Yoshiki made a sudden return to Japan on June 20th (Tuesday), and held a press conference in Tokyo. During the press conference, Yoshiki personally revealed details of his upcoming tour.
Despite the last-minute notice, hundreds of fans selected from the fan club attended the press conference. When Yoshiki, who had landed in Japan that morning, appeared wearing a protective neck brace, the fans cheered and screamed and some had tears in their eyes.
Yoshiki announced that the upcoming X Japan tour would feature a screening of the special, 60-minute edition of the film We Are X which debuted at the Wembley Arena show in March earlier this year. Screenings will begin one hour before the concert, and the concert itself is scheduled to last over two hours. Yoshiki personally disclosed ongoing discussions about whether to include old songs such as “Rose of Pain” and “Unfinished” in the set list as well as the fact that a string section will accompany him on stage.
Physiotherapist Carl Dunstan also arrived in Japan from the UK and will be accompanying the band throughout the tour to ensure that Yoshiki, who is only a few weeks post-surgery, will be able to complete the performances.
Mr. Dunstan belongs to the physiotherapist organization Atherapy, which counts numerous renowned artists and actors such as U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers among its clients, and is himself an accomplished professional who was Daniel Craig’s exclusive physiotherapist during production of the 007 film Spectre and has treated many other famous actors and musicians. He was able to accompany the tour thanks to an introduction from Larry Mullen, Jr., the drummer for U2, with whom Yoshiki is acquainted.
Furthermore, it was revealed that the plans for the Yoshiki Premium Dinner Show 2017, which begins August 26th, had designated from its inception that 150,000 dollars (approximately 18 million yen) of the sales would be donated to charity, and that the staging of the show itself was decided upon with these plans in mind. The donations will go to the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, which is one of the top two music schools in the U.S. Shelly Berg, the school’s dean, is also responsible for the string arrangement for the X Japan tour and the quartet arrangement for the Dinner Show. The donation will be used to help musicians of the future create the next era of music.
There were also moments in the press conference where Yoshiki described his experience of going through rehabilitation. “I don’t know if I will be able to play the drums again. Even if I am able to do so, it may be impossible to perform with the same intensity as before. I can’t even say for sure, at this point, whether I would do so if I could.” These words clearly express his turbulent emotions following a major surgery.
“If there were no X Japan reunion, I would not have had surgery twice. But the time put into the reunion and the challenge of taking on the world are worthwhile. I do not regret it. And I will not stop until I break down the wall.” As a result of the dangerous surgery, Yoshiki said he often thought about the direction of his life.
Yet, having overcome that surgery with the support of myriad members and fans, and with the goal of completing the Japan tour serving as a kind of fuel, he has decided to “show the best of myself on stage.” No doubt Yoshiki’s resolve will be engraved into history by six miraculous nights.
Due to changes in the style of the X Japan tour performances, those who wish to do so can apply for a refund of their ticket purchase at the Udo Music Office website: http://udo.jp
X JAPAN WORLD TOUR 2017 WE ARE X Acoustic Special Miracle 6 DAYS
TOUR DATES:
July 11 – Osaka-jo Hall
July 12 – Osaka-jo Hall
July 14 – Yokohama Arena
July 15 – Yokohama Arena
July 16 – Yokohama Arena
July 17 – Yokohama Arena
YOSHIKI PREMIUM DINNER SHOW 2017:
August 26 – Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel
August 27 – Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel
August 29 – The Ritz-Carlton Osaka
August 30 – The Ritz-Carlton Osaka
September 1 – Grand Hyatt Tokyo
September 2 – Grand Hyatt Tokyo
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