When MONO first conceived of a live concert backed by an orchestra, it seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime dream of an event that would require a unique set of circumstances, an enormous crew of like-minded and generous contributors, and a titanic amount of luck. At exactly a decade into their career, it was by far their most ambitious undertaking. They flew from their home country of Japan – where, at the time, they were ironically less acclaimed and accomplished than in the United States and Europe – to New York City, where they assembled an orchestra, secured a historic venue near Lincoln Center, and bet on themselves to pull off a truly unforgettable evening. Not only was the concert a rousing success, but it spawned what has become a defining part of MONO’s identity: the orchestral live performance. Since that magical night in NYC in 2009, MONO have performed more than three dozen live concerts with a diverse array of orchestras, spanning nearly as many countries throughout the world. Their last such concert in Japan, however, was more than 15 years ago. A quarter-century into their storied career, MONO has finally come home.
“Forever Home: Live in Japan with Orchestra PITREZA” celebrates MONO’s 25th Anniversary ‘”OATH” Orchestral World Tour, which stretched to 20 concerts in Europe, Asia, and the United States of America in the final months of 2024. Recorded in front of a sold-out crowd at Spotify O-EAST in Tokyo, “Forever Home” features a 12-piece orchestra — led by orchestra director and frequent collaborator, Chad McCullough — supporting MONO as they perform their latest album, “OATH,” in its entirety. The 100-minute concert concludes with a pair of the band’s most iconic songs – “Ashes in the Snow” and “Everlasting Light” – that pay homage to that first-ever orchestral live performance in NYC 15 years ago. Recorded and mixed by MONO’s longtime touring sound engineer, Matt Cook, “Forever Home” captures the venerable group in their natural environment, and at their most transcendent. With the symphonic accompaniment of Japan’s Orchestra PITREZA, MONO makes a room in Tokyo feel like a limitless sea — mercurial, contemplative, and overwhelming.
The physical formats of “Forever Home” are appropriately expansive and suitably special. Designed by longstanding art director and collaborator, Jeremy deVine, the 2xCD is packaged in a quadruple gatefold and includes a feature-length concert film on high-definition Blu-ray, directed by Yusaku Mitsuwaka. It is a stunning work of multi-camera cinematography that perfectly encapsulates the live MONO experience. The triple-gatefold 3xLP is available on audiophile black vinyl, or limited-edition colored vinyl variants. Both CD and LP formats each include a sprawling 28-page full-color archival photo book that documents the complete concert. This is MONO. This is “Forever Home.”
Purchase and Stream “Oath (Live with Orchestra PITREZA)” via the Bandcamp player below:
Tracklist:
01. Oath (Live with Orchestra PITREZA)
02. Run On (Live with Orchestra PITREZA)
03. Reflection (Live with Orchestra PITREZA)
04. Hear the Wind Sing (Live with Orchestra PITREZA)
05. Hourglass (Live with Orchestra PITREZA)
06. Moonlight Drawing (Live with Orchestra PITREZA)
07. Holy Winter (Live with Orchestra PITREZA)
08. We All Shine On (Live with Orchestra PITREZA)
09. Time Goes By (Live with Orchestra PITREZA)
10. Ashes in the Snow (Live with Orchestra PITREZA)
11. Everlasting Light (Live with Orchestra PITREZA)
Tour Dates:
Oct 30 – Bristol, UK @ The Fleece
Oct 31 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla
Nov 1 – Dublin, IE @ Button Factory
Nov 2 – Glasgow, UK @ St Luke’s
Nov 3 – Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny
Nov 4 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Nov 5 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
Nov 7 – Lorient, FR @ Festival les Indisciplinés
Nov 8 – Rennes, FR @ Antipode
Nov 9 – Saint-Lô, FR @ Les Rendez-Vous Soniques Festival
Nov 10 – Tourcoing, FR @ Le Grand Mix
Nov 12 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
Nov 13 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix
Nov 14 – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU @ Kulturfabrik
Nov 15 – Neunkirchen, DE @ Gloomaar Festival
Nov 16 – Hamburg, DE @ Knust
Nov 17 – Cologne, DE @ Gebäude 9
Nov 19 – Zurich, CH @ Exil
Nov 20 – Milan, IT @ Legend
Nov 21 – Rome, IT @ Largo Venue
Nov 23 – Zagreb, HR @ Vintage Industrial Bar
Nov 24 – Budapest, HU @ Turbina
Nov 25 – Vienna, AT @ Flucc Wanne
Nov 26 – Prague, CZ @ Rock Café
Nov 27 – Krakow, PL @ Kwadrat
Nov 28 – Warsaw, PL @ Klub Proxima
Nov 29 – Vilnius, LT @ Kablys + Kultūra
Nov 30 – Riga, LV @ Palladium
Dec 1 – Tallinn, EE @ Paavli Kultuurivabrik