2011 Tours - Part 6 : "Reflections"
started rough draft in 2011. completed in 2012... I have to post this before watching the live dvd. This was originally part 5. Since it went over the character limit, this is the portion that was cut out. It's not as well organized as I'd like it to be.. and I literally slacked off on some parts which I skipped before. I had no notes on them. Note to self: write it down immediately after the live!
Setlist Hamamatsu Kanazawa Fukuoka Okayama 1 ロデオ ロデオ ロデオ ロデオ2 THE BUNGY THE BUNGY THE BUNGY THE BUNGY3容疑者 容疑者 容疑者 容疑者4 サドンデスゲーム サドンデスゲーム サドンデスゲーム サドンデスゲーム5 image training image training 3年目の頭痛薬 3年目の頭痛薬6 錆びてきた 錆びてきた 錆びてきた 錆びてきた7 SURVIVE SURVIVE SURVIVE SURVIVE8 Broken Youth Broken Youth Broken Youth Broken Youth9 ページ1 ページ1 ページ1 ページ110 君だけ 君だけ 君だけ 君だけ11 マトリョーシカ マトリョーシカ マトリョーシカ マトリョーシカ12 友情讃歌 友情讃歌 友情讃歌 友情讃歌13 ホログラム ホログラム ホログラム ホログラム14 妄想隊員A 妄想隊員A 妄想隊員A 妄想隊員A15 Diver Diver Diver Diver16 Passenger Passenger Passenger PassengerEncore1 芽 N極とN極 GANITAMA GIRL GANITAMA GIRL2 雨のブルース 雨のブルース N極とN極 雨のブルース 3 雨のブルース
They have so many good songs to choose from that they can't go wrong at all with their set list. Though I would have gone even crazier had I heard any of these: Fuujin, Yoru no Hate, My (Sweet) Eden, Aurora (Prelude), Natsu no Yuki, etc. Every single song on their set list was amazing, even Hologram which I didn't really care for. The transition from one song to the next was smooth, though they really get you very tired. But I guess, that's expected with this type of music/band. Thank god they put a huge gap between Kimi Dake and Passenger. I needed a break from waterworks! Also before Ame no Blues there's the upbeat N Kyoku to N Kyoku and/or GANIMATA GIRL to prep us for their final song of the night.
Clockwise from top-left
Tsushima Shotaro (Drums & Chorus)
Mitsumura Tatsuya (Vocals & Guitar)
Sakakura Shingo (Bass)
Furumura Daisuke (Guitar)They started the show with an instrumental solo from each member. As soon as the lights dimmed, there was a loud bang to signal the start of the show and we all screamed from the excitement. I know I did. XD Then, an intense intro music started and Tsushima-san came out. He stayed at the middle of the stage for awhile. He spread his arms and enjoyed the cheers around him. There was a set of smaller drums at the front-left of the stage, around Sakakura-kun's spot. It was actually very helpful because this is usually the only time you can see him clearly. After working up the crowd, he did his solo, which was full of energy. The show couldn't have started any better, I just love it! I felt like I was going to burst with all the excitement as I clapped along. Then Daisuke made his entrance as soon as Tsushima finished, and I went a bit nuts at the sight of him. Okay, I screamed like a crazed fangirl usually would. XD Also, I had a huge silly smile, I'm sure of it. He was brilliant as always in his craft. And yes, I clapped even harder. He had that big boyish smile on his face, can the boy get any cuter? *dies* Watching him play always leaves me in awe, as if I haven't seen him perform like that before. But, I have to admit, my most favorite part in this intro has got to be Sakkan's solo, which made the crowd go even crazier. It was INCREDIBLE! I think this is where I really started jumping/dancing more.... it was the appropriate thing to do when you listen to it. I absolutely love the bass, the way he played it.. I feel as if the sound/music from his bass was going through me. Not only does he look gorgeous and HOT while playing, but the tune is so addicting and the sound of the bass, though it's weird to say this, is extremely sexy. I'm wishing they'll record the Tokyo show and broadcast it because I just HAVE to have this solo portion on replay. At this point, I thought I was at an all-time high. I thought I couldn't clap harder nor jump any higher... yet when Micchan came out, his very presence was a pure adrenaline rush that it felt like we all jumped higher than we ever did before, if that is even possible. He worked up the already crazy crowd even further, causing the audience to move forward. This man is craaaaaaazy. He makes the most interesting faces/expressions ever! Then I realize for the Nth time how much I love this band, and that an amazing live has just started. This was also the point where I started tearing up during the first live at Hamamatsu and then at Kanazawa and Fukuoka. I think I was too worried at Okayama being it the last live, I was more sad about that part. Anyway, the energy in the entire room, not just the band, was too overwhelming and the way they started was beyond anything I've ever anticipated that I couldn't contain my excitement and happiness that I will be experiencing one amazing and unforgettable live. Anyway, they all played for awhile longer and ended the intro with bang.
What always gets me addicted to their song is their ability to have each instrument stand out without overshadowing the rest. Yes, they give Daisuke a lot of opportunity to show off. Yet, when I listen to their song, it's always a different experience each time. I can focus on the drumming one time, or the guitar or Micchan's voice the other times.
Rodeo. After the intense intro, it is the most appropriate song. With the start of the song, everyone started jumping... forward. If I had stayed still, I'd either get badly squished, run over or pushed to the back. Lesson learned: never fight physics, instead, use it to your advantage. I thought it was Tsushima who did that 'Yeehaw" on the track. But during the live, it was Micchan who yelled something... Japanese version of "yeehaw"? XDDD It didn't sound weird compared to the one on the track, which cracks me up every single time. Damn did that simple yelling really pump us up! It's such a fun song that allows you to loosen up right at the beginning of the show. I think that's an understatement as everyone was bursting with excitement. It was only a few minutes, but that "high" became more intense and still lasted me through this song and the next. Gotta love the instrumental solo by Daisuke... it sounds so much better live. Their latest album was sorta different from the previous ones. Their style has refined but it was still unique. Only when I attended their first live did I understand that these songs were really meant to be experienced live. I felt that was NICO's intention as they compiled the album. Rodeo was a good example, thus making it the best choice for the first song. Near the end of the song, they seem to have picked up the tempo. I swear it was so fast, I couldn't land on my feet fast enough to jump again to match the beat. They do this in sooooo many songs. They literally get you so tired in just that first few minutes. But it was so fun to just dance and jump to this song. We sorta stopped jumping in the instrumental portion, at least I did cos I wanted to properly watch Daisuke doing his solo.
