| Profile - Discography - Concerts - Goods - Reports - Translations - Information | HOME |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 STARTING LEGEND 2000-2001 |
|
Starting Legend 2000 200th MEMORIAL LIVE Shiina Hekiru at Makuhari Messe Event Hall 12/31/00
SONG LIST Total approximately 2 hours 5 minutes
Costumes: |
|
This was to be Hekiru's 200th live, and so it was made a memorial live to
commemerate the occasion. It was held at Makuhari Messe Event Hall
(capacity 9000 arena-class), as a pair with the later Countdown Live
which would celebrate the transition into the 21st century. Since it was to be a memorial event covering the history of Hekiru's lives, Hekiru had previously announced that she would be singing some old, nostalgic songs that haven't been heard in a while. It would the first live to be of a 2 part format, one featuring old songs and one featuring new.
PRE-REPORT Woke up before 8, took off to check out the Event Hall. There were about 20 or so fans gathered. Another friend was there so I picked him up and headed back to the hotel. We sat around for a bit, I went out to scope some more before returning. A few more friends had gathered by then. It was past 10:30 by now soe we all checked out and headed to the Event Hall en force with presents in tow. The flowers we had ordered got delivered, so we picked those up too. Took a picture in front of the Hall, before handing the stuff over to the hall staff. Then we headed off to eat. After lunch, I came back and lined up for the memorial goods (to be sold here only.) There was a memorial pamphlet, 2 memorial telephone cards, memorial tags, pin badge, T-shirt, and small towel. Unfortunately, the line was huge and the goods sale got cut off just in front of me. We were turned over to the line for entering the hall. I decided to stick with it because I wanted the goods, so I ended up being like the 10th person to enter. Bought my stuff, stuck it in a locker, and I was ready to rock 'n' roll!!
LIVE REPORT Plus I had an aisle seat, which was a blessing considering the seats are all packed so close together it's almost as bad as being in a livehouse. The stage was simple, with the band intruments arranged in a circle in the center, and a wide space in front for Hekiru. Large lights to each side. Looking around the hall, most of the arena seats seats were filled and the 2nd floor stands full, with a cluster on the 3rd floor. It was a pretty good turnout, if nowhere near a sellout, and I felt much better. I had been afraid of seeing a half-empty concert hall. At 3:10 or so, the lights finally dimmed and the screen started up. "In 1995, the legend began." Then one by one, the title of each of Hekiru's tours and the tour venues came on screen. At the very end, it said, "200th concert, Makuhari Messe", and the stage lighted up with the band members present. The band struck up immediately, and it was Graduater! Then Hekiru rose up from below the stage, in the front, and started into the familiar dance. I was completely taken by surprise at Graduater, and I think everyone else was too. I hadn't even warmed up and I was already jumping and shouting. (I lost my voice on this first song.) Come to think of it, Graduater is an excellent choice, because it is Hekiru's most famous concert song of all the years, a song really born from the live. The ending for Graduater flowed into the band intro, where the band kept playing as Hekiru introduced each person, each taking their turn to perform a sort of solo. (Think the Hekibands intro before Go Wake Up!!) This time, it was Yoshiaki (right guitar), Mario (bass), Jake (left guitar, new member), Mabou (drums), Fujiko (right keyboard), and Nobu-K (left keyboard and band leader). Their cames came on screen with each intro. With the intro over, Hekiru went into her MC. "Mina-san, Kon... nichiwa!" Hekiru hesitated during her greeting, and apologized by saying that her concerts are almost always at night so she's so used to saying "Konbanwa!" First Hekiru welcomed everyone to Makuhari Messe. She talked about how this would be the 200th live, and that she was very grateful to the staff and fans who had supported her all the way from Shibuya Egg-man to this live now. Then she said she would sing some old songs. "The next song is one that I haven't sung in five years. It's my debut single. I think a lot of people here might not know it. Setsunai egao." Then Setsunai egao (single version) started. It was really refreshing to hear it. The crowd was clapping. The people behind me even said "Gan-bare!" to match the lyrics. I had forgotten about that. Then the next song started, and it was Race Queen! (I think closer to the traditional arrange than the SL 1999 Face to Face version.) "Ba-by!" Yeah! I love this song! Hekiru went to the back of the stage, and