One day in 2016, the critically acclaimed vocal powerhouse that is Il Divo rocked the Budokan for a night to remember. This multinational classical vocal group has created some of the most memorable vocal moments since their inception in 2003, and the crowd at the Budokan was about to witness their most popular cover performed live right in front of them.
Without a doubt, the cover is “Time to Say Goodbye”, which skyrocketed the outfit’s popularity when it was released in 2011. They aptly decided to use this song as their encore performance at the end of their concert at the Budokan, which was received well by the crowd. Watch the performance in the video below:
This performance was taken from the Nippon Budokan (commonly shortened to Budokan), an indoor arena located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, Japan. After initially being constructed to host the 1964 Summer Olympics, it also became a hub for hosting martial arts contests. Over time, music performances were held there, and the venue quickly became one of the world’s most astounding venues for live music. Many incredible bands and artists have performed at the Budokan, including The Beatles and ABBA.
Not only have artists performed at this illustrious venue, but some of the greatest bands and artists in the world have recorded live albums there due to both its popularity and its excellent acoustics for recordings. Some of these bands include the rock bands AC/DC and Deep Purple, and the progressive metal outfit Dream Theater. Dream Theater’s album, “Live at Budokan”, is one of their most popular live albums; listen to a piece of it below:
Alongside their powerful and heartwarming performance, Il Divo also shows a wealth of respect and admiration for the crowd. One member of the group addresses the crowd in Japanese before introducing “Time to Say Goodbye”, which is a nice touch that is sure to make this night even more memorable. Before they could introduce the song, however, they found it quite difficult to begin to speak over the roars and cheers from the crowd, showing just how popular they are!