More than just ‘OK’!

One OK Rock had an absolute blast rocking out with a rowdy audience of Thais and Japanese at their larger-than-life third visit to Thailand. The concert at Impact Arena last week was bigger and better than the previous two.
The Japanese band have steadily spread their fame and fortune into the United States and Europe, hitting new heights with the 2016 English-language album “Ambitions” on the label Fueled by Ramen and featuring collaborations with Avril Lavigne on “Listen” and 5 Seconds of Summer on “Take What You Want”.

The sound on aural display last week was powerful and energetic. Takahiro “Taka” Moriuchi’s fresh and clear roar, Ryota Kohama’s jerked and slapped bass, Toru Yamashita’s guitar solos and Tomoya Kanki’s heavy drumming on the first stop on the “Ambitions Asia Tour” meant they’re just going to get better. 
I was at Impact before show time and wondered why there wasn’t the usual hustle and bustle outside the arena. Everyone must have already been inside, gasping in anticipation. Certainly the seats had sold very well.

The huge crowd inside was in fact screaming in unison, right up until the band rolled onto the stage and kicked off the show with a string of tasty tracks – which was when the screaming got a whole lot louder. 
After opening with “Ambitions”, One OK Rock unleashed “Bombs Away” and then pursued the assault with “Taking Off” and “Bedroom Warfare” – all from the 2016 album – then fired off a few older rounds, like “Deeper Deeper”, “Cry Out”, “Re: Make” and "Clock Strikes”. 

The fans never stopped cheering, dancing and waving their arms in the air along to the beat and joined singer Taka jumping up and down to “Cry Out”. Taka had a neat little surprise for the Thai crowd during “Bedroom Warfare” when he shook a traditional ankalung.
And the three big LED screens presented something I’d never seen before at a concert in Thailand – terrific worm’eyeview shows from a camera positioned low to the stage.

The quartet halted the music long enough to say hello in Thai. Ryota claimed he’d love to live in Thailand, Taka spoke the praises of sticky rice with mango, and Tomoya announced that he’s already married with a child, which earned appreciative applause and laughter.
Enough of the niceties – it was time to start screaming again, and that’s what happened when the band launched into the hit ballad “Wherever You Are”, from the 2010 album “Niche Syndrome”. Up went the mobile phones and the hall was bathed in a poignant sea of light. 

Another ballad followed – “One Way Ticket” – and then Taka left Toru, Ryota and Tomoya to rock out on an instrumental. When the singer returned, they rampaged through three new rock singles, “Bon Voyage”, “I Was King” and “Take What You Want”. 
The concert was nearing its conclusion, and yet Taka kept up an astounding level of energy for electrifying renditions of “The Beginning”, “Mighty Long Fall” and “We Are”.

“Thank to all our Thai fans,” Taka declared. “Our first concert in Thailand was good, the second time was better, and this third time has been great!”
One OK Rock treated the crowd to an encore, starting with “American Girls” – during which Taka got the local lasses in a frenzy by changing the lyrics to “Thai Girls” – and finishing up with “Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer”.
The most-overheard comment among departing fans had to do with the amazing extent to which One OK Rock have improved their skills.