took off her red coat to reveal the light blue one piece dress under. "Hey! Hey!" went Hekiru and the crowd joined in. It was great, even though Hekiru's moves seemed a little slow. Hekiru's dance was the Face to Face version. ^^ Next came Get Back!, but I couldn't place the song at the beginning at all. "What's this song?" I thought hard, while my body just moved in time of it's own accord, then I finally got it, and whooped with joy again. Hekiru's dance was the SL '98 version. Fun! Get Back! flowed into MOON LIGHT, which was I think a more traditional arrange than the SL1999 FtF version (which I like the most). Then came Shoujo bakudan (that was a pleasant surprise!) with Hekiru doing a modified version of SL' 98 dance, and Kuusou Metro, the SL 2000 BESIDE YOU fast version! But she forgot the lyrics to the second verse! Hekiru did the SL '98 dance. Boy were the "L-O-V-E Lovely Hekiru!" calls loud for this! Even louder than Shoujo bakudan, which I guess isn't as familiar a song. I didn't do the calls (mostly because I didn't have a voice left), but I did do right-left-right punches in time. Good thing I didn't tag the guys in front! Then came the MC. "In five years a lot has happened. There are also songs that I have sung many times. I wonder how many times I have sung Kuusou Metro! But as you can see, I am prone to forgetting the lyrics to even the most familiar songs," she said with some embarrassment. "During Me wo samase, otoko nara, some people even did the 'kitaenacha' pose," she said. She added there were old nostalgic calls too. Hekiru said that she had not sung the single version of Setsunai egao in years, although she has sung the acoustic version on and off. "When I sing it again, I remember my debut days."She started speaking about the time, even before she began holding her own concert tours, when she had to wear a pink animal suit. "It was really heavy! I lifted my arm but it was so heavy. After that, I had newfound respect for the people working at Disneyland who have to dance in the suits!" Then she said she was glad that people had taken the trouble to come all the way here to celebrate this live with her. Around, people shouted, "I'm from Kagoshima!" "I'm from Okinawa!" "Wow, that's far," Hekiru said. Bah! I flew in from Malaysia! :P She started taking about how 5 years had passed, and how during that time so much had happened. "In five years, primary school students have become junior high students, junior high students have become high school students, high school students have become university students, and university students have become professionals. Some even have their own families now, working hard to take care of the people they hold dear." "But memories are real, and they will never fade. Please listen to this next song." And Todoketai omoi started. It was the normal Todoketai omoi, not the SL 2000 ~live to love~ version. After the song ended, Hekiru left the stage and the video roll started. It was a splice of Hekiru from 1995-2000, first bits of all her music videos, then of all her live tours that have been made to video, plus some footage of Akai hana from the CHANGE tour. (I wish they had a video of that tour). The video ended with close-ups of Hekiru singing into her video, the last one being the last part of Koi hate where she smiles a little before turning away. Then the intermission was over, and Hekiru came out. The intro to live to love started. But that wasn't why I stopped short. No, it was because I was greeted with a gorgeous sight - Hekiru in the coolest (and sexy, too!) stage outfit I've seen. Well, maybe not the coolest, but definitely it was one that I liked best at first glance. I've always been a sucker for that skirts over pants look... yeah... So for the next for songs - live to love, Everlast, BESIDE YOU, Akai hana - I spent my time watching the screen with great intensity in sheer bliss. You know, I hated that previous one piece blue dress, and the 2001 calendar was pretty nasty too... So I was even happier than I had any right to be, to see Hekiru finally wearing some that looked great, not something that look *ugh* cute or pretty. Then straight in the band launched into an instrumental, pretty cool, then I realized it was a modified long intro to invisible. WOW! God it was so cool, turning into that guitar riff that marks the beginning, turn the "OW!" as the song starts up. (My favourite part, and one of favourite songs.) I lost it then, although I did fight a pitched battle with myself - to headbang, or to watch Hekiru is said awesome outfit headbang? But I couldn't really help myself so I want all out with invisible. Boy was I glad that (a) I had an aisle seat, and (b) the people to the left and right of me were pretty conventional and didn't take up any space, ^^;; One thing that