Anoice x AYANO TWO-MAN SHOW

A Two-Man Performance with the Singular Instrumental Band, Anoice

With their dark, cinematic sound, Anoice has achieved remarkable success—topping the Apple Music/iTunes Store instrumental charts in more than 20 countries.
For AYANO, whose music also lives in the dark and cinematic realm and is mostly instrumental, this concert marked the first time we shared the stage with an act so close in spirit.

Afterword

The long-awaited collaboration with Anoice finally came to life.
Our relationship traces back to 2014, when AYANO held a solo show and wished to use frothy candles produced by Ricco Label—the label founded by Anoice’s leader, Kido. That was the beginning of our connection. Over the years, we exchanged thoughts on artistic activities and crossed paths at concerts of mutual friends, yet we had never actually performed together.

AYANO Photo by 佐野和樹

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Following our recent two-man event with KAO=S, AYANO felt a strong resonance in the format: extended set times that allowed each band to unfold a deeper narrative. We decided to make such two-man shows a recurring part of our journey. When considering our very first partner for this new format, Anoice naturally came to mind. As fate would have it, the timing coincided with their album release, and we extended the invitation.
Anoice Photo by mado.no.saki.1982

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Kido suggested that no overarching theme was needed for this event. Personally, I would have preferred one, but I came to realize that in front of an audience deeply attuned to instrumental music, such labels may indeed be unnecessary.
Instead, we turned to visual art. Kido, who has a fondness for foggy forests, provided the main photograph, which inspired us to create a monochrome visual concept. Into that grayscale world, we entrusted the audience with bringing their own colors—tying back to AYANO’s perpetual theme of “hues.”
AYANO Photo by Kazuki Sano

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Beyond the stage, we also saw value in archiving not only our own thoughts but also those of our collaborators. Since Anoice had no interview footage available, we proposed a recorded dialogue. With our shared love for beer, it naturally turned into a casual, yet profound conversation over drinks. What emerged was an engaging contrast between our two very different personalities.

It was beyond our imagination that Anoice would turn down an appearance at SXSW in the United States to join us for this night. Yet that is exactly what happened.
We carry pride in knowing that the evening was worthy of such a choice, and believe both bands offered the audience a seamlessly woven experience.