Yoko Kanno (and more!) in Saitama Super Arena
Just when I thought things were calming down for a bit, my schedule went from 0 to 60...but somehow, in a good way! Tons of things I wanna update on, but I need to get my head in order first...so we'll start with one of the best nights I've in ages - Tanabata! I went to see Yoko Kanno in Saitama Super Arena!
Where to start...? The live started at 7pm - I got to Saitama around 5pm and wandered around for a bit before going in. Not so unexpectedly, it was totally packed, and with lots of different people! Otaku, lolitas, Shibuya-kei, salarymen and OLs, high school students, what looked like married couples at least in their mid-50s...really tons of people!
Our seats were AWESOME - we were in the first floor stands to the left hand side of the stage. Probably the second live I've been to that actually started on time.
There was a brief video show of some of the many animes Yoko Kanno has worked for, and an introduction of all the performers of the night...then the live band came out and started playing! Shortly after, all the women vocalists came out - Sakamoto Maaya, May'n, Nakashima Ai, Yamane Mai, and ORIGA.
The first vocal performance was "inner universe"! I was floored because I had loved this song so much while I was still in university, and I remember listening to it nonstop for a month or so. I'd nearly forgotten it until it came on...even more, I'd never even dreamed that I would get to hear it live! ORIGA has the type of voice/singing style that I really love. I admit that I have no idea what she is singing about, but listening to her sing live, I really seriously felt that music can cross any language barriers, because I'm sure the rest of the audience - primarily Japanese - was feeling just as moved as I was!
This first song was even more amazing to me because Sakamoto Maaya was pretty much singing backup/only harmonizing for ORIGA. When they hit the higher notes, I seriously kept getting chills because it was just so -AMAZING-. It was also weird seeing Sakamoto Maaya take a backseat because she's such a big artist. But I guess that shows just how amazing Yoko Kanno is?
A lot of songs I thought I knew, but didn't really know - maybe only heard them a few times randomly? But the show was well planned out, well rehearsed. All of the performers - including Yoko Kanno and the instrument players were all over the stage, not just the vocalists! There were cute little musical/play parts too, like when Yoko Kanno danced along with dancers dressed as ducks, or when she played the recorder (I think?) along with the percussionists while using random percussion instruments to play fun/weird sounds.
Maaya's performances were a lot better than what I had heard before at her concert...the other three girl vocalists I didn't know at all. They were pretty good vocal wise...but two of them were super idol and really really annoying o_o which tended to destroy my enjoyment of their performances, but I guess it can't be helped considering their target audience...
I have no idea who the Scott Matthew guy was but he was really scruffy, and he was a kind of boring performer! But then Steve Conte came out - who was also kinda scruffy looking - but his voice was pretty good (tho not quite amazing)...but HE SANG THE GARDEN OF EVERYTHING!!! WITH SAKAMOTO MAAYA! LIVE!
...is it bad that I kinda thought I can do better? XDDD;
It was still really amazing, because it was another song that I just never even imagined that I would get to hear live. I probably won't get to hear it live ever again.
I think at the very end of "the Garden of Everything," they had a dancer dressed as a vampire come and sweep Sakamoto Maaya away as she tried to make her way to Steve Conte...and then he randomly ripped off his jacket, leaving him in a tight button-up accenting his not-so-attractive body...it was hilarious and ruined all the emotion I'd felt for their performance, but oh well XD.
Overall the live was about three hours - awesome for a weekday concert! Thank god I took the next day off, haha. There was a huge variety, which you can see in the set list posted below...reminds you just how much of a freaking genius Yoko Kanno is. I'm not a crazy hardcore fan of hers, but there are so many songs and pieces that she's composed that I just -love-. I mean, she even managed to get the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra out to Japan just to perform with her for one night - and they were totally put on the back burner!
On 7/7 at 7pm and tickets were 7777 yen!
SET LIST
1. 宇宙船着陸〜Opening
2. Inner Universe（ORIGA, 坂本真綾）：攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. +
3. ライオン（May'n, 中島 愛）：マクロスF VOCAL COLLECTION 娘たま♀ [Disc 2]
4. player（ORIGA, 山根麻衣）：攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex SOLID STATE SOCIETY O.S.T.
