Yeah, because obviously he chose himself how would he look, and Ayu had no idea until he got into stage. Actually, every member of her troupe chose their own outfits, hair and make-up everytime they get on stage, it's a surprise things work out so well most of the time. :rolleyes


Timmy haters, grow up. He receives orders, he follows them.

You're over-reacting. I don't think Anthony hates Timmy >_> I really doubt they pick his haircut considering that he has to live with that thing when the performances end as well, but ultimately it doesn't matter who's doing it.. Whoever is responsible for Timmy's costumes and makeup has to tone it all down cuz he's pretty much looking like a son Lady GaGa had after a bad hangover with a clown...It's not a pretty sight nor is it amusing. So yeah it might not be his fault, but it still imo looks horrible :)

He's drag queen, what do you expecting? lol

Yeap, they pick his haircut, and they pick everyone's haircut... It's not like the whole Ayu troup felt in love with specific haircuts overnight at the same time. They all changed hair every time, and since 2007 they all use the same hairstyles all the time.

Having a specific look, including hair styling and color, is everyday part of being a performer.

^ they get to pick their own haircuts.
A hairstyle and a hair cut is two different things. They can cut it one way and then style it another way.
As for cloths and what not, most of the stuff is picked out for them, but at the end, Im pretty sure they can pick what shirt they want and what not... thatsw why they are all different.
As for Timmy... Im pretty sure he gets to "help" with his styles because they are jsut so weird and horrible... no professional would go out and look like htat... but of course, I could be wrong... look at gaga... :O

I have a feeling that Timmy did his own makeup. Most of the dancers have to do their own backstage, after all. It's just odd that after having PECO/Princess for so long and they're normally toned down (black or white outfits with a few accents or maybe a bit of color but never more than Ayu) there's Timmy with all this makeup, neon hair, and a crazy colored outfit.

I get that Ayu may have wanted this but judging from previous backup singers and their 'looks' while on stage with Ayu, I kind of doubt that she was 100% responsible.

I see nothing strange in having a drag queen as a performer during your gayest era...

Also, I don't even hate Timmy! I just wish he wasn't so "LOOOOOOK I'M TIMMYYYYYYY" compared to previous backup Ayu has had. Even PECO was incredibly mild compared to his presence.

Comparisons with previous backup singers:
http://i.imgur.com/gZCBI.png

Even when he kinda looks like PECO it's too much.


He's her backup singer and shouldn't compete with her visually. I mean don't Miccie, Yumi, and Princess do just fine in their normal attire? Why does Timmy have to be this overly made up version of himself all the time?

IIRC, he was plain and okay during POWER of MUSIC but then after that....

Omg just when I thought nothing could destroy BRILLANTE, Timmy starts a-nation with his god awful vocals compared to his actually ok voice on the recorded track. Wtf Ayu...

Otherwise I really like the arrangement!

Timmy is just WAY TO MUCH.
He needs to turn it down to the lowest level possible, because even then he would still be too much, but bearable.

Eheh, I find this funny.
At any rate, having a drag queen on stage with you isn't that big of a deal. He's a part of the show, a part of the performance after all.

I dont think its that fact that he is a drag queen. Its that fact that he isw trying to be MORE then what he is supposed to be.
A backup singer.

As for the performance, I have just listened to the first song, BRILLANTE.
It was pretty cool... I could hear where ayumi was trying to hard sadly. Besides that her vocals are pretty good.
But they changed the song a lot... what are the backup singers singing?

EDIT:
Listened to Evolution and Hanabi... both were truly AMAZING!
The transition from BRILLANTE to evolution was great and the power in Hanabi and the different mix of it was just epic... I felt it more... it was amazing.

When i saw Timmy i think he looks like

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/598...fc7967acfo.jpg

Gayest meaning what, exactly?

I absolutely LOVE Timmy's (it's him, right?) singing before BRILLANTE :luv2

LOL!!!

the shirt looks cute on her but eww uggs

What's so amazing about the setlist?

