For a moment there I thought this was A^3. I am glad she kept the costumes as they are mostly refreshing!

she looks so pretty but the garbage-men jackets still have not grown on me since A^3 :laugh

and I oop-
https://d2v9y0dukr6mq2.cloudfront.ne...ail-full01.png

ok we got it yall

Well, just as I thought...

Sorry to off the topic, today, the Trouble tour CDL 2018-2019 is aired on WOWOW but I haven't seen any information on AHS, Jpopsuki, Facebook. Do you have any idea ???

^ It aired! Waiting for the file all the time.
There's this periscope recording of TV when it aired
https://www.pscp.tv/w/1mrxmvlmjnDKy?t=2m42s

Thank you. Jpopsuki uploaded.

Glad you like my technical explanation, hopefully it wasn't too all over the place. Again I have to stress I'm not an expert, but I am trying to explain as someone who has been studying vocal technique, with several different teachers for almost 8 years now and each one has had a different approach. The approach I am taking now is using the techniques I explained, and I have seen the most consistent progress and result with it. I face(d) some of the same challenges that Ayu has been facing, so I can kind of relate, though at at a less severe level, and my ears have mostly recovered from that temporary damage and now it's about re-training how to use my ears properly again to make relating to the pitches second nature which is more what I was getting at. The interesting thing is that when I was still complaining of not hearing things properly, the teacher said it shouldn't matter as long and you can still hear the pitches and match them, even if you have to focus more and really internalize how the resonances feel, but even then you have to use the music as the reference not your own internal listening. I think that's the best way for Ayu to approach it, based on my experience, because you're using your ear for the intake, not the output, if that makes any sense...and we know Ayu can still hear and match pitch, it's just not consistent, and there can be many factors.

Your take is certainly a valid one, and I can definitely see how you would get that from what I said. Basically, there are two parts to it: memorizing the melody, which as you correctly point out, would eliminate spontaneity (and I do love when Ayu does that, it certainly makes things more interesting and I would rather her do that and go off key than sound robotic, for sure, but it would be nice to have the best of both worlds). The reason why I stressed the memorization and pattern stuff is that Ayu and most singers do rehearsals in order to memorize and ingraine the songs in the way they want to sing them in the show, it can be different from the album version, but it still needs to be ingrained and memorized as a new pattern. The other part is listening to the music and hearing the "reference pitch" which is how you "sound good/on key" in a song. Ayu would not necessarily have to follow the exact melody that she was memorizing, she can harmonize or include something spontaneous, but she would really have to be listing to the music so she can choose a note that would fit in the context i.e. the key. Of course she can include some atonal or passing notes out of key, but it really needs to. be short and passing for it to work. It all depends on context and use if you're straying from key-specific notes. Even if you want to be spontaneous, you still need to relate everything to that reference. If you shoot out in the dark without really listening to the music, you end up with off key notes. Of course it's not always from lack of listening, bad technique, not hearing the music in the monitors enough and a tired overworked instrument can also cause the note to come out too sharp, too flat or straight up the wrong note. You need everything working together, the listening (whether memorizing the pattern AND listening to the live reference or just listening to the reference, but most people do rehearsals for a reason!), the breathing and a properly maintained voice for everything to sound great.

Has there been a video of don't look back because now I want to see the mirrors in the performance :love

Took the words right out of my mouth! (But put it better than I could!)

Guys, you should definitely get the WOWOW version of Trouble Countdown 2018-2019. It's super well done. WOWOW did an amazing job with camera work, mixing audio and it's finally of great video quality! I'm having a blast watching it now.

Just here to say how much I love the WatQ performance. :heart The new castle animations are quite nice and the stage with all the lights makes the performance look so great. I love the bridge where she is being lifted (+ the flags fit the theme), very regal and fitting, imo. TA16's performance was good for being in a Zepp venue but I really think this one is such a big upgrade with the stage, choreography etc. :love

Also, one can actually hear the crowd singing at times, e.g. XOXO or WatQ's first chorus (after she says "come on" during the wow wow part, one has to listen a bit closer, though, since ayu is singing).