5. Want it all back（山根麻衣）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T. 2 - No Disc
6. What planet is this ?!（Seatbelts）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T. FUTURE BLUES
7. 地球共鳴（Seatbelts）：アルジュナ into the another world
8. タチコマの家出（菅野よう子）：攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. - be Human
9. はとどけい（菅野よう子・他？）：Napple Tale 妖精図鑑
10. Cat Blues（Seatbelts）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T.
11. Be Human（Scott Matthew）：攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. - be Human
12. tune the rainbow（坂本真綾）：シングルコレクション＋ニコパチ
13. VOICES（中島 愛）：MACROSS PLUS O.S.T.
14. ダイアモンド クレバス（May'n）：マクロスF O.S.T.1 娘フロ。
15. gravity（坂本真綾）：WOLF'S RAIN O.S.T.
16. The Garden Of Everything（坂本真綾 Feat. Steve Conte）：Space Bio Charge [Disc 2]
17. could you bite the hand？（Steve Conte）：WOLF'S RAIN O.S.T.
18. CALL ME CALL ME（Steve Conte）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T. 3 - BLUE
19. 約束はいらない（坂本真綾, ワルシャワフィルオケ）：Space Bio Charge [Disc 2]
20. 射手座☆午後九時Don't be late（May'n）：マクロスF O.S.T.1 娘フロ。
21. 星間飛行（中島 愛）：マクロスF O.S.T.2 娘トラ。
22. Genesis of Aquarion（May'n）：創聖のアクエリオン O.S.T. 2
23. What 'bout my star? @Formo（May'n, 中島 愛）：マクロスF VOCAL COLLECTION 娘たま♀ [Disc 1]
24. 愛・おぼえていますか 〜bless the little queen〜（中島 愛）：マクロスF VOCAL COLLECTION 娘たま♀ [Disc 2]
25. 私の彼はパイロット（中島 愛）：マクロスF VOCAL COLLECTION 娘たま♀ [Disc 1]
26. Welcome To My FanClub's Night!（May'n）：マクロスF O.S.T.1 娘フロ。
27. プラチナ（中島 愛？, 坂本真綾）：シングルコレクション＋ハチポチ
28. Rise（ORIGA）：攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. 2
29. インフィニティ（May'n）：マクロスF VOCAL COLLECTION 娘たま♀ [Disc 1]
30. ヘミソフィア（坂本真綾）：シングルコレクション＋ニコパチ
31. Beauty Is Within Us（Scott Matthew）：攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. +
32. ELM（ORIGA, Scott Matthew）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T. 2 - No Disc
33. Rain（Steve Conte, 山根麻衣）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T.
34. 蒼のエーテル（中島 愛）：マクロスF O.S.T.2 娘トラ。
35. 指輪（坂本真綾）：天空のエスカフローネ劇場版 O.S.T.
36. THE REAL FOLK BLUES（山根麻衣）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T. Vitaminless
37. BLUE（山根麻衣）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T. 3 - BLUE
38. Tank!（Seatbelts）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T.
39. Flying Dragon（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：天空のエスカフローネ O.S.T.
40. Dance of the curse（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：天空のエスカフローネ O.S.T.
41. 地よりはずめと（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：∀GUNDAM O.S.T.
42. High Sprit（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：創聖のアクエリオン O.S.T.
43. シロ（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：WOLF'S RAIN O.S.T.
44. Hitome Theme（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：天空のエスカフローネ O.S.T. 2
45. ランカとボビーのSMS小隊の歌（中島 愛）：ランカとボビーのSMS小隊の歌 など。
46. アナタノオト（中島 愛, 全員）：マクロスF O.S.T.2 娘トラ。
47. End title ノスタルジーナ（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：∀GUNDAM 劇場版 O.S.T.「惑星の午後、僕らはキスをした」
48. 7月のラクエン（菅野よう子）：7月のラクエン
49. Moon（Gabriela Robin, ワルシャワフィルオケ）：∀GUNDAM O.S.T.
(stolen from mixi XD)
There's soooooo much more that I could go on and on forever about. It was really really an amazing concert! If it comes out on DVD or something I definitely plan on buying it.
My favorite perfomances of the concert were all by ORIGA, hands down. If you've never heard her stuff, please give it a listen! Though honestly, I only really enjoy the stuff she did for Ghost in the Shell...her solo albums are sadly quite mediocre. D: This video is of her song "inner universe"!
