On June 21 and 22, Yokohama Arena buzzed with excitement as Suchmos made their long-awaited return from hiatus with ‘Suchmos The Blow Your Mind 2025.’ Having paused activities since 2021, the band’s comeback was eagerly anticipated by fans and critics alike. Music writer and editor Yukako Yajima, who has been following Suchmos since their breakthrough with the 2015 EP ‘Essense,’ takes us inside the unforgettable opening night.
INDEX
The Ongoing Journey of Suchmos, Even in Hiatus
The story of Suchmos has never truly paused.
That was the feeling that grew inside me as I watched their live performance that day.
Suchmos made their debut in 2015 with the release of their first EP, ‘Essence.’ In February 2021, they announced an indefinite hiatus. This concert marked their return after five and a half years since January 2020. In fact, the band hadn’t played together since March 2020, when their planned ‘Suchmos The Blow Your Mind TOUR 2020’ was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That tour, which would have included unforgettable two-man shows at venues like Zepp alongside artists such as Yumi Matsutoya, Mr.Children, and The Birthday, was destined to become legendary. Their last live appearance before the break was an online show in July 2020, almost five years ago.
In the meantime, the band endured the heartbreaking loss of HSU (bass), a key member who was vital to Suchmos’ formation and sound.
Picking up again as a band was far from easy, and it certainly wasn’t a given that they would return. Yet, the feeling I took away from that night was clear: the story of Suchmos didn’t stop in 2021 — it has been continuing all along.
TAIHEI (piano) launched bands like Sai and N.S.DANCEMBLE, offered support to artists including STUTS and Rei, and realized his long-held goal of composing music for film and theater. A notable example is the new live track “Eye to Eye,” which appears to draw on the experience TAIHEI gained from collaborating with acclaimed trumpeters Yusuke Sase (Sai) and Reiya Terakubo (N.S.DANCEMBLE), shaping its arrangement.
TAIHEI (Pf) has started bands such as Sai and N.S. DANCEMBLE, supported STUTS and Rei, and realized the theatrical music he had always wanted to do. For example, the new song “Eye to Eye,” which was performed at a live concert, is an example of TAIHEI’s experience gained while playing in a band with the famous trumpeters Yusuke Sase (Sai) and Reiya Terakubo (N.S. DANCEMBLE). I think the experience I gained while playing in a band with trumpeters Yusuke Sase (Sai) and Reiya Terakubo (N.S.DANCEMBLE) is used in the arrangements.
After a period of stepping back from the spotlight, YONCE (vocals) rediscovered the simple joy of “music and being in a band” through his five-member group Hedigan’s, all while remarkably deepening the emotional depth of his singing.
Brothers Kaiki Ohara (DJ) and OK (drums) were also exploring their own musical aesthetics on a more local scale, one that Suchmos as a band could no longer operate within. For example, the new song “Marry,” performed that day, seems to be a piece made possible by OK and TAIKING’s vocal harmonies, combined with YONCE’s growth after creating “Saisei” with Hedigan’s.
A band isn’t simply an expression of one person’s life or ideas — it’s a living entity formed by the intertwined lives and thoughts of all its members. Suchmos, in particular, has always believed in this way of being a band.
What I saw at Yokohama Arena on June 21, 2025, was “Suchmos” as a single living organism, woven from the lives and feelings of YONCE, TAIKING, TAIHEI, OK, Kaiki Ohara, and HSU. Each movement of their hearts, each chapter of their lives, seemed to emerge as today’s Suchmos. During the hiatus, none of them shed the identity of being “their version of Suchmos.” The sense I felt—that the story of Suchmos has been continuing all along—came from this very truth.
INDEX
Opening with “Pacific” Followed by an Unreleased Track
True to the meaning behind their name, Suchmos has been a pioneer, carving out a new path in Japan’s music scene. Before their rise, the rock festival scene was dominated by a “four-on-the-floor rock boom,” while the pop charts were filled with AKB Group and Johnny’s idols—both worlds felt musically one-dimensional. Suchmos emerged as a counterpoint, blending rock with jazz, hip-hop, and soul. Their music being embraced as pop helped bring much-needed diversity to the domestic music scene. It’s safe to say that much of the music heard today is influenced by the path they forged.
Because of their unique presence, ‘Suchmos The Blow Your Mind 2025’ saw an overwhelming 200,000 ticket applications. Not only longtime fans but also people who discovered Suchmos during their hiatus, or younger listeners who missed live shows because they were still in elementary or middle school at the time, were all eager to see them live.
With such high expectations for their first performance in five years, the opening song was “Pacific.” This track dates back to the band’s earliest days—before Kaiki Ohara, TAIHEI, and TAIKING officially joined—and features the lyric “Don’t stop music.” TAIHEI’s piano rang out beautifully, and OK’s drums struck crisply and clearly. As YONCE began to sing under a dazzling backlight, Suchmos’ world expanded instantly, and the venue, packed with swaying fans, looked like rolling waves.
Later, YONCE reflected on this moment: “I was joking around right up until I stepped on stage. The moment I stood there, I realized how foolish I’d been. From the very first note, I painfully felt the reality that we had kept such important people waiting, and that so many years had passed without them having the chance to see us.”
The second song was a brand-new track called “Eye to Eye,” from the upcoming EP ‘Sunburst,’ set to release on July 2. By this point, it was clear the show was not about nostalgia or looking back but about expressing Suchmos’ present—and simply delivering great music that they themselves were enjoying and sharing with the audience.
While singing “Eye to Eye,” YONCE clapped his hands in front of the stand microphone—not as a typical call for the crowd to join in or to guide them through an unfamiliar song, but simply because he was naturally moving with the music. Delivering cool, straightforward music. Enjoying the music themselves first. Respecting each individual’s freedom. This is Suchmos. During the MC afterward, YONCE even invited the audience, saying, “We’re enjoying ourselves, so feel free to do the same.”
Next came “DUMBO,” a song that repeatedly declares, “Amateurs and pros are no different,” showcasing both Suchmos’ rebellious spirit and TAIKING’s guitar heroics. This live performance after five and a half years reaffirmed that Suchmos is a band that creates iconic riffs on bass, guitar, and piano alike. Meanwhile, OK silently drives the groove of the show, and Kaiki Ohara’s DJ work not only adds depth to the sound but also mixes in elements that highlight YONCE’s vocals with the utmost respect.
Their signature hit “STAY TUNE” was performed early as the fourth song. The band then transitioned into “808,” with green lasers cutting through the air as YONCE shouted, “Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce! On bass, Ren Yamamoto!” Filling in for HSU on bass was Ren Yamamoto, a longtime friend who also studied jazz at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music just like HSU. Now active as a bassist in the band LAGHEADS, Ren works across countless genres including jazz and pop. After the show, during a brief conversation with some of the members, TAIHEI smiled and told me, “Ren’s DNA is the same as ours — his height, even the way he smokes, it’s just like Shunta (HSU).” I wanted to share that with everyone here.
