Well I had time to kill with early hotel return so let's see what I can write about the Hello Project summer tour I attended last weekend. Week since I was there so bit hasty memories.
I had two tickets for 2 different concerts. Set lists different so not repeat of same. Not crazy enough fan to see identical set list twice in the row! Second one was more of what I had been looking forward due to more interesting set list but since there was cheapish one available for the previous one got that as well. Seat was on second floor so would be getting to sit at least which was nice break for legs.
I have been by now to number of concerts for one group but first time I went to combined Hello Project concert where every group performs. Not going to give detailed explanation of every clothing. That's 50 girls or so each who use multiple clothes. TOO MANY! Can't remember even if this had been over 1 hour ago never mind 1 week ago! But for first part they started out with
First song was Taiki Bansei. This is song of Angerme(formerly S/mileage whom I saw last year before 3 new members joined up. BTW name is not anger me as in English. It's actually mix-match of 2 french word(and not full words either) meaning roughly "angel tear". Okay name isn't bad in itself except that you don't really get it without explanation and it gives wrong impression at first. When members introduced they actually quickly went on to explain the meaning behind it :D) but here it was sung by all. Weird coreography where some girls would be going out of stage and back on and off. Some were even walking in pathways between audience.
Then they switched to second song.
Love take it all by C-ute. They then went on BACK to first song. That was odd.
Once this two(three?) songs were done host(first time I saw him. He basically appears only in these joint concerts. Usual job is drummer I think of the band of producer though with producer(and main singer of said band) having lost voice cords due to cancer not sure how that band goes on. Will need new singer for sure) gave greetings and introduced event. Then came in video showcasing members. Theme of this concert was "challenger". Not sure how pictures really fit that one though.
Seen enough of these joint concert videos though that wasn't surprise when next came the trainees and performed the oheso no kuni kara konnichiwa(greetings from the land of belly button?!? Odd name for song). Clothing as per video though with about 20 girls from trainees having been promoted to new groups there was serious change of lineup. Including my fav girl from these(biggest point in her favour: I can actually recognize her!) who starts the song. Now it was just bunch of ~13-16(best guess) year old girls I had no idea who they are.
Though wiki says two factories(tsubaki and kobushi factories) DID take part which means she DID take part. Might just have missed it. Since she was part of full group didn't expect her so with well over dozen girl might have simply missed. Or forgot. It IS over week. Could swear I didn't hear her.
Next the Tsubaki factory came in and performed 17sai(17 years old). This group I literally know nothing BUT name. Don't know any of the girls, hadn't heard any of their music, zip, nada, nothing. Totally unknown. Video is concert rip so basically very bad one for quality. That's why I wouldn't even bother recording if I were to try to sneak and break the rules. Just ain't worth it. Buy the dvd. Sometimes free just ain't worth it.
Only thing I know is there's 6 of the girls which is about the right size for me. Too many and I will have trouble trying to remember the name/faces.
Next came the Kobushi factory peforming Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san no Uta(song of Koizumi(girl? men?) who loves Ramen. Eeeehh?? Weird song. Acccompanied by weird dance including them pretending to eat ramen. Go figure).
Now this group I actually did know bit since it has whopping TWO former trainees I knew(the favourite I mentioned before, Hamaura Ayano, and Taguchi Natsumi. Saw both of them in the first concert I saw live so and both stuck. Hamaura for being simply so cute(her smile is criminally cute) and Taguchi gave me good laughs with her performance. Especially when she was posing her muscles next to tallest girl on stage and her being shortest. Funny). I also had listened their debut single so had some idea of the group in advance.
Third new freshly formed group(Country girl. Revival of former group Country Musume) came in and performed their new single Wakatteiru no ni Gomen ne (despite understanding sorry).
Apart from name the only thing I did know of the band was that the girl dead middle of picture had some relation with the group but I thought as assistant/mentor. I was stunned when I saw her there performing. She's the Momoko from Berryz Koubou whose concerts I have went last two times I was in Japan and who stopped their activities in march Did not expect to see HER performing.
