Concert report: JROCK DREAM MATCHY '09 February 13th

Feb 14, 2009 13:48

So my computer dies on me, I just hope that these computers decides to work with me until the end.

I had a quite awesome seats for this concert. B Block2, second row. It's the second Blocks but the Budoukan wasn't that big, so I was close anyway. I had a man slightly to the right in front of me, and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to see anything once he stood up, but he kept sitting through the whole show, so I had a great view. Everyone around me except the three women on my right side had FuraFura towels around their necks. As did the whole hall. I saw read towels everywhere when I looked around.
The girls next to me kept on sitting down almost the whole concert, except for the parts where Matchy was on stage. They even stood up at the MC part, but not during the con if it was something else than Matchy. Oh well.

The stage was huge, it had two sets of drums, two sets of keyboards even though they only really would've needed one, since there's only Daisuke playing the keyboard. But he changed were he was sitting when he changed groups.
There was four levels at the stage. First the middlestage, that wasn't really used that much, with the drumsets on both side, and then the keyboards. Below that was the guitarists and bassplayers level, with the bassplayers on one side and the guitarplayers on the other side. And then was the center middle stage where the main singer stood. And from that stage there were stairs going down to yet another level of.. I don't know, standing area. ^^

When the lights dimned there was a VTR showing at the screens from the rehearsals. Matchy had a perm just as bad as Yokos, if not worse. I think people screamed the most when they were showing Subaru and the old guy, Nomura. And then, from the VTR, Matchy introduced Question?

Are you ready?
Kanji te miro
My way
Momoko
Side Mirror

I have to say that I always seem to remember the least of Q? Not because they aren't good and that I don't enjoy their parts, it's just that FiVe and FuraFura overshines them later and well, yeah. Anyways, The drumset at the left side was used and the keybords at the right side, Akon was standing on the lower level at the right side and Fujiie at the left, and Yonemura at the center stage (all of this from a viewers point of view).
I really really like My way. A really nice song. And Kanji te miro, is that a Matchy song or just Q? song I haven't heard before? Anyways, the drummer (I don't have the time to look up the names now) sang like all of that song. It was great!

Mezamero Yasei

Q? started out singing this, and then Matchy came out and they sang together, then Yonemura moved to stand next to Fujiie and Tsubasa came out on stage. He did not wear the leather skirt as I had hoped, but he did wear leather pants that looked amazing on him. And Matchy and Tsu sang and did the dance together. luin_lotetold me yesterday that Matchy asked Tsubasa to make a choreography for that song, but to keep it simple since Matchy don't enjoy dancing that much. So Tsubasa did, and he kept it simple. And it's funny how it is Matchys song and he have performed it a lot, but still Tsu's movements were a lot sharper. I guess it's because Tsubasa is such a great dancer, one of the best in Johnny's.
After the song, there was like a mini-MC or something, because the two of them kept talking for quite a while. Matchy said that he wanted to become Takki. And then they started talking about that they should rename T&T to Tsubasa & Tackey insted of the other way around, and then Machy wanted to be a part too, so Tsubasa said that they could be Matchy-san, Tsubasa & Takki. Cute how Tsu needed to add -san to their triogroup. FiVe came on stage quietly around here somewhere.
Anyhow, Matchy and Tsubasa did

Yume Monogatari

This was a rock version of the song. And I am always amazed that the japanese fans seems to know every dance to all the Johnny's groups.

Hyaku nen no koi
Toriko

Tsubasa does a lot of rock poses when he's in rock mode. Very cute. The one leg at the speakers-thing and his waving his arm in the air. The waving arm-thing made me laugh because Nikaido did a monomane of that it SC and I just had to think about that and how spot on it was.
He also did this thing during Toriko when he caressed the micstand. And he also straddled it later. ehum. I was pleased.
And the stage was lighted in pink and green during one of the songs. Very rockish. ~~
Then he introduced FiVe and got off stage on the right side, giving a plectrum to a Tsu-fan while going out. ♥

As I said, FiVe was already on stage. And they did:

