LIVE-GYM

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LIVE-GYM is the moniker used for live concerts featuring B'z. Invented by the members as a combination of "live" and an abbreviation of the English word "gymnasium" due to the band wanting to perform with the high-energy that one would expect from a sports event, the word has become synonymous and interchangeable when referring to B'z concerts. Shows featuring the band are characterized by their high-energy, consistent quality, and state of the art production value. LIVE-GYM concerts all over Japan are known to sell out no matter the size of the venue, with B'z routinely selling out the nation's largest domes in record time.

Since the band's first tours that carried the title "LIVE-GYM", most that followed have been labeled as such as well, with the only exceptions being special events and SHOWCASE concerts. B'z SHOWCASES allow the band to take a break from large-scale venues and venture out to see fans at smaller, more intimate venues, where the setlists typically include a great many scarcely-performed songs. Generally, these are often played as warm-ups to the larger LIVE-GYM concerts as well as a means of still touring for fans even when a major album promotion isn't in order, especially in areas of Japan that the band have not visited previously or have not visited in some time.

In addition to sold-out shows all over their home country, B'z has also performed internationally in the United States, Canada, Taipei, and Hong Kong.

Format

A B'z LIVE-GYM usually contain roughly 20 songs and last around two and a half hours. At virtually every LIVE-GYM, prior to the third song of a given setlist, a skit is generally played out on stage leading up to Koshi announcing "Welcome to the B'z LIVE-GYM" (B'z LIVE-GYM ni yoko so). For SHOWCASE events, this may be changed to "Welcome to the B'z SHOWCASE" (B'z SHOWCASE ni yoko so). Throughout the setlist, at specific intervals, Koshi and Tak will engage in MC sessions related to specific songs prior to performing them. Lastly, at the end of each show, Koshi customarily leads the band into a heave with the crowd replying by shouting "Okutskure" (Well done in English). Afterward, an "Ending SE" as it is known in Japan is played to the crowd over the speakers as the support members leave the stage and Tak and Koshi visit all sides of the stage while waving and bowing to the audience. The "Ending SE" has generally been that of an unreleased song or instrumental at the time of its inclusion, usually ensuring its release in the near future as a B-side or album song.

Types of B'z Tours

After more than a quarter century of performing, B'z has amassed a varied history of live concerts that have come in a number of different types. These tours typically fall into one of three categories:

Album Tours

The most common LIVE-GYM tours by the band, carried out in support of their then-latest studio album, such as B'z LIVE-GYM 2006 "MONSTER'S GARAGE" and their 2006 studio album, MONSTER. These shows typically result in a setlist that blends about 75-80% of the titular album's songs with a selection of the band's past hits and gems.

Pleasure Tours

Beginning in 1991 with B'z LIVE-GYM "Pleasure'91", B'z began touring occasional "Pleasure" LIVE-GYMs that were not tied to an album or similar source. Instead, they were more of a celebration of the band's entire catalogue and as such can be seen as "greatest hits" shows instead. Singles and special songs released on albums contemporary with a given tour can usually be found in the setlist in question. For example, the bonus songs included on B'z The Best "ULTRA Treasure" in 2008 ("Glory Days" and "Itsuka Mata Koko de") were also performed during B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2008 -GLORY DAYS- the same year.

SHOWCASE Tours

These events are generally one-off warm-ups that take place at smaller, more intimate settings in front of local crowds. Occasionally, these will feature a handful of performances at various dates that may or may not be tied to larger tours by the band. Often, B'z use SHOWCASE events to play obscure fan-favorites and crowd-pleasers from older albums and other releases that are rarely played live.

Home Video Releases

List of B'z LIVE-GYMs

Listed here are LIVE-GYM tours held by B'z. Preview shows and SHOWCASE events that were used as warm-ups and openings to larger tours are not highlighted here, instead being mentioned in the corresponding Concurrent Events section for each tour. Additionally, festival appearances and related events are included in the same vain outside of special exceptions.

Logo Tour Notes Home Video
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B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2013
-ENDLESS SUMMER-

The band's 25th anniversary tour. The tour was preceded by SHOWCASE 2013 -Pleasure75- and began shortly after the release of the B'z The Best XXV collections. New songs "Q&A", "Utopia" and "Kakushin" from the albums all received their LIVE-GYM debuts. Several obscure album songs were revived for the hall portion of the tour, with the dome leg featuring the likes of "LOVE PHANTOM", "C'mon", "Ichibu to Zenbu", a revival of "Aikawarazu na Bokura", and classics such as "RUN", "ALONE", and "TIME".