While Micchan was yelling out something to hype up the crowd, Tsushima was playing a very familiar tune.. then Daisuke joined in to confirm that they are warming us up for.... THE BUNGY! THE BUNGY~~~~! O-M-G!!! They must have been out of their minds. Like seriously? Right after Rodeo? They had no plan to let the audience rest just a bit. They wanted to head on with full force. This is where the crowd pushed towards Furu-kun because he would move to the very edge of the stage as he does the epic instrumental intro. Then when MIcchan started singing, we moved towards his direction... and I had almost zero visibility during Kanazawa and Okayama lives. We all jumped even higher and harder for this song. For some reason, my foot got stepped on the most during Okayama live. It's the bad combination of my location and the people around me. Big dudes with heavy boots and girls with very pointy heels. It almost reminded me of ONE OK ROCK. Though it was pretty spacious a lot of times during Okayama live, there were many instances when I can't even rest my entire foot down. But who cares if you're experiencing THE BUNGY live? This song has been my favorite for the longest time. Micchan was going all out crazy with his voice, like sort of yelling at some point but still very much in tune. It's like he's letting it all loose but still manage to stay very much in control, if that makes any sense at all. It was really wild and fun, it was so much more than I had ever imagined. I knew it would be amazing, but is there a word more than amazing? That's what this performance felt like. It sounds totally different from their track, from the live tracks and from the broadcast/tv lives. My favorite part has always got to be the instrumentals midway through the song. Sakakura gets to start it...the rest followed and they played together for a while. I thought that was it, but then I learned they were just warming us up for Daisuke's showcase of his brilliant skills. They lengthened it a LOT and it was AWESOME! After Micchan picked up and just before the last stanza which was " ima da oikaze karamasete", he stopped, asked/said something to the audience... maybe asking if we're on a high just yet? I dunno... I still joined everyone responding "yeahhhhhh!" He ended up inviting the audience to join in singing. He started with " Something something oh oh oh oh oh~ COME ON!!!" then pointed the mic to the audience... and we went ""oh oh oh oh ohhhh~".. He went again a couple more times with " Everybody (or Motto motto) Oh oh oh oh oh oh!", we responded excitedly. When he went again, he stretched out the last "oooohhhh!!!~" It was amazing, his voice was incredible~~ I love how it echoed throughout the room and I was almost left speechless. I could feel the passion through their music, but at that moment, I can definitely feel Micchan's passion. More like, I was blown away by that passion, I wanted them to feel my passion for them too. I suppose the rest of the audience felt the same way. At our last response, we sang at the top of our lungs. I really really love this part. He then said something to the audience, probably praising or thanking us. Then he sang to the end of the song and it ended beautifully. I was a very happy fangirl and they were only at second song.
容疑者. A bit more chill. The crowd just danced swayed along as he sung this. We're probably too damn tired after the first two songs. XD Still, I was having a blast dancing to this song... just enjoying the tune and Daisuke's playing, watching Micchan's face, admiring Micchan's voice, catching a glimpse of Sakakura swaying his hips. If Genki has his signature stomp dance, Sakakura has his hip swaying move that is too adorable and sexy. When I had a hard time memorizing their names, I gave Sakakura the keyword "Sexy". Sure enough, it was most fitting for him. Tsushima's drumming may sound simple and very repetitive throughout this piece. But coupled with Sakakura's bass, both are the charm and strength of the song. It really sets the tone and mood that harmonizes splendidly with Micchan's voice. Daisuke's guitar doesn't particularly stand out the way it does in many of their popular songs. Rather, both guitars are like sprinkles on top, giving the song a bit of an ooomph, since it's quite a laid back song.There's something with the melody or maybe Micchan's voice that kinda makes me want to cry. I know I'm starting to sound like a big cry baby, but it was really that good that I felt too happy that I just end up crying a couple times. It makes me wonder what the lyrics is about.
Prologue instrumentals for the Sudden Death Game and Micchan tried to hype up the crowd again. The instrumental intro started with Daisuke and Micchan facing each other as if having a guitar duel. Were they studying each other or something so they'd match? I feel sorry for Sakakura-kun cos he has no partner. What an explosive instrumental intro!!! Actually.. it's pretty explosive throughout the song. God I love this song! It's one of those songs where I am amazed by each instrument, as you can really hear them stand out. Yet they don't overwhelm one another. This song is fast and upbeat, but right before they pick up pace in the chorus, they sorta slow down a little... as if trying to prepare the audience to jump even faster. More than preparing, I end up holding my breath because it's gonna go crazy in the next second. Haha.. Even if someone is stepping on my feet, I could care less about the pain. The song was exciting that I have to move my body to release all that excitement, otherwise I'll probably burst. Guitar solo by Furukun, gotta love it! every. single. time. The kid blows my mind. During his solo, there's a part where Tsushima sings "oh oh oh~~". I was hoping he'd do the same at this tour, but it was Micchan who did it instead. It was still great, but I just prefer Tsushima's voice for this part. Just like in other songs, they play the last chorus/stanza in a faster tempo.. fun but crazy.
After the song, they did a bit of an MC. I had no clue what they were talking about. T___T When everyone laughs, I laugh along. This is also the part where Micchan asks us if we can see Tsushima at the back. He also asked if we're alright. Then he explains PASSENGER= Passionate+Messenger... Micchan is very formal and serious for a short while. He also ends up asking which one of us are first timer at NICO's live. I can't pick up anything else. At Kanazawa, Micchan or Daisuke said something that made the audience respond, "Okaeri"..... errr.... That reminds me, I have no clue about their background at all. T__T
Their fifth song was either image training or 3年目の頭痛薬. Gotta love it when they're playing their older pieces. Before the show, I hardly listened to the latter. But since I heard image training at the first two venues, it was a welcome change to hear a different song. People started cheering loudly out of excitement when the instrumental intro started for image training. God I love this song! It's somewhat slower than the other songs, but people were still jumping to this? For real? I, on the other hand, just wanted to stay still as I absorb this song. Well everyone did stay still at certain parts, especially when almost all the instruments stopped and it was just Micchan singing.... I wanted to capture that haunting feeling his voice produces when they get to this part of the song, then feel and enjoy the chills I get from listening to it. This song is soooooooooo good. I love the start where Daisuke creates that chilling sound w/ his guitar. I don't know what it's called, but it's so perfect for the song! 3年目の頭痛薬 is one of their songs I listened to only a handful of times. Maybe I just got to obsessed with their other songs that didn't get to it yet. Unlike the flumpool concert where I blanked out during the new album tracks I wasn't too familiar with, this song was still able to strike a chord. Actually it came out amazing live... the intro was really groovy(?) Pardon my lack of vocabulary. It's actually hard to describe the song. All I can remember was it got me to an entranced state, not only because of the melody but with the way Micchan sang this song. Sometimes, it doesn't feel like his voice and the melody go perfectly together, but still that's the whole point of the song. At certain parts it seems like he's just playing around with his voice. It's sorta weird, but ended sounding unique and nice. This has got to be the most confusing song on the list.XD Overall, I really enjoyed it. Micchan's voice + risk = creativity, and I'm glad it still sound great.
They turned out the lights in the entire room, so it was almost pitch black. Then blue lights started flashing on Micchan as he started the instrumental intro to 錆びてきた, just barely giving us a glimpse of him. Can the lighting effects be more appropriate for such awesome intro? I know that's probably one of the most basic lighting color in most livehousees, but still, perfect. This song stands out so much to me because of that intro, and because it's Micchan doing it. Plus he makes weird faces as if he's possessed. I love LOVE how Sakakura gets a bit of solo here, amazing and sexy~~ I noticed Micchan's voice wasn't as manipulated during the lives as it was in their last live dvd. Anyway, when Micchan picks up with that "wooooaaa-ohhhh"- or something like that, it almost felt like I was under a spell, on an ultimate high. Then they paused for a long time.... before picking up again, this time in a much faster tempo. That pause didn't really let us rest, although we did stop jumping. Rather, it caused to built up more excitement until they start playing again where I eventually exploded. It's crazy and fun!
