Tonight’s office was located in Roppongi – one of Tokyo’s upmarket areas known for buzzing nightlife. Billboard Live is an intimate dinner club-style venue – a place, where one can wine and dine in class and watch at the same time their favourite artist perform. And tonight it was Vintage Trouble – a California-based four-piece, known for energetic stage performances. The band is made up of Ty Taylor on vocals, Nalle Colt on guitar, Rick Barrio Dill on bass, Richard Danielson on drums and for the Japan dates – Yayoi Daimon on backing vocals.
The show started with “Run Like River” – the first track from 1 Hopeful Rd, the band’s third studio album released in 2015.
Lots of Troublemaker T-Shirts were in sight. Normally, that wouldn’t be exactly a good term, but it gets a completely new meaning if one is a Vintage Trouble fan.
In between some of the older fan favourites like “Blues Hand Me Down”, “Knock Me Out” and “Strike Your Light” the band performed a few new pieces from their upcoming release Heavy Hymnal (out on 23.06.2023).
“Not The One” was the first single released from the new album – a heartbreak song after which the curtain behind the stage opened. The reflections showed a glimpse of Tokyo’s beautiful nightscape. “That’s why we love this place”- Ty hinted. Vintage Trouble were not playing on this stage for the first time.
Ty is an electrifying lead singer with outstanding dance moves and who knows how to wow the crowd. This far in the show it did feel like the venue couldn’t contain their energy anymore. Ty’s invitations to sing along didn’t fall on deaf ears and at some point, he was amongst the fans having a dance on the bar tables skilfully manoeuvring amongst the half-empty wine glasses and then even making a reverse bridge on one of the front tables while still not missing a single note.
An incredibly entertaining band, who with their outstanding musicianship know how to at the same time entice everyone with slow chords, and make the showgoers dance to their feet stomping rhythms and sing along to their delicate melodies.
It was a great evening as it always promised to be with Vintage Trouble. The Japanese public loved every minute of it.
Words and Photos by Arta Gailuma
