Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - View Single Post - ARENA TOUR 2012 A ~HOTEL Love songs~ information thread [III]
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Old 26th July 2012, 03:26 PM
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Location: Bandung, Indonesia
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So here is my journey to watch this year Ayu concert at Nagoya (Nippon Gaishi Hall) ~ 1st July 2012 ~
(Sorry for my bad English, hope you still can understand my story)

I arrived at Nippon Gaishi Hall around 3.10 PM, the weather is bad, rainy with big wind...

From the station, it tooks about 7 minutes walking to the venue. From the moment i saw the building, my heart already pounding so fast. Finally, my dream comes true, watching Ayu concert live in Japan.



The doors already open, but i want to buy merchandise first and then walking around the venue, and feels the situation surrounding by Ayu fans.

I just bought Umbrella, Big Towel and Uchiwa. I want to buy the photobook, but it's expensive, so i skip it. After that there is a lot of tour staff screaming, telling us to get inside. I feel so excited that finally i will know where is my seat, is it on the back, at the front? where?
I walked to entrance gate, i showed my ticket, the staff said something in Japanese, i immediately said "eigo? can you speak English?", as soon as i said that, she feels so nervous and confuse. She can't speak English, she used her hands, making lot of gesture, i finally get it, i take wrong entrance, this one is for Stand area, my ticket is for Arena area, so she said for me to take kaidan (stair) go down and enter from there. LOL...many thanks to her, she tried so hard.

I just realise that i can get downstairs, and wow..there is so many people there and there is another merchandise stand, a lot of Ayu-fans do cosplaying as well, so i decide to stay for a while before going into the building, i feel so happy see a lot of dedicated Ayu-fans. Sometimes it feel so lonely becoming Ayu-fans, rarely find someone that has the same interest, so when i see a lot of Ayu-fans, i want to take some time and feel their presence around me and it feels amazing, i'm not alone, there are so many peoples feels the same way like me. Here is some photos that i took...


you see the queue on the bottom part of the left photo, the queue is just to take photo in the front of that superayu poster...crazy!!! they really love to queue for everything


KAWAII...KAKOII..SUGOII!!!!


When i depart from Indonesia (25th June) There is no news yet about she will release summer best compilation, so it's a big suprise for me to see it...and i really love that promo poster, i want to take it with me...LOL

After a while, it's already 15.40 so i decide to get into the buliding...so excited!
This time i get into the right entrance, but there is security staff asked me question, but i don't understand what he said, looks like he want to see what inside my bag, we both got question mark on our face, he said "camera...camera", i said "yes, i bring camera" after that he said something in Japanese, but i don't understand and he let me go...LOL...

After that there is a board showing where we seat, and there is some staff that can help you out, but i figure it out by myself, i already got really excited...wow...i seat very close to the circle stage...i keep checking again and again, and i feel confidence that i figure it out. I walking through the board and there is two or three ladies offering a lightstick, i thought that thing is not official, but IT IS official..i think it's official, i regret to not buying it, until now i still regret it. The price is 1000YEN for one stick. Stupid me for didn't buy it.

I entered the concert room, and WOW...i already feel so excited, because i really don't have any idea of what the tours will gonna looks like, i decided for not checking the thread about it here in AHS, i see the stage, and i recognize it as CDL 2011-2012 stage, but it doesn't bother me...the purple light make it looks so majestic and luxurious....After that i focused myself to find my seat...finally i found it, and WOWWWWWW...i'm really in the middle of the room, really center and so close to the circle stage, i really can't believe that i can be this lucky. I bought TA tickets, which is lottery ticket, you won't know your seat until week before concert, but i ended up got a very amazing seat...how lucky is that?



I'm aware that i quiet tall for Asian (190cm), so i feel bad for whoever sit behind me, but luckily, there is no more line behind my seat, behind my seat is sound system operator and everything that operate the machine, i saw kobayashi Shingo seat there...wow...cool...i saw him...

seat beside me still empty, so i can sit freely, my body is quiet big compare to the space they give for one person, the chair they give is so little. But just after a while, it's already occupied by japanese girls. In one row, it's just me who is a guy. LOL...i feel like a king with a lot of japanese girls around me. While waiting i tried to take photograph of the stage (naughty me) but it's so hard...the security is so tight and everywhere. While waiting there is video on side screen, explaining about different area in the hotel like Lobby, room, lounge, garden with naration by Timmy (his low voice...)

After a while, the room get black out and the fan and stick show the pink light. So beautiful!

01.Happening Here

I forget how the concert begin, but i think they show video, i don't really remember the video but after that the curtain rising and Ayu come from above just like CDL2011-2012 singing Happening Here. I don't really like the song, but the song is amazing for the concert, really pumping up the audience energy! Love the outfit...



The Concert divided into separate theme representing part of the hotel, before each theme, there always video, staring by Timmy with his extravagant costume, opening the door, doing unnecesary movement and then get into the door...LOL

Theme : Room
They show a video, inside room hotel, many things they did inside the room, like making out between boss and secretary, couple fall in love, jealousy, and ended with Maro (or Shu-ya? i forget) and Ayu angry with each other. I really love the video on this concert...