The tune of the prelude, I can't remember if it was the guitar or bass, was really intense. I thought it was going to be one of the serious/slow/heavy songs. But when they started the instrumental intro, it was actually for the fun song, SURVIVE! And boy, they did make this song VERY fun. The tune just gave me a happy feeling, and this is the times I remember smiling widely. They had band-audience interaction merely through clapping. Of course at this point everyone has heard the song, and knew exactly when to clap and just how many times. What truly makes this song epic is its loooooooong instrumentals plus solos from each member. If you're still reading up to this point.... sorry it's too damn long... but anyway, if you've gotten this far, you would know I'm a big sucker for instrumentals. When they get to this part, Micchan and Sakakura gets a bit crazy hyping up the audience. This is one of those rare chances I get to see Sakakura up close because he'd head over to Furukun's side. They immediately return to their respective spots though. The instrumental was so long... so when they each did solos, I was pleasantly surprised! Furukun's solo is almost as epic as THE BUNGY, it was that amazing. When Micchan yells out "On guitar, Daisuke Furumura~~!!!"... I confess, I'm guilty of going all out crazy. The inner deranged fangirl in me could no longer be contained and was finally unleashed. I hate to admit it but I did go "Kyaaaa~~~!!!! *dies*" Like in most of his solos, he would go to the very edge of the stage, maybe even stepping into the bar to get within reach of his fans. Of course if I'm near his area, we move towards him... and it's such a dream to watch him perform. Why does he make it look like it's so easy? I'm musically-challenged, but I'm sure those are very difficult to play. Yet even with people touching him or his guitar, or even in that weird position, he can still play so well. Such a brilliant kid, I'm always left in awe. After he finished, he yelled something but I can't hear a thing.. I suppose he introduced the next person to do the solo.....Sakakura! He walked over to the center of the stage, right in front of the Micchan's mic. As always, it sounded so sooooooo sexy..... and he looked mighty fine and dreamy.... if only he wasn't yelling "Pepsi da!"... repeatedly. DORK!!! OMG... so adorable though. In the midst of the instrumental (at 2:02 in the track), you'll hear a pop from opening a can of soda/cola/pop. Well, that's what happened here. Sakakura asks for Pepsi, and his band mate brings him one while Tsushima does the drumroll. He places it right in front of the mic, then Tsushima stops playing drums in the background, and Sakakura pops open a can of soda. HAHA. I really thought it was cool to bring that sound to the stage. Tsushima does the drum roll as Sakakura tries to drink the soda in one go. Like I mentioned in Part 1, in Hamamatsu they made Sakakura-kun drink 2 cans of Pepsi cos he drank 2 in Osaka. One in the middle of SURVIVE the other during an MC before starting their encore. In Kanazawa, Furu-kun came out of the stage with a Pepsi. He was holding the top, and when he removed his hand, he revealed a taller-than-usual Pepsi. XDDDD Sakakura is such a sport, he drank it in one go. At Fukuoka,I think Micchan brought out a Coke instead, which Sakakura-kun declined. Then Daisuke gave him a Pepsi instead. Actually, there might be a small chance I have gotten what happened in Kanazawa and Fukuoka mixed up. At Okayama, they gave him a taller can of coke. He stopped drinking before finishing it, as he stopped Tsushima stopped drumming as well. We all went "awww," sounding slightly disappointed..then he continued to finish it (with Tsushima continuing the drum roll at the back). As soon as he held up the empty can, we applauded as loud as we could. It's so funny we're cheering him on something so silly, but it was really fun. Also later during the MC prior to the encore, they made him drink another can again! XD He drank it in one go during that MC. Anyway, Sakakura then made a closing comment before just casually yelled out Tsushima's name. Like what? That's all the introduction he gets? Nothing special? Sho-chan did his solo for a bit, then of course yelled something I can't understand, then hyping up the crowd... so they can finally finish the frickin' song! At this point, I would totally forget we were in the middle of SURVIVE. Haha. They picked up with a very long instrumental again before singing the chorus. This makes me realize that it's hard to pick THE BUNGY as a favorite piece when they perform every song so well and even more special, like SURVIVE.
Broken Youth came up next. I could tell that a lot of the fans love this as they got more excited than usual when the intro started playing. I mean, who wouldn't love this, especially when Micchan is singing the part, "Please kiss me, please kiss me all niii~~iight~~" XDDD Damn, I wish we had eye contact at this part. I would have probably melted away if that happened. They boys know this is one of their more popular songs and gets everyone as hyped up as possible with the instrumental bit.. but the actual intro was really explosive, as you would expect. At the last chorus, Micchan would point the mic at the audience and we'd sing the first part... and he'd listen and watch us with a smile. That smile is so precious!
MC. I have no idea what he was saying!!! *headdesk*
ページ1, just like 容疑者, is another song you can just chill out to as you catch your breath and prepare for the upcoming songs. I really love how I can just sway along to this song, enjoy the melody and let Micchan's voice sink in slowly. Would've been more fun if I could actually sing along! Regardless of its lyrics, it makes me so happy just listening to this song. It has that ability to uplift my spirits, and I'll probably listen to this song whenever I'm down.
Again, they turned out all the lights. Someone started playing an intense tune, I think it's Daisuke's guitar? I couldn't tell it was frickin' dark. I'm not too sure cos I think this is the part where they changed instruments. Soon after, Micchan lights up a candle. The design on the candle matches the colors on their PASSENGER posters and jacket. It was the only one thing lighting the entire room. Micchan started playing his accousstic guitar (instead of the piano) for 君だけ. When he started singing, the other candles aroudn the stage started lighting up. The atmosphere, plus the combination of Micchan's voice and guitar gave me a haunting feeling. It sent chills own my spine, and I was literally frozen. If there was a moment in this concert, or any concerts, I would have liked for time to stop at, it was at this moment. I've been overwhelmed throughout the performance so far, but nothing could compare to the surge of emotions rushing through me at that time. I couldn't do anything but just cry throughout the song.... cry to the point I couldn't see anything... cry to the point of sobbing. Loudly sobbing! I just stood still, frozen and absorbing the atmosphere, the moment, the music, the song, his gorgeous voice, especially when all the instruments stops and he tries to reach for the higher notes.....it was so beautiful. I never got used to that overwhelming emotion this song produces. It made me cry at the other venues.. though not as much. I tried to stop myself cos I wanted to see Micchan's expression during the live instead of it being just a blur. When I got to the other venus, I knew what was coming up so I ended up reacting (crying) much earlier, even before he started. Damn, I'm so in love with this band!
They changed instruments again. When they started it was just Furumura and Mitsumura. They were having their solo... more like a duel. It was really exciting to hear their guitars alternate. I can't fail to mention how AMAZING they both sounded! They were facing each other in the beginning, but it got to a point where Micchan was almost on the ground. HAHA... After they finished their battle, Tsushima immediately joined in for a bit more.. Then the intro started for Matryoshika. I think Sakakura went crazy again and yelled out "Okayama~~~" Ahh.... what a lovable dork. And I'm proud of that dork for composing this wonderful song. And...... we go back to losing our minds and jump like crazy over this upbeat song. Again it's soooooo fun!!!!