Sure it's good but nothing worse than the last few years' a-nation setlists.

I'm guessing that's why she swapped HANABI into the encore for AT12 on the last Fukuoka date instead of Greatful days. I just hope her voice sounded as good at a-nation because she nailed, NAILED, it at Fukuoka.

I was actually starting to grow fond of Timmy, but damn whatever he's wearing needs to be burned. Fast.


Oh, and TrueHappiness, talking about MICCIE, he's not in his "normal attire" for AT12.

They've done him up like Timmy... he's got a bit of a clown/emo outfit going on, and he has the shape of a star drawn all around one eye, and his hair's died a few different colours (I think) and it's all spikey and sleaked back...

When I first saw him at Shizuoka I was like O_O omg what have they done to him. He was so nice and innocent at CDL.

Gosh, she was screaming all the time... the only good perf. was HANABI.

Edit: oh, and theme of a-nation '03. I forgot to mention this one, lol.

this is going to be the best live, I think♥

Love her nails reminds me to Ayu-mi-x IV

ohh Shuya, you're hilarious

Whaaa~ my legs hurts really bad today. But a-nation yesterday was very good. Too bad it was sooo hot. Probably the worst days in Tokyo this summer so far. It was mad. So during Big Bang I got this nice migraine I could have done without but oh well, I took some medicine that thankfully kicked in during the half part of Ayus performance.

I was super duper happy to see Every Little Thing that is simply one of the most amazing duos on stage, how they can rock a whole stadium is simply amazing. But everyone cheered on them and got alot of energy. ABC was adorable, very funny during his mini-MC and man he rocked it. Big Bang was amazing but NOT good for my migraine since the fangirls screamed... Alot... Actually, during one point of their performance it was like the noise actually took over my thoughts of thinking "it hurts" and instead all I could think of was "man it's loud".That litte model show of m-flo's was simply riddiculous. I took a chance to sit down and rest my legs for a minute there instead.

Ayu, ayu ayu. Now, I was in the stadium. On the flor. A bit more closer to the stage than the middle part is and to the far left. So when her vehicle passed by I was only about 2 meters in front of her. But from where I sat and with all the stadiums noice e.t.c. she sounded spledid. So that's nice to know that for us in the audience the sound sounded more than great. Also during some points I heard japanese people around me say "Wow, amazing" being very impressed by her voice today. She have took singing lessons, that I can tell. This was my 11th time seeing her live so, I kind of have alot to compare with. Acoording to how it sounds when you're actually in the arena, this was one of her best performances I've been to, voice-wice.

BRILLANTE and HANABI II I could have done without, but the other songs was purly heaven. HANABI and Theme of a-nation 03 was amazing and I loved every bit of them! She looked happy, energetic and I really enjoyed all her costumes. Oi voi, the whole day passed so fast and now I have to get ready for school. Toodles y'all~

omg thank you for the review,really cant wait to watch it now, and happy that a-nation 03 theme sounded good like before! *___*

9-18hrs for the torrent to finish :( I wish the torrent had parts so I could just get ayus part

I agree. When I went to her recent concerts in Fukuoka, her vocals were very impressive, but I couldn't belive my ears during this A-nation, definately not her day :-( Even when AVEX corrects her vocals for TV/DVD, it won't sound good. Love the setlist though, Ayu surprised me with it :-)

What a setlist. Hanabi episode 2 has me excited.

I know! all i want is Ayumi... both at least it is freeleech for me!! :D

Yes Me too :D:D

A Tour based on an album where 3 of 4 pvs are gay related...

Its a bit crude to refer to them as gay related

So on an album with 14 songs and only 1 of them is gay related makes this her gayest era? LOL.

Just because it has a gay actor/singer with her does not make it a gay song or PV (or "related"). The only song on there that is/could be gay related is HBYR.
The other songs are about her, and ayumi is far from gay.

hope there's 1 perform Ayu with BIG BANG *giggled

^ that would be pretty cool.

Did Ayumi perform last this year?

