We were at Ado's concert in Paris / HIBANA WORLD TOUR

After attending my first J-Pop concert with Kenshi Yonezu earlier this year, I knew I had to experience more of what the genre's live performances had to offer. As someone who manages the playlist for OnlyHits Japan and listens to J-Pop regularly, Ado's HIBANA World Tour at Paris's Accor Arena was the perfect next step in my concert journey.

From La Villette to Bercy: A BIG Upgrade

Unlike last year's Wish tour which took place at Zenith La Villette, this year's HIBANA tour moved to the much larger Accor Arena at Bercy, with its impressive 17,000-seat capacity. The venue upgrade made it obvious this wasn't just a bigger show, her international presence was growing. Once again organized by Crunchyroll, the production values were set to match the grand scale of the venue.

Merchandise Madness and Pre-Show Energy

Arriving in Paris early on June 25th, the excitement was already building throughout the city. Taking the subway to Bercy, I could spot the massive merchandise queues from the train, fans had been lining up since early morning, and by noon, several items were already sold out. Walking around Paris that day, it was pretty much impossible to miss fans proudly wearing their Ado merchandise, turning the entire city into a preview of the night's main event.

First look at the venue

I returned to the venue at 7:15 PM for the scheduled 8:30 PM start, and the queue moved surprisingly efficiently. Inside, the arena featured a fascinating setup: a massive 360-degree screen suspended above the pit area, split into four sections. Interestingly, this impressive display remained largely unused during the concert, serving mainly for advertisements, a missed opportunity that I'll touch on later.

I was seated with friends just behind the VIP section, benefiting from extra space thanks to an aisle in front of us. One notable detail: the closest side seats to the stage remained empty, not because the show wasn't sold out, but because they were deliberately not put on sale. This was likely a decision to prevent any possibility of fans identifying Ado during her performance, maintaining the mystery that's so integral to her persona.

Introduction to the show

Before the show began, some fans distributed instructions for coordinated light stick patterns, blue, white, and red sections that would create a visual for the opening performance. The crowd seemed to largely respect these guidelines, creating beautiful waves of color throughout the arena.

As expected, the familiar rules were announced: no recordings, no photos, no binoculars, before, during, or after the show. The Arena's staff member delivering these instructions had to pause frequently as the crowd applauded after nearly every sentence, causing her to visibly struggle to contain her laughter at the audience's enthusiasm.

The Performance

The show started precisely on time, if not slightly early, and what a way to begin: "Usseewa." If there's any song that can instantly hype up 17,000 people, it's this one (ironic, isn't it?). The crowd was already hyped, but hearing those opening notes sent the energy through the roof.

What struck me most was Ado's relentless pace. For nearly an entire hour, she powered through song after song without stopping to talk to the audience. My friends and I started joking (and slightly worrying) about whether she'd ever take a break! The energy was absolutely infectious, and she maintained this incredible momentum throughout.

When she finally did pause for band introductions, it felt like a well-deserved moment to catch our breath. But then, right back to the music! When Ado eventually did speak to the audience, sharing personal messages that I won't spoil here, it felt even more special because of how rare those moments were, and it happened after about an hour and a half.

The Stage: Amazing, but...

The lighting design was absolutely spectacular, every song was enhanced by carefully crafted light shows that perfectly complemented Ado's powerful vocals, highlighting The Box. However, I couldn't help but feel that the stage's full potential wasn't always utilized, sometimes with a pretty "basic" animation which would be repeated under The Box and in the background, and the 360-degrees screens weren't used either. While this didn't detract from the overall experience, it felt like a missed opportunity for even more immersive visuals.

The Encore

Just when we thought the show was over, Ado returned for an encore that included some of her most beloved tracks. The crowd's energy somehow found another gear, and the final songs felt like a perfect celebration of everything that makes her live performances so special. By the time "New Genesis" closed out the night, everyone in the arena felt like they'd been part of something truly extraordinary.

Final Thoughts

Having now experienced both Kenshi Yonezu and Ado live, I can confidently say that J-Pop concerts are truly unique. Incredible vocal performances, thoughtful production, and genuinely engaged audiences unlike anything else. Ado's HIBANA tour perfectly showed this, with nearly two hours of pure energy, I could even see some security staff stunned by her vocal performance.

The phone-free environment once again proved its worth, allowing everyone to be fully present and creating genuine connections between strangers united by their love of the music. If you're new to J-Pop concerts like I was just a few months ago, or if you're a longtime fan, Ado's live performance is an experience you won't soon forget.

A huge thank you to Crunchyroll for bringing this incredible tour to Europe, and to all the staff who made the night run so smoothly. Here's hoping for many more J-Pop concerts in Paris's future! 🎌