"Yuki Kajiura Live vol.#17 ～PARADE～" June 18 - Aug 12, 2022

@KONIcchi @Hayden K. @whoeverwantstoseethelive :

:plot:HERE

is strings playback and Konno just tagging along? well it definitely feels that way for time to sail. whatever. hmm it varies, parallel hearts violin is not playback. i'll write a review later.
 
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Well I just woke up to this.

Edit:
  • I appreciated the sudden switchup between the overture & "the main theme of Kimetsu no Yaiba". It was alright... I would've ended it after the intro, lol.
I can already tell I'm going to have the same old complaint - too much playback for a live show.
  • "the sea is never without a wave" didn't care much for it. It's a weird pick for a live IMHO, I find it a very static/even piece no matter the solos you add.
  • "viCe versa"
    tenor.gif
    loved Yuriko's backing but didn't care for the live arrange, too soft with piano, weird ass drumming & weak a. guitar... I guess it's cool that it's different but to me this was another "meh". I did like the slightly different ending. Edit: Relistening. I'm not sure about Joelle's delivery here either. To me the original felt very "free" and in this live it all feels more constricted and "dramatic" - but it may very well be the whole arrange at fault. Not having anything in place for cello's voice hurts the track, too. (And yes, I realize I keep complaining about playback - it's not even about including pre-recorded cello parts but having something to serve that voice's purpose. Choices. Maybe they thought this would work... Maybe they are still happy with how it turned out and it's just me who doesn't like it. Opinions.)
  • "time to sail!", eh, too much playback for a live. Edit: Relistening, this is so damn bland as a live. It's having the complete opposite effect on me than the original, lol.
  • "what she was here for" - unlike vice versa, I enjoyed it. I didn't mind the piano essentially overlapping harp's parts here (rather liked it even) or the e.guitar addition. I didn't even find the middle part flute grating, unlike in the CD version, lol. Joelle sounded great and Kaori complemented her nicely, too. The playback didn't bother me too much either for some reason, maybe because it was all very soft and not really in the forefront.
Overall, this 15 minute Fena segment was weird, probably should've been a thought out 6 minute medley instead.
  • "Sore wa Chiisana..." the beginning was great, fantastic even, but after all the strings kicked in, I was ready for it to be over - only Keiko and how into it she was kept me interested. Glad she has a leading song, even if it's a cover again. So ya, mixed feelings. I'll be shocked if it's not included on PARADE, lol, and I might get used to the strings by then so I'm looking forward to the album version. A little worried the album version might not have piano in the intro/verses though.
  • "fiction" absolutely great. I know many people don't care for the song itself but I do so all the thumbs up from me. Everyone sounds great across the board and the mix of it all doesn't sound flat. If I had to complain, I didn't like Joelle was put on the top of the stairs for the first half, lol. On the other hand I did really like that shot with Yuriko in the front and Joelle in the back.
  • "Hanamori no Oka" I like the original song but I don't remember it ever being my favorite during lives. Maybe if Kajiura rearranged the prominent plucked strings and cello for lives, it would work better for me. Plus strings etc. But it's fine...
If Yuriko doesn't have a leading song next after the other 3 got one... lol...
welp... denied.
  • "lotus" if there's one thing I'll say it's that the atmosphere was definitely here. good job lighting crew - I wish it was this atmospheric during say "vice versa". But going back to lotus, it was pretty good - all the vocals were on point, the band sounded great with the playbacked synths. I would've cut the strings solo out completely as it serves no purpose. They seem to have removed the chant sample from the end which is I guess better late than never, lol.
  • "inverse operation" the intro piano was actually pretty neat, even if it covered up the clock. This is again a weird choice for a live considering the strings but I appreciate them covering it up with new vocals - it's an attempt at least.
It's been a while since I've seen other lives but did Hanae ever get an actual MC to herself?
  • "le chasseur" at first I was like "you're really going to play the same thing as the playbacked harpsichord?" but then I actually ended up really liking how the piano and keyboard harpsichord sounded together, lol. I liked Hanae's intro and the main part's guitar solo but the rest is a "meh" IMHO. Bloody strings. The band doesn't sound aggressive enough to me (whether that's a volume or performance issue, I don't know) and Hanae's singing sounded disjointed from the rest with how soft & how much in the forefront it was. I guess in the album version she was more processed or multiplied, I don't know - it just didn't seem as disjointed on the OST.
  • "Mezame" I'll be honest, I skipped through it, lol. Hanae's voice doesn't sound disjointed from the rest like in le chasseur - maybe they haven't fully figured out Vanitas' tracks for lives just yet.
  • "Mou Kimi wo Mitakunai" Did I hate this performance? No. Is it something I'll be listening to once it's out? Probably not.
  • "Hachigatsu no OREGAN" Did I hate this performance? Pretty much, yes. Is it something I'll be listening to once it's out? Probably not.
I've no idea what was going on in the MC but Yuriko not being "a lady" compared to others is always great.
  • "elemental" was pretty good. Did we get it with Obawo before? Yuriko going a little wild with her vocals, lol.
  • "zodiacal sign" skipped through it. seemed fine.
  • "Parallel Hearts" surefine. I think the band sounds more boring than the singers.
  • "swordland" zzzzzzz and playback
  • "luminous sword" zzzzzzzz and playback
    if nobody's having fun maybe it's not worth performing live, eh?
  • "sprinter" Did I like this performance? Not really, lol, sry. The beginning was possibly the best Hikaru has sounded with Kajiura in a long while, pity she was just screaming by the end. It was alright but random af - they should've done most of the encore with Hikaru not just this one song. Besides that, strings etc.
  • "sweet song", I was pretty bored at this point so I only skipped through it. Surprised it was Kaori but good for her. Strings.

