How glorious it is to be a part of an experience brimming with electrifying energy, leaving you yearning for ways to capture the fiery atmosphere of the moment, encapsulate all the emotions, and pour them all into a bottle to preserve eternally. This is precisely how One Ok Rock’s Luxury Disease Asia Tour in Manila made us feel.

Japanese quartet, One Ok Rock, returned to the country on September 26 at the Araneta Coliseum, five years after they last came for their Ambitions tour. It was a damp and windy afternoon, but the crowds waiting at the gates were so dense that the chilly weather went unnoticed. The fans’ excitement was justified – the band was initially scheduled to perform here in May 2020 but had to move dates around because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The eager anticipation would be rewarded that evening with a setlist that stirred both tears and screams.

The venue resounded with loud cheers throughout the night, and stomps reverberated all over the arena as a dedicated crowd declared their adoration. Ryota would later remark on social media that this was the first time they’d heard stomping during their acoustic set.

“Let Me Let You Go” and “Neon” featured staggering instrumental breakdowns. One Ok Rock could be an instrumental band with how Ryota, Tomoya, and Toru enthralled the audience with their masterful instrument-playing coupled with red-hot passion and playful showmanship. Taka remained the powerhouse vocalist we’ve come to expect. Not once did his voice falter despite dancing and running in all directions. As he sustained a high note for “Clock Strikes,” jaws hit the floor while fans held their breath in sync with him.

For two hours on Tuesday, One Ok Rock owned The Big Dome. The crowd was an orchestra and Taka was the conductor. We were singing, clapping, jumping, raising our fists, and headbanging. For “Stand Out Fit In,” Taka had everyone ducking down to gather momentum for a synchronized jump. “Your Tears are Mine” involved the special participation of Filipino fans who nailed it just like another regular day at the karaoke.

The night was supposed to conclude with “Wherever You Are” during the encore, but the band decided to extend their generosity. They quipped “Are you guys still alive?” before surprising the audience with a song they hadn’t performed in quite some time – the enduring crowd-pleaser, “Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer.”

Major props go out to the technical team behind the concert. This writer has been to numerous shows at the Araneta Coliseum, but the venue has never sounded as pristine as it did on the 26th. One Ok Rock’s music is best experienced live and the crew delivered with their expertise, which we find especially meaningful knowing that somewhere in the audience is a visually-impaired gentleman we saw at the gates. He may not have seen the band, but he heard them under the best conditions.

One Ok Rock has a track record of fulfilling their commitments. During their initial Manila gig in 2016, they vowed to return and did solid on that in 2018. After their 2018 show, they made the same pledge, and now here they are once more. This time, they’ve sworn to come back in three years. After waiting for five years to see them again, what’s another three?

By Marijo Endriga

---

The ONE OK ROCK LUXURY DISEASE ASIA TOUR 2023 in Manila was presented by PULP Live World. Special thanks to PULP Live World for the invitation.