I agree. If Wowow and Avex are already spending the money for them to melodyne/autotune her and to edit the video, why not put them to DVD if they're good enough quality to broadcast? They COuld definitely make money back from creating the packaging and they probably won't do much advertising (have they done much advertising since mid 2000's?) I would definitely buy Power of A^3, I really enjoyed it, even with her vocals not being that great. But it could be the packaging/promotion costs or licensing from Wowow maybe?

I'll wait for a smaller file because I'm not downloading 21GB lol

I don't think it's profitable enough for them to release it on DVD nowadays... And as all of this concerts seens to share the motif of celebrating her 20th anni, I wouldn't be surprised if they all get released together on a box set.

netflix show may be more profitable than releasing a DVD

Is someone out there, who downloaded the file from jps?
I would die to get this edited version from WOWOW, but sadly I don’t have a jps account :(

I wouldn't be surprised at a boxset either, and they could be planning that. It's possible that DVD isn't profitable enough these days, but honestly for the prices they charged for TA versions of TROUBLE, I think Avex did just fine (I could be wrong, but bulk factory pricing for producing the units seriously drives down per-piece production costs)

They might be releasing her DVDs for many reasons including:

1) It’s a part of their contact with her
2) avex might not be financing it

Selling 2k copies definitely doesn’t give you your money back.
Even though ayu’s team isn’t sharing their plans, maybe, just maybe they do intend to release them at some point, along with a potential new release or as a box set. ayu might also have a deal with WOWOW and that they might own exclusive rights for a while and in return they handle the production and the broadcasts?

I am still happy that we are getting the recordings.

does someone has a link to download it? would be really appreciated :yes

What makes me so confusing is starting from the DVD/BD version of Jtb Tour they edited her concert video to a more cinematic like aspect ratio (probably 21:9) but not 16:9 anymore, which bothers me so much that the video couldn't fill up the screen. Even though the live broadcast version of CDL18-19 was in 16:9, they end up with 21:9 for the WOWOW rebroadcast.

Ok this is weird:

How is the tour 2019-2020 then? o.O

^ Maybe they mean until the final day of this chapter of the tour? I suppose that after the last date in August she will have a little break then come up with another "chapter" to keep the tour going until 2020.

According to what they wrote for this tour's introduction, it's quite possible there will be serval “chapters” in this tour.
Furthermore, when will be the end, how many sequels are prepared, only “Hamasaki Ayumi” know it.
(Sorry for rough translation)

That's why I said she must be ditching In The Corner and Don't look back because she is going to change the whole setlist for next chapter. We will never see the performance of these two song just like we never have seen any songs from Jtb chapter 2.

Well, we did see two of three chapters so who knows if they will film this. However, knowing that the last three concerts of this 'chapter' are in a row, it will probably be yet another concert with a hoarse voice.

Yeah I was thinking she would resume touring in later September and finish the tour off in February. I was hoping they would actually announce it during the next couple of months.

And I don't want her to sack Don't look back!

Because Jtb tour is actually two tours (in terms of their definition), an arena tour and a hall tour. She only filmed the final show of both tours.

If she really wants her tour to last 2 years, the tour has to go until late 2020 since the first dates of the TROUBLE tour were in October 2018 :P So maybe the tour will have four of five chapters lol Who knows...

About the DVD releases matter, I am also disappointed that they have stopped releasing them, I'm really hoping they will release PoM 2018 DVD but come on, we are two months into her 21st anniversary year now, If they wanted to release a box set of her concerts celebrating her 20th anniversary I think they would have done it by now...

I think it was more of a span they were aiming for, rather than the the tour lasting for 2 years :D

does someone has a link to download it? :(

I would actually love Ayu to release a concert on Netflix and all PVs of a new album there or on YouTube. It seens sometimes that she herself would like to go all digital like everyone will be forced to sometime in the future, but Avex wants it old school

If they don't plan on DVD releases in the future (including stuff like TROUBLE + JTB, etc.) then netflix would definitely be a nice option. Hikki's tour will be on netflix, as well.

hey y'all I uploaded the WOWOW version of the CDL in the downloads section. cheers!

