We got to catch JO1 live last Tuesday night in Chicago for the ANIMAL Tour, and it was truly a night to remember. The energy in the venue was completely electric from start to finish, and seeing fans from all over come together to support the guys we love was just pure magic!
JO1 set the mood early when they performed ‘Eyes On Me.’ With its club-heavy beats and high-octane energy, Chicago LOVED it! The venue was practically bouncing, and the members even shouted out the crowd, declaring, “Your energy is fire!”
The guys also took time to connect with the audience between sets, leading to some unforgettable moments. Sho mentioned how cool it was to finally see the Chicago train system in person, pointing out that it’s famous from the iconic Spider-Man scene where Peter Parker stops the train!
Shortly after, a piano was brought out onto the stage, where Ruki playfully played a Mickey Mouse tune. Afterwards tracks like ‘Hiraku’ and ‘Romance’ really showcased their vocals—it was such a beautiful, emotional moment that left everyone breathless.
The Energy Was On Another Level
Midway through the set, the interactions reached a whole new level! The crowd cheered so loudly that they convinced Takumi to perform a spontaneous rap solo! Right after, four of the members—Ren, Keigo, Sukai, and Issei—blasted through an incredible dance solo, showing off their crisp choreography. Then, Syoya, Junki, Ruki, and Sho shocked the entire room by performing a cover of Taylor Swift’s ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,’ and the crowd sang along to every word!
‘RUSH’ brought the high-voltage energy right back, getting the entire crowd on their feet with their hands in the air under a stunning show of red and blue lights. They followed up with ‘Animal,’ from their newest EP, bringing back heavy smoke for the intro alongside a striking orange and blue light display.
The Encore
When JO1 left the stage, the room didn’t quiet down for a single second. The crowd immediately broke into a unified chant of “JO1, JO1, JO1!” And in an awesome touch, the lighting technician synced the stage lights to flicker perfectly along with the crowd’s chant!
One member made his way back onto the stage wearing a gray shirt with ‘ANIMAL’ written in sparkling sequins and had the venue in giggles as he made the crowd mimic funny vocal sounds into the mic with him. He then led the room in a ‘Sakura’ chant, setting up the rest of the group to rejoin him on stage to perform that song.
They closed out the night in style performing ‘Ignite,’ after putting on their new jackets featuring “JO1” written in Japanese across the back. It was the absolute perfect conclusion to an unforgettable evening, and we hope this is just the start of many more US tours to come!
Check out our gallery from the show below!
Were you able to go to the 2026 JO1 North American Tour “Animal”? Do you have a favorite JO1 song? Let us know in the comments below or chat with us on Twitter, Instagram, and Discord.
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