Concurrent Events: B'z SHOWCASE 2013 -Pleasure75-, Aerosonic

Coming 2014
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B'z LIVE-GYM 2012
-Into Free-

Tour information


Concurrent Events: Pepsi NEX presents B'z PREMIUM LIVE, B'z LIVE-GYM 2012 -Into Free- EXTRA

Full Web Stream

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B'z LIVE-GYM 2011
-C'mon-

Tour information


Concurrent Events: Pepsi NEX presents B'z 1DAY LIVE, TV Asahi Dream Festival 2011

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B'z LIVE-GYM 2011
-long time no see-

Tour information


Concurrent Events: Music for Relief's Secret Show for Japan

Full Web Stream

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B'z LIVE-GYM 2010
"Ain't No Magic"

Tour information

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B'z SHOWCASE 2009
-B'z In Your Town-

Tour information


Concurrent Events: Summer Sonic 09

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MAGIC Limited Edition

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B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2008
-GLORY DAYS-

Tour information

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B'z LIVE-GYM 2008
"ACTION"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: B'z SHOWCASE 2008 -Kiyotake ACTION-

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B'z SHOWCASE 2007
-B'z In Your Town-

Tour information

Unreleased

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B'z SHOWCASE 2007
-19-

Tour information


Concurrent Events: Summer Sonic 07

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B'z
LIVE in Namba 2006

Tour information

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B'z LIVE-GYM 2006
"MONSTER'S GARAGE"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: B'z SHOWCASE 2006 "Yokosuka MONSTER"

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B'z LIVE-GYM 2005
"CIRCLE OF ROCK"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: B'z SHOWCASE 2005 "Abashiri EXTRA Edition"

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B'z LIVE-GYM 2003
"BIG MACHINE"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: B'z SHOWCASE 2003 "BIG MACHINE"

Select Performances on
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B'z LIVE-GYM 2003
"BANZAI IN NORTH AMERICA"

Tour information

Full Web Stream

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B'z LIVE-GYM The Final Pleasure 2003
"IT'S SHOWTIME!!"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: B'z SHOWCASE 2003 "IT'S SHOWCASE!!"

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B'z LIVE-GYM 2002
"Rock n' California Roll"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: B'z LIVE-GYM 2002 "Rock n' California Roll in Tokyo"

Full Web Stream

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B'z LIVE-GYM 2002
"GREEN ~GO★FIGHT★WIN~"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: 2002 FIFA World Cup International Day Concert, B'z SHOWCASE "SAPPORO DEVIL", B'z LIVE-GYM 2002 "GREEN ~GO★FIGHT★WIN~" -Preview-

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B'z LIVE-GYM 2001
"ELEVEN"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: B'z SHOWCASE "Kobushi wo Nigire"

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B'z LIVE-GYM in
Taipei & Hong Kong 2001

Tour information

Unreleased

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B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2000
"juice"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2000 "juice" -Preview-, "juice" PV Shoot Guerrilla Live

Select Performances on
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B'z LIVE-GYM '99
"Brotherhood"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: B'z LIVE-GYM '99 -Brotherhood- SHOWCASE "B'zepp", B'z LIVE-GYM '99 "Brotherhood" -Intermission-, B'z LIVE-GYM '99 "Brotherhood" -Extra-

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B'z LIVE-GYM '98
"SURVIVE"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: B'z SHOWCASE "GO! GO! HEAVEN", B'z LIVE-GYM '98 "SURVIVE" -Preview-

Select Performances on
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B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure'97
"FIREBALL"

Tour information

Select Performances on
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B'z LIVE-GYM '96
"Spirit LOOSE"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: B'z LIVE-GYM '96 "Spirit LOOSE" SHOWCASE

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B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure'95
"BUZZ!!"

Tour information

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B'z LIVE-GYM '94
"The 9th Blues" -Part1-

&
"The 9th Blues" -Part2-

Tour information


Concurrent Events: Merry X'Mas SECRET GIG

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B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure'93
"JAP THE RIPPER"

Tour information

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B'z LIVE-GYM '93
"RUN"

Tour information

Select Performances on
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B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure'92
"TIME"

Tour information

Select Performances on
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B'z LIVE-GYM '91~'92
"IN THE LIFE"

Tour information

Unreleased

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Z'b
LIVE TOUR

Tour information

Unreleased

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B'z LIVE-GYM
"Pleasure'91"

Tour information

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B'z LIVE-GYM '90~'91
"RISKY"

Tour information

Unreleased

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B'z LIVE-GYM
"BREAK THROUGH"

Tour information

Unreleased

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B'z LIVE-GYM #001
"OFF THE LOCK"

Tour information


Concurrent Events: B'z LIVE-GYM #00 "OFF THE LOCK", B'z BAD-CLUB GYM, B'z CAMPUS-GYM "OFF THE LOCK"

Unreleased

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SF Rock Station Final Event
"Thank You TM Network"
-B'z Debut Performance-

Tour information

Unreleased

International Tours