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20...000003-dal-ent

from Yahoo Japan,54 000 people enjoyed Ayu's performance,

edit: grabbed the full TS file of a-nation, just wanna feel watching the whole concert,but still too long to finish,2days left >.<

does anybody have the complete list of performances from the file on jpopsuki?

3 of 4 pvs... this means 75% of her video production from this era is gay related.

If we consider Timmy appears on the booklet, 4/5 of her visual production from this album, 80%, is gay related.

Also, Timmy was "drag queening" in 3 of her 3 official concerts.

So, this is a very gay era.

You're wrong, of course.
Only 1 video is gay related, and at that it is more then just about a "gay" thing. Its about accepting who you are.
Her other videos just has a known gay actor/singer, Timmy. That does not make it gay related.
Yet again, with pictures, just because Timmy is gay does not mean its gay related.

AND YET AGAIN, just because Timmy is gay and in drag, (which by the way has nothing to do with being gay), and he is part of the concert does not make it a GAY concert.

:yes I totally agree.

-Gay boy Timmy is portraying a gay boy on both pvs... Oops!^^
-HBYA is about accepting different kinds of lifestyle... Still, she called a famous gay porn star to be on it, and it still have 2 gay couples on it.
-You are right about the booklet, you need to know his character on the era to know he is gay.
-Drag queens are part of the lgbt subculture, even if they are accepted outside it. It's not for no reason they tend to perform on gay clubs and Pride events.

I never said this era is all gay, and the gay lifestyle is not the main focus of this era. But this IS her gayest era, the first one where she sings a song that openly talks about it live (happening here), the one where her drag backup vocalist is a main character together with her oh half of the pvs and receives the most spotlight of her band during concerts (where he is at drag). Denying a lot of stuff from this era is openly aesthetically inspired on the LGBT subculture is just plain stupid . But I understand u don't get it...

a-nation news report! omg Ayu looks choooooooooo kawai in that Yukata and first time seeing she pull her hair at the back like that

What your saying is wrong of course.
Just because someone is gay does not mean everything they do is gay.
That's what it comes down too. You are saying because Timmy is gay and he is working with Ayumi, that means everything she is doing is making this a gay era.
That's rather rude and a little intolerable and kinda insulting to all gay people.

And just because "Drag queens are part of the lgbt subculture even if they are accepted outside it. " doesnt mean anything. Being a drag queen has nothing to do with being gay. So saying that Timmy dressed in drag makes ayu's concert's gay is irreverent.

She looks so gorgeous! :luv2

Once more, with feeling:

It's not about Timmy, the person, being gay. It's about Timmy portraying a gay character on all the videos he appeared for PQ. It's not about drag queen performers being gay or straight, is about drag queen performances being part of the gay subculture, even when the performer is straight.

I can't be intolerant to gay people, as this would really hurt my chances of getting a boyfriend. ;)

^ there is of course no reason for you to be insulting, but I can understand you are because, well its you and because you have nothing better to back up intolerant statements.

everything you just said is what is intolerable.
It wouldnt matter if Timmy played in the PV or they took Brad Pitt to star as a gay character in the PV.
By saying what you said and the reason that you gave is what makes you intolerable.

And frankly, I can only assume the reason why you are still single is because your attitude sucks, not because your intolerable (most people can over look that ;) )

The reason I'm still single is not the matter of this thread... But right now I would say it's just because the boy I'm dating is not my boyfriend, yet. As a gay man, I can't hate on gay men, that would be stupid.

I could repeat my arguments... But as I said before (and took off, cuz I notice I was too rude), you are a little too slow, and tend to not get the obvious most of the time. A lot of aspects of this era is aesthetically based on the gay subculture, I won't enter in detail anymore, you could just google it. =)

I don't think you're understanding each other lol

I'm just going to say, that I think it's pretty obvious this this era of ayu's career has the most gay themes.

It IS relevant, the way Timmy is dressed in these PVs, that he's even there to begin with, and his strong presence on stage. It just is. Especially in a country like Japan.