Yuujou Sanka. I LOVE THIS SONG! Pardon me for being redundant. I've love all the songs they've played up until that point. I didn't really expect that. I thought they'd play a song that I can't connect with. But every time they start a song, I'm yelling in my head, "O-M-G!!! I love LOVE absolutely LOVE this song!" This song because is sooooooo fun to listen and sing to. Micchan was only playing the tambourine, which allows him to go crazier with his hands and movements. He did a bit of MC during the instrumental intro, yelling at the crowd the whole time, throwing out any formality he had in his first MC. It is soooo fun to just watch him perform. It's a truly moving piece. There's a part where Micchan does the sing-after-me with "la-la-la- oh~ oh~ oh~ oh~" They stopped almost every instrument except for the guitar... so you can really just hear Micchan's voice. It gives me chills just listening to him. Then he'd make each section of the room sing back... he'd give the mic to Daisuke first, then the next round to Sakakura. Then he'd do this with everyone a few more times, with all the instruments pausing at some of our responses. At this point Sakakura and Tsushima has already started playing. Before picking up from where he left off, Micchan would do one more round but this time he'd reach for the higher note and stretch it longer. Then we'd respond at the top of our longs. DAMN.. it was amazing~~ maybe this is why I love this song more than I should? At Fukuoka he threw his tambourine to the crowd. But later I saw a staff retrieve it.
Without stopping, Micchan immediately sang Hologram. Everyone loved this. I'm not sure why I got sick of listening to this song, yet, during the live I enjoyed it very much.
A bit of an MC while some intense tune in the background. Not a clue what was said.
妄想隊員A started.. was this the part where we waved our towels during the chorus? Can't remember~~ But I have a feeling this was that song. Surely 妄想隊員A left more impression on me than Hologram did. And the only part I can remember from the lyrics is 妄想隊員A. So I only sing that part back. Instrumental portion was shorter but still really awesome. I was enjoying this too much before I noticed it was already and we were cheering them.
Another intense tune started... misleading me to some heavy song. THEN Micchan started singing Diver's chorus in a more dramatic way,
"Iki o shitakute~ *pause* koko wa kurushikute~ *pause*
Yami o miageru dake no yoru wa *pause*
mogaku gen’atsushou no daibaa~"
I felt like I was going to cry~ Then Daisuke and Sakkan slowly joined in...it was sooooo good!
"Ikite iru n *Furukun's guitar starts playing* datte tashikametakute~ *pause*
Fukai kaitei o mezashite mouichido~~~ " *looooong pause*
*Micchan yells at the crowd* *Tsushima's drum plays* And we EXPLODED! What an amazing way to start an amazing song. One of the few songs I can sing to and actually read the english translation of the lyrics somewhere. Considering this is one of my favorite songs, it has a special place in my heart. I think it was because of the long wait after Sudden Death Game before they came out with this song... I was so happy at the time I could cry. All those feelings compiled and suddenly remembered... This song moved me way more than I had expected it to. I think this song was also my turning point in becoming a full-fledged NICO fan. I felt Micchan's emotions as he sang this.. it became rather personal. And I love feeling, not just hearing, the bass, the drums and the guitar... it's as if all those sounds and emotions enveloped me. Before the last chorus, right after "Maru de aizu no you ni furidashita ame~" .. they did a long pause... Micchan stopped, the instruments stopped at that note and just stretched it out.. for a looooong time.. building up all the emotions already felt up to that point. Then it was silent just for a sec! Then I can hear Micchan take a deep breath before picking up on the last chorus and continued head on till the end. Explosive and amazing~~ They never failed to deliver the expected, it's always more and the unexpected. Amazing~
MC. Micchan sounded serious. Damn, i wish I could understand what he was saying. It was one long MC and staff brought out mics for Furumura and Sakakura.
Passenger. They slowly ended with this song. When the guitar started.. it was already beautiful.. and Micchan started singing.. AND THEY MADE ME CRY AGAIN!! It's a ballad, and in the track, it sounded somewhat gentle. But at the lives, Micchan's voice seemed to be more powerful, like he didn't hold back at all. T__T The arrangement seemed more dramatic, making it more intense. If you love this song as much as I do, then you can't blame me for being too emotional listening tot his. His voice, just like in 君だけ, caused me to freeze again. Before I knew it, he got to the "La la la la~" point.. started being gentle before adding more power... Everyone else including Sakakura, Furumura, and Tsushima joined in... The audience joined in as well. He stopped and let us sing that part repeatedly. The smile on his face as he points the mic to us... that expression was something I can't forget and still move me everytime I remember it. That happiness on his face, made me feel happy too..In the end, it all stopped with just Micchan playing the guitar, it was beautiful! Then everything stopped with Micchan singing... sooo beautiful. Everyone else picked up and ended the song with everyone singing "La la la la~" again. I swear, it felt like the "La la la la~" part would never end... and I wished it wouldn't. I love the arrangement for this song. They make the overall experience more special.
They said thank you and left the stage. After awhile, they came back for the encore. But not before a very long MC. This is where everyone else other than Micchan gets to talk, thank god.
It felt like it was fate that they played my favorite song, 芽, at the very first NICO live (Hamamatsu) that I went to. I believe that was the only time they played that song during the tour. I was so glad I moved up my vacation over a week than originally planned so I can be at that venue! They have so many songs that are more popular than 芽, so I never expected it to be part of the setlist. かけら -総べての想いたちへ-, maybe, so 芽 was one of the best surprises ever! I've never heard it on their live (broadcasts/dvd), except for the bits and pieces on the PASSENGER bonus dvd. So I was incredibly happy.... so happy that I cried again. I think that was the only point during the live that felt surreal. Before that it just felt natural.. I really don't know why. At Kanazawa they played N極とN極 instead as their first encore song. It's not 芽 but I was still very happy to hear this. It's also one of my most favorite songs ever since I watched their live performance of it on Michinakimichi live dvd. Just like 錆びてきた, Micchan did the opening guitar intro which was really exciting to hear. The song is just wild and drives everyone crazy... especially Daisuke. He fell into the crowd both times this was played. At Kanazawa, he walked on the railing on the wall. It surely wasn't built to support anyone standing on it.. but the kid just climbed up there and moved/played like a lunatic.. naturally he would fall. XD And in Fukuoka, he just ran and jumped off the stage. He seems to have fun doing it too. My favorite part would be when Micchan gets to "Bye bye mata aeru hi made boku o wasurenai de yo~" T__T Micchan, how can I ever forget you?! Of course, I will be waiting for that day to come~ At Fukuoka, they played GANIMATA GIRL first. It seems to be a favorite amongst fans? I see this a lot on their rock fest setlists. It's just as fun and upbeat as N極とN極. I enjoyed it a lot but it didn't really leave more than extraordinary impression. Considering their final song is on the slow side, I see why this is chosen as the first encore song.
And the final song would be 雨のブルース. Oh how beautiful can Micchan's voice be? imo, it's a bit sad to end with this song. At Okayama, I was already feeling down it was the last time I'd see them. So when I was already battling with that sadness, ending with this beautiful song is like pushing me into an abyss... I would have cried again, but I was sorta dying from dehydration at that point.. plus I was worried about missing my shinkansen. XD I was fine listening to it the first three times tho. Unlike their other songs, this one was more raw. All instruments were there, but it sounded like it was used minimally so only Micchan's voice would stand out most of the time. I do like Daisuke's guitar at the end, when he goes all out.