Avex is getting a bit better though. The vast majority of their artists are on streaming apps with their full discographies uploaded and available outside Japan. While sadly I can’t say the same for most of the other labels.

I am still hoping for things to finally be officially released too. I will be upset if they just stop releasing them.:no

An Ayu concert on Netflix would be great. I'm actually pretty excited to watch Hikki's one. It's also gonna be more accessible to the global audience which is always great.

My predictions were correct. Lmao

I really hope she can do TROUBLE TOUR ~ Secret ~ & TROUBLE TOUR ~GUILTY~
I love all the songs from Secret and GUILTY and I wish she could perform them all, especially It was and GUILTY

I still don't understand why criminal has never performed.

Is the dancer holding his fart and going to pass out soon?

Same! I was so ready to buy a JTB boxset of all 3 concerts but then they weren't released through CDJ or YesAsia and we've had nothing since. I'm planning on buying Cirque de Minuit and Made in Japan at some point but I'll run out of concerts eventually!

I got inspired by some witty comments in conversation xD
http://oi66.tinypic.com/2eamc5l.jpg

^ Bold move to roast us online.

I am trying way too hard now to opress some idiotic sexual joke. Your magic flute triggers me, tbh.

But I don't wanna be THAT member so eh... hopefully someone funnier will get back at you.

A snake can imply as a social climber....

So in the new TA post she said that the last 5 shows were all about listening to what the audience says and that things have finally calmed down so she can concentrate on upgrading and tweaking the show. It seems like there will be changes for the Osaka dates.

^How does she know what they say?

osaka 1st day setlist (credit: rongayu)

heaven + beloved, my top 2 fav ayu's ballad performed back to back!

Twitter/insta? Maybe people are also sending her messages from TA?

It's so ironic she said she wants to hear fans' feedback but turned off the comment function of her and instagram and quit twitter.

she comes here to look for feedback.
she goes to Facebook to look for feedback.
she searches hashtag related to her tour and find the feedback.

etc

^I really hope she did't do any of that and just read TA messages

^I agree, this forum can be very over the top at times. :laugh

Does she know about this forum?

^Well, I've read that Timmy posted here a few times or something back in 2011 (I think) so he probably told her about it, just an assumption tho.

There was this very proeminent mixer or something like that who worked on some track and found this forum while googling her.

Wasn’t it Bentley what’s his face? The one that covered Depend On You?

^ he also covered M ;)

David Reitas. He arranged most of Love songs.

I think she would know about AHS through the A World is One book she received.:think

I can't see the setlist when I click to show spoilers. Does anybody have an external link? Are there other major changes?

I do think she is just looking for praise instead of sincere comment and advice.
Remember how she make fans pissed at Sendai show of Jtb chapter 2 and then disabled comments on instagram.

^^same regarding setlist...beloved is nice though. The song has grown on me and I would probably enjoy seeing it live one day.

I think after that controversial post, it made sense to disband, as many celebs do on controversial posts. As to why she continued to keep comments closed, she probably gets that it will continue to be somewhat toxic.

I think ayu is willing to hear sincere comments (even though a lot of fan advice is not well thought out in any industry), but people on social media notoriously attack celebrities so that looking through the comments and tweets is pointless. Many of them block people who do these things or just don't read as much. Others clap back.

Unless she wants to feed into the fan/hater drama like some people do to garner that controversy attention, there isn't much of a point in looking into it.

Also if she really wants to find things on social media instead of TA messages, she can. But I don't know what she does in her free time.

You seek advice from your friends and peers within the same industry who have actual experience and not twitter.

She can still get the comments by checking hash tags...