She kept her hyper-cute-always-energetic performance she did in Berryz as well. There has been rumour that she's not happy with her role but since she does it so well that's what she's stuck. Part of the reason why I had thought she would not be performing and is more of background member.
Then came in speech time but can't recall what it was about.
Then came first group I had seen before. Song is Imasugu Tobikomu Yuuki(courage to jump right now). Think clothes might have been as per video. Think Morning Musume had red semi-revealing clothes like that sometimes so makes sense it would be here.
Least favourite group from Hello Project.
Then came in Juice=Juice(whose solo concert I would be seeing in day after the day of these concerts). Getting better! They gave performance of Girls be ambitious from their newest album.
Angerme came in and perfomed surprisingly one of the older songs. I was expecting newer one than that. Eighteen emotions.
C-ute(who now seem to be listed last in introductions etc. So far it's been 16 years Morning Musume. Guess it's because C-ute now actually has oldest women as member who is now leader of Hello Project groups. First time that honorary title is outside Morning Musume) performed Tsugi no kado o magare(turn the next corner) from their last single.
After this came another non-song performance. Acrobatics? Seriously? Bunch of girls were actually doing acrobatics. Have to give it to the producers that at least they always seem to come up with SOMETHING new each year. Don't think they have done acrobatics before.
Next came section where the two factories who are sort of successors of Berryz Koubou(Koubou meaning factory) performed their versions of several Berryz Koubou songs.
Heroine ni narou ka(shall we become heroines). Actually my fav song of that group. Tsubaki factory(ie the unknown for me) performed this one.
Rock erotic(think that's only song in HP that has THAT explicit name). This time both factories(Go Hamaura!) did this. The Tsubaki factory girls were doing the "male" version of dance routines.
Ai no dangan(bullet of love). Tsubaki factory left so Kobushi factory remained(btw kobushi is name of plant. Well also fist but I don't think that's intention). Hamaura!!!!
Kobushi factory gave then performance of their debut single nen ni wa nen(part of Japanese saying nen ni wa nen wo ire, basically double check). Hamaura heard at 0:33. Taguchi(the second favourite) has lines at 1:42. This is also btw why this many members is too many. All won't get good amount of solo lines! Usually some receive barely any...
Clothing btw was for Kobushi factory bit plasticy looking white(I think) with member coloured parts around shoulder. Made quick identification who is where easier. Keep eye for pink(Hamaura) and orange(Taguchi) and easy to spot where favourites are.
Country girls performed older song of the group whom they revived. hajimete no happy birthday(first happy birthday)
And then Uwaki na honey pie(fickle honey pie)
And then one of their own songs tamerai summer time(hesitating summer time).
Trio of unknown songs from unknown group so wasn't most interesting part of the concert(and short of Momoko being there nothing really stucks from the group to me)
One more MC speech section followed by dance club section. Seems there used to be these before but there's not been one for a while(based on what the host said).
Juice=Juice came in and performed Ijiwaru shinaide dakishimete yo(don't be spiteful but embrace me). At first name of the song was apparently supposed to called rose quarts).
erabareshi Watashitachi by same group then again. Again concert rip.
Angerme performed the mystery night. This song still gives me creeps. Combination of clothes+setting+lyrics gives bad vibe for the video. At least clothes were more decent in the live though don't recall top of my head what they were.
Next was very old(from 2012 I think) song suki yo junjou hankouki(I love you, pure hearted rebellious age). Favourite girl of THIS group is Tamura Meimi who can be heard at 0:40, 1:54, 2:40, 3:10, 4:16. Though her looks has changed quite a bit. Apart from what happens to face when you grow from 13 to 16 she also has cut her hairs a lot from there. She started that one before as well but when I saw them live last november she still had past shoulder. Come new year and she went to short enough hair that could suit boy as well. Preferred the long hair). Second favourite(Takeuchi Akari. Cousin of the current leader of HP and C-ute Yajima Maimi) has lines at 1:35, 2:11, 2:50, 4:10.