was really cool was how, in that part that builds up to the interlude, white smoke started pouring from the back of the stage and flowing forward. Then the guitars go off and Hekiru starts headbanging as the smoke envelops them. Awesome! After invisible came One, and I really got into that too! I was flying high, feeling on top of the world in sheer happiness! Ready to jump and run and shout right into the next song, yeah! Which unfortunately turned out to be... Dive into you!?!?! DOH! Just when I was all warmed up and getting into the swing of things, the song that I find absolutely boring comes on! (Sorry Hekiru, I know you wrote it and all, but this one just blows when it comes to working up the ol' tension.) So I kinda just sagged down, and drifted into the next song Dakishimete. Dakishimete came to an end, and the lights went out as everyone left the stage. "Encore! Encore!" began the call and this time it was pretty loud and the hall was actually saying it at the same time (usually when the hall is big, it's all one big jumble because you can't coordinate the calls as one). After a while, the lights came on again and the band came out. The call changed to "Hekiru! Hekiru!" and Hekiru came out! Now, I was cheering really hard, but all sound died when I saw her outfit. How can I say this... Hmm, I can't think of a worse outfit I'm seen her in. ^^;; The tight T-shirt was okay, I guess. Better than the BOOB shirt. But that skirt has to go! Imagine the skirt used into the Taisetsu na Page shoot and you have a good idea of what I was seeing... Oh man, it was pretty awful as a stage costume. So, after a bit I manage to recover. Hekiru said, "Let's go with the usual, shall we? Onna no ko, genki?" and the girls cheered. "Tonogata genki?" and the boys cheered. "Minna genki? Iku yo!" and Ganbare started as silver tape was fired into the arena! Twice! Then Kaze ga fuku oka followed, then for the last it was Taisetsu na Page. When it finally ended, all the band members gathered in front with Hekiru. She thanked everyone, then said, "I'd like to close with what we always do. Sei no... WANT YOU!!" and with that, the 200th Memorial Live came to a close. The closing theme of Graduater started playing over the speakers, and as Hekiru waved to the crowd, everyone started singing. Then Hekiru gave a last bow and left the stage, and we all filed out.
POST-REPORT Unfortunately though, my strongest feeling upon the end was one of discontentment. I wanted more, much more! These songs just weren't enough! I have never felt such a strong feeling before. I needed more songs, I wanted to see more of a concert, because the songs Hekiru sang just didn't quite hit the spot (aside from the opening songs, and invisible and One). I felt like I had been given a meal consisting of a large bowl of icecream and one mouthful of steak. There was too much service and not enough substance! I didn't realize it until I stepped outside the hall, but Hekiru had not sung many other classic songs that I really wanted to hear, such as Sora wo akiramenai and Kizuite! Of course, they couldn't make the concert too long, since they were performing 2 concerts in a 10 hour span of time, but I still wished I could have heard some of these other great songs. I love the other fluffy old songs too, but I guess all at once was a little too much. So it was perhaps an interesting concert to watch for the hugh dichotomy of the songs, but it wasn't a good concert in and of itself. Good thing there was one more coming up or I would have been severely distressed. One thing I realized though, thanks to this concert, was that old songs don't necessarily equal a more worked up crowd. In the old days, people would jump and shout as hard as they could, but it's a different time now. The people in front of me were more excited during BESIDE YOU than during the first half of the concert. I, myself, was not as hyped up as I thought I would be. Perhaps it sounds silly in hindsight, but when I was thinking that I wanted to hear the old songs, it wasn't that really wanted to hear them because they were old, but because I liked several songs that are old, and I wanted to hear those. So in the end, it wasn't as big a deal as I thought it would be. In fact, to my surprise I enjoyed invisible and One more. The old songs are fun, but they don't make a real concert. What I wanted was just songs that I liked, that was all. Although I did want to see T.R.Y!! and Kiss ga tarinai just once! BTW, when you line up the songs like that, you suddenly realize just how high the quality of Hekiru's songs have jumped. From the old idol pop songs, to the rock 'n' roll numbers and the fast and furious beat, you can see how much has changed. And you know what, finally I know for sure, it's a change for the better. Thank you, Hekiru.