Anyway, hope everyone is doing well!
Where to start...? The live started at 7pm - I got to Saitama around 5pm and wandered around for a bit before going in. Not so unexpectedly, it was totally packed, and with lots of different people! Otaku, lolitas, Shibuya-kei, salarymen and OLs, high school students, what looked like married couples at least in their mid-50s...really tons of people!
Our seats were AWESOME - we were in the first floor stands to the left hand side of the stage. Probably the second live I've been to that actually started on time.
There was a brief video show of some of the many animes Yoko Kanno has worked for, and an introduction of all the performers of the night...then the live band came out and started playing! Shortly after, all the women vocalists came out - Sakamoto Maaya, May'n, Nakashima Ai, Yamane Mai, and ORIGA.
The first vocal performance was "inner universe"! I was floored because I had loved this song so much while I was still in university, and I remember listening to it nonstop for a month or so. I'd nearly forgotten it until it came on...even more, I'd never even dreamed that I would get to hear it live! ORIGA has the type of voice/singing style that I really love. I admit that I have no idea what she is singing about, but listening to her sing live, I really seriously felt that music can cross any language barriers, because I'm sure the rest of the audience - primarily Japanese - was feeling just as moved as I was!
This first song was even more amazing to me because Sakamoto Maaya was pretty much singing backup/only harmonizing for ORIGA. When they hit the higher notes, I seriously kept getting chills because it was just so -AMAZING-. It was also weird seeing Sakamoto Maaya take a backseat because she's such a big artist. But I guess that shows just how amazing Yoko Kanno is?
A lot of songs I thought I knew, but didn't really know - maybe only heard them a few times randomly? But the show was well planned out, well rehearsed. All of the performers - including Yoko Kanno and the instrument players were all over the stage, not just the vocalists! There were cute little musical/play parts too, like when Yoko Kanno danced along with dancers dressed as ducks, or when she played the recorder (I think?) along with the percussionists while using random percussion instruments to play fun/weird sounds.
Maaya's performances were a lot better than what I had heard before at her concert...the other three girl vocalists I didn't know at all. They were pretty good vocal wise...but two of them were super idol and really really annoying o_o which tended to destroy my enjoyment of their performances, but I guess it can't be helped considering their target audience...
I have no idea who the Scott Matthew guy was but he was really scruffy, and he was a kind of boring performer! But then Steve Conte came out - who was also kinda scruffy looking - but his voice was pretty good (tho not quite amazing)...but HE SANG THE GARDEN OF EVERYTHING!!! WITH SAKAMOTO MAAYA! LIVE!
...is it bad that I kinda thought I can do better? XDDD;
It was still really amazing, because it was another song that I just never even imagined that I would get to hear live. I probably won't get to hear it live ever again.
I think at the very end of "the Garden of Everything," they had a dancer dressed as a vampire come and sweep Sakamoto Maaya away as she tried to make her way to Steve Conte...and then he randomly ripped off his jacket, leaving him in a tight button-up accenting his not-so-attractive body...it was hilarious and ruined all the emotion I'd felt for their performance, but oh well XD.
Overall the live was about three hours - awesome for a weekday concert! Thank god I took the next day off, haha. There was a huge variety, which you can see in the set list posted below...reminds you just how much of a freaking genius Yoko Kanno is. I'm not a crazy hardcore fan of hers, but there are so many songs and pieces that she's composed that I just -love-. I mean, she even managed to get the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra out to Japan just to perform with her for one night - and they were totally put on the back burner!
On 7/7 at 7pm and tickets were 7777 yen!
SET LIST
1. 宇宙船着陸〜Opening
2. Inner Universe（ORIGA, 坂本真綾）：攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. +
3. ライオン（May'n, 中島 愛）：マクロスF VOCAL COLLECTION 娘たま♀ [Disc 2]
4. player（ORIGA, 山根麻衣）：攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex SOLID STATE SOCIETY O.S.T.
