Kiyoshi Ryujin TOWN's unity without harmony, a chaotic punk band's first gathering in 8 years
Ryujin Kiyoshi's band project, Kiyoshi Ryujin TOWN, held its first live show in eight years, "Kiyoshi Ryujin TOWN Reiwa Shichinen Shuukai," on June 30 at CLUB CITTA' in Kanagawa.



Kiyoshi Ryujin TOWN is a project that involves the audience as performers, creating music as a single band. Though it was a short-term project active from December 2016 to July of the following year, a one-night-only live show was held for the first time in eight years. On May 27, when Kiyoshi celebrated his 36th birthday, recruitment for band members began with a sudden live announcement. On June 4, the new song "Otoku!!!," featuring SANO (G / COKEHEAD HIPSTERS), Masakazu Hara (B / the band apart), and Masahiro Komatsu (Dr / bloodthirsty butchers) on the recording, was released digitally. These three recording members also participated in the live show. Manager Nakamura, who guided Kiyoshi to his debut, as well as label staff, the director from 2017, and the day's PA, among other related parties, also joined the performance, and the Music Natalie editorial department also went undercover on-site as band members.


On the floor, multiple drum sets, guitars, basses, synthesizers, and a euphonium were arranged in a circle. Surrounding them were vocalists, dancers, Ankoku Butoh performers, and others. From the rehearsal stage, a staggering number of members had gathered, filling the venue with a mysterious sense of festivity amidst the chaos. The audience gathered to encircle the instruments, and the regular stage, a level up from the floor, was also opened up as seating. At 7:55 p.m., a large number of band members stood by in front of their respective instruments. Amidst an unusual fervor, Kiyoshi appeared, dressed in a red happi coat and a headband, and walked toward the center of the vortex. Then, Kiyoshi let out a sharp roar: "TOWN!!" The band members simultaneously unleashed a thunderous sound, kicking off the short, intense festival.


TOWN's repertoire consists of only 13 songs—the 12 tracks from the album "TOWN" plus the new song "Otoku!!!"—totaling just about 30 minutes. The setlist had been released in advance, and the performance proceeded rapidly, starting with the noise-drenched "TOWN" and moving through "Ezuku!!!," "Sore de Ii! Sore ga Ii!," and "Ore no Machi made Koi yo!" Most of the instrumentalists had no monitors and couldn't even hear their own sound, but they didn't care. There was no semblance of harmony, but both the performing members and the audience were enveloped in a strange sense of unity by the punk spirit generated by the bizarre collective known as Kiyoshi Ryujin TOWN.


During "Seishun," a Ryujin Kiyoshi-style seishun punk (youth punk) song, the barrier between the band and audience was completely removed, with everyone in the venue singing along. For "I Don't Know! I Don't Care!," Kiyoshi jumped off the central platform and walked through the floor. With a satisfied smile, Kiyoshi said, "This is fun," as he freely and energetically sang, danced, rampaged, and rolled, completely letting loose. The performance of all 13 songs passed in the blink of an eye, and the show ended just 36 minutes after Kiyoshi appeared. Soon, calls for an encore arose, and Kiyoshi reappeared, grumbling, "There are no more songs!" but called out to the band members, "Let's wretch one last time to finish it off!" TOWN once again performed "Otoku!!!," filling CLUB CITTA' with a roaring sound.
Setlist
"Kiyoshi Ryujin TOWN Reiwa Shichinen Shuukai" June 30, 2025 CLUB CITTA'


01. TOWN
02. Ezuku!!!
03. Sore de Ii! Sore ga Ii!
04. Ore no Machi made Koi yo!
05. Yaritakunai ze!
06. Seishun
07. I Don't Know! I Don't Care!
08. Chijinde Dokonimo Aryashinai!
09. Kuso Shoben no Uta
10. Oi! Hage! Boke! Kasu!
11. Daijobu! Daijobu sa!
12. Ketsu no Ana Chitchai ne!
13. Hodohodo ni Ikimashou!
<Encore>
14. Ezuku!!!
*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.