Most of the fans advices are pretty bad to be honest. I wouldn't waste my time either

It strikes me as different time back when we made that book. I feel like there was far less animosity back then and people felt less entitled. Ayu was still on twitter and happy to chat to fans and it was a massive deal when she replied to you (she never replied to me). She wasn't on insta so there was no whinging about her disabling of comments.

Today's setlist was the same as yesterday

I wish this forum had a "like" button! ITA - so true!

Official Osaka setlist for those wondering.



Voyage added alongside HEAVEN and beloved as others mentioned.
Credit to https://ameblo.jp/zzz100siki/entry-12463919753.html

Ayu opens up her miss understood tour with a song about insincerity. THE SHADE.

Maybe by "These first 5 shows were all about paying close attention to what the audience was saying" doesn't mean that she was looking for feedback on social media but that she paid attention to how the audience reacted to the songs or the props during the shows.

Actually, it's David Reitzas and he mixed "do it again" and "progress", if i'm not mistaken.

^ Correct. He was the mix engineer on both do it again and progress. He also did virgin road, November and beloved. I think he was also credited as a recording engineer but I'm not sure to what extent he was involved in the recording...his old posts focused only on mixing.

when you search his name on google, this comes up
omg almost 10 years..

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_69z2mbV3dz...82-800x600.jpg

Some of my favorite songs from that period. The mixing of "do it again" is superb, it really shows the majesty of the arrangement.

wow is that from the Love songs era? her hair looks like the 'do she wore on the Sparkle video :yes

I agree. do it again is so majestic.

Aww cute pic of David Reitzas and Ayu!

Do It Again is great - I love the build up in that song!

Ayu looks so cute in that picture.:heart
Seeing 2009/2010 Ayu makes me feel nostalgia for that time.

she really doesn't look that different from now :P

"Bring it!!" is all I can say to this :-)

She's had a phenomenal career, and it ain't over yet. Touring is one thing, but not releasing *anything* for purchase for her 20th anniversary is a travesty.

I miss her 2010s era makeup style than the recent makeup style.
She does not look much different but the makeup/hairstyle have changed a lot.

I'm not really a fan of that 2010s look she had. That's when she started using blush a lot more and making her lips a more prominent feature of her face as well. It took away from the impact of her beautiful eyes. They are the star, and and when paired with the overdone cheeks and lips, everything just becomes a little harsh.

Well, it ain't easy to keep on looking/photographing great all the time. Especially when your looks are an huge part of your job and is constantly critisized.

2010-look was very unnatural in some way: the fish-lips in particular. Wasn't 2010 the time that Ayu also went to some kind of show, dressed in a pink summerdress with big hairdo with flowers, and fan-girled so hard when some guy in politics showed up in the same TV-show? Wasn't 2010 also the time some of us speculated she had a new nose after watching Don't Look Back PV? IIRC since 2010 we genuinely suspected artificial things about Ayu, whether it was about her behaviour (like acting over the top cutesy for example in the TV show) or her looks.

But it has been almost a decade ago. I miss the music, but I think that Ayu 'herself' really softened up now. I am not sure if we, her fans, grew along with her; but she certainly matured in a beautiful, genuine way. It is weird but somehow she changed a lot, without really changing... does that make sense? Uhh

^ I think the big hairdo and summer dress you are talking about was during the Sunrise/Sunset ~Love is All~ single promotion.

setlist for the tour looks fun - have a great time everyone going!

^ She looks amazing on that photo, angelic :)

She looks beautiful! :luv2

at first I thought she's wearing pants uner the dress

Getting 2012 countdown live vibes.

Love all her recent pictures from her tour, she does looks really good in all of them

Yeah, she looks realy great.

I know its a wig, but I love that hair! :luv2

She hasn’t worn wigs since 2013 if I remember well. Most likely just hair extensions.

She felt down after the medley last night. she even tease herself during bold and delicious session after that.

Was setlist the same?

Same like Osaka show

06.Sparkle〜Movin’ on without you〜rollin’〜You & Me
11.beloved

^Thanks for the info! did she felt too hard? :(