I&I
Cry
Kanashiki High School
Te
Omou ga mamani
Kokoro

I really really love FiVe, not only as a part of FuraFura but them as Five too. They are extremely talented, and Rikiya has a passion that resembles Subarus.
When they introduced themselves Makki said that he had been so nervous so he had gone to the toilet four times during Question?s part. I do think that Makki is the most adorable! He is so funny and cute and he's a great drummer!
Uesato (?) as in the bassist was as hot as ever. Daisuke was cute and didn't really know what to say, since he already introduced himself once.
They had all cut their hair because of these concerts. Cutecutecute.
Rikiya held his speaches about us all becoming one, us all being a part of JROCK Family and all that. He has a way of really holding on to the audience in a great way. He asked us to listen with our hearts and not with our ears.
He also asked people who saw FiVe for the first time to raise their hands, of what I saw I didn't see many hands in the air at all.
I was surprised at Te coming so early in, but it was great. Rikiya got a girl up on stage to shout "Say woho!" in the mic. She was so flustered and really really cute! Unfortunately the three girls at my right side just sat down during the con, so no hands-holding there. But at least the ones at my left side was more in to it. And I love this song so much. It is amazing to see (almost) the whole Budoukan holding hands together!
Kokoro grabs me more and more every time I hear it.

Afther Kokoro they went off stage at the right side. The stage went black. And then the FuraFura-rap intro started. And there, first in line at the left side came Subaru, holding a big plastic flower in one hand, wearing jeans, a white shirt with numbers, (look at my previous entry for a pic of it) and a grey hat. He looked absolutely amazing. And his hair. Oh his hair. It is getting longer. Still not long-long, but longer, and no mustache! Subaru, I love you! I am not completely sure about the setlist here, because the blog I got it from, says that they started with Sawer, but Window is not written and I know that they played it. I'll edit if it's wrong when I get back from todays show. EDIT: Setlist is correct.

Sawer
His mic did not work properly for the first song, so sometimes you could just see him singing, but we didn't hear a thing. But oh well. All of them was performing with such power anyway. And Subaru was jumping around like crazy during this song.

Window
Staff changed the mic and Subaru got a guitar in his hands. The green one.

Flower

Starlight
Subaru introduced the song, but Makki wasn't quite ready, so it became silent for a while, Subaru apologized a few times and then he reintroduced it when Makki was ready. There were stars showing on the screens. Really beautiful.

Name unknown Z Thanks to murasaki_five for the name.
A Matchy song that completely took the breath out of me. A ballady song. That voice of Subarus. OMG. There was thid big discoball hanging from the roof, making really nice light in the whole arena.

FuraFura
This song just sets the whole place on fire everytime. And it really looked like it was a FuraFura only con, with all the red towels waving! They did the thing were people with different ages sang. And after like 40+ he said shitsurei before he asked people to sing. And there actually was one person in the audience who was 70+! That was really really impressing!

Pray
I love this song so much! It's always so intense! I think it was somewhat shorter than it usually is though. But anyway. Lovely song and a lovely end to the furafura-part.

I really can never remember when this and that happened in the songs but a few highlights from the FuraFura-part.
Subaru wanted everyone at 2nd floor to shout, and then 1st and then arena. But he couldn't quite figure out what he should call it, cause he thought more like Arena is 1st floor, 1st floor 2nd and so on. At last he settled for highest floor, middle floor, and ground floor. CUTE!
They dragged four people on stage. Two girls and two guys. One of the girl and the two guys got guitars and basses around their necks while the fourth girl got the plastic flower and was placed at the stairs above the others. Subaru hugged all of them!
And he said something about wanting to do this next year too, I didn't quite get it all, but I think he might have meant that they wanted concerts like this there next year too, with JROCK Family.
He also wanted the Tsubasa and Matchy fans to become a part of the JROCK Family too. I squeeled when he said Tsubasas name, cause I'm ridiculous like that.

When the FuraFura part ended and they had said their thank yous they stayed on stage and Question? came on too. Then Matchy appeared from the floor behind yet another set of drums. The three drummers was having a small session. Makki ruled them all, I have to say, and not because I'm biased, but because it's the truth.
And then I think Nomura came on stage too.
Matchy and Subaru was now at the center stage singing:

Furarete BANZAI
I liked this song, I hadn't heard it before the con, but it was nice and Subaru voice goes well with Matchys.

After this Matchy talked a little and then he left the stage.
Then was a crazy jam-session that was very very impressive.
I don't know if it really had a name, but it was saying
LED BOOTS
on the screens, so that's what I will call it.
This Nomimura guy, oh god. He's really great. His guitarplaying makes me think of Jimi Hendrix, and that says a lot.
He jamed by himself and the rest was forming the band, then he invited Rikiya to jam with him kind of, and Rikiya too is really talented. He went down on his knees and played with the guitar behind his headm and they kept going for the longest time. When Rikiya was getting back to his place, Nomura patted him on the head. Then Nomura had some time for himself again, when he played both with the guitar behind his head and with his teeth. I guess he couldn't let the kid outshine him. ^^ Then came that violin-playing guy who is everywhere all the time, and they jammed together. Really interesting to hear someone go crazy on an elctric violin!
And then he also jamed some with Ryota (or Uesato or what do you call him? ^^;;;)
And when they ended the session, Matchy came back on stage and they sat down on chairs, Nomura with an acoustic guitar in his lap.