It's not intolerant to say a gay man dressed in drag, is gay and is promoting things associated with gays. It's just the truth. Whether he's doing it indirectly, or directly.


Yeah, sure, it shouldn't mean anything. But this is the world we live in, and idk about you guys, but this era of ayu's music/videos whatever had pretty clear messages about being who you are, and idk, I believe being gay was a big representation of that.



ANYWAYS...I kinda like her outfits...I know I'm probably in the tiniest minority when I say that...I wish she'd get rid of the damn kimono and giant bow pairings...it was cute at first...but meh. I want a cuter, more fun design.

yet again you are rube and intolerable.
I of course could repeat myself just as much as you, but whats the point?

I somewhat agree with emi and she was able to say what Andrenekoi I can only assume is trying to say, but is too rude and intolerable to voice correctly.

But just because it has gay themes and she is trying to send out a positive message doesnt make the subject gay. I understand what Timmy is trying to do, but it doesn't make the subject gay.
Being gay is NOT what you are, but apart of WHO you are.
The way Andrenekoi voiced his opinion was rude and I was pointing that out.

Just to make myself clear... When I say this is her "gayest" era, I'm not putting it on a negative (neither positive) way, it's just a comentary about her aesthetical choices... On the same way Guilty was (IMO) her darkest era or Love songs her girlest era.

plz kick Timmy away from the stage plz Orz

I would agree with gay era, but I mean she is starting to be a Gay Icon (Make song to sports them, I mean really support them not just the song that support people and used in a gay parade and make a songs/videos that related to them) I think it's start from Sparkle ----> Sexy little things ----> Lady Dynamite ----> BRILLANTE ----> How Beautiful You Are.

But then again it's just my opinion.

I adore this setlist really

I don't mind Timmy being gay or dressing like drag queen but I mind that he looked awesome in BRILLANTE PV and AT11 performance (even he's CDL outfit was still OK, though I didn't like his hair and make up) while this is just pure parody.

Combination of colours look bad imo, his hair and make up are too distracting and out of place, he's a background vocal, it's not his solo performace, he could have dressed unique without being so ripped out of the whole picture :V

I don't mind his vocal experiments though, once they may fail but there's always a chance something unique (in a good way) may come out of it, I like that he implements his (I guess it's his) ideas into the BRILLANTE performance.

Totally agree with you!!

I don't like the outfit for Timmy. He looks as a bad man in a futuristic world. With that pratical cloak he looks as a neo-vampire. However, I think that BRILLANTE performance follow the pv where he plays a kind of adviser. Ayu is a princess that obtained the throne too early. So, she's relying on the malicious advisor who want to the power. For that story it's only my view.
With only the pics, you can understand that Ayu wanted to make a sf atmosphere for this performance as in the pv.
I can't understand people who say that he does more than his role. He only sang with Ayu during the BRILLANTE performance which it's totally normal as they do the same thing that we can see in the pv. After, he went back to the chorus line & wore a white outfit as the others.

I think people don't talk about THIS performance!
In fact it's pretty much logic that he sangs with Ayu on this song and his outfit is ok because as you said he and Ayu follow the PV and present the same atmosphere!

It's for the rest of the show. Tim is a back singer. Nothing more.

So ayu's part is up on JPS. Only 1 year 6 months left to download. Lovely.

I really like her red dress for Brillante.... but Timmy's purple clothes don't fit's good to it, I think. That's too much... to colourful, I think.
And the her boots don't really fits to the short's. As someone said.. summer-Style with winter-boots... no... that't not good. But I like the rest of here outfits.

