NEWS talks about their 15th Anniversary Live "Strawberry"
Extracted from: DUET - September 2018 volume; published on 7th September
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Talking about "NEWS 15th Anniversary LIVE 2018 "Strawberry""
A miracle was born with 15 years of love ♡
Ending off with a huge success was NEWS with their 15th anniversary live in Ajinomoto Stadium!
The 4 members gathered after a while this month. They'll be talking about the behind-the-scenes ♡
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KOYAMA: There were a lot of things that left a great impression on me, but I think the scene that was burnt into my head the most was when we slowly rose up to appear during "BLUE". The audience was filled with fans for our first time in Ajinomoto Stadium, and it made me think, "this is what I wanted to see so I started (as an idol)".
KATOU: There isn't a center stage, so being able to see just how many people there are without being obstructed was kinda new, and we were also welcomed with a lot of cheers.
KOYAMA: When we were rising up, my hands were shaking a lot (laughs). But, groups are great. Before the opening, we formed a circle with just the 4 of us, and I got handshakes from Massu, Shige and Tegoshi, and got a surge of power from them at the last minute.
KATOU: The weather somehow let up too.
KOYAMA: To think it didn't rain only during our live performance. Shige said during the live performance that it was "God's guidance", I think that's really true.
KATOU: Tegoshi kept repeating, "please let it be sunny", and when it didn't rain, he said, "it's the power of words!", so all the more.
TEGOSHI: For the first day, it rained during the rehearsals, and for the second day, there was a thunderstorm after the live performance. That's such a miracle! For outdoor live performances, we can't help but cancel the performance depending on the weather, and NEWS has experienced that before. Perhaps it was the power of the fans thinking, "we want to meet NEWS", the power of us thinking about how we want to make these 2 days a success, and the power of the staff who worked hard to make that come true, that managed to reach the heavens. It's a gift from God!
MASUDA: It was important to "be sunny" for the staff who wished to allow NEWS to have their live performance outdoors. We're really so glad that we managed to carry out our 15th anniversary live smoothly.
KOYAMA: In the midst of having stage plays, having dramas, there was a part where we had to do things on the spot at the venue, and it was pretty hectic on the actual day itself. Things like our placing on stage, the set list, the fact that it was supposed to be different on the first and second days.
KATOU: I had an impression that our eyes met a lot among the members during the live performance. There was probably a lot of scenes were we passed by each other too.
KOYAMA: Because it was only the 4 of us in that huge venue. Whenever we passed by each other, it was necessary for us to go like, "yeah!!" and exchange high-fives and hugs (laughs).
TEGOSHI: Yeah. Also, it was super pretty when everyone was waving their penlights, and it was really nostalgic for TegoMass to sing seriously in a while!
MASUDA: That's right.
TEGOSHI: During our "EPCOTIA" tour, we casually sang during some MC sections, but it's been a while since we properly sang.
KOYAMA: To that extent, we didn't get time for MC on the first day, so for TegoMass it was a rough live performance without break.
MASUDA: DUET seems to want to know more about the behind-the-scenes of that performance.
KOYAMA: OK! Then, Shige-chan. Your counter-measure against your sunburn during the rehearsal was perfect. I guess you couldn't afford to get sunburn because you were in the midst of filming for drama, but getting used to it from fishing gave you total protection. Wrapping a towel around your face.
KATOU: That's a ski mask used for survival games.
TEGOSHI: Before the actual performance, Shige and I went through our lines for "Zero: Ikkaku Senkin Game" while getting a massage. There was a scene where we exchanged lengthy lines, so we read the script with our faces buried in the massage beds with a hole for your face, going like, "Oi, Zero!".
KATOU: Because of that, we couldn't rest our minds (laughs).
KOYAMA: Even though massage rooms are made up to be relaxing environments.
MASUDA: But, it was interesting to see Tegoshi reading the script even during the rehearsal for the outdoor live performance.
KATOU: I'm pretty sure those lines weren't even included.
TEGOSHI: They were!! I'm one who can concentrate anywhere I am.
KOYAMA: Mic in his left hand, script on his right.
TEGOSHI: I get nervous when I don't see the text.
MASUDA: But, to be reading your script even in the short amounts of free time in between rehearsals, I guess you could be the director now. Tegoshi, you did it huh? (laughs)
TEGOSHI: Ahaha, no I didn't!!
KOYAMA: It was impressive how Massu always tries to take the initiative during the live performance.
TEGOSHI: I keep thinking of how Massu accidentally stepped on a really huge bug (laughs).
MASUDA: And it's during the song, "Ikiro".
TEGOSHI: Being outdoors at night during summer, it's unavoidable that bugs would gather in the illumination-filled Ajimoto Stadium. And to think that all the more, Massu being the one who's the most scared of bugs, would have a super huge one right at his foot...
KATOU: "If only Massu didn't notice~" is what I thought.
MASUDA: For this time's live performance, if I were to give one regret, it was stepping on that bug. I'm sorry.
KOYAMA: Even to bugs, he feels love.
MASUDA: But still, the bug was around the size of a cicada!!
