Capitalising on a craze is a rite of passage afforded to very few artists. For Masayoshi Takanaka, the legendary guitarist who had not performed in the UK for nearly 50 years before March of this year, it comes through identifying a social trend. His work, from the deepest cuts of Seychelles to the wonderful experiences found with Brazilian Skies, has paved the way to this: a headline show at the Crystal Palace Bowl. An extraordinary venue for an exceptional performer who offers a two-hour show profiling not just his greatest hits but leftfield song choices that get to grips with what makes him such a wonderful instrumentalist. Takanaka is one of the greatest guitarists of our time. He proves exactly that at one of London’s best venues on the City Pop Waves tour. His last date in the UK this year, but there is more to come. Wembley awaits, if Takanaka is to be believed. That day cannot come fast enough.
Once you’ve had your first Takanaka live experience, it’s hard not to want more immediately after. His special two-hour show has barely a moment of quiet from song to song. A tight ship is steered by Takanaka, who appears with a halved papaya cutout for the opening song, Brazilian Skies, and pulls out his iconic surfboard guitar for the encore. He struts to and from the sides of the stage, hardly missing a note as he swaggers around with a coolness that brings out the best of city pop. What the 73-year-old instrumentalist does here is nothing short of a miracle. An infectious joy from the guitar master spreads through the sold-out crowd, and it’s difficult not to have a wonderful time. Experiencing the likes of Oh! Tengo Suerte and Tokyo Reggae is a dream come true for many in the crowd. For those on the stage, too, it appears like the dues of worldwide success are finally and rightfully being paid. Takanaka’s skill on guitar is apparent in his studio work but seeing it up close, those little riffs and details that make live music such a balancing act, is nothing short of a beautiful occasion.
A surreal experience is what Takanaka offers. He says little to the audience and, when he does, it’s to thank them for coming and to introduce Seven Goblins, a riotous bit of work which, as all the best Takanaka songs do, relies on an instrumental blowout. Eye-watering experiences the whole way through the two-hour set are what he and the band reliably offer. Incredible instrumental camaraderie which means the show is tightly mapped but is left with enough wiggle room to make for one of the most laid-back yet high-energy shows you may ever see at the Crystal Palace Bowl. One of the few gigs where the crowd made it better. Their infectious energy, from swaying their arms to Seychelles classic Oh! Tengo Suerte to erupting when that surfboard guitar finally emerged, is a delight to witness.
Takanaka is a rare beast. He is an instrumentally gifted guitarist who still enjoys the craft and where it can take his music. Witnessing that is an experience which, should the opportunity arise, should be taken. He is one of the all-time greats and that comes not just from an impressive instrumental range but from being one of the coolest, considerate musicians around. Every moment of the show feels like the peak of what Takanaka can do. One way or another, he finds a fresh way to push himself and his talented backing band to a new level. It’s an insatiable high that Takanaka and the gang pursue, and in setting this impossible bar, they aim for as close to perfect as possible. They get there with this miracle of a performance. “My brain is too old,” he says at one point. It may be so, but his hands are the gift that keeps on giving, and Takanaka just gets better as a performer with age.
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