In general, I thought it was pretty decent. Better than vol#16 as a whole, even if I liked some of the songs in vol#16 more. Production values also seem much better on this one. Fena segment was a disappointment but I kind of expected it from the track choices. The two brand new songs are also uninteresting - justice for "fairy game".
 
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Kajiura Laivu 17 Review.

- the main theme of Kimetsu no Yaiba : like the overture. i still think Keiko's part should have been done with a more nasal voice (see chiaki lol). i cringe at Keiko's meeeiaaaa sorry. her solos at the end are very good tho.
- the sea is never without a wave : prefer this over the original, yuriko's highs are heard clearly, really nice.
- vice versa (it's spelled correctly lol) : i like the light switching between yuriko and kaori :)
- time to sail! : This is NOT swordland with flute plz. it's very different. it's like saying both tracks are epic. i like the vocals tho it's a weird track for a Kajiura live. same goes for swordland too lol.
- what she was here for : i like the piano and the guitar parts. tho drums can't replace the double bass feel Kajiura!
- Sore wa Chiisana Hikari no You na : ooooh it's so good. Keiko is excellent, Kaori+Keiko work so well together. i don't mind the playback when the vocals are this good. YURIKO at the end rocks.
- fiction : i really like the guitar. Joelle + Yuriko + Kaori works. I was just a silent girl...
- Hanamori no Oka : excellent as always. how the vocals blend, so pleasant to listen to.
- lotus : great as always. percussion + guitar + drums is so good.
- inverse operation : new Hanae parts are lovely. strings being playback is such a shame but whatever. Joelle's tiny solo is so soothing and clear to an otherwise epic/chaotic track. Plz to translate Hanae's MC.
- le chasseur - mezame : awesome as always. like the transition between the two songs it's like two phases of a boss fight lol.
- Mou Kimi wo Mitakunai: not interested.
- Hachigatsu no ORGAN: see above. the new vocal are screeching (annoyingly nasal) at times. fictionjunction chorus is nice toward the end doesn't quite save the song.
You can't bullshit Yuriko lol.
- elemental : this song is just so fun. the occasional high HEY is so fun. the vocals and percussion/drum/guitar are joy to listen to.
- zodiacal sign: see above. variations of flute + percussion are appreciated. Kaori smiling to camera and then slapping Keiko's leg is priceless.
- parallel hearts: I have to say people saying this song without Wakana feels weird, yes. but only because she sang it first lol, not necessarily better. still great song.
- plz stop doing swordland in Kajiura lives. even the vocals' faces look miserable when singing. not fun at all. it belongs to the orchestra. luminous sword ok.
- sprinter: the teaser had melted my heart, yes it did again. so cute seeing Hikaru again. tho i found her sound was a bit loud.
- sweet song: sweet as always.