|
|
Starting Legend 2000-2001 COUNT DOWN SPECIAL LIVE Shiina Hekiru at Makuhari Messe Event Hall 12/31/00
SONG LIST Total approximately 2 hours 30 minutes
Costumes: |
|
The Countdown Live was to be a concert beginning at 11pm, with a countdown to
the turn of the millenium. Can you think of a better way for a Hekiru fan to spend
the transition into the 21st century? "I am sure that the Countdown live will be the best, most memorable live of the year." - Shiina Hekiru
PRE-REPORT After dinner, I headed straight to Makuhari Messe, and went in at around 10:15. My seat was very near the one I had in the afternoon, but in the 3rd row and right next to the box seats for the guests. There was a wall separating the box seats and I have the bruises on my knee and hands to show that I got to know said wall rather intimately during the concert. The view was excellent, of course. The seat was very tight, but two of my friends in the same row went off to the 4th floor (all my other friends gathered in the 4th floor because there are few people, and they wanted the space to fool around) and so there were only 3 people using 5 seats. I got 2 seat spaces to myself so I was doing a-okay. BTW, the hall was, to my surprise, fuller than during the memorial live. All the 2nd and a good portion of the 3rd and 4th floor seats were taken. It was a nice feeling to see a full hall.
LIVE REPORT At this time, the band had entered, and Nobu-K started playing a piano solo. It was quite long, and I couldn't figure out what song it was. At first, I thought it was Anata no namae, but then the guitar came in and I realized it was Watashi no mirai. I was taken completely by surprised, but I was so incrediby happy. I had wanted to hear so song so much! Hekiru rose up from under the stage, and she was dressed in a silvery white suit, with her hair styled and looking very beautiful and mature. It was the complete opposite of the Memorial live, where she looked a bit idolish and cute. I was quite stunned at the contrast, the seriousness of the song, the gentle white lighting, and quiet strength of the woman on stage. Hekiru put mike to lips, and began to sing a beautiful rendition of Watashi no mirai. The crowd had started clapping in time at the beginning, but it quickly died out and everyone was listening raptly as the words and music flowed through the hall. Before I knew it, my eyes had misted over so I closed them and listened to Hekiru's voice, thinking all the time that, even with nothing else, this would be one of the best concerts I would attend. Like all good things, Watashi no mirai finally came to an end. I clapped as hard as I could, loving it with all my heart. And just when I thought I couldn't be happier, Sora wo akiramenai started! Oh my... oh my... And to think I wanted to hear this song so badly earlier this day. Hekiru raised her right arm, then her left arm, then both in an arc - SL '97 ~with a will~ version of the dance and my favourite (not to mention easiest to mimic!). And it was my favourite arrangement too, the SL '98 version with the hard guitar sound. Yes, I was in heaven as moved without thinking, following Hekiru on stage like I was in a dream. Sora was wonderful. Actually, it was really really fun. I danced, and noticed that Hekiru forgot to crouch during the first chorus. ^^ She wasn't in tip-top form for the ending, but then again neither was I. Of course, Hekiru could have just stood there and it wouldn't have spoiled it for me, I was just so happy to finally be able to hear Sora again after all these years. After Sora came live to love, BESIDE YOU and Akai hana. Hmm, no offense to Hekiru, but at the opening of live to love, I thought, "Well, the first two songs were great anyway." It's not that I hate these three songs, it's just that they don't really do that much for me. Then it was MC time. Hekiru said, "Mina-san, kon...banwa! Shiina Hekiru desu!" and welcomed everyone to her 201st live. "I'm really happy to have my first countdown live." She said that she would be singing one more oldie that she hadn't sung in five years. "2 senchi no setsunasa!" DOH! I almost fell down in utter surprise. That was completely unexpected! I don't really like the song so I didn't know the lyrics too well, but it was very refreshing to hear it. Hekiru sang beautifully, and I wished that they would release this live as a video because it was turning out to be much much more than I had thought it would be. (There were only hand-held cameras, no rails, so I knew it wasn't being filmed with intention to be a video release.) Next came Kaze ga fuku oka, and this was good too. Then Ganbare, where I spun around during the interlude, but Hekiru didn't. ^^;; I didn't even realize she didn't spin around until a friend told me later. (Of course, we'd still spin anyway, for the heck of it :) Then ROLLING STONE. I suddenly realized Hekiru didn't sing this song at the Memorial Live. When ROLLING STONE ended, the lights came on and screen showed the clock, spinning down from 12:57:30 or so. "2 and a hlaf minutes to go!" Hekiru said, and the crowd cheered!! Hekiru said, "Welcome to my first Countdown Live. When I first debuted, I never would have imagined being able to count down to the new millenium with so many people!" She went on rambling for a bit as the clock counted down further and further... "Everyone, say the name of the person you like when it turns!" And the crowd started chanting "Hekiru! Hekiru!" ^^