Had hoped to hear this when I went to their live last year but didn't so goot that I got to hear here. One of my favourites from this group.
gasshin shoutan from same group. Newest single. Hadn't heard song before. Seems song style has changed a bit with name change(apart from cloth style. They used to make point of appearing ONLY in miniskirts even claiming to be #1 in Japan in that. Now you can actually see them in full length trousers).
Then came in Morning Musume. First help me. Think I have seen this live before as well.
This I actually did remember from last fall. Password is 0.
C-ute came up. Tokkaiko junjou(pure hearted city girl). Start where first girl speaks rather than sings(she's my favourite member of this group, Hagiwara Mai) video screen showed her in grey colours and with "laggy" picture. Seems there was effect going on where it showed with very low frame rate. Combined with grey colouring was quite interesting effect.
Oh and clothes(not the ones in video though apart from lack of jacket similar) were quite...ummm...sexy? Good these were already all adults so I could enjoy the view freely. Actually had to make quick headcalculation that favourite WAS already 19(now 2015, born on 1996, 19, checks). Phew. 2 years ago had bit of ethical issue with similar clothing and <18 girl.
Then they performed crazy kanzen na otona(crazy perfect adult). Now this performance(last spring tour) DOES get bit out of good taste IMO. Though pole dancing is used for just amusement and as a form of fitness training for women but coupled with clothing, age and the fact major share of viewers are males in their 20-40 gives bad vibes.
Though again points for inventing new things and the two girls(including my favourite) did do good job on the pole. That doesn't look that easy to keep yourself up there with just your leg muscles.
Iza, susume steady go! (iza, progress, steady go). Three energetic songs(plus those clothes likely had something to do) left audience chanting wild. This song is particularly popular for c-ute to get crowd shouting along. Crazy atmosphere with 2000+ members shouting along.
Then came final speeches and boy was I happy they did not do what they usually do in solo concerts with every girl saying something. With 50 girls or so that would take some time...Instead it was fairly quick and then followed by:
souda! we are alive(that's right we are alive). Seems to be like 13 year old song from morning musume. Everybody was singing.
And...That's that. No encore? Bit surprised.
Anyway that was the first setlist. Then the second one. For this one I had seat on 4th row(well so ticket says. Seems there's 2 rows BEFORE row 1. What's with numbering?) and dead center almost. Think this is best seat I have yet had and it wasn't even most expensive I have paid for.
Ren'ai hunter(love hunter) by morning musume. Similar style to first song of first setlist with girls changing on stage all the time. No walking along audience though tough. Too bad. Now I would have been in position to see them up close!
After this dance performance followed by all-girls-participiate song:
This is actually single where all groups orinally took part(though only few girls every group got solos. Then again with that many girls giving solos to everybody would result awfully long song). Busy ni naranai tetsugaku(philosophy of not becoming ugly women?).
Then MC followed by video. This time theme is "discovery" and this time I could see theme from pictures. Lots of exotic landscapes. Better video than first one for sure.
As last time trainees came in and performed another of their songs:
Crying. Clothes were identical to first concert.
Then came 3 songs(17sai, ramen daisuki and wakatteiru noni gomen ne) that were in first concert as well. Well those were from new groups so it's not like they have much choice available for songs.
MC came in and then some odd song. Setlist on wiki says shuffle performance(ie one that changes each day) and gives following for the one I went.
Akai freesia. Don't recall it but then again it IS week by now.
Juice=Juice came in and performed "umaretate no baby love" (baby love of newborn?). Hadn't heard song before, no idea where it is.
Next came Angerme. Otome no gyakushuu(counter attack of a women) which is from the first single under new name and with new members(and where I was blown off in surprise by hair style of favourite member).
Clothes they had on the performance.
During these songs some non-performing girls were generally sitting on side lines and doing hand motions of dances along. This song I found the trainees particularly amusing with the clawed hand motions for some reason.
