What can be said about Phantom Siita?  I had initially thought that the name was Phantom Theater but no, it is instead based upon the words "phantom,"  the scientific name of the Chestnut Tiger butterfly "Parantica sita," and the scientific name of the moth "Epicopeia hainesii," which has a very close resemblance to a butterfly.  Are they idols?  Or are they something else, pretending to be idols?

Read more: Live Report: Phantom Siita Makes Their US Debut With the "Moth to a flame" World Tour

Phantom Siita is a relatively young idol group. Just a couple of years old, they will be embarking around the world. They are produced by the now legendary Ado, who has blown up into one of the world's preeminent Japanese singers.

I've seen them twice so far in Japan, both opening for Ado at the LaLa arena Tokyo Bay. For those shows themselves I didn't know I had won tickets until the day before. Thirteen hours after lottery results came on, I was on a plane to Tokyo.

Their status as openers for Ado's Mona Lisa tour went unknown to me until the show began. From the two songs from each night, I could tell something was off. They came across as unhinged, maybe even a little psychotic. But that's exactly the point: "retro horror" is their motif. Every idol group needs a theme to separate them from the hundreds and thousands of other idols that exist at any given point in time.

If you didn't pay attention to the lyrics at all, they look like a group of perfectly nice girls. Delve into the words and things change, drastically. A bit of kidnapping here, blood there, stalking, and then some. They put the yan into yandere. The "retro" part comes from their outfits, musical influences, and overall theme. Taisho fashion, sailor fuku, and more summon the days of old.

Their very first solo live was at the famed Budokan in the heart of Tokyo. I sadly was double booked so I was unable to check it out, but from what I've heard, it was quite the show. Shortly after, they announced a worldwide tour, including a lengthy run in America. A little ambitious in my opinion, but as the saying goes, if you shoot for the moon, you'll at least land in the stars.

Even included as part of their California segment is San Jose, and I'm used to us being passed over in lieu of Los Angeles.

Much like they opened for Ado during her Japan tour, you can think of this tour as an opener for Ado's own tour later in the spring.

A lot of singers and groups never see the outside of Japan, so this is a great chance for them.

Phantom Siita's Moth to a Flame tour will take place at the following:

1/16/25 Taipei, TW - Legacy Taipei
1/18/25 Manila, PH - Samsung Hall SM Aura
1/21/25 Singapore, SG - Singtel Waterfront Theatre

1/28/25 San Jose, CA - San Jose Civic
1/30/25 Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
2/2/25 Dallas, TX - The Factory in Deep Ellum
2/4/25 Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall (rescheduled)
2/6/25 Chicago, IL - The Vic
2/8/25 New York, NY - Palladium Times Square
2/10/25 Toronto, ON (CA) - Rebel

2/13/25 Utrecht, NL -Tivoli
2/15/25 Paris, FR - Bataclan
2/17/25 Berlin, DE - Metropol
2/19/25 London, UK - Electric Ballroom

For further info about Phantom Siita and links so you can purchase tickets, please check out https://phantomsiita-special.jp/mothtoaflame/

EDIT: The filming of a live music video has been announced for 2/4/25. As a result, the original show set for 2/3/25 has been canceled in lieu of the 2/4/25 show.

EDIT: They've posted a video about some of the merch available for the tour. They've collaborated with horror artist Junji Ito for their key visual.

Japanese singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu has announced his first-ever U.S., Asia, and European tour dates. His world tour kicks off with two performances in Shanghai on March 8 and 9, 2025, before heading to Taipei, Seoul, London, Paris, New York (Radio City Music Hall on April 4), and Los Angeles (YouTube Theater on April 6).

Known for his genre-blending J-pop hits like “KICK BACK” from Chainsaw Man and “Chikyuugi – Spinning Globe” from the Academy Award-winning The Boy and the Heron, Yonezu has also collaborated with major franchises like Final Fantasy XVI and ULTRAMAN. His latest album, LOST CORNER, has made waves globally, landing on several U.S. Billboard charts and Spotify's global Top Albums list. Yonezu continues to push boundaries in his career, from releasing exclusive Uniqlo collections to his role in the upcoming Netflix series Beyond Goodbye.

Tickets for his U.S. shows go on sale on October 11 at noon local time at Livenation.com.

Read more: Kenshi Yonezu Announces First-Ever Tour Across Europe, Asia, and the U.S.

South Korean boy group NCT DREAM, formed by SM Entertainment, will be kicking off the first leg of their US tour this month in Los Angeles, California on September 12 and spans multiple cities like New York, D.C., and Chicago before wrapping up in Europe with shows in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, France, and the U.K.

You can find their full world tour dates and locations inside.

Read more: NCT DREAM US Tour Starts this Month