Since I'm traveling, I don't have much time to spend on the report, so it will be so extense. I'm working on a portuguese full report because a lot of friends of mine asked me to do it, I can share it with you guys when I'm finished. I'm not so good in english to do the same thing in English, so for now I'll give you my fast report of the live. I would just like to remember that I'm no 'pro listener' or a real critic of music or anything, everything I do is express my opinion~
Let's do it!
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NHK Osaka Hall is an amazing place. The location is good and it's huge! The event was really well done, we were kindly receptioned by the staff and they lead us to the place where we can buy goods and CDs. I bought a T-Shirt, a cup (came with a bottle of a ginger thing) and Kaori's new single. Later, when the concert finished, I bought everlasting songs so that I could earn a poster. Worth it, now I have two FJ albums <3
The stage was amazing! It was really really beautiful and everything was so well done! The illumination was the best! There were those panels in the stage that showed a lot of things, depending on the song. Sky, colors, etc. I got a good place to sit: second floor, middle, front. I could see everything, I was so happy!
Well, the show started. Lights off and all the artists entered the stage...
01. elemental
Such a cool song to start the concert! Great choice! I loved it from the CD and the live version is even better! Kaori did a great job leading the song, she was really strong there. The harmonies were well executed as well, but here was a problem with Keiko's mic on the first lines, but it was fixed fast. The illumination in this song was superb! Loved the performance.
02. storytelling
Gentle song, so sweet and happy, I liked it. But it was a little out of place (?). I mean, I didn't like the way it was played just after elemental, just like in the album. Duuno why exactly, but it was not a memorable performance, even if it was really similar to the recorded version. Kaori did good and the english part by the other girls was really enjoyable!
03. forest
New intro with the flute, I liked it more. The live performance of this song was really amazing, Wakana sounded so perfect I can't even describe it. The way whe sung made me smile and was really touching. For me, this is the song in which she sung better, she was able to 'shine' more and show all her talent. The harmonies were so gentle too, loved them. Akagi Rie did a good job too.
04. liminality
Such an energy! Wakana was great in her high notes, she sounded really good. The harmonies were what really caught my attention here, though. And the low part was so so so so awesome!
05. in the land of twilight under the moon
I was so happy to watch it live! I love this song so much! It was a very solid and powerful performance as well, I wish I could get up and dance hahahaha Kaori was really amazing here.
06. Hanamori no Oka
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. I know this song was performed tons of time, but it was my first time watching it live and... how can I not love it? Akagi Rie played the flute in this song as well, making it even better.
07. Mirai Fukuin M23
It was so good to listen to a instrumental track. This song was new to me, so I don't have a lot of things to say about it. Each instrument had a time to shine in this song and it sounded awesome in the end. The problem is that it sounded a little boring near the end, at least that's how I felt.
08. Hitorigoto
Keiko started singing upstairs, but then she approached the other girls in the middle of the song. I have always wanted to watch this song live and I loved it. It has such a elegant tone! Both Kaori and Keiko were great leading the song.
09. Storm
Just Wakana and Keiko on stage. It started really great, but it got a little boring. I mean, the live performance gave me the sensation that never really happened, even if the vocals and instrumental were great. I think it was not a good idea to put it after hitorigoto, because both songs are too calm. My mom, who was with me, almost slept during the song haha But I enjoyed it, even if it's not unusual to listen to the Wakana-Keiko duo.
10. eternal blue
Hmm it was pretty much the same thing of the recorded version we have, but with improved vocals. Kaori wasn't too nasal this time and Wakana had more energy, I enjoyed it. But the song looked a little out of place and well... I would change it for any other song, even liking it. I think eternal blue isn't that 'catchy' after all.
11. Historia: opening theme
Short track, but a really great performance. It was a good way to 'warm up' since the stage was really 'cold' and monotone (actually, Kajiura did a great job making people laugh during the MC, entertaining them). It was so fast that I didn't have time to really have an opinion about it, but it was certainly a solid performance.
12. Credens Justitian
This is when the atmosphere started to get 'hot'. I mean, the energy of this song make me smile and really enjoy the performance. There were no differences from the vol #9 version, except that listening to it live makes it 10x better.
13. Luminous Sword
Seriously, I had eargarms all over this song. That instrumental! That instrumental! That instrumental! This performance was really breathtaking. The vocals were so powerful! I can't tell how much I loved this live version, I really hope there's a DVD of this tour just for this song. It' worth! You guys MUST watch it someday, I almost cried of epicness. Oh yeah, there was that epic violin solo, omg. All four of them sung the song and they all did a perfect job. This makes me think that Remi version should have been awesome as well.
