, and already a song that has never been performed live can be marked off the list! In case you missed it, the band already performed one show in Hioki two days ago, which featured a slightly different setlist you can check out here.

The full setlist is posted below to avoid spoilers for those attending the shows.

(more…)

News

Two years following the close of their last outing for B’z LIVE-GYM 2015 -EPIC NIGHT-, B’z have finally returned to the live stage! While B’z SHOWCASE 2017 -B’z In Your Town- kicks off properly tomorrow, the opening SHOWCASE in Hioki has just wrapped up and it’s shaping up to be a memorable outing already!

The full setlist is posted below to avoid spoilers for those attending the shows.

(more…)

News

B’z rehearsing for SHOWCASE 2017 (Source: B’z Official Instagram)

The first B’z tour since 2015’s EPIC NIGHT will kick off in Japan next week under the banner B’z SHOWCASE 2017 -B’z In Your Town- and today, the band have announced the tour goods that will be available. As is usually the case, the items will be made available on B’z The Store at a later date.

Most interestingly, a “SHOWCASE of the SHOWCASE” showing has been added prior to the tour start proper. This added show will take place two days early as B’z SHOWCASE 2017 -Hissatsu Hiokinin-, which combines “person of Hioki” with “knockout blow”.

A venue-specific shirt is also being prepared for the B’z SHOWCASE 2017 -Hissatsu Hioki-nin- showing, which will be available on the official web store at a later date:

Those that purchase over 3,000 yen worth will receive a service bag, and those that spend 5,000 yen will receive both the service bag and a sticker decal:

At each venue, fans that purchase “Seimei/Still Alive” will receive a B2-sized poster, Sticker Sheet, or Black Memo Pad. Those that decide to reserve B’z COMPLETE SINGLE BOX‘s “Black Edition” will receive a breakout mobile phone battery:

The tour itself will run from July 13 to August 9. We will post the first, and hopefully not only, setlist next week. Be sure to check back for the latest news!

News

The latest countdown on the official B’z website will end later today and may be related to the oft-rumored 7-Eleven tie-in previously reported here. Similarly unverified rumors suggest a massive complete singles boxset is on the horizon and may be the costliest item B’z has ever released.

Next, on July 5, recent number-one single “Seimei/Still Alive” will be released on various digital platforms including the Japanese iTunes store, RecoChoku, mora, and music.jp. The single will see its live debut next month when the band hits the road on July 13 in Kumamoto for B’z SHOWCASE 2017 -B’z In Your Town-.

The support members for the band’s 2017-2018 tours have also been announced, with the familiar line-up assembled in 2011 all returning:

Drums: Shane Gaalaas

Bass: Barry Sparks

Backing Guitar: Ohga Yoshinobu

Keyboards: Takanobu Masuda

News

Tower Records display in Nagoya for “Seimei/Still Alive”

Beginning with their fifth single “Taiyou no Komachi Angel” in the summer of 1990, every such release from B’z has debuted at the top of the Weekly Oricon Singles chart despite the drastic shifts in the country’s musical landscape in that time. Today, Oricon has announced that new single “Seimei/Still Alive” has done the same with sales in excess of 120,000 physical copies sold, which will see it certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.

It bears noting that Oricon’s charting, unlike those for Billboard (in Japan or the U.S.), does not account for any radio airplay or digital purchases. While physical sales have predictably been down year over year in Japan as with most markets, digital has continued to rise despite the relative importance of the physical launches. In the American music scene, streaming services such as Spotify have led to historic lows for both the physical and digital mediums. The Japanese market remains an anomaly in a constantly shifting landscape in which its physical sales are still of considerable importance.

While the long-term success of B’z and their streak is essentially unprecedented in the schema of modern music, and especially so with regard to a rock band, that success has not changed the band’s creative output over the years. When asked about as much in 2011 by American music and arts outlet Hard News Café, Tak felt it was inevitable the record would be someone else’s in time and did not consider it a motivation:

—You have seen an incredible streak of #1 albums and top songs in Japan. Is there pressure for B’z when writing to create the next #1 hit when you were in the studio recording the new album C’mon?

Tak Matsumoto: We’re very proud of having many hit singles and albums in Japan, but there’s no pressure to write hit songs. Someday our record would be rewritten by someone else. We intend to try to write songs that will be loved worldwide.

A sixth countdown also appeared yesterday on the official B’z website. The band will soon either begin promotions for their 2017 studio album or their 54th single that could precede it and potentially yield their record 50th consecutive one to top the charts.