goethe brought their debut album 'circle' to life with an expanded nine-piece ensemble at Tokyo's LIQUIDROOM on May 30. The performance featured support from vocalist Anna Tōkaze (Cho, Per), guitarist Ryūta Koike, trombonist Shigeki Ikemoto, trumpeter Yūtarō Suzuki, and saxophonist Kazushi Yaka, transforming the intimate venue into a showcase for the album's creative scope.

Released May 13, 'circle' compiles 14 tracks spanning goethe's five-year output, blending nine previously released songs with five new pieces. The title reflects the band's focus on life within a few meters' radius of personal connection and their desire to honor the bonds they've built.

The setlist balanced the album's eclectic range. Kicking off with "Friendship"—an indie-pop collaboration with Michael Kaneko—the band wove through jazz and hip-hop crossovers, dynamic reorchestrations, and quieter moments. Frontman Taichi Higuchi's guitar-vocal performance on "Q" gave way to rarely played "湖にて" (At the Lake), while disco-inflected "Runaway" got the crowd moving under spinning mirror balls. Closer "夢から覚めても" (Even After I Wake) paired Higuchi's deeper register with vocalist Anna's soaring harmony, creating the album's emotional apex.

The evening culminated in an important announcement: goethe's "circle" tour kicks off November 1 across five cities—Fukuoka, Hokkaido, Miyagi, Osaka, and Nagoya—before concluding December 4 at Tokyo's Hulic Hall. That final show marks goethe's first hall-scale headlining performance, signaling the band's evolution as they close this chapter of their story.