Yuriko doing samurai moves at the end ? ? ? so cute.

can someone translate the MCs? they are really having fun :) it's so nice to listen to even though i understand nothing.
 
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My review for this live:

LOVE IT!

It always fun to read everyone else review for each songs and performance 😁. As for me, i don't know how to put it into word 😆. Either hate like neutral and love lol
 
lol that Joelle being drowned was probably my speaker being shitty. about the live, i don't understand Kajiura's tendency in her recent lives to put in as much uninteresting songs as possible in her lives lol
> it's not as sleep inducing as live vol.16 (the better overall production and stage lighting might have to do with this).
> best song performed is probably fiction, completely adored Joelle there. the Feena songs were odd choice to be performed live but she sounded great, even though the performance wasn't noteworthy at all.
> Everyone was enjoying themselves way more than in live vol. 16, but Keiko in particular was really feeling Sore wa Chiisa na Hikari no you na. I really liked the variety of tones she used here, really made the song felt way more alive despite the standard strings arrangement. Her trying to emulate Chiaki's nasal voice in KnY theme was pretty much near a total failure though, at some parts she sounded like she was gonna choke. when she sang the way she usually sang on the last minute she sounded phenomenal. Kinda sad that i still have to settle with the bootleg live vol.15 audio for KnY main theme.
> Kaori was probably very off key when she belted out "karenai no umi KARAAAA" in Hanamori no Oka because at that point she didn't even sound like herself due to the pitch correcting. I'm kinda torn with her performance in elemental because she was feeling the song but she sounded messy with many pushed notes.
> Hanae sounded magnificent as always even though i wouldn't say i like the songs selection. lotus with live percussion sounded great.
> when they mixed the sound, they definitely realized that Yuriko didn't get any noteworthy solo so for once she got her volume up in zodiacal sign. I know she had always sung the melody but i think in previous lives she wasn't this audible. idk if this is might speaker being shitty or i remembering things wrong, but she was also quite loud in sweet song's Kajiurago sections.
> rito sounded very amateur/untrained, the song sounded like old Kajiura songs that she pulled from her old stash somewhere when she did her spring cleaning. Keiko looked at her like she was watching her niece or a little kid, it was somewhat heartwarming to look at.
> Hachigatsu no Organ was kinda okay, I think. I don't hate it but I thought I would like the song more but somehow, I don't. it also felt really long.
unpopular opinion but Lino Leia was nowhere near as nasal as Wakana on her worst era. Wakana's i and e at her worst (2011-2012) was totally unlistenable and hurt my ears and some other people's, Lino Leia's was still listenable.
> Hikaru sounded okay at the beginning of sprinter but as the song progressed, she became somehow worse. By the last stanza she was basically shouting lmao. Despite that i liked that she got to sing naite sakende kieteyuku bokura wa here as that part somehow was given to Wakana on Kalafina lives.

Tldr: a better watching experience than live vol. 16. best songs performed: Hanaes - fiction - Sore wa Chiisana Hikari no you na.
 
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Hoseki said:
- Sore wa Chiisana Hikari no You na: NOW, CAN WE TAKE A MOMENT TO APPRECIATE THAT ENDING FROM YURIKO KAIDA, IT WAS SUBLIME.
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Yeah, my favorite part from this tour. Got me hooked at every single live.
Not only Yuriko though, but also Hitoshi. Such a great Kajiura moment overall.
 
grunty said:
Personally I didn't get that impression at all outside of the boring choir parts. Thought all the singers were pulling through and shining when it was their time.
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Yeah I should've worded that better. Everyone was pretty into the songs they're singing and they looked like they're enjoying themselves way more than live vol.16, but Keiko in Sore wa Chiisana stood out to me because of how much she was into that song. Also because I'm biased but that's not new 😜
 