TEGOSHI: Yep, it was huge.
KOYAMA: There were a lot of small bugs too though.
KATOU: Especially during "Share".
MASUDA: They all came towards my yellow costume!!
KATOU: Ahaha, bugs easily gather at yellow things. So next, is there any Koyama episodes?
TEGOSHI: Previously, there was an episode where whenever I wore Koyama's underwear, he'd just give it to me like that right? This time, I forgot to bring a sweatpants for backstage-use. Then, since I rehearsed in my soccer uniform, I didn't have anything to change into. But I wanted to change because I was full of sweat. And then there was a really comfy sweatpants left in the dressing room.
KATOU: And, whose do you think that is?
TEGOSHI: At first, I thought maybe it was Shige's.
MASUDA: The black one that Shige's wearing.
TEGOSHI: On the first day of the live performance, I wore it as if nothing happened, but suddenly, Koyama said, "Oi, take that off. It's mine," and robbed me of it. And then, the second day. Again, I had nothing to change into, so when I told him I was gonna wear it while I was just pants-less, Koyama went, "...that, I'll give it to you...". And so it became mine!
KATOU: Really? He gave it to you?
TEGOSHI: Yeah, he did!! (smiles ♪)
KOYAMA: I was in the bath, and was looking for my sweatpants. But I couldn't find it, and I thought, "hmm that's weird~" but when I saw Tegoshi...
TEGOSHI: Uhahaha!
KOYAMA: On the first day, he just took it off and returned it to me when I said, "stop it". But on the next day, he didn't have pants so I had to let him wear it, it was impossible. I had no choice but to just give it to him (laughs). From next tour onward, I'm thinking that I should bring a set of clothes for Tegoshi.
KATOU: Ahahaha! He could just bring his own.
KOYAMA: He definitely wouldn't bring it. So I'll just pass it to him saying, "please settle for this for this time round".
TEGOSHI: Ahahaha! Also, speaking of Koyama, his face while he was holding back tears during "Ikiro" was unforgettable. It was like Han'nya (laughs).
※ Han'nya: mask used in Noh theater, representing a jealous female demon.
KATOU: Massu stepped on a bug, and around the same time, Koyama is...
TEGOSHI: Back-facing on stage becoming Han'nya!
KATOU: Entering a blind spot where he can't be seen by fans, a Han'nya trying its best to fight its tears!!
TEGOSHI: Gyahaha!! That was really funny~. Is there anyone who fights their tears that hard? Usually they'd just cover their mouths with their hands and fights it. And on top of that, this face... (does an impersonation of Koyama's Han'nya face!)
ALL: Hyahahaha!!
TEGOSHI: I was thinking, "he's gotta be kidding right?" (laughs).
KOYAMA: I thought, "I'm de~finitely not gonna cry!". So I tried my best to hold it back!
TEGOSHI: After that is Koyama's main verse and I was supposed to harmonize, so I was thinking, "if he can't sing while crying, should I just sing his part? What's it gonna be?"
KOYAMA: Sorry, sorry, so you were harmonizing while thinking of me like that.
KATOU: You turned back towards the fans just in time to sing right.
MASUDA: Ah, right after my part?
KOYAMA: Yep. But while singing, "♪ Nakeru hodo itooshikute", I went like, "oh no oh no" again.
※ T/N: i think the line is "nakeru hodo itooshii" and not "itooshikute" but mmm
TEGOSHI: "He's really trying his best, he's really fighting those tears," is what I thought when I looked at him.
KATOU: I'm glad it wasn't a 360° view.
TEGOSHI: In that case, there's no way other than to look down, down-facing Han'nya (laughs). Ah~, it was really funny!! But, I really understand Koyama's feelings, it was such an emotional live performance.
KATOU: Yeah, we laughed while empathizing with him, but his emotions were written on his face too much (laugh).
MASUDA: Koyama is the type whose emotions are written all over their faces. When there're fun times, his face would really show his excitement.
KATOU: For me, I was right in-between the person who stepped on a bug and Han'nya so I was in a complicated spot.
TEGOSHI: Until the last song, "Ikiro", the fans sang a lot for "LPS", and even for "U R not alone" in the first half, there were a lot of sections where the fans sang a lot right? To think that so many people sang from the bottom of their stomachs for us...
KOYAMA・MASUDA・KATOU: Yeah.
TEGOSHI: Even after I sang the last line for "Ikiro", the fans still continued singing.
KOYAMA・MASUDA・KATOU: Yep yep.
KOYAMA: It's amazing, for them to be able to sing our new song even before it's released.
TEGOSHI: I felt a lot of love.
KATOU: We're really grateful.
MASUDA: With that, the thing that we think about most coming to our 15th anniversary is, our gratitude towards our fans. Anyways, from the bottom of our hearts, we're really glad to be able to celebrate our 15th anniversary smoothly. Thank you!
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T/N: There's also a page briefly describing the live performance, but it was really similar to the one I had already translated, so I won't translate that again.
▽ If you want to read it, it's here ▽
https://tsubakii2525.livejournal.com/1216.html