I listened/watched the new TV rip and she sounded really horrible. Theme of a-nation 03 seemed like the best of all. both HANABIs just made my ears bleed like hell. BRILLANTE was too too bad. she was screaming all the time. I don't get such 'live performances', it seems :(

That setlist = :heart

What a interesting way to start a concert with BRILLANTE imo. But I like the idea haha. I also think that this years outfits are better than last year's because there was so many moments when I thought of Kuu while watching her. This year's outfits just say it's Ayu and Ayu only. :)

Yet I'm very sad that Kuu didn't perform. Oh well, next year then~

so Ayu's part is up now,well i can stop downloading the whole show i guess,i cant anymore for her part xD

This is why its much better to wait for the DVD. Her vocals get tweaked and improved. I made the mistake of watching the TV broadcast of CDL09-10 and her vocals for that show were horrible, truly horrible (imho). I didn't want to buy the DVD, but I did anyway out of respect for Ayu, and seriously, it was like a completely different concert.

I know some people want to hear the "raw, naked" voice of Ayu singing live, but I prefer the improved and re-mastered vocals on her DVDs. I'll watch the two performances that are up in the downloads section, but for the rest of the show I'll wait to buy the DVD.

More pics, from ayu's twitter =)

:eh: I find her vocal in Hanabi really great ! much better than what she has done in 2008 for exemple ! Hanabi Ep II she was not perfect but she was far of be horrible :/ what did you expect for a song she has not sing since 10 years ? but I guess everyone has his own opinion of what is good or not lol

I adored HANABI too, while HANABI II...was ok. I was really shocked to see people dislike her vocals there, it really sounded like a-nation 05 to me in parts.

All together it was def one of her most visually pleasing a-nation performances. The costumes, dance sequences, and fan servicing set list were the highlights for me. I just wish that Ayu would lay off of having all those backup singers. Even though I'm not a big fan of Timmy, just having him and Princess would be great. Four backup singers is way too much. I felt that the whole performance was a screaming match between all of them. But still, great job Ayu <3

From that a-nation news clip...she didnt sound particularly gd..but..the other performances were kinda weird too...
i would love to watch the full thing :D

Thanks a lot for sharing. I love the second pic with Yoshio.

I've watched the summer medley and evolution and she sounds horrible... I was very excited with the great setlist but now I'm afraid of watching the rest of the concert >_<

during the BRILLANTE part, the 3 vocal in the background (except for Princess) totally ruined the song with "Waa iye" what is this?:shakehead

ahhh okay... das erklärt einiges, ich hab damals 100%ig die DVD version gesehen haha :D


english:
ahhh okay... that's the point... i saw 100% the DVD version ^^

in love with this!! gotta buy the dvd!!

I just got around to watching it.

english gospel evolution - rearranged BRILLANTE - normal evolution was an EPIC, EPIC opening. HANABI episode II was a bit meh because the new instrumental part sounded too happy. theme of a-nation '03 was glorious. July 1st was really good, too, as was You & Me. Didn't really care for the summer song medley much. And HANABI had good vocals but wasn't my favorite at all.

ayu should stop wearing those hideous UGG boots.... zzz

timmy's wear and makeup look suck......

I havent watched it yet, but I listen to the tracks... they are pretty amazing.
Too bad you can hear where ayumi is trying too hard...
it might be diffnerent if you can watch and listen...

The wow wow or whatever part at the end of HANABI is making me go deaf.

I agree! And I don't care how Timmy looks, evolution inside BRILLANTE was great idea

Am I the only one that thinks Evolution and BRILLANTE together are a mess!??

I love those 2 song, but together??? no, please! :irked

I loved the transition from BRILLANTE to evolution.
Hope she keeps it for the CDL and then i get to go!

I also thought the transition was a failure. I mean it's not really their fault, the idea in itself is not good IMO. Those songs are too different.

As regards the vocals, in the end I'm releived she can still sing songs like HANABI or theme of a-nation'03 even if there is still room for a lot of improvement. But whenever she has to sing fast-energetic songs she is easily losing control and begins to shout.

