According to BW&BK;'s source in Japan, LOUDNESS frontman Minoru Niihara will play the Friendship Festival on August 23rd in Tokyo. This is an annual festival held at the Yokota US Air Force Base. Niihara will play a 60 minute set consisting of Loudness, XYZ-A and cover songs. His band will feature guitarist Atsushi Yokozeki (ex-BLOOD CIRCUS), XYZ-A drummer Funky Sueyoshi, and blind guitarist Hiroaki Tagawa, who appeared on Niihara's 2006 solo album Ashes to Glory.

More details will be revealed soon.

As previously reported, Niihara performed two solo shows this past weekend (August 2nd and 3rd) at Sunphonix Hall in Yokohama, Japan where he played some of the band's early material, including songs that are rarely performed.

The August 2nd setlist included 'We Could Be Together', 'Black Wall', 'Speed', 'Ashes In The Sky', 'Run For Your Life', 'Never Change Your Mind', 'Clockwork Toys', 'The Law Of Devil's Land', 'Gotta Fight'. Other songs played over the course of the weekend included 'S.D.I.', 'Heavy Chains', 'Angel Dust', 'Rock Shock', 'Esper', 'Dream Fantasy', 'Like Hell', 'In This World Beyond', 'Strike Of The Sword', 'Ares Lament', 'Get Away' and 'Show Me The Way'.

An interesting note: Niihara sang the songs in the same key in which they were originally recorded. None of the songs were downtuned, which is the case with much of Loudness' present day material.

During the first show Niihara hinted at the possibility of the shows being released for a live CD in the future. This is NOT 100% confirmed.