The evening began with solm, who opened the night with an improvised set, seamlessly blending their diverse musical backgrounds. The bass player Masaki Shirai hails from the popular Japanese rock band [Alexandros] and the drummer YUNA is known for her work with the pop band CHAI. Lead guitarist KARAS recently collaborated with Parcels member Louie on the album garden, snow in 2023.
Parcels took the stage to a roaring welcome from the crowd. They kicked off the show with “Overnight,” an early collaboration with Daft Punk. With the stage awash in florescent pink lighting, the track’s infectious indie dance grooves moved the room, setting the tone for what was to come.
Not skipping a beat early in the set, the band transitioned smoothly to “Tieuprightnow,” and then “Closetowhy,” a track largely missing from recent live sets. The familiarity of these early releases was marked by an edge of polished restraint on stage, demonstrating the growth of the band as live performers in the seven years since the release of Parcels.
Continuing their set, Parcels presented “Somethingreater” from their sophomore album Day/Night, with Noah taking the lead vocals. The lyrics, “and now I’m leaving you, for the both of us, to find something new,” embodied the band’s philosophy of experimentation and progress throughout their career thus far. Chatting with Metropolis before the show, Jules explained that the band has recently focused on creating electronic, trance-infused live versions of their tracks as heard in the album Live Vol. 2 and it was impressive to see how these tracks translated live on stage throughout the night.
Noting the engagement from the Tokyo audience, Parcels shifted gears with the comparatively mellow tracks “Theworstthing,” and “Shadow,” adding some breathing room to an already dynamic set.
Bringing the vibe back up, the band jumped into Day/Night’s popular “Lordhenry,” taking things a step further by transitioning into “Lordhennessy” a bass-laden dance rendition of the track heard on Live Vol. 2. They continued this trend, seamlessly blending studio and live versions of their tracks “Iknowhowifeel” and “Iknowhowyoufeel” with a combination of lush instrumentation and heavy disco beats.
With the earlier restraint largely out the window by this point, drummer Toto provided a high-energy solo interlude between the introspective “Stumble” and anthemic “Comingback,” earning a huge response from the crowd. Finally, the band performed their biggest hit, “Lightenup,” and the audience moved from engaged spectators to enthused backing vocalists with the whole room singing every word to close out the night.
Overall, Parcels’ live concert showcased their incredible artistry, versatility, and ability to connect with the audience. They seamlessly blended funk, disco, and electronic elements while fluctuating between upbeat and tranquil melodies. The band’s chemistry and infectious energy on stage combined with visually stunning lighting cues kept the crowd engaged and dancing from start to finish. Parcels proved once again why they are one of the most exciting acts in the music scene today.
Be sure to follow Parcels and their opening act solm on instagram!
