SCANDAL – O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON – LONDON – 26/04/2015 – REVIEW
Since their formation in 2006 by high school girls HARUNA, MAMI, TOMOMI and RIN, SCANDAL have been on the up and up. In 2008 alone the band released a number of singles and their first mini-album as well as performing shows in France, Hong Kong, and the United States. In 2014 they released their sixth studio album ‘HELLO WORLD’ and with it the announcement of a world tour that brought them to London for their first ever UK performance.
Performing to a sold out crowd at the O2 Academy Islington, SCANDAL brought their world renowned blend of high energy pop and garage rock to the people of London, playing tracks from both their latest album as well as a handful of classics. Not being very well acquainted with the band’s work prior to their 2013 album ‘ENCORE’, I went in unsure of what to expect. Will this be a show for the hardcore SCANDAL fans, or will they bring in the new listeners?
Over the years it’s been clear to see that SCANDAL have been trying to break away from the high school girl image they had made for themselves early on in their career. Now the band have taken on a sort of brit rock vibe (maybe that’s because I couldn’t get Oasis’ ‘Definitely Maybe’ album cover out of my head after seeing HELLO WORLD’s) which steered the gig away from being another show catered towards the UK’s niche market of otakus and Japanophiles, and more towards the far more open market of pop and rock fans. The set was well polished, no slip ups, seamless transitions- these girls certainly know their way around their instruments, with RINA’s handy work on the drums stealing the spotlight. Fans lapped up every song from start to finish, giving it their all on the home stretch to wrap up what was a truly stellar night for the band, the fans and newcomers alike.
They’ve already well and truly secured the Japanese music market, with every new release sitting along some of the country’s best sellers, and though they’ve had their foot in the door of the international market for years, now it seems SCANDAL are taking their first steps to booting that door open, and making themselves a worldwide pop rock staple.
Words by Charles Shepherd