City pop legend and virtuosic guitarist, Japanese musician-producer Masayoshi Takanaka brings his very first world tour to Australia in 2026.
First gaining popularity during the '70s and '80s, and inspired by the likes of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Cream and Eric Clapton, Takanaka was a major proponent of the city pop sound, fusing jazz, pop, surf rock, and funk, as well as releasing more than 20 studio albums across his career.
Part of Live Nation's City Pop Waves series, Masayoshi will headline concerts in Sydney and Melbourne next April; the tour will see Takanaka perform his bespoke surfboard guitar; a full-size guitar crafted from a real surfboard and performed only a handful of times before spending over a decade on display; it has been restored for the world tour.
Originally a member of progressive rock band Flied Egg before joining groundbreaking group The Sadistic Mika Band as a guitarist in the early '70s, Takanaka made his solo debut in 1976 with the album 'Seychelles', which features some of his best known songs including 'Oh! Tengo Suerte' and 'Tokyo Reggie'.
He released a succession of acclaimed works including 'Ready To Fly', 'Blue Lagoon', and the iconic 1981 concept album 'The Rainbow Goblins', widely regarded as a milestone in Japanese instrumental music, and has collaborated with the likes of Lee Ritenour, Carlos Santana, Narada Michael Walden, and Sheila E., contributing to both studio recordings and live performances.
Tickets on sale from 2pm (local time) on 11 December.
Masayoshi Takanaka 2026 Tour Dates
Fri 24 Apr - Darling Harbour Theatre @ ICC Sydney
Mon 27 Apr - Northcote Theatre (Melbourne)