5. Want it all back（山根麻衣）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T. 2 - No Disc
6. What planet is this ?!（Seatbelts）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T. FUTURE BLUES
7. 地球共鳴（Seatbelts）：アルジュナ into the another world
8. タチコマの家出（菅野よう子）：攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. - be Human
9. はとどけい（菅野よう子・他？）：Napple Tale 妖精図鑑
10. Cat Blues（Seatbelts）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T.
11. Be Human（Scott Matthew）：攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. - be Human
12. tune the rainbow（坂本真綾）：シングルコレクション＋ニコパチ
13. VOICES（中島 愛）：MACROSS PLUS O.S.T.
14. ダイアモンド クレバス（May'n）：マクロスF O.S.T.1 娘フロ。
15. gravity（坂本真綾）：WOLF'S RAIN O.S.T.
16. The Garden Of Everything（坂本真綾 Feat. Steve Conte）：Space Bio Charge [Disc 2]
17. could you bite the hand？（Steve Conte）：WOLF'S RAIN O.S.T.
18. CALL ME CALL ME（Steve Conte）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T. 3 - BLUE
19. 約束はいらない（坂本真綾, ワルシャワフィルオケ）：Space Bio Charge [Disc 2]
20. 射手座☆午後九時Don't be late（May'n）：マクロスF O.S.T.1 娘フロ。
21. 星間飛行（中島 愛）：マクロスF O.S.T.2 娘トラ。
22. Genesis of Aquarion（May'n）：創聖のアクエリオン O.S.T. 2
23. What 'bout my star? @Formo（May'n, 中島 愛）：マクロスF VOCAL COLLECTION 娘たま♀ [Disc 1]
24. 愛・おぼえていますか 〜bless the little queen〜（中島 愛）：マクロスF VOCAL COLLECTION 娘たま♀ [Disc 2]
25. 私の彼はパイロット（中島 愛）：マクロスF VOCAL COLLECTION 娘たま♀ [Disc 1]
26. Welcome To My FanClub's Night!（May'n）：マクロスF O.S.T.1 娘フロ。
27. プラチナ（中島 愛？, 坂本真綾）：シングルコレクション＋ハチポチ
28. Rise（ORIGA）：攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. 2
29. インフィニティ（May'n）：マクロスF VOCAL COLLECTION 娘たま♀ [Disc 1]
30. ヘミソフィア（坂本真綾）：シングルコレクション＋ニコパチ
31. Beauty Is Within Us（Scott Matthew）：攻殻機動隊 Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. +
32. ELM（ORIGA, Scott Matthew）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T. 2 - No Disc
33. Rain（Steve Conte, 山根麻衣）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T.
34. 蒼のエーテル（中島 愛）：マクロスF O.S.T.2 娘トラ。
35. 指輪（坂本真綾）：天空のエスカフローネ劇場版 O.S.T.
36. THE REAL FOLK BLUES（山根麻衣）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T. Vitaminless
37. BLUE（山根麻衣）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T. 3 - BLUE
38. Tank!（Seatbelts）：COWBOY BEBOP O.S.T.
39. Flying Dragon（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：天空のエスカフローネ O.S.T.
40. Dance of the curse（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：天空のエスカフローネ O.S.T.
41. 地よりはずめと（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：∀GUNDAM O.S.T.
42. High Sprit（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：創聖のアクエリオン O.S.T.
43. シロ（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：WOLF'S RAIN O.S.T.
44. Hitome Theme（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：天空のエスカフローネ O.S.T. 2
45. ランカとボビーのSMS小隊の歌（中島 愛）：ランカとボビーのSMS小隊の歌 など。
46. アナタノオト（中島 愛, 全員）：マクロスF O.S.T.2 娘トラ。
47. End title ノスタルジーナ（ワルシャワフィルオケ）：∀GUNDAM 劇場版 O.S.T.「惑星の午後、僕らはキスをした」
48. 7月のラクエン（菅野よう子）：7月のラクエン
49. Moon（Gabriela Robin, ワルシャワフィルオケ）：∀GUNDAM O.S.T.
(stolen from mixi XD)
There's soooooo much more that I could go on and on forever about. It was really really an amazing concert! If it comes out on DVD or something I definitely plan on buying it.
Click to viewMy favorite perfomances of the concert were all by ORIGA, hands down. If you've never heard her stuff, please give it a listen! Though honestly, I only really enjoy the stuff she did for Ghost in the Shell...her solo albums are sadly quite mediocre. D: This video is of her song "inner universe"!
Anyway, hope everyone is doing well!