Oh my wish by Morning musume. Song hasn't even released yet in stores(even as I write) so got to hear it in advance live. Too bad it's for group have little interest.
The middle management by C-ute released this year so first time to hear this on live. One of the songs from HP this year I have enjoyed most so thanks.
Juice=Juice and date ja nai yo, uchi no jinsei wa(my life is not just for show). Karin(my favourite) is the one on the picture.
Angerme and new single nana korobi yaoki. Seven falls and 8 raises.
Seishun Kozou ga Naiteiru(teenage boy is crying) by Morning musume. Never heard song before.
Gamusha life by C-ute.
Then came group performance of C-ute's song dance de bacoon(blow with dance?). Now funny part was when they wanted audience to join together with the chanting and dancing. And on screen was supposed volume/energy bar. Girls declared it victory when it was bit short. Then one points "not enough!". Cue in energy bar dropping half way to much sighs and laments by girls. Then it suddenly goes up(cue in excited cheerings) and then finally drops down to zero. I actually chuckled out when it first came up(prompting excitement) and then went down to zero.
Well new try on hyper pace. And I mean HYPER pace. That was fast chanting.
After this the Tsubaki factory performed another Berryz Koubou song.
Jiriri kiteru(still trying to figure what the song title means). Girl singing this song is the Momoko who is now member of Country girls.
Then nen ni wa nen and tamerai summer time as per last concert.
Then MC and this I CAN remember. Angerme is losing one of their members as the sub-leader is graduating come the autumn so she and some others were talking about this and that. Then they explained following 3 songs where the graduating member(wearing tiara. All Angerme members had similar white clothes by now but she was alone with tiara, this being her last HP joint concert) would be performing 3 songs with other groups and why she had picked these songs.
Not quite sure what reasons first 2 had(except first one had in part involved angering seniors but became good memory anyway). Last one was fairly obvious with the major debut of the s/mileage.
First with c-ute(video is from like 9 years ago so VERY young c-ute members) the ookina ai de motenashite(welcome me with big love).
Then with Momoko Anshinkan.
Think reason might be somehow related to Momoko(or was this the one which involved angering somebody?).
Remember best this song from first trip to Japan when another Berry Koubou member did wearing the stunning pale green gown.
Yumemiru 15sai(dreaming 15 year old) with the only other remaining member of the 4 girl s/mileage that released this girl. 2 quit later, other members came after.
Watashi, Choito Kawaii Urabanchou performed by angerme, factories and trainees. Have heard this song before but didn't know it was B song from samui ne single.
Sukatto my heart(refreshing my heart?) by Morning Musume. Clothes as per video. Bit sailory looking hats on some.
Choice&chance by Juice=Juice.
The treasure box by C-ute was next. Clothes here were still quite stunning so best eye candy award from both concerts goes to C-ute. This time more covering up skin. Colour looked at first torquoise(colour I like) but when lights changed noticed it was now more like emerald(not bad colour either).
Romance no tochuu by Juice=Juice(switching up groups now. Midroute of romance).
Then came Taiki bansei by Angerme that was performed as opening song in last one.
Fan favourite Kiss me aishiteru(kiss me, I love you) by C-ute came next up.
Bit surprised this wasn't in last concert. Usually they have more revealing clothes(like in the video) when this song comes up.
What is love by Morning musume. And finally final speech time followed by one more group song. And I had some serious trouble figuring where to watch. There's the Hamaura(criminally cute smile), Suzuki Airi from C-ute(whom I rate as the best looking girl in any HP groups now or past), there's the Hagiwara Maimi, there's the Tamura Meimi and even Takeuchi Akari and Taguchi Natsumi were competing. And Momoko gets share just for being member of Berryz Koubou whom I have known longest). Tough one but generally settled with Hamaura, Suzuki and Tamura.
Wonderful world by Juice=juice(would have preferred other song just for the fact I would be hearing this in 2 days anyway).
So there. As complete ramblings of the two concerts as I could remember after week's pause. Not sure how many readers are interested but do know of two at least so for them if for nothing else.
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