Setlist Hamamatsu Kanazawa Fukuoka Okayama 1 ロデオ ロデオ ロデオ ロデオ2 THE BUNGY THE BUNGY THE BUNGY THE BUNGY3容疑者 容疑者 容疑者 容疑者4 サドンデスゲーム サドンデスゲーム サドンデスゲーム サドンデスゲーム5 image training image training 3年目の頭痛薬 3年目の頭痛薬6 錆びてきた 錆びてきた 錆びてきた 錆びてきた7 SURVIVE SURVIVE SURVIVE SURVIVE8 Broken Youth Broken Youth Broken Youth Broken Youth9 ページ1 ページ1 ページ1 ページ110 君だけ 君だけ 君だけ 君だけ11 マトリョーシカ マトリョーシカ マトリョーシカ マトリョーシカ12 友情讃歌 友情讃歌 友情讃歌 友情讃歌13 ホログラム ホログラム ホログラム ホログラム14 妄想隊員A 妄想隊員A 妄想隊員A 妄想隊員A15 Diver Diver Diver Diver16 Passenger Passenger Passenger PassengerEncore1 芽 N極とN極 GANITAMA GIRL GANITAMA GIRL2 雨のブルース 雨のブルース N極とN極 雨のブルース 3 雨のブルース
They have so many good songs to choose from that they can't go wrong at all with their set list. Though I would have gone even crazier had I heard any of these: Fuujin, Yoru no Hate, My (Sweet) Eden, Aurora (Prelude), Natsu no Yuki, etc. Every single song on their set list was amazing, even Hologram which I didn't really care for. The transition from one song to the next was smooth, though they really get you very tired. But I guess, that's expected with this type of music/band. Thank god they put a huge gap between Kimi Dake and Passenger. I needed a break from waterworks! Also before Ame no Blues there's the upbeat N Kyoku to N Kyoku and/or GANIMATA GIRL to prep us for their final song of the night.
Clockwise from top-left
Tsushima Shotaro (Drums & Chorus)
Mitsumura Tatsuya (Vocals & Guitar)
Sakakura Shingo (Bass)
Furumura Daisuke (Guitar)They started the show with an instrumental solo from each member. As soon as the lights dimmed, there was a loud bang to signal the start of the show and we all screamed from the excitement. I know I did. XD Then, an intense intro music started and Tsushima-san came out. He stayed at the middle of the stage for awhile. He spread his arms and enjoyed the cheers around him. There was a set of smaller drums at the front-left of the stage, around Sakakura-kun's spot. It was actually very helpful because this is usually the only time you can see him clearly. After working up the crowd, he did his solo, which was full of energy. The show couldn't have started any better, I just love it! I felt like I was going to burst with all the excitement as I clapped along. Then Daisuke made his entrance as soon as Tsushima finished, and I went a bit nuts at the sight of him. Okay, I screamed like a crazed fangirl usually would. XD Also, I had a huge silly smile, I'm sure of it. He was brilliant as always in his craft. And yes, I clapped even harder. He had that big boyish smile on his face, can the boy get any cuter? *dies* Watching him play always leaves me in awe, as if I haven't seen him perform like that before. But, I have to admit, my most favorite part in this intro has got to be Sakkan's solo, which made the crowd go even crazier. It was INCREDIBLE! I think this is where I really started jumping/dancing more.... it was the appropriate thing to do when you listen to it. I absolutely love the bass, the way he played it.. I feel as if the sound/music from his bass was going through me. Not only does he look gorgeous and HOT while playing, but the tune is so addicting and the sound of the bass, though it's weird to say this, is extremely sexy. I'm wishing they'll record the Tokyo show and broadcast it because I just HAVE to have this solo portion on replay. At this point, I thought I was at an all-time high. I thought I couldn't clap harder nor jump any higher... yet when Micchan came out, his very presence was a pure adrenaline rush that it felt like we all jumped higher than we ever did before, if that is even possible. He worked up the already crazy crowd even further, causing the audience to move forward. This man is craaaaaaazy. He makes the most interesting faces/expressions ever! Then I realize for the Nth time how much I love this band, and that an amazing live has just started. This was also the point where I started tearing up during the first live at Hamamatsu and then at Kanazawa and Fukuoka. I think I was too worried at Okayama being it the last live, I was more sad about that part. Anyway, the energy in the entire room, not just the band, was too overwhelming and the way they started was beyond anything I've ever anticipated that I couldn't contain my excitement and happiness that I will be experiencing one amazing and unforgettable live. Anyway, they all played for awhile longer and ended the intro with bang.
What always gets me addicted to their song is their ability to have each instrument stand out without overshadowing the rest. Yes, they give Daisuke a lot of opportunity to show off. Yet, when I listen to their song, it's always a different experience each time. I can focus on the drumming one time, or the guitar or Micchan's voice the other times.
Rodeo. After the intense intro, it is the most appropriate song. With the start of the song, everyone started jumping... forward. If I had stayed still, I'd either get badly squished, run over or pushed to the back. Lesson learned: never fight physics, instead, use it to your advantage. I thought it was Tsushima who did that 'Yeehaw" on the track. But during the live, it was Micchan who yelled something... Japanese version of "yeehaw"? XDDD It didn't sound weird compared to the one on the track, which cracks me up every single time. Damn did that simple yelling really pump us up! It's such a fun song that allows you to loosen up right at the beginning of the show. I think that's an understatement as everyone was bursting with excitement. It was only a few minutes, but that "high" became more intense and still lasted me through this song and the next. Gotta love the instrumental solo by Daisuke... it sounds so much better live. Their latest album was sorta different from the previous ones. Their style has refined but it was still unique. Only when I attended their first live did I understand that these songs were really meant to be experienced live. I felt that was NICO's intention as they compiled the album. Rodeo was a good example, thus making it the best choice for the first song. Near the end of the song, they seem to have picked up the tempo. I swear it was so fast, I couldn't land on my feet fast enough to jump again to match the beat. They do this in sooooo many songs. They literally get you so tired in just that first few minutes. But it was so fun to just dance and jump to this song. We sorta stopped jumping in the instrumental portion, at least I did cos I wanted to properly watch Daisuke doing his solo.