I want to hear other unexpected songs collaboration =) would be great for 15th anniversary concert

I also think so.
I really think, Evolution in Gospel sung by Timmy is not good. It sounds horrable for me.. sorry.
The two songs alone are good songs... but not together.:shakehead

Such a fantastic setlist~!
I love her outfits as well! Really liking that neon print top >.< Really wish I could get hold of one!

is it just me or did Ayu change her hair color....AGAIN? It's no more light blond, it looks like light brown blond :tired

also WTF with Timmy? He's looking like a parrot drag princess??? :irked he needs to tone himself down a little, he's so off from the rest.

i love Ayu's vocals!

I find it weird that Timmy feels the need to try SO hard?
WHY????
I know you either hate him or love him. I for one love the new stuff that he is bringing to ayumi... BUT, his styles... are just... awful.
thats the only bad thing I will say.

I think that too. It was a pleasant surprise. ^^

I do like Timmy's income into her music, i thought his vocals were quite pleasant and in place... but he's way off visually i can't help it, he's distracting ><

call me a timmy hater if you want but ever since he came into the picture I have been unhappy with a lot of her pv's and timmy's compositions for her. Not to mention, his over the top hair and makeup. So pardon me for strongly disliking this man.

But anyways, everybody looks so sweaty lol

looks great!!!

that wont happen.
Timmy is part of Ayumi's crew so its natural for people to talk about him.

Everything sounds better once you actually listen/take a loot at the HD recording. Not flawless, but pretty good.

I believe that she has a good combo of show and sound...
I think we as people have come to listen to computers SO much that when we hear a raw voice it tends to sound horrible.

That a-nation was AWESOME no less!

She had some vocal troubles during BRILLANTE and a bit at HANABI ~episode II~ but besides that she was great! I adored evolution inside of BRILLANTE by Timmy singing the english translation part and the back up singers singing the last line of HANABI ~episode II~ after the song itself endes, it was amazing! I always love Sunrise's live version and ayu looked really cute in that kimono. I also liked the beat they put into BRILLANTE and ayu had so much energy but she never lacks it and You & Me's arrangement sounds so good live! Great great a-nation!

PS

HANABI of a-nation 2012 was as good if not better than a-nation's 2005! ayu must have been doing it on purpose to show she still can hahaha. theme of a-nation '03 was vocally good as well, she was probably happy she could sing it on a-nation, finally lol.

I wish I could of gone!!
Im in tears right now!

It's just that her raw/live voice was beyond what I expected. She sounded amazing in Yokohama. I guess everyone has good and bad days :)

I agree with Tal that HANABI was perhaps even better than 2005 one.

The only thing that really bothers me is that the back vocals are over used. I've never imagined I'd say this, but I actually miss the days Peco was there. I don't hate Timmy, but I really wish he'd just compose music for her. He has a nice voice, but I don't think Ayu needs male back vocals...nor any female singer for that matter. Now before andrenekoi jumps on my back I am aware that it's Ayu's call, but it doesn't matter who put him there, at least not to me. I find the other guy way more appealing, yet I still think she should only have one female back vocal or even better get rid of them all and use a proper back-track with her own vocals that actually make her sound better :)

Watched Brillante so far and thought her vocals were good - better than at POM anyway, though I could have done without those additional vocal bits from the backing singers. Didn't feel it fitted the song.

Just started on Evolution - is it mean or are the drums a bit irritating?

mi|kshake~

^^ Im pretty sure when you do as much live singing as she dose, her voice will be off here and there.

Like I said, I loved it this time around... but you can really hear in the first song where she is trying WAY too hard and almost shouting and not singing... I knew the effect she was going for, but it just didnt work for the performance...
It might of had something to do with her ear piece and they had to adjust the sound or something, because her vocals did get better as the song went along.

No videos on youtube?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHlFa7vzyUY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0CkcJwB3dE

The chorus of brilliante is quite difficult though ! Overall it's better than in Power of Music ^^

After watch the live in HD hanabi ep 2 was quite good even in 2003 she never sang this song perfectly ! So i'm satisfied =)

Damn, she NAILED HANABI after the intro.

And woah uh... I watched a bit of the medley and well... did Timmy change into a dress with a bodice/skirt? (I think he's wearing one of PECO's old outfits... seriously.)