ONE OR EIGHT Brings the Heat to San Antonio
Written by Crystal Truong | April 29, 2026
Photos by Crystal Truong
ONE OR EIGHT electrified the stage at San Antonio’s, The Rockbox, for the first Texas stop of their GATHER Tour. Like many before them, the eight-member Japanese group was formed through a one-year audition program called WARPs DIG. The final members, consisting of MIZUKI, NEO, REIA, RYOTA, SOUMA, TAKERU, TSUBASA, and YUGA, debuted in 2024 with the groovy, dance-pop single “Don’t Tell Nobody,” marking their entry into the global music space. Their follow-up collaboration with Big Sean on “KAWASAKI” further solidified their steady success.
Even before the performance began, the fans, officially known as the 1DERZ, were visibly excited for what was to come. The lights dimmed, cheers erupted and ONE OR EIGHT started the evening off with a bang as the familiar notes of “Tokyo Drift” marked the start of the concert. The song samples the iconic 2006 song of the same name by Teriyaki Boyz, making it easily recognizable even to those unfamiliar with their music.
Throughout the night, ONE OR EIGHT not only performed songs from their debut album Gather, but also a variety of covers. The Rap Team incorporated original lyrics into beloved hip hop songs such as “Oh Shhh…” (Ice Spice, Travis Scott) and “99 PROBLEMS” (JAY-Z), demonstrating their versatile skills beyond the stage. For the Vocal Team, their soft vocals carried them easily through well-known pop songs, including “Honesty” (Pink Sweat$), “Youngblood" (Five Seconds of Summer), and “Never Not” (LAUV).
Photos by Crystal Truong
It was clear why the Japan-based group gained such a devout and passionate fanbase. Their training reflected hours of hard work that one could usually only find within the K-pop training system, yet they possessed a quality that feels intrinsically Western. Despite this, the members stay grounded within their roots. In a Billboard interview, TSUBASA explained the meaning behind their name, “The Japanese idiom “Ichi Ka Bachi Ka,” which literally translates as “one or eight,” means “all or nothing” in English. It represents our desire to use an all or nothing approach to take on the world from here in Japan.”” It’s a strong message to live by–one that each individual embodies quite perfectly.
As the concert winded down, and blue and red lights gave way to the much more intimate, relaxed white-glow, it felt like ONE OR EIGHT truly left everything they had on stage. When they returned to the stage for a final encore, donning their tour merch, it was a bittersweet moment for fans. While they had their favorite group in front of them for a little longer, they knew it could take a year or longer until the next time ONE OR EIGHT performs in San Antonio. That is, if they choose to return at all. Still, SOUMA kept the energy up until the very end. “Are y’all ready to turn up one more time?!”, meeting loud cheers from 1DERZ.
ONE OR EIGHT continues the North American leg of their tour, finishing off in New York next week. Catch up with them on their social media channels, and be sure to check out their music on their Spotify, linked below.