02.reminds me
There is moving half circle stage inside the main stage, pretty cool...the dancer acted as continuation of the video...i think there is triangle love story, i need to watch the dvd to really understand the story.
Ayu appear and sings reminds me...Her voice sounded very similar to the studio version, but she definitely sings live throughout the concert...
She messed up the last "lalala" part...she sings it faster than the part she need to sings it...

03.Tell me why
Another performance about the love story in that performance, but more into Ayu and Maro (or Shu-ya)...Japanese really into the performance i think...



Video - Ayu sleeping (looks pretty like a Goddess), Maro beside her, he wake up and goes into another room, Ayu awake and crying (i think...i don't really remember it well)

04.appears
a big suprise when i hear the intro...WOW APPEARS!!! I think Japanese really love her classic songs, i feel a lot of suprise and happy to hear she sings appears. Similar to MOON performance but more intense...love the song with her current voice...deeper and just amazing...



Theme : Staff room
Ayu with her female dancer peeking from windows to watch dorama on TV, Ayu wearing glasses, and acted crying while watching the tv and it made me melting...she is soooooooooooooooooooooo cute....i hear "kawaiiiiiiiiiii" all over the place...she did looks SUPER KAWAII wearing glasses, and then Subaru as their manager (i think) came and ask them to continue their works. After Gomi gone, looks like Ayu made Subaru as his replacement to played the role as flamboyant man. But Ayu become a rebel worker, and she start to throw things to suba-sama, and other workers following her, so the situation become messy, and then she reveal her kitty cat maid costume....GOOOOODDDDDDDDDD she is so pretty and kawaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.....Background song : a cup of tea

05.Shake It♥
The best costume in the concert...i just can't describe how cute she looks...i just love it so much. Subaru really try his best to copy Gomi flamboyant style...not as good as Gomi, but he did a good job. Audience together on "one, two, three, four" part....Ayu voice is so sexy..

06.STEP you
Another suprising song...i feel a lot of Cheers for the song...very fun, definitely very popular Ayu song...audience sing it together...the coreography become a little weird though, because there are just Ayu and her female dancer...but still so much fun! Ayu voice sounded a little different from the way she used to sing this song, i love this version, and she handle the song near perfection. Just love her voice so much.



Theme : Bar
There is video, but i can't really remember what happened in the video...i think there are some fight scene...don't know, i don't really remember...

07.NaNaNa
Timmy come to the center...i feel a little annoyed by his part on the studio version, but see it live...i don't think it's that bad...Love the rap part...she definitely sings that part Live...i think she dance a little in this song...need confirmation for this...

08.Sparkle
I just have feeling that this song come after NaNaNa...and love the song...different with CDL, Ayu really hear our opinions, she keep moving while singing to this song...so much fun with No No No part and she did again crazy movement towards the end...i believe she sings the verse part live. Love it...Love it...



Theme : Grand Ballroom
I forget if there is video or not, but i remember to open this segment, Maro did a very cool tap dance...

09.the next LOVE
Definitely very different song from Ayu...i feel that Japanese not really feel the song, they still swinging their fan and light stick, but not really show any excitement towards the song. Ayu voice sounds really good though...

10.Eyes, Smoke, Magic
I don't really like the song, so much thing going on in this song, kinda like circus...it's fun, but Ayu fans definitely not used to this kind of song. Broadway style! But Ayu looks so sexy with her outfit. The audience still give big applause for the performance!



Theme : Garden

11.Return Road
Ayu dancer appearing with mask and black cape...very creepy, Another act between Ayu and her male dancer (maybe Shu-ya this time)...unrequited love. Ayu appearing in black wedding gown and LED light on the top part. Showing blue light, but it change to orange i think towards the end and back to blue. VERY COOL!!! definitely HIGHLIGHT performance for this year concert.

I think tissue dancer appearing after Return Road, i'm not sure...

Theme : i forget the theme for this part...

12.Ladies Night
Similar to CDL 11-12, she sings the rap part live...audience love the song and sing along...extravagant performance with a lot of things going on the stage...

13.Party queen
the LOVE decoration get into the stage, this time she sit on the top of O font. so audience can see her. I cried in this song...why? already mentioned here in this thread before on the last part of the chorus she stop the song, and made the song become ballad and change the words to "I'm the lonely queen...I'm the lonely queen" she really sings it from her heart, and i can feel her emotion, not faking it...i feel so touched...she chocked up a little bit, and i can feel that the audience feel the same way as me...and suddenly the song back to upbeat version

14.SURREAL~evolution~SURREAL
LOVE LOVE LOVE this part, i know maybe you feel so tired with this part, but if you come and see her live, you definitely want to experience this part, singing together, throwing punch on evolution and everything is just so much fun

15.Love song
They acted like the main part of the concert already ended, they acted confuse, we keep on shouting for Ayu to sings more, and then she acted like giving a bonus for us, and sings Love song. (i think this part is really unnecessary). Really happy to hear Love song live....her voice is so powerful!



ENCORE
Just like what we watch on DVD, while waiting maybe just take about 5-8 minutes, audience keep shouting "ayu...(clap)... ayu...(clap)... ