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J-rock legend Yoshiki refuses to do no-audience coronavirus concert, but for a very kind reason

Casey Baseel Mar 3, 2020
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Musician who always has love for his fans shows his heart is big enough to love other people too.

With coronavirus concerns continuing to be forefront in everyone’s minds in Japan, much of the country’s entertainment industry is more or less shutting down until the end of the month. Health officials are stressing that containing the spread of the virus over the next two weeks is critical to eliminating its threat, and so major theme parks like Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea are closed, and events like the Anime Japan convention have been canceled.

Also on the canceled list: a number of concerts. Last Thursday alone, J-pop acts Perfume, Exile, Kenshi Yonezu, Masaharu Fukuyama, Ayumi Hamasaki, and Uverworld all called off performances. However, on February 28, legendary rock musician and X Japan frontman Yoshiki actually had some of his musician friends reach out to him about organizing a concert right away, just one with no fans in attendance, so that no one in the crowd could get sick.

#XJAPAN #無観客ライブの記憶が蘇る。。
いつかこの借りは返す。ファンのためにも。

The memory of XJAPAN #NoAudienceLive revives..
Someday we will return for our fans.#instagram https://t.co/apERe82Ekn pic.twitter.com/LaGlpG3Cl8

— Yoshiki (@YoshikiOfficial) February 26, 2020

The idea actually has precedence. In 2019, X Japan held a no-audience performance after a typhoon made carrying out the concert as originally planned impossible. More recently, both Japanese professional baseball and sumo wrestling have been having no-attendance games and matches, with the action being broadcast for fans to watch in the secure health environment of their own homes.

With Yoshiki constantly rotating from one humanitarian effort to the next, the project seems like something that would be right up his alley. However, in a surprising move, the artist has turned down the request to perform a no-audience concert…but for a very good reason.

きのうBAND仲間達から今 #無観客のイベントを開催して欲しいと言われたが、断りました。

もし、この”２週間”の間に自分のコンサートがあったとしたら、#無観客ライブでさえもやらないと思う

ファンの安全はもちろん、スタッフ及びメンバーの安全も大切だから

皆さんの安全を心から祈っています。 https://t.co/8NUHZkovkk

— Yoshiki (@YoshikiOfficial) February 29, 2020

Yoshiki explained:

“Yesterday, my band friends said they want me to do a no-audience concert, but I turned them down.

Even if I’d originally had a show scheduled during these two weeks, I don’t think I’d have a no-audience concert.

Of course I care about my fans’ health and safety, but I also care about the health and safety of the support staff and other members of the band.

I am praying for everyone’s safety.”

Sure, with no one in the audience, no fans would get sick. However, a large number of support staff workers would still have to gather, and Yoshiki is worried about their health as well.

Consummate professional that he is, Yoshiki understands that there are some who feel he’s being overly cautious, and tweeted a follow-up showing his regret at not being able to provide a bright spot for Japan’s currently dreary emotional landscape.

BAND仲間、そしてそのファンのみんなへ、

自分は決して人の模範になれるような人ではないけど、こういう時の判断は間違わない。

苦渋の決断を伴うかもしれないけど、今このタイミングで、コンサートを行う行為、及び参加は、危険な行為だと思う...全ての人々に対して。

みんなの安全を祈っています

— Yoshiki (@YoshikiOfficial) February 29, 2020

“To my bandmates, and fans,

I am by no means a role model, but I don’t think my decision is a mistake.

It’s a difficult decision, but I think it would be dangerous, for all people involved, to organize or participate in a concert at this time.

I am praying for everyone’s safety.”

What makes the gesture particularly touching is that Yoshiki doesn’t live full-time in Japan. His main residence is in Los Angeles, and ostensibly he could hold a no-audience concert from a facility in the city of angels that wouldn’t put him, personally, in any greater risk of coronavirus infection. However, such a project would still ostensibly involve numerous partners in Japan to gather for meetings and coordination activities, and Yoshiki would much rather they stay home, and safe, for the time being.

Source: Twitter/@YoshikiOfficial via IT Media
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