Kroi celebrates first Yoyogi Gymnasium solo concert with many fans: "Let's sing and dance somewhere again"
Kroi's first arena tour, "Kroi Live Tour 2026 - ARENA," was held at Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka on Jan. 11 and at Yoyogi National Gymnasium First Gymnasium in Tokyo on Jan. 23. This article reports on the Tokyo performance.
Kroi appeared on stage to a roar of cheers. As the five members quietly layered their sounds to create a sense of tension in the venue, Hidetomo Masuda (Dr) signaled with a sharp drum count to kick off the Yoyogi Gymnasium solo concert with "Noob." While the audience was captivated by the heavy band sound and Leo Uchida's (Vo) expressive vocals, Kroi performed a string of popular numbers from their 2021 major debut album "LENS," including "Custard," "HORN," and "Page." During "Monster Play," which began with a looping guitar riff by Yuki Hasebe (G) joined by the rest of the members, the stage became a scene of unity as the audience pumped their fists and sang along.
After the performance, Uchida appeared high-spirited from the start, saying, "This is incredible. How many people are here? (Laughs)." Addressing the fans filling the venue, he called out happily, "It's a big day for Kroi-chan, so I hope we can celebrate together with everyone. Thank you for being here." While the comical interactions between the five members created a relaxed atmosphere, the mood shifted instantly when "Hyper" began. Kroi raised the audience's energy at once with a restless beat and high-speed rap, performing songs like "Amber" and "Funky GUNSLINGER" with unique live arrangements. Just as the audience was swaying heavily to the technical playing of these skilled musicians, they delivered "WATAGUMO," featuring the impressive, glossy piano sounds of Daiki Chiba (Key), as if to soothe the heat of the venue.
During the middle of the concert, Kroi created a relaxed mood with a series of mellow slow numbers: "Stellar," "Pirarucu," and "HAZE." Following a session titled "Polyrhythm Jam" signaled by dynamic drumming, they transitioned into the title track "Polyester" from the December release "Polyester (Custom Deluxe)," which featured re-recordings of their indie-era EPs. As "MAMA" from the same EP began, the concert entered its final stretch. After heating up the venue again with "Balmy Life" and "Method," Kroi performed their killer tune "Fire Brain" to close out the main set. Although it is a song they have performed many times before, the performance overwhelmed the audience, showcasing the depth of their musical knowledge and high level of skill.
During the subsequent encore, Kroi played "Juden" following Uchida's words, "Shall we get funky?" They created the peak of the day with solos that showcased each member's individual sensibility and impressive staging that involved the entire venue. For the final song, "Never Ending Story," the audience held up their smartphone lights at Uchida's request. As a fantastical scene spread throughout the hall, Uchida said, "Wow, it's so beautiful! Let's sing and dance somewhere again, everyone. Thank you! It was the best party!" The five members left a deep lingering impression on the venue, concluding their first arena tour in an emotional atmosphere.
Playlists featuring the setlist from this performance are currently available on Apple Music, Spotify, LINE MUSIC, Amazon Music, YouTube, and YouTube Music. Additionally, Kroi will hold a nationwide tour, "Kroi Live Tour 2026 'JUNGLE'," from August to September. Advance ticket reservations are being accepted through the official fan club until 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 8.
Setlist
"Kroi Live Tour 2026 - ARENA" Jan. 23, 2026, Yoyogi National Gymnasium First Gymnasium
01. Noob
02. Custard
03. HORN
04. Page
05. Monster Play
06. Hyper
07. Amber
08. Funky GUNSLINGER
09. WATAGUMO
10. Stellar
11. Pirarucu
12. HAZE
13. Polyrhythm Jam
14. Polyester
15. MAMA
16. risk
17. Balmy Life
18. Method
19. Fire Brain
<Encore>
20. Juden
21. Never Ending Story
Performance Information
Kroi Live Tour 2026 "JUNGLE"
Aug. 10, 2026 (Mon) KT Zepp Yokohama, Kanagawa (Solo performance)
Aug. 20, 2026 (Thu) Zepp Nagoya, Aichi (Two-man performance)
Aug. 21, 2026 (Fri) Zepp Nagoya, Aichi (Solo performance)
Aug. 29, 2026 (Sat) Zepp Sapporo, Hokkaido (Solo performance)
Sept. 4, 2026 (Fri) Zepp Fukuoka, Fukuoka (Two-man performance)
Sept. 5, 2026 (Sat) Zepp Fukuoka, Fukuoka (Solo performance)
Sept. 18, 2026 (Fri) Zepp Osaka Bayside, Osaka (Two-man performance)
Sept. 19, 2026 (Sat) Zepp Osaka Bayside, Osaka (Solo performance)
Sept. 22, 2026 (Tue, Holiday) Zepp Haneda (TOKYO), Tokyo (Two-man performance)
Sept. 23, 2026 (Wed, Holiday) Zepp Haneda (TOKYO), Tokyo (Solo performance)
Source: Music Natalie
*This content has been translated from Japanese into English using machine translation. We apologize for any mistakes in the current version, and will update accordingly.