Glim Spanky Éclore Tour 2026 Event Report

Hello, everyone! I’m Osawa, a guitarist who proudly claims to be No. 1 in the variety of facial expressions I make while playing, rather than in the sound I produce.
I’ve been a huge Glim Spanky fan for a long time. I even played in a cover band for many years, and I still support them enthusiastically today.
On March 25, 2026, Glim Spanky finally released their long-awaited new album, Éclore. While remaining rooted in their signature rock and blues, this album gives listeners plenty of opportunities to enjoy the vocals of singer Remi Matsuo (hereafter referred to as Remi-san, out of respect). Of course, it also features the cool yet fresh-sounding riffs and hard-hitting solos of guitarist Hiroki Kamemoto (hereafter affectionately referred to as Kame-chan, out of respect). It’s an album that pleasantly defies the image of Glim Spanky we’ve come to know, showing just how much they've grown as artists. If you haven’t listened to it yet, I highly recommend giving it a spin!

The nationwide tour in support of Éclore kicked off on June 14, 2026! After two and a half months on the road, I finally got to attend the show at Line Cube Shibuya on August 27, the final stop of the tour!

Snap! A quick photo of the stage before the show!

And here’s something interesting! Remi-san uses a Supro Delegate Custom Black!

Of course, it was sitting proudly onstage again this time! It’s compact, yet it has a real presence.
I also love its asymmetrical design, and it’s a model I’m personally very fond of.

Before I knew it, showtime was approaching. I was getting excited!
The venue went dark, and the intro to “Dairokkan,” the opening track of the new album, began! The guitar riff is seriously cool. With its majestic feel and a build that intensifies as the song progresses, it’s perfect for bringing the audience together. Kame-chan’s stunning solo was cool, too!
The second song was “Daitenshi,” following the album’s track order. It’s an upbeat number driven by a heavy bass line, but bassist Ohki Kurihara (also affectionately referred to as Kuri-chan, out of respect) remained completely motionless, playing with his usual cool composure! Kame-chan’s dirty guitar phrases, appearing throughout the song’s driving rhythm, were absolutely fantastic!

After the second song, Kame-chan switched from his Flying V to a Les Paul, while Remi-san picked up her familiar Rickenbacker. That lineup was a sign that they were about to play an older song. This intro...! It was “Dummy Rock to Blues”, one of Glim Spanky’s earliest, super blues-rock numbers! I still remember the shock I felt back then, as if I’d been struck by lightning, when I first heard this song, with Remi-san’s husky, aggressive vocals and guitar sounds that seemed to have matured over many years. Watching the show this time, I could feel that the blues spirit remained unchanged in both of them. Seeing them perform this song with such obvious enjoyment was particularly memorable.

After that, the audience’s excitement reached its peak with “Ikari o Kure yo”, their huge hit that was also selected as the theme song for the One Piece movie!

When the song ended, they greeted the audience in their familiar voices: “Good evening! We’re Glim Spanky!”
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Glim Spanky live many times, and they always have this same vibe. It’s reassuring, in a way. If I had to compare it to something, it’s like the feeling of coming home and opening the front door.
They talked about the rain during the MC, which reminded me of the lyric “It’s dark and raining outside” from “Dairokkan”, the opening track of the album.
After that, they performed “Konna Yofuke wa” in a quiet atmosphere, followed by “Urarakana Kuni”, “Watashi wa Anata”, and “Atarashii Monogatari” from Éclore.

At this point, I was reminded of something: Remi-san’s vocal ability and expressiveness are truly exceptional.
Of course, her pitch stability and wide vocal range are impressive, but the way her voice blends with each song is also exquisite. I think she’s always been this good, but I felt that her expressive abilities had developed even further. It reminded me once again that she is a truly one-of-a-kind vocalist who combines both power and delicacy.
As I was thinking about this, Kame-chan launched into a guitar solo following the MC. It was a dirty, bluesy solo using an octave pedal. That tone... I knew exactly what was coming. It could only be that song! Yes, “Orokamono-tachi”. This song has also been used in film and other tie-ins, so I’m sure many of you have heard it. The way the guitar comes in during the A section and the ending of the guitar solo always gives me chills. The heavy groove and Remi-san’s husky vocals really showcase the breadth of Glim Spanly’s musical style.

