[Concert Review] 20 Year Rock Band Sensation ONE OK ROCK in San Francisco

byMegan Kan -May 21, 2025

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Photo Cr. Megan Kan // KpopWise

Japan-based rock band ONE OK ROCK released their 11th album, DETOX, on February 21, 2025, and are currently on their DETOX North American Tour, performing in cities such as Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Orlando, Atlanta, Newark, Washington D.C., Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, and Minneapolis—followed by shows in Japan and Paris.

ONE OK ROCK is a Japanese rock band formed in 2005. The band currently consists of vocalist Takahiro Moriuchi, guitarist Toru Yamashita, bassist Ryota Kohama, and drummer Tomoya Kanki. Influenced by pop punk, emo rock, and alternative rock, the band has made waves not just in Japan during their twenty-year career, but also internationally.

After leaving their original label, the band established their own in 2021, and later signed with Fueled by Ramen as their U.S. label. Over the years, they’ve built a dedicated fan base both in Japan and abroad, charted on Billboard, and collaborated with artists such as Avril Lavigne, Alex Gaskarth (of All Time Low), and 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS), just to name a few. They've also performed at major music festivals including Vans Warped Tour, Knotfest, and Rock on the Range. It's no surprise that in their vibrant 20-year career, they continue to connect with fans and explore new ventures—such as this 2025 tour.

On May 16, the band held their third show of the tour at San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, where fans were eager to kick off the weekend. The show began with opening act Stand Atlantic, an Australia-based pop punk band from Sydney.

Their energetic set effectively warmed up the crowd, and the band expressed gratitude for the opportunity, having previously toured with ONE OK ROCK. Their professionalism stood out as they encouraged the audience to jump, sing along, and enjoy the moment.

After a brief set change and a quirky soundcheck featuring a man making monotone noises, ONE OK ROCK made a dramatic and charismatic entrance, greeted by thunderous cheers. They opened with their 2025 song “Puppets can’t control you” Vocalist Taka immediately took command of the stage, jumping on platforms and hyping up the crowd with each song, one after another.

Tracks like “Save Yourself” and “Renegades” brought powerful energy—“Save Yourself” fueling an electric rock atmosphere from the instrumentals, while “Renegades” featured a call-and-response moment between Taka and the fans, creating a heartfelt connection. While introducing their next song “Delusional” vocalist Taka, shared a brief message to fans at the show.

“I feel like there's so much love and support. We’ve been doing this for 20 years—it’s crazy. And we decided to break outside of Japan 10 years ago. But ten years later, we finally made it with headliner shows. Our new album DETOX is very important, because everywhere in the world it hurts—even in Japan and the U.S.—so we have to use our power. That’s why rock and roll is important, and that’s why we made it this far.”

He went on to say that while some people may not resonate with their music or message, their goal is to spread peace and offer encouragement, helping people feel seen and less alone, even in painful times.

While the show was undoubtedly a thrilling release for fans on a Friday night, Taka’s deeper message underscored just how connected and compassionate the band remains toward their global audience.