On 26th April, music lovers were on their feet the entire night as Zepp Kuala Lumpur was set ablaze with energy and culture as the CENTRAL MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT FESTIVAL 2025 made its highly anticipated stop in Malaysia. Fans from all walks of life came together to celebrate a shared love of performance, creativity, and connection, with performances by ATARASHII GAKKO!, Creepy Nuts, and Tatsuya Kitani, alongside local opening act K.O.I.
The KL show marked the grand finale of CENTRAL’s overseas tour, following a sold-out night at Zepp New Taipei. True to its mission of “Bringing the Sounds of Japan to the World”, the festival delivered not just a show but a fusion of genres, cultures, and artistic expression that resonated deeply with Malaysian fans. Here’s what went down:
K.O.I (Opening Act)
Words could not begin to describe how blown away we were when K.O.I. walked onto the stage to open the concert. The local group, known for wearing masks to conceal their identities, proved that they belonged there, delivering a thunderous performance that was every bit as powerful as the three main acts of the night. Goosebumps rippled through the crowd as vocalist Mya Nana began singing the chorus to their famous track “Meta Dermaga”, demonstrating amazing vocal projection and breathing technique before her bandmates showcased their incredible rap skills.
Although they are a Malaysian group, their opening song proved they were the perfect choice to open the show, incorporating traditional Japanese elements into their performance. If the crowd had not been familiar with the band before, their performance would certainly have convinced everyone to check them out. The live versions of their songs, including “Tiwikarma”, were a perfect fusion of rock and hip-hop, leaving us wanting more. K.O.I. earned cheers and nods of approval from a crowd eager to embrace a cross-cultural musical experience. They closed their set with “Niskala Suaka”.
Tatsuya Kitani
After an exhilarating performance by the opening act, the energy did not stop there. Tatsuya Kitani took to the Zepp Kuala Lumpur stage, greeted by a crowd poised to absorb every note, every lyric, every emotion he was about to unleash. He opened his set with the electrifying track “Scar”, the opening theme of “BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War”, which instantly sent a shockwave of excitement through the crowd, particularly among anime fans.
The second song, “Rapport”, saw Kitani’s heartfelt delivery pulling the crowd deeper into his world, followed by “When The Weak Go Marching In”, which had everyone headbanging along to the beat. After a brief interaction to thank fans for their support, the singer launched into more of his fan favourites, including “Promise Me”, “Chained”, and “Bakeneko”. Throughout the entire set, Tatsuya Kitani showcased exceptional vocal technique, effortlessly transitioning between chest and head voice—even during high-energy, uptempo numbers.
Fans erupted in cheers the moment he began singing “Zutto Issho!”, followed by “Preview of Me”. If those reactions weren’t loud enough, his final song, “Where Our Blue Is”, from the anime “Jujutsu Kaisen” Season 2, sent the crowd into a frenzy (figuratively speaking, of course). Though it was hard to say goodbye, Tatsuya Kitani thanked the audience once more before leaving the stage. Judging by the electric energy in the room, we’re confident it won’t be long before he returns to perform in Malaysia again.
ATARASHII GAKKO!
As the lights dimmed and the sound of a school bell rang out, the crowd erupted with excitement as it was time for ATARASHII GAKKO! to take the stage. Returning to Malaysia for the second time, the group kicked off their set with their trademark eccentric charm and boundless energy. The self-proclaimed “Youth Representatives of Japan” stormed the stage in their iconic school uniforms, layered with yukatas, making an unforgettable entrance.
They opened with “Omakase”, followed by the viral hit “OTONABLUE”. One of the standout moments of their set was the performance of their fourth song, “Arigato”, where the members cleverly used broomsticks as mic stands for the disco-inspired track—a playful touch that perfectly captured their quirky stage presence. Also known for their energetic, fun and distinctive choreography, the band had everyone smiling and cheering as they lit up the stage with their performance. Much like the act before them, ATARASHII GAKKO! showed no signs of slowing down, with each song more upbeat and dynamic than the last.
Between songs, the members spoke to fans in Japanese and English, expressing their excitement to be back in Malaysia. We were definitely impressed by the girls’ stamina and breath support as they danced, ran and jumped on stage throughout the entirety of their set. They segued into “FreeYourself”, and the audiences were quite hyped up by the time. Another highlight of the night was ATARASHII GAKKO!’s performance of “WOO! GO!”, during which each member showcased their dance skills, prompting screams of excitement from the crowd.
The audience’s energy peaked when “Tokyo Calling” began, and the group closed their set with their new pop anthem, “One Heart”, a warm, unifying moment that saw fans dancing, singing and smiling together. As the show came to an end, the group shouted, “Terima kasih!” (“Thank you!”), and the audience responded with a sea of hearts raised high, ending the night with an outpouring of love and joy.
Creepy Nuts
Finally, last but by no means least, the act everyone had been waiting for all night: Creepy Nuts! From the moment DJ Matsunaga dropped the first beat and R-Shitei took the mic, the crowd was completely theirs. The audience moved in sync, captivated by every word as the iconic duo launched into “Yofukashino Uta”, one of their signature tracks, evoking the energy of a sleepless city night and the rush of speed.
One of the standout moments of their performance came during the third song, “2way Nice Guy”, a funky, disco-inspired track that had fans jumping and waving their hands side to side with infectious energy. The vocalist took a moment to pause the show and engage with the audience, praising them for their incredible energy and giving a shoutout to the other performers of the night. He shared a light-hearted joke, saying they were “just Japanese”, which served as a clever segue into their next song, fittingly titled “japanese”.
Throughout Creepy Nuts’ entire set, DJ Matsunaga showcased his exceptional turntable skills, reminding everyone why he’s hailed as “Japan’s No.1 DJ”. Meanwhile, R-Shitei delivered not only slick rap flows but also impressive breath control, particularly during high-speed tracks like “Doppelgänger” and “Nidone”. As the performance neared its end, a powerful sense of unity swept through the venue during “Dandadan”, the opening theme from the hit anime series “Dandadan”. The crowd raised their hands, sang along, and roared in appreciation of the duo’s electrifying presence.
Naturally, no Creepy Nuts set would be complete without their most successful hit to date, “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born”, a global sensation with over 700 million streams. The moment R-Shitei delivered the opening lines, the crowd erupted, singing along word for word, creating a truly unforgettable finale to end the night on a high.
The KL performance marked not just the end of a tour, but the beginning of deeper cultural exchange through music and artistry. As CENTRAL wraps its inaugural international tour, the success of both the Taipei and KL shows signals a new era of cultural exchange and artistic diplomacy through music. From Yokohama to the world, CENTRAL has proven itself as more than a festival—it’s a movement for global resonance.