While Micchan was yelling out something to hype up the crowd, Tsushima was playing a very familiar tune.. then Daisuke joined in to confirm that they are warming us up for.... THE BUNGY! THE BUNGY~~~~! O-M-G!!! They must have been out of their minds. Like seriously? Right after Rodeo? They had no plan to let the audience rest just a bit. They wanted to head on with full force. This is where the crowd pushed towards Furu-kun because he would move to the very edge of the stage as he does the epic instrumental intro. Then when MIcchan started singing, we moved towards his direction... and I had almost zero visibility during Kanazawa and Okayama lives. We all jumped even higher and harder for this song. For some reason, my foot got stepped on the most during Okayama live. It's the bad combination of my location and the people around me. Big dudes with heavy boots and girls with very pointy heels. It almost reminded me of ONE OK ROCK. Though it was pretty spacious a lot of times during Okayama live, there were many instances when I can't even rest my entire foot down. But who cares if you're experiencing THE BUNGY live? This song has been my favorite for the longest time. Micchan was going all out crazy with his voice, like sort of yelling at some point but still very much in tune. It's like he's letting it all loose but still manage to stay very much in control, if that makes any sense at all. It was really wild and fun, it was so much more than I had ever imagined. I knew it would be amazing, but is there a word more than amazing? That's what this performance felt like. It sounds totally different from their track, from the live tracks and from the broadcast/tv lives. My favorite part has always got to be the instrumentals midway through the song. Sakakura gets to start it...the rest followed and they played together for a while. I thought that was it, but then I learned they were just warming us up for Daisuke's showcase of his brilliant skills. They lengthened it a LOT and it was AWESOME! After Micchan picked up and just before the last stanza which was " ima da oikaze karamasete", he stopped, asked/said something to the audience... maybe asking if we're on a high just yet? I dunno... I still joined everyone responding "yeahhhhhh!" He ended up inviting the audience to join in singing. He started with " Something something oh oh oh oh oh~ COME ON!!!" then pointed the mic to the audience... and we went ""oh oh oh oh ohhhh~".. He went again a couple more times with " Everybody (or Motto motto) Oh oh oh oh oh oh!", we responded excitedly. When he went again, he stretched out the last "oooohhhh!!!~" It was amazing, his voice was incredible~~ I love how it echoed throughout the room and I was almost left speechless. I could feel the passion through their music, but at that moment, I can definitely feel Micchan's passion. More like, I was blown away by that passion, I wanted them to feel my passion for them too. I suppose the rest of the audience felt the same way. At our last response, we sang at the top of our lungs. I really really love this part. He then said something to the audience, probably praising or thanking us. Then he sang to the end of the song and it ended beautifully. I was a very happy fangirl and they were only at second song.
容疑者. A bit more chill. The crowd just danced swayed along as he sung this. We're probably too damn tired after the first two songs. XD Still, I was having a blast dancing to this song... just enjoying the tune and Daisuke's playing, watching Micchan's face, admiring Micchan's voice, catching a glimpse of Sakakura swaying his hips. If Genki has his signature stomp dance, Sakakura has his hip swaying move that is too adorable and sexy. When I had a hard time memorizing their names, I gave Sakakura the keyword "Sexy". Sure enough, it was most fitting for him. Tsushima's drumming may sound simple and very repetitive throughout this piece. But coupled with Sakakura's bass, both are the charm and strength of the song. It really sets the tone and mood that harmonizes splendidly with Micchan's voice. Daisuke's guitar doesn't particularly stand out the way it does in many of their popular songs. Rather, both guitars are like sprinkles on top, giving the song a bit of an ooomph, since it's quite a laid back song.There's something with the melody or maybe Micchan's voice that kinda makes me want to cry. I know I'm starting to sound like a big cry baby, but it was really that good that I felt too happy that I just end up crying a couple times. It makes me wonder what the lyrics is about.
Prologue instrumentals for the Sudden Death Game and Micchan tried to hype up the crowd again. The instrumental intro started with Daisuke and Micchan facing each other as if having a guitar duel. Were they studying each other or something so they'd match? I feel sorry for Sakakura-kun cos he has no partner. What an explosive instrumental intro!!! Actually.. it's pretty explosive throughout the song. God I love this song! It's one of those songs where I am amazed by each instrument, as you can really hear them stand out. Yet they don't overwhelm one another. This song is fast and upbeat, but right before they pick up pace in the chorus, they sorta slow down a little... as if trying to prepare the audience to jump even faster. More than preparing, I end up holding my breath because it's gonna go crazy in the next second. Haha.. Even if someone is stepping on my feet, I could care less about the pain. The song was exciting that I have to move my body to release all that excitement, otherwise I'll probably burst. Guitar solo by Furukun, gotta love it! every. single. time. The kid blows my mind. During his solo, there's a part where Tsushima sings "oh oh oh~~". I was hoping he'd do the same at this tour, but it was Micchan who did it instead. It was still great, but I just prefer Tsushima's voice for this part. Just like in other songs, they play the last chorus/stanza in a faster tempo.. fun but crazy.
After the song, they did a bit of an MC. I had no clue what they were talking about. T___T When everyone laughs, I laugh along. This is also the part where Micchan asks us if we can see Tsushima at the back. He also asked if we're alright. Then he explains PASSENGER= Passionate+Messenger... Micchan is very formal and serious for a short while. He also ends up asking which one of us are first timer at NICO's live. I can't pick up anything else. At Kanazawa, Micchan or Daisuke said something that made the audience respond, "Okaeri"..... errr.... That reminds me, I have no clue about their background at all. T__T
Their fifth song was either image training or 3年目の頭痛薬. Gotta love it when they're playing their older pieces. Before the show, I hardly listened to the latter. But since I heard image training at the first two venues, it was a welcome change to hear a different song. People started cheering loudly out of excitement when the instrumental intro started for image training. God I love this song! It's somewhat slower than the other songs, but people were still jumping to this? For real? I, on the other hand, just wanted to stay still as I absorb this song. Well everyone did stay still at certain parts, especially when almost all the instruments stopped and it was just Micchan singing.... I wanted to capture that haunting feeling his voice produces when they get to this part of the song, then feel and enjoy the chills I get from listening to it. This song is soooooooooo good. I love the start where Daisuke creates that chilling sound w/ his guitar. I don't know what it's called, but it's so perfect for the song! 3年目の頭痛薬 is one of their songs I listened to only a handful of times. Maybe I just got to obsessed with their other songs that didn't get to it yet. Unlike the flumpool concert where I blanked out during the new album tracks I wasn't too familiar with, this song was still able to strike a chord. Actually it came out amazing live... the intro was really groovy(?) Pardon my lack of vocabulary. It's actually hard to describe the song. All I can remember was it got me to an entranced state, not only because of the melody but with the way Micchan sang this song. Sometimes, it doesn't feel like his voice and the melody go perfectly together, but still that's the whole point of the song. At certain parts it seems like he's just playing around with his voice. It's sorta weird, but ended sounding unique and nice. This has got to be the most confusing song on the list.XD Overall, I really enjoyed it. Micchan's voice + risk = creativity, and I'm glad it still sound great.
They turned out the lights in the entire room, so it was almost pitch black. Then blue lights started flashing on Micchan as he started the instrumental intro to 錆びてきた, just barely giving us a glimpse of him. Can the lighting effects be more appropriate for such awesome intro? I know that's probably one of the most basic lighting color in most livehousees, but still, perfect. This song stands out so much to me because of that intro, and because it's Micchan doing it. Plus he makes weird faces as if he's possessed. I love LOVE how Sakakura gets a bit of solo here, amazing and sexy~~ I noticed Micchan's voice wasn't as manipulated during the lives as it was in their last live dvd. Anyway, when Micchan picks up with that "wooooaaa-ohhhh"- or something like that, it almost felt like I was under a spell, on an ultimate high. Then they paused for a long time.... before picking up again, this time in a much faster tempo. That pause didn't really let us rest, although we did stop jumping. Rather, it caused to built up more excitement until they start playing again where I eventually exploded. It's crazy and fun!
