Tokyo’s legendary label MAJOR FORCE brought along a typhoon.
Founded in 1988, MAJOR FORCE is Japan's first club music label. Started by the fantasy line-up of Tiny Panxs’ Kan Takagi and Hiroshi Fujiwara, and Melon's Toshio Nakanishi, Masayuki Kudo and Gota Yashiki, MAJOR FORCE is said to have laid the foundation for Tokyo street culture that continues to the present day, combining the club music scene with fashion while at the same time producing popular artists such as SDP (Scha Dara Parr).

Photo, Hikaru Funyu | Edit & text, Saori Ohara

It’s thirty years since the start of a legendary music label like MAJOR FORCE. ‘MAJOR FORCE BE WITH YOU - 30TH ANNIVERSARY’ was held at Laforet Harajuku, the very centre of the Tokyo street scene and youth culture following hot on its heels. On September 30th (Sunday) the day of the event that represents part of RED BULL MUSIC FESTIVAL TOKYO 2018, Typhoon 24 approached the Kanto region. Public transportation also announced its scheduled suspension and although it began under strange circumstances, with shops all around the Harajuku area closing early, people waited for MAJOR FORCE to take the stage and also formed a long line on the stairs leading to the Laforet Museum as well as the merchandise stall selling t-shirts and new music.

Before the performance, documentary videos of MAJOR FORCE by Red Bull were streamed, and the lobby area also had pictures and publications on display that tell the history of the label. On stage began after a short talk session by Kan Takagi and writer Hiroshi Egaitsu, “Everyone who ended up coming on such a stormy day are already like family! I hope you’re ready for it?” laughed MC Takagi, with applause from the audience.

After that, a fantasy line-up such as ORCHIDS, Hiroshi Fujiwara, and EGO-WRAPPIN’ joined the band led by Takagi, and Carin the daughter of Toshio Nakanishi who died last year also appeared for the encore. At the venue, I'm convinced I even heard someone repeatedly say, “a ¥1,000 ticket for a line up like this is pretty good”. There are also numerous figure from fashion industry in the audience, not only music industry people, a sign of the influence MAJOR FORCE has had on the connection between music and fashion scene once again.

I can’t wait to see what the future of a resurgent MAJOR FORCE will bring, with the 30 year-old label aimed toward the next generation.

Performing artists:
KUDO, Takagi, Yashiki Hitoshi, Fujiwara Hiroshi, SDP, Shunji Mori, Kuni Sugimoto, Genichi Tamura, Momo, Ohnishiro, TOMOHIKO aka HEAVY LOOPER, EGO-WRAPPIN ', Tachibana Hajime,

Set list:
Copy 88
Action
Hoodlum Tokyo
Love Formula (Brixton Bass Mix)
I Will Call U
Kokoku
Moon Hotel
Muhika
It's a New Day
Nice Guy
Anata Dare?
Touch Me
Tribe of Love
Top Secret Man
Egyptian Reggae