I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: November 2, 2025] Boris

It’s fascinating to think that Boris almost called it quits a few years ago.  Since then they have shown a seriously revitalized interest in touring and revisiting their older albums.

This tour was the 20th anniversary of their classic Pink.  But the tour was titled Do You Remember Pink Days? because they threw in some other songs from the same year (they were quite prolific in 2005).

They also didn’t play the album front to back which was an interesting choice except that there are several different versions of the album so there is no real definitive track listing or anything else.  (You’d have to be crazy to try to be a Boris completist).

They had some fun merch and I debated buying one of Wata’s cute frog stuffed animals, but I didn’t.  And I still kind of regret it.

After the glory of Agriculture faded away, the stage was set–Atsuo’s gong brought close to the front (it was just the trio again for this tour).  I was right in front of Takeshi and his doubleneck bass/guitar and I was pretty far from Wata who seemed to be shrouded in fog for most of the show.  I tend to be on Takeshi’s side more often than not because I think the fanboys really like to be near Wata.  But as it turns out, Takeshi sings a lot of this album, so it was a good place to see all the action.

They opened with feedback and Atsuo smashing his gong.  Then they launched into Blackout, a kind of warmup to the rest of the album, with washes of sounds from both guitars and bass.  And then abruptly we landed on Pink, a fast, heavy rocker with a Takeshi’s pummeling bass and soaring guitars from Wata. The speed continued on Woman on the Screen, with more vocals from Takeshi.

When they moved on to Nothing Special, Takeshi played the guitar part of his double neck, which is always a treat since he mostly plays the bass.

Both Takeshi and Wata were earing these gorgeously patterned long flowing … robes?  They looked super cool and very comfortable.

They took a break from Pink to play Ibitsu from 2003’s Akuma No Uta.  It’s another fast and furious number which segued into more heaviness with Electric.

Then things slowed way down for A Bao a Qu, a slow ambient track with washes of noise and quiet vocals.  It was a perfect prelude to The Evilone Which Sobs.  On record the song is 15 minutes long.  They shortened it a bit but it lost no impact.

After blasting through Akuma No Uta (one of the few songs I’ve seen them play already), the returned to Pink with the killer Just Abandoned Myself which runs anywhere from 10 minutes to 18 minutes depending on the version of the record you have.

They ended the set with Farewell, the first track on the album.  It is a feedback filled song with Atsuo playing some kind of box that just made all kinds of noise.

After an encore break, the band returned to the stage for an encore of Flood.  It’s a quiet (by Boris standards) soothing piece of droning rock.  On record the song is over an hour, although for our show it was shorter, but still expansive and powerful running about 15 minutes long.  It was transcendent.

Boris shows are always similar–lots of feedback, heavy bass and gongs.  Atsuo’s yeahs and Wata’s soaring notes.  This show was different for the amount of singing that Takeshi did.  And for hearing most of Pink.  But they gave us extra fun for throwing in some Pink-adjacent songs and so much of Flood!

And despite the similarities, I will see them again and again as long as they come.  Next time, I’ll either park in from of Wata or maybe further back (I don’t want to be in the pit)to get the full wall of sound.

	Nov 2, 2025 Union Transfer	October 19, 2024 Union Transfer
	Blackout ¶	Harang, pt. 1  [tape Sátántangó soundtrack]
	Pink ¶ [2]	Huge ψ
	Woman on the Screen ¶	Ganbou-Ki ψ
	Nothing Special ¶	Hama ψ
	Ibitsu ¥	Scar Box Æ
	Electric ¶	Mass Mercury Æ
	A Bao a Qu ‰	Kuruimizu ψ
	The Evilone Which Sobs ≠	Vomitself ψ
	Akuma No Uta ¥ [2]	encore
	Just Abandoned Myself ¶	Loveless Ø
	Farewell ¶ [2]
	encore
	Flood ≅

 

September 21, 2023 Brooklyn Bowl	September 8, 2019 White Eagle Hall	October 28, 2017 Union Transfer
Heavy Friends ⊗ [2]	The Power Ð [2]	D.O.W.N -Domination of Waiting Noise- Ð
Korosu ⊗	Dōshitemo Anata o Yurusenai ♦	DEADSONG Ð
Dyna-Soar ⊗	Love ♥	Absolutego Ð
Wareruraido ⊗	To the Beach (COALTAR OF THE DEEPERS cover) ♦	Beyond Ð
Soft Edge ⊗	Journey €	Kagero Ð
Dronevil ⊗	Heavy Friends ⊗	Biotope Ð
Death Valley ⊗	Heavenly Blue (D-Day cover)	The Power Ð
Koei ⊗	Absolutego Ð [2]	Memento Mori Ð
Kane -The Bell Tower of a Sign- ⊗	Feedbacker ∼	Dystopia -Vanishing Point- Ð
1970 ⊗	Shadow of Skull ♥	Dear Ð
encore	encore	encore
Boris (Melvins cover)	Akuma no Uta [with Uniform] ¥	Farewell ¶
	Pink ¶

Ø No (2020)
♥ Love Evol (2019)
♦ Tears EP (2019)
€ Split EP with The Novembers (2018)
Ð Dear (2017)
¶ Pink (2005)
≠ dronevil (2005)
≅ flood (2000)
‰ Soundtrack From Film Mabuta No Ura (2005)
∼ Feedbacker (2003)
¥ Akuma No Uta (2003)
⊗ Heavy Rocks [Orange] (2002)
Æ early outtake (2000)
ψ Amplifier Worship (1998)