Sweat, blood, and rock and roll.
Japanese rockstar MIYAVI returned to New York City in epic fashion, shredding his guitar so hard at Webster Hall on Sunday that his fingers bled.
Takamasa Ishihara, known worldwide by his stage name MIYAVI, kicked off his North American tour ‘BROKEN FANTAST PART 1: LOST IN LOVE’ earlier this month, hitting six cities in seven days. The veteran guitarist remained true to the classic rock of old, hopping onto a tour bus with his team and riding his chariot to club venues in Chicago, Detroit, Washington D.C., New York, Boston, and culminating in Toronto.
The winding pathways inside Webster Hall reverberated with the piercing melody echoing from MIYAVI’s guitar as he practiced for two hours ahead of the show on May 11. Since the start of this tour, MIYAVI has painstakingly worked on his craft, refining the sound and performance with two hours of rehearsal, two hours of performance, two hours of watching videos of the show, and another two hours making notes and adjustments. MIYAVI has worked on a cycle: eat, sleep, and repeat.
Fresh off the stage from practice, MIYAVI sat down with amNewYork inside the nightclub’s green room. As a makeup artist applied smoky eyeshadow, the gleam of excitement for the upcoming show shone brightly in his eyes: MIYAVI was locked in.
“Every day I’m just thinking about the show performance and how to entertain the audience,” MIYAVI said. “It’s like a boot camp. When I am at home, I gotta entertain my kids, as well…[While riding on a tour bus] I can 100% focus on my audience, my fans, and how to communicate with them, and how to make the show better every single day.”
Although it’s been several years since MIYAVI last traveled to the United States, he says, “My butt still remembers the feeling [of being on a tour bus].”
“This time it’s a really intimate show with the audience. They can see how sweaty I get. It’s more about feeling human, showing them my humanity. So, my energy as a human kind of hits them, and then they give it back to me, a kind of energy exchange. It’s beautiful and a really primitive feeling,” MIYAVI said. “It’s more relaxed; a way to enjoy the moment with this special, intimate experience.”
This year’s tour comes in tandem with his new deluxe album LOST IN LOVE, FOUND IN PAIN, which captures both the light and darkness of life experiences. MIYAVI shared that he wanted to share his memories, along with the concept of chasing fantasies, only to realize that this obsession may feel good, but the path to getting there could be filled with obstacles and pain. This album expresses those hard experiences.
“As an artist I usually focus on the bright side, the energy, uplifting, future motivation, and still believe that is the reason music exists, the reason to listen to music, but at the same time, I wanted to show those dark moments and negative feelings that are inevitable…at least while we are enjoying music we have to feel we have hope. That’s what I want to express on stage.” MIYAVI said. “In the end, I want them to feel the energy to go back to reality. Especially with Broken Fantasy.”
Beneath the neon lights of Webster Hall, MIYAVI sauntered atop a steel cage pedestal with his white Fender electric guitar in hand and a dancer on either side of him. Screams filled the nightclub’s ballroom with the strum of his guitar, and MIYAVI set forth a performance fans would never forget.
With high jumps, kicks, and even a power slide across the steel cage, MIYAVI’s dynamic stage presence displayed the magic of rock and roll intertwined with his own personal flair. Known for his shredding skills, MIYAVI rocked so hard his fingers began to bleed, and still he did not miss a single beat. This was the perfect symbol for how rock and roll is in his blood, ever since he first picked up the guitar at 17.
MIYAVI tells amNewYork that he felt lost as a teen when he was injured and could no longer pursue the dream of becoming a professional soccer player. He shared that he felt like he had nothing to pursue, no dreams to chase.
“When you don’t have anything to pursue or chase, you lose your shine. That’s what I was like then, I was doing nothing with my friends on the street, stealing, and fighting, and nothing to be proud of. I then grabbed a guitar, and I was able to forget everything else and focus on it. I felt the creativity was the same a soccer, the freedom, and I thought I could create something. I can be somebody. This guitar, this instrument might take me somewhere,” MIYAVI said.
For 26 years, MIYAVI has written and produced his own music and performed with numerous bands. While he is living his dream as a rock star, he says that his motivation is now more focused on humanitarian work. MIYAVI has not only garnered fame worldwide as a musician but also as an actor and philanthropist (he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in 2017). As a multidimensional star, MIYAVI says his fans have supported each of his ventures and is grateful for their love. He hopes that his music will inspire them and bring comfort.
His performance at Webster Hall was a reflection of over two decades of experience. Blood dripping down his fingertips, and sweat pouring off his brow, MIYAVI flicked his tongue across his lips with a maniacal smile as he set off onto guitar solo and he belted out the lyrics to his infamous songs “Broken Fantasy,’ ‘Eat Eat Eat,’ ‘Not Strong Enough’ and other hits.
“I love playing the track ‘Not Strong Enough.’ It’s really rare to show that kind of vulnerable feeling. I’ve been saying we are strong, we’ve got to feel strong. But this song is saying that I’m not strong enough, which is fine. Admitting that is also a kind of strength. Accept your weakness. For the audience, I want them to feel that gap and diversity and dynamics. The intense kind of slow, sensual performance, and kind of pop dynamic,” MIYAVI said.
The second half of his North American Tour will kick off on June 11 in Phoenix and then travel to Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Ana, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver.