Next came “Shōdō,” one of the heavier tracks on the new album. The entire audience singing along to the “Whoa-oh-oh-oh” in the intro was so much fun. And that “Dong!” right before the chorus gives you the feeling that something evil inside you is being purified. You feel that too, right?

Next up was the feel-good rock number “Fighter.” I’d been feeling this since the early part of the show, but drummer Shuntaro Kado (affectionately referred to as Kado-san, out of respect) was incredibly cool! He kept spinning and tossing his drumsticks at every opportunity. His performance alone was so impressive that you could almost charge admission just to watch him. His playing was emotional, too, and seeing how much he enjoyed drumming made the audience even more excited.

The next song, “Fly High”, stands out for its kick drum and wonderfully beefy bass. Once again, Kuri-chan delivered his funky performance standing perfectly still. The contrast with Kado-san, who plays with his whole body, was incredibly cool.
Then Remi-san picked up her Coronet to perform “Camera Irony”. With its tightly executed, punchy feel, the song really brought out the coolness of the band’s sound!

During the MC that followed, they mentioned Kame-chan’s birthday. He had turned 36 on August 24, and apparently, he’d spent two hours playing soccer before the show that day... What a monster when it comes to stamina! That’s completely different from me, who would be unable to move for two days after pushing myself through an hour at the gym lol.
Next came everyone’s favorite, “Utsukushii Toge”. The slightly country-flavored phrase in the intro and the lyrics that paint vivid scenes in your mind are among Glim Spanky’s many charms. They didn’t perform it at this show, but personally, I also love the storytelling lyrics of a song called “grand port”.

After that came a keyboard solo. Yohta Nakagome’s playing (whom I call Gomes-san, with the utmost respect) never tries to dominate. Instead, it feels as though he gives Glim Spanky’s performance a powerful lift from underneath. Having supported the band since its early days, he clearly shares an incredible musical understanding with them.
“Wakaba no Toki”, a keyboard-focused song, is a great opportunity to fully appreciate Gomes-san’s playing. As they also mentioned during the MC, this song was written during the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s a truly wonderful song that conveys hope for the future.
After this mellow moment, they launched into “Haruiro Baby Blue”, a refreshing, upbeat song from the new album! It’s a fast-paced track that makes you feel as though everyone in the venue is jumping up and down, and it really shines in a live setting. The guitar solo, in particular, had a piercing sound that matched the song’s breakneck momentum without being overshadowed by it, sending the audience’s excitement through the roof!
The final song was “Éclore”, the album’s title track. It conveys the feelings behind the song in full, and especially when you hear it live, Remi-san’s voice feels as though it reaches straight into your soul. Even within the ballad, there’s a sense of strength. After listening, you’re left with an indescribable feeling of satisfaction and reassurance. It’s a song that gives you the courage to face tomorrow.
For the encore, they performed “Hikōki Gumo”, a cover of a song by Yumi Arai. It’s a song Remi-san has been singing for a long time, and her voice blended beautifully with the song’s bittersweet atmosphere. It was a wonderful performance.
The second encore song was “Flower Song”, one of their early releases. This gritty, straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll number turned the entire venue into a dance hall! Even toward the end of the show, Kame-chan was running all over the place, playing freely in every direction and looking as happy as a fish in water.

And finally, it was time for the last song of the encore. Of course, it was “Otona ni Nattara”. I hadn’t mentioned it before, but whenever I hear this song, I automatically start crying. Sure enough, this time was no exception, and I watched the performance with tears streaming down my face.

Attending this show made me feel once again just how much Glim Spanky has evolved! I’ll continue supporting them, and it also reminded me that I should practice my guitar more and use Kame-chan as my role model lol.
If you ever get the chance, I hope you’ll give Glim Spanky’s music and live shows a try!