My unfinished Review (before reading anything else in here except grunty's last post before mine)

Kimetsu theme - Sea without wave: I have to agree that the chorus parts are overall kinda fail and also that the solo's are really well done. But the good thing is that the kajiurago are easier to listen to so maybe we should revise the lyrics ? (i know i still dont have them up lol, i ll catch up, i promise)
vise versa: Turn off that the operatic style turned into a ballad pop song.
Sore was chiisana: Really well done and i like the new arrangement and the added kajiurago.
fiction! why did they take so long to perform that one ? Joelle rocks it!
Hanamori no Oka: I havent heard this song for long time. I think its kinda toned down compared to the CD ver which is bad because it makes it less dramatic. Guitar, why they didnt use in "sora wa chiisana too"?
I welcome Hanae's new hairstyle, she's a bit like Utada Hikaru now :3
lotus: Its as good as i remember it, but with less shouting from the other girls, which is good i think.Konno is again trying to pretend he is a strings quartet, we all know its playback, dude :3
(if he was pokemon it would be the "double team" move lol) I really enjoy the live percussions btw.
amazing "inverse operation" too!
le chasseur: It was nice but mostly enjoyed the guitar solo :)
Mezame: Same old lol. Finally Joelle doesnt that line, before the bridge, that Wakana always messed up, properly .
RITO looks really cute and a good girl :) rita(rdando)'s friend ? XD
Mou kimi no koto mitaku nai: I never heard of the title before. If i have to compare her voice to someone else, i think she is closer to Hikaru ?
The song is nice, but nothing special. I like the violin, n the e-guitar.
LEIA: I stand by the opinion that she sounds like Wakana on the refrain at 01:19:00 lol, She looks pretty too btw ^^ The song is pretty usual as a song too...
I skip the other same old songs and go to sprinter. Will review those later.
That hairstyle makes Hikaru at least 5 years older =_= song's so good as always <3
finally "Kalafina" is no longer a taboo word!!
 
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Pretty obsessed with KEIKO’s Sore wa…
All the day on my mind. That instrumental, the lead vocal, the kajiurago, Yuriko at the end… A complete transformation of the original song. Worthy of Everlasting Songs era.
Officially most anticipated song of PARADE album.
 