Counting down, counting down... 12:59:30... and Hekiru finally noticed and said, "Everyone,
let's count down together!" and the clocked change to: I can't describe how incredible that was, except that it really was incredible! The charged energy of the entire hall was so thick you could feel it rushing all the way through you and bursting to get out! Next came the old songs, Shoujo bakudan, Kuusou Metro, and Me wo samase, otoko nara with nary a pause. These were the same as the Memorial Live, but in Me wo samase, Hekiru replaced the phrase "seiki matsu" with "shin seiki" (end of the millenium -> new millenium)! Then came invisible! God, four hard songs in a row was leaving me feeling sore and out of breathe already, not to mention thirsty since there wasn't really any break during this live. Hekiru sipped some water before launching into invisible (again with lots of smoke. Lots of smoke...) then going into One! After One came Dive into you, and this time boy was I glad for the break! I took a breather at the intro, but thinking that the next song would be Dakishimete I went all out at the end of Dive into you. Which was a mistake because the intro to Go Wake Up!! started!!. My god, are they trying to kill us?! Is Hekiru going to collapse?! 8 songs in a row, and Go Wake for last to boot! If you've ever seen the videos, you know that Go Wake Up!! is a song that gets everyone going. If you've experienced Go Wake Up!! at a live, you know that it's the one that demands the most stamina, for that interlude is a real killer! Man, I tried, but halfway through my body just didn't cut it and I was resorting to jumping with my left hand punching the air while my right arm leveraged off the wall of the box seats, because my legs just didn't work anymore! Talk about sweet torture! (As of writing this report, I'm still paying for it... my whole body was aching yesterday.) I'm surprised Hekiru was still standing at the end, although you could see her sagging and gasping before standing straight up to wave, and the lights dimmed as everyone left the stage. So it was encore time, with me dying of oxygen starvation while dripping sweat on the floor, but still shouting "Encore! Encore!" Sometimes I scare myself. ^^;;; The encore was really long, however, and I began to worry if Hekiru really had collapsed in the change room. Finally, however, the lights came on and everyone came out. "Hekiru! Hekiru!" the crowd chanted as Hekiru came out last, running and waving. Ugh, that skirt again. Well, never mind, it wasn't as if I had any energy left to complain." "Everyone, are you alive?!" "Haaaaaiii!!" came the reply. "Okay, let's go. Onna no ko, genki?! Otoko no ko, genki?! Minna, genki!? Iku yo! For my next song, I'd like to sing my new single, Love Graduation!" And so the intro to Love Graduation started. At first it was indentical to the CD, so I thought, "Oh no, it's going to be a karaoke version," but when the song started up it was the band playing and it sounded good! And Hekiru sounded even better. She sounded just like she was singing in CD. Really really good. I didn't do anything, just stood there and listened to the whole song. After Love Graduation came Todoketai omoi, and then the concert ended with Dakishimete. Hekiru must have been tired but she was the most happiest and most excited (and estatic and high) that I've quite possibly ever seen her. She was grinning so wide and her voice was emotional that I thought she'd simultaneously combust on the spot. "Thank you for coming! I'm glad I could spend such a wonderful time with you. I'll do my best in my next tour starting in February, so until we meet again, let's do the usual!" And so we all did "Sei no, WANT YOU!!" as Graduater started playing again, and Hekiru waved and waved and waved, before finally bowing and exiting. I bowed too, and after finishing singing Graduater, congratulated the people around me before getting my stuff. Then I ran downstairs, lied my way into the arena by saying I forgot something, and picked up a red streamers as a souvenir of the live. What, you thought I'd leave without getting some? :)
POST-REPORT But this live showed us that Hekiru is still trying hard, doing her best. Hell, being her best! Heading into the New Millenium with a heck of a lot more spunk than we were going to, and we're the ones who are supposed to be supporting her. I remembered why I was a Hekiru fan, and why I would continue being a Hekiru fan. And for the first time in a long while, I can feel it again, that strange little lump of emotion inside when I want, more than anything else, to see the next Hekiru live. Yes, for concerts like this, I'd travel the world for Hekiru... So yes, the Countdown live was a most wonderful memorable live. Thank you, once again, for everything.
|