The tune of the prelude, I can't remember if it was the guitar or bass, was really intense. I thought it was going to be one of the serious/slow/heavy songs. But when they started the instrumental intro, it was actually for the fun song, SURVIVE! And boy, they did make this song VERY fun. The tune just gave me a happy feeling, and this is the times I remember smiling widely. They had band-audience interaction merely through clapping. Of course at this point everyone has heard the song, and knew exactly when to clap and just how many times. What truly makes this song epic is its loooooooong instrumentals plus solos from each member. If you're still reading up to this point.... sorry it's too damn long... but anyway, if you've gotten this far, you would know I'm a big sucker for instrumentals. When they get to this part, Micchan and Sakakura gets a bit crazy hyping up the audience. This is one of those rare chances I get to see Sakakura up close because he'd head over to Furukun's side. They immediately return to their respective spots though. The instrumental was so long... so when they each did solos, I was pleasantly surprised! Furukun's solo is almost as epic as THE BUNGY, it was that amazing. When Micchan yells out "On guitar, Daisuke Furumura~~!!!"... I confess, I'm guilty of going all out crazy. The inner deranged fangirl in me could no longer be contained and was finally unleashed. I hate to admit it but I did go "Kyaaaa~~~!!!! *dies*" Like in most of his solos, he would go to the very edge of the stage, maybe even stepping into the bar to get within reach of his fans. Of course if I'm near his area, we move towards him... and it's such a dream to watch him perform. Why does he make it look like it's so easy? I'm musically-challenged, but I'm sure those are very difficult to play. Yet even with people touching him or his guitar, or even in that weird position, he can still play so well. Such a brilliant kid, I'm always left in awe. After he finished, he yelled something but I can't hear a thing.. I suppose he introduced the next person to do the solo.....Sakakura! He walked over to the center of the stage, right in front of the Micchan's mic. As always, it sounded so sooooooo sexy..... and he looked mighty fine and dreamy.... if only he wasn't yelling "Pepsi da!"... repeatedly. DORK!!! OMG... so adorable though. In the midst of the instrumental (at 2:02 in the track), you'll hear a pop from opening a can of soda/cola/pop. Well, that's what happened here. Sakakura asks for Pepsi, and his band mate brings him one while Tsushima does the drumroll. He places it right in front of the mic, then Tsushima stops playing drums in the background, and Sakakura pops open a can of soda. HAHA. I really thought it was cool to bring that sound to the stage. Tsushima does the drum roll as Sakakura tries to drink the soda in one go. Like I mentioned in Part 1, in Hamamatsu they made Sakakura-kun drink 2 cans of Pepsi cos he drank 2 in Osaka. One in the middle of SURVIVE the other during an MC before starting their encore. In Kanazawa, Furu-kun came out of the stage with a Pepsi. He was holding the top, and when he removed his hand, he revealed a taller-than-usual Pepsi. XDDDD Sakakura is such a sport, he drank it in one go. At Fukuoka,I think Micchan brought out a Coke instead, which Sakakura-kun declined. Then Daisuke gave him a Pepsi instead. Actually, there might be a small chance I have gotten what happened in Kanazawa and Fukuoka mixed up. At Okayama, they gave him a taller can of coke. He stopped drinking before finishing it, as he stopped Tsushima stopped drumming as well. We all went "awww," sounding slightly disappointed..then he continued to finish it (with Tsushima continuing the drum roll at the back). As soon as he held up the empty can, we applauded as loud as we could. It's so funny we're cheering him on something so silly, but it was really fun. Also later during the MC prior to the encore, they made him drink another can again! XD He drank it in one go during that MC. Anyway, Sakakura then made a closing comment before just casually yelled out Tsushima's name. Like what? That's all the introduction he gets? Nothing special? Sho-chan did his solo for a bit, then of course yelled something I can't understand, then hyping up the crowd... so they can finally finish the frickin' song! At this point, I would totally forget we were in the middle of SURVIVE. Haha. They picked up with a very long instrumental again before singing the chorus. This makes me realize that it's hard to pick THE BUNGY as a favorite piece when they perform every song so well and even more special, like SURVIVE.
Broken Youth came up next. I could tell that a lot of the fans love this as they got more excited than usual when the intro started playing. I mean, who wouldn't love this, especially when Micchan is singing the part, "Please kiss me, please kiss me all niii~~iight~~" XDDD Damn, I wish we had eye contact at this part. I would have probably melted away if that happened. They boys know this is one of their more popular songs and gets everyone as hyped up as possible with the instrumental bit.. but the actual intro was really explosive, as you would expect. At the last chorus, Micchan would point the mic at the audience and we'd sing the first part... and he'd listen and watch us with a smile. That smile is so precious!
MC. I have no idea what he was saying!!! *headdesk*
ページ1, just like 容疑者, is another song you can just chill out to as you catch your breath and prepare for the upcoming songs. I really love how I can just sway along to this song, enjoy the melody and let Micchan's voice sink in slowly. Would've been more fun if I could actually sing along! Regardless of its lyrics, it makes me so happy just listening to this song. It has that ability to uplift my spirits, and I'll probably listen to this song whenever I'm down.
Again, they turned out all the lights. Someone started playing an intense tune, I think it's Daisuke's guitar? I couldn't tell it was frickin' dark. I'm not too sure cos I think this is the part where they changed instruments. Soon after, Micchan lights up a candle. The design on the candle matches the colors on their PASSENGER posters and jacket. It was the only one thing lighting the entire room. Micchan started playing his accousstic guitar (instead of the piano) for 君だけ. When he started singing, the other candles aroudn the stage started lighting up. The atmosphere, plus the combination of Micchan's voice and guitar gave me a haunting feeling. It sent chills own my spine, and I was literally frozen. If there was a moment in this concert, or any concerts, I would have liked for time to stop at, it was at this moment. I've been overwhelmed throughout the performance so far, but nothing could compare to the surge of emotions rushing through me at that time. I couldn't do anything but just cry throughout the song.... cry to the point I couldn't see anything... cry to the point of sobbing. Loudly sobbing! I just stood still, frozen and absorbing the atmosphere, the moment, the music, the song, his gorgeous voice, especially when all the instruments stops and he tries to reach for the higher notes.....it was so beautiful. I never got used to that overwhelming emotion this song produces. It made me cry at the other venues.. though not as much. I tried to stop myself cos I wanted to see Micchan's expression during the live instead of it being just a blur. When I got to the other venus, I knew what was coming up so I ended up reacting (crying) much earlier, even before he started. Damn, I'm so in love with this band!
They changed instruments again. When they started it was just Furumura and Mitsumura. They were having their solo... more like a duel. It was really exciting to hear their guitars alternate. I can't fail to mention how AMAZING they both sounded! They were facing each other in the beginning, but it got to a point where Micchan was almost on the ground. HAHA... After they finished their battle, Tsushima immediately joined in for a bit more.. Then the intro started for Matryoshika. I think Sakakura went crazy again and yelled out "Okayama~~~" Ahh.... what a lovable dork. And I'm proud of that dork for composing this wonderful song. And...... we go back to losing our minds and jump like crazy over this upbeat song. Again it's soooooo fun!!!!