-Main theme of Kimetsu: Finarry, a performance with good quality! THOUGH I will admit, I think Keiko sounded better in vol 15. I felt like she made it more her own in that live, while here she tried to sound more like Chiaki’s style. The choir part was on point, bretty good.
-The sea is never without a wave: the choir sounds better than I was expecting, and the solos were good, but I don’t think this song is good for lives. Fight to the finish would’ve been more fitting. Also, looping it twice just to extend it was just NO.
-mc1: Did Kajiura just say Joelle has the voice of a goddess? Cause if she did, oh lawd.
-Vice versa: Joelle’s seamless transition between registers is oof. Would like a bit more audible guitar since it’s supposed to be folk-ish. Other than that, purrfect for me.
-Time to sail: Once again, I think they sound good as a choir, but playback brass, violin with multi-effect, and playback for the rest of the strings takes away from the performance. Also, I THINK A place called Eden would’ve been better for a live performance since it’s kinda Heigen-ish.
-What she was here for: lit flawless. For a moment I thought it was Kaori singing upper harmony when she started singing, but it was Joelle hue. I was like “Kaori sounds lovely”.
-Sore wa chiisana hikari etc: I miss the drumming from the original, but other than that I prefer this one. Keiko sounds really, really, REALLY good. I liked how she sang different parts of the song with different singing styles. The Kajiurago felt kinda extra, though I liked the ending.
-Fiction: finarry, a performance in good quality! And muh Joelle was a kween once again. The only thing I don’t like is Yuriko in the bridge. I think Keiko would sound better.
-Hanamori no oka: Kaori sounds fine till the refrain, where she either sounds wobbly, strained, or throaty in the high notes. I prefer older performances.
-Lotus: the percussion sounds cool. No complaints here, Hanae sounds perfect.
-Inverse operation: I like the new piano intro, though I’d prefer if the clock sounds were more audible. The new variation of the intro Kajiurago is bretty cool. Muh Joelle sounds good harmonizing with Hanae. I was expecting Keiko and Kaori to sing the male part after Hanae’s solo line, but it ended up being Joelle. Nice surprise~
-MC3?: Hanae is cute! First time hearing her speak.
-Le chasseur: This is a track where just solo violin, no strings, would’ve fitted better than multi violin. Also, Hanae is singing too softly in the middle. Other than that, pretty kewl.
-Mezame: nothing new to add hue. Still a great performance with Hanae.
-Mou kimo wo mitakunai: This song feels very See-Saw-ish. I can totally hear Chiaki singing it. I like Rito’s voice. It reminds me of early Kalafina Hikaru, just without any nasality. I like how mellow the song sounds. The song is nothing amazing, just good I’d say.
-Hachigatsu no ORGAN: Now this one sounds more modern Kajiura. I’s Kalafina-ish, though the structure isn’t typical with that long intro. Lino Leia’s voice is odd. It reminds me of Rikki, so I wonder if it’s some Japanese singing style? I don’t think her voice fits this kind of music, hue. Also, the FJ harmonies make the song sound pretty busy at times, like there’s too much happening at the same time. I really like the ending of the song. The whole song is all srs business, but the ending has this hopeful tone.
-Elemental: Eh, this song again. Kaori sounds too uncontrolled. Like the doesn’t give a fuark if it sounds good.
-Zodiacal sign: always fun, but we really need a new hype song. At least there’s no more Stone Cold.
-Parallel hearts: Joelle did a good job, and her voice makes the song sound brighter and more positive. My only complaint is the lack of energy from the girls. The vocals are there, just needs more movement hue.
-Swordland: Mmm not very exciting, and no brass or strings.
-Luminous sword: It’s nice, but I think it’s overperformed.
-Sprinter: Hikaru looks excited to be there, and she’s so energetic in the performance. Sucks that there’s no Kaori to take Maya’s part, but I guess Kajiura wanted Keiko to have more parts to stand out since it’s kinda like a mini reunion. Joelle sounds good in Wakana’s parts and her “I’m calling your name”, specialy the last one. Yuriko is lovely singing her parts. Hikaru was pretty emotional in that last part of the song. It makes me wonder if there was something going on.
Sucks that Hikaru’s voice is in bad condition. It’s honestly the best rendition of Sprinter, but it still could’ve been better *cough*withKaoritakingMaya’splace*cough*
-Sweet song: Sounds better now with percussion. Older performances sounded like a rock band version or something hue. Oh wait, the drums are still there reeeeeeeeeeee. Anyways, I still don’t think Kaori’s singing style fits the song. It clashes pretty bad.

OVERALL, this is definitely an improvement over Vol 16. I enjoyed it a lot more. Muh Joelle was kween. Keiko sounded great. Hanae was kween too. Kaori unfortunately continues to mess up good songs. Yuriko was good, but shame she had no solos (unless we count the choir tracks as her songs since she’s the lead voice hue). Rito sounds good and has potential. Lino Leia needs songs that fit her voice. Poor Hikaru’s voice will probably never recover, but at least she’s great at emoting and performing.
 
Azokad said:
Pretty obsessed with KEIKO’s Sore wa…
All the day on my mind. That instrumental, the lead vocal, the kajiurago, Yuriko at the end… A complete transformation of the original song. Worthy of Everlasting Songs era.
Officially most anticipated song of PARADE album.
Click to expand...
I agree thate its very good now but after the live ver there isnt much more to anticipate they ll make the same one for the CD.
 
It's supposed to be in the album as in the MC before the song, she said that the album will include new songs and (some) self-cover(s).
Unless it's a lie just like the being said album was supposed to be released in 2022.

The question is... will the mix be the same? I'm afraid to hear it all muffled with unhearable drums or even strings instead of violin.
Well I don't even want to try knowing if the recordings here are any similar to the true live experience ^^
 
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