MC (short)

I don't remember that much from this sadly, because it was funny. I do remember Matchy saying something about he not having fans that are below their 20's. Subaru did a lot of bows that maybe would've looked apolgetic if he wouldn't have had a big grin on his face. Matchy talked about JROCK Family and that he was wondering who he was, Otousan? (dad). People started yelling Otousan and Papa and my friend told me that people around her shouted Obaasan too. Matchy didn't seem too pleased. I think both Matchy and Nomura praised their kouhais a lot here too. And then they started talking about Nomura still being a Jr, which confused me. Because he was in that group Four Leaves, and they released CD7s and stuff. Do you get back to being a Jr when you split up? ~~ Or did they just never officially debut?
Matchy also talked about a lot of kouhais singing his songs. And then, he introduced

Andalucia ni Akogarete

I love this song. So much. And Nomura is such a great guitarist, and then Matchys fabulous voice on that! I didn't really understand what a great singer Matchy is until this point, because I think his voice sounded a little strained in the other songs. But not here. Oh no.
And then, when maybe half of the song had played, Tsubasa came out and did his flamenco! I was thinking the whole time that this would be a perfect if Tsubasa danced his flamenco. And then he did. I admire him so much. Tsubasa is a genius when it comes to dancing. There isn't many who are at his level!
Subaru looked at Tsubasa a lot when he danced. It made me squeel inside.
When it ended they talked a little, don't really remember any of it and then it was time for their last song.

Midnight Shuffle
Matchy, Subaru, Tsubasa and Nomura was at the center stage, Subaru in the middle with his micstand. I looked for Subaru-Tsubasa interaction, but there wasn't really any, unfortunately. Tsubasa didn't seem to quite know where to go sometimes. Cute. He did run around at the "standing area" some I think. I have to say that I didn't pay that much attention to the others though. All Subaru and a little Tsu.
When the song ended they all lined up, holding hands, Subaru and Tsubasa held hands (!), amd they thanked and went off stage.

It took quite a while before they appeared again, now in the concert shirts. I thought Subaru had a long sleeved one, like he usually has with eito, but when I looked carefully today, it's just that he's so damn small, so it looked like it had longer sleeves than the others.
They only played one song in the encore:

Gingiragin ni sarigenaku
There was silver glitter flying and everyone was on a high. Great way to end!

The audience kept on trying to get them out once more, we were standing for long while clapping, but nothing happened. And that was it.
I had a great time. I was surprised at the lack of Matchy in the concert. It was more like a production of his, than a concert of his.
They all seemed to enjoy it so much. Subaru has talked about how he has wanted to do this for so long, and now for them to able to hold a concert together at Nihon Budoukan. It really is amazing! All of them, FuraFura, FiVe and Q? really deserves all this attention, because they are all a bunch of really talented guys.

As for me, I feel really greatful that I was able to go there and to get to see FuraFura again. They have become really really important to me. And to be able to attend such a concert with such a different range of people. I hope that their wish of doing this next year too, will come true, even though I wont be able to attend that one. But I'd be glad if it happens, since this is something they all obvisiously loves so much.
I wonder if there just was a lot of cameras for TV or if there will be a DVD? They didn't say anything about them filming for a DVD, so I don't know, but there was a big number of cameras. Lets hope for it! And that there will be no strange redhead in it. >_<

I will write a shorter report from todays show tomorrow.
Today Takki came, and also, surprise guest Kamenashi! Kame seemed very calm, and like, private, not all of that image he seems to wrap himself in sometimes. He isn't really a great singer though. ehum. Takki was sweet and the only one wearing somewhat kira-kira clothes. Anyone surprised?
Oh well. I'll talk about that tomorrow. I hope there aren't too many grammar mistakes. I'm too tired to look through it now.

Off to sleep!

Setlist credits:
yaplog.jp/oyaku_eighter
d.hatena.ne.jp/thegoodbye

question?, concertreport, shibutani subaru, five, furafura, matchy, imai tsubasa, jrock

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