Yuujou Sanka. I LOVE THIS SONG! Pardon me for being redundant. I've love all the songs they've played up until that point. I didn't really expect that. I thought they'd play a song that I can't connect with. But every time they start a song, I'm yelling in my head, "O-M-G!!! I love LOVE absolutely LOVE this song!" This song because is sooooooo fun to listen and sing to. Micchan was only playing the tambourine, which allows him to go crazier with his hands and movements. He did a bit of MC during the instrumental intro, yelling at the crowd the whole time, throwing out any formality he had in his first MC. It is soooo fun to just watch him perform. It's a truly moving piece. There's a part where Micchan does the sing-after-me with "la-la-la- oh~ oh~ oh~ oh~" They stopped almost every instrument except for the guitar... so you can really just hear Micchan's voice. It gives me chills just listening to him. Then he'd make each section of the room sing back... he'd give the mic to Daisuke first, then the next round to Sakakura. Then he'd do this with everyone a few more times, with all the instruments pausing at some of our responses. At this point Sakakura and Tsushima has already started playing. Before picking up from where he left off, Micchan would do one more round but this time he'd reach for the higher note and stretch it longer. Then we'd respond at the top of our longs. DAMN.. it was amazing~~ maybe this is why I love this song more than I should? At Fukuoka he threw his tambourine to the crowd. But later I saw a staff retrieve it.
Without stopping, Micchan immediately sang Hologram. Everyone loved this. I'm not sure why I got sick of listening to this song, yet, during the live I enjoyed it very much.
A bit of an MC while some intense tune in the background. Not a clue what was said.
妄想隊員A started.. was this the part where we waved our towels during the chorus? Can't remember~~ But I have a feeling this was that song. Surely 妄想隊員A left more impression on me than Hologram did. And the only part I can remember from the lyrics is 妄想隊員A. So I only sing that part back. Instrumental portion was shorter but still really awesome. I was enjoying this too much before I noticed it was already and we were cheering them.
Another intense tune started... misleading me to some heavy song. THEN Micchan started singing Diver's chorus in a more dramatic way,
"Iki o shitakute~ *pause* koko wa kurushikute~ *pause*
Yami o miageru dake no yoru wa *pause*
mogaku gen’atsushou no daibaa~"
I felt like I was going to cry~ Then Daisuke and Sakkan slowly joined in...it was sooooo good!
"Ikite iru n *Furukun's guitar starts playing* datte tashikametakute~ *pause*
Fukai kaitei o mezashite mouichido~~~ " *looooong pause*
*Micchan yells at the crowd* *Tsushima's drum plays* And we EXPLODED! What an amazing way to start an amazing song. One of the few songs I can sing to and actually read the english translation of the lyrics somewhere. Considering this is one of my favorite songs, it has a special place in my heart. I think it was because of the long wait after Sudden Death Game before they came out with this song... I was so happy at the time I could cry. All those feelings compiled and suddenly remembered... This song moved me way more than I had expected it to. I think this song was also my turning point in becoming a full-fledged NICO fan. I felt Micchan's emotions as he sang this.. it became rather personal. And I love feeling, not just hearing, the bass, the drums and the guitar... it's as if all those sounds and emotions enveloped me. Before the last chorus, right after "Maru de aizu no you ni furidashita ame~" .. they did a long pause... Micchan stopped, the instruments stopped at that note and just stretched it out.. for a looooong time.. building up all the emotions already felt up to that point. Then it was silent just for a sec! Then I can hear Micchan take a deep breath before picking up on the last chorus and continued head on till the end. Explosive and amazing~~ They never failed to deliver the expected, it's always more and the unexpected. Amazing~
MC. Micchan sounded serious. Damn, i wish I could understand what he was saying. It was one long MC and staff brought out mics for Furumura and Sakakura.
Passenger. They slowly ended with this song. When the guitar started.. it was already beautiful.. and Micchan started singing.. AND THEY MADE ME CRY AGAIN!! It's a ballad, and in the track, it sounded somewhat gentle. But at the lives, Micchan's voice seemed to be more powerful, like he didn't hold back at all. T__T The arrangement seemed more dramatic, making it more intense. If you love this song as much as I do, then you can't blame me for being too emotional listening tot his. His voice, just like in 君だけ, caused me to freeze again. Before I knew it, he got to the "La la la la~" point.. started being gentle before adding more power... Everyone else including Sakakura, Furumura, and Tsushima joined in... The audience joined in as well. He stopped and let us sing that part repeatedly. The smile on his face as he points the mic to us... that expression was something I can't forget and still move me everytime I remember it. That happiness on his face, made me feel happy too..In the end, it all stopped with just Micchan playing the guitar, it was beautiful! Then everything stopped with Micchan singing... sooo beautiful. Everyone else picked up and ended the song with everyone singing "La la la la~" again. I swear, it felt like the "La la la la~" part would never end... and I wished it wouldn't. I love the arrangement for this song. They make the overall experience more special.
They said thank you and left the stage. After awhile, they came back for the encore. But not before a very long MC. This is where everyone else other than Micchan gets to talk, thank god.
It felt like it was fate that they played my favorite song, 芽, at the very first NICO live (Hamamatsu) that I went to. I believe that was the only time they played that song during the tour. I was so glad I moved up my vacation over a week than originally planned so I can be at that venue! They have so many songs that are more popular than 芽, so I never expected it to be part of the setlist. かけら -総べての想いたちへ-, maybe, so 芽 was one of the best surprises ever! I've never heard it on their live (broadcasts/dvd), except for the bits and pieces on the PASSENGER bonus dvd. So I was incredibly happy.... so happy that I cried again. I think that was the only point during the live that felt surreal. Before that it just felt natural.. I really don't know why. At Kanazawa they played N極とN極 instead as their first encore song. It's not 芽 but I was still very happy to hear this. It's also one of my most favorite songs ever since I watched their live performance of it on Michinakimichi live dvd. Just like 錆びてきた, Micchan did the opening guitar intro which was really exciting to hear. The song is just wild and drives everyone crazy... especially Daisuke. He fell into the crowd both times this was played. At Kanazawa, he walked on the railing on the wall. It surely wasn't built to support anyone standing on it.. but the kid just climbed up there and moved/played like a lunatic.. naturally he would fall. XD And in Fukuoka, he just ran and jumped off the stage. He seems to have fun doing it too. My favorite part would be when Micchan gets to "Bye bye mata aeru hi made boku o wasurenai de yo~" T__T Micchan, how can I ever forget you?! Of course, I will be waiting for that day to come~ At Fukuoka, they played GANIMATA GIRL first. It seems to be a favorite amongst fans? I see this a lot on their rock fest setlists. It's just as fun and upbeat as N極とN極. I enjoyed it a lot but it didn't really leave more than extraordinary impression. Considering their final song is on the slow side, I see why this is chosen as the first encore song.
And the final song would be 雨のブルース. Oh how beautiful can Micchan's voice be? imo, it's a bit sad to end with this song. At Okayama, I was already feeling down it was the last time I'd see them. So when I was already battling with that sadness, ending with this beautiful song is like pushing me into an abyss... I would have cried again, but I was sorta dying from dehydration at that point.. plus I was worried about missing my shinkansen. XD I was fine listening to it the first three times tho. Unlike their other songs, this one was more raw. All instruments were there, but it sounded like it was used minimally so only Micchan's voice would stand out most of the time. I do like Daisuke's guitar at the end, when he goes all out.