14. Toki no Mukou
Guys, this performance was really really amazing. I think luminous sword did an awesome job making me excited that I could enjoy Toki no Mukou even more. It was so much better than the vol #9 version! The vocals were so well executed and the girls were really enjoying the song, I could tell just by looking at their faces. Everybody from the first floor went up and started to shake their hands, it was so fantastic! When the song ended, I was smiling and speechless.
15. Nohara
During the MC, Kajiura did a LONG talk about this song. She talked about her inspiration, about Europe and about a lot of things I didn't understand. I was nervous because I was really looking forward to listening to that song. When she finally finished her talk and announced the song, I almost cried of happiness. When Keiko started singing, my body shaked. It was amazing! Her performance of Nohara was really beautiful and touching, it was really relaxing. I loved the instrumental too, so gentle and soft. Harmonies amazingly well done. Kaori was great in ther lines as well, her interaction with Keiko was fantastic.
16. Gaika
Amazing! Wakana was a great lead vocalist for this song, but the instrumental overpowered her in some parts, I think she was starting to get tired. In this performance I really enjoyed the Wakana/Kaori duo througout the song, the harmonies by Kaori were so well done I could listen to it forever! Her solo line was really elegant (?). Keiko had an awesome control of her low notes and Yuriko was insane in the high notes, that woman really knows how to do harmonie.
17. Kimi ga Ita Monogatari
I really wish a record of this performance, because I wasn't really familiar to the song and don't remember everything about it. The song started with Kaori shouting and it was really impressive and surprising. Then the song started in a cool way. Wakana did the first verse and first refrain with Keiko doing harms. Kaori leaded the second verse with harmonies by Yuriko and then the instrumental came. The rest of the song was mainly Wakana with just some lines by Kaori (who was responsible to sing that intro line througout the song a lot of times). Yuriko was really amazing doing harmonies all over the song. A really solid performance and a memorable version of the song (better than the original for me). This is worth a DVD too!
18. Stone Cold
After a powerful performance.. another powerful performance! When it started playing, everybody seemed excited. It's like this was the main song of the whole concert, because the atmosphere was so intense! I couldn't believe it, but this is really better than the CD or DVD version! Seriously, they have improved a lot singing this song! It was perfect, I can't love it more. Kaori was so powerful and solid singing her notes! Wakana was really good too, even tired. Kajiura singing was really sweet and Keiko was dancing all around. Yuriko really had her time to shine in this performance. Her harmonies were superb, after all. Breathtaking!
19. zodiacal sign
And when you thought the powerful performances were over... Surprise! Oh my god, the combination of these three songs was insane! It was the best version of the song I watched so far, maybe because I was there and the atmosphere made me really really really excited. I almost cried of epicness again.
20. Parallel Hearts
Nostalgic and energic song. I was so satisfied with the previous songs that I enjoyed it even more. I knew there was still the encore, but I watched it as if it was the final song, making it even better! Really enjoyed it.
21. the image theme of xenosaga II
I have always wanted to watch the live version of this song and well... It was better than I expected, since I have heart comments of it being messy with the vocals all over the place. Well, it didn't happened in the Osaka performance hahaha The intro by Kaori, Keiko and Yuriko gave me chills, so low and charming. Than the powerful part started and all I wanted to do was dance. Wakana was really great, but the one who really got my attention here was Kaori! She was specially powerful in this song!
22. salva nos
Yuriko, why are you so awesome? Usual performance of this song, but live it sounds even more awesome! I had mixed feelings, because even though I was enjoying it, I knew the concert was ending..
23. sweet song
A perfect ending song for the concert, in my opinion. So gentle, relaxing and touching. Akagi's flute made it even more fabulous (before the song starts, Kajiura forgot to call Rie in the stage, then she had to apologize and start it over hahahahaha). It was beautiful, but sad... Because the concert ended :(
Well, that's it!
Akagi Rie has played in another song, but I don't remember which exactly. The theme of the MC's talk was about 'what do you feel when you have to 'climb' a great hill/slope?' because Osaka means 'great hill' or something like that. My mom don't remeber it very well, but it looks like Yuriko likes do 'climb a hill' with her friends and Kaori is too lazy to do it hahahaha Kajiura is really funny and cool, she really know how to talk.
I enjoyed the concert. Okay, I loved it!
My favorite performances were elemental, luminous sword, Toki no Mukou, Kimi ga Ita Monogatari stone cold, zodiacal sign and the image of xenosaga theme, but nohara, Hanamori no Oka and forest were really touching as well. All girls were amazing, but I enjoyed Kaori more. Okay, I'm biased towards her, but she was incredibly good (better than in ther pop songs performances) and sung most of the songs, so she had more time to 'shine'.
Well,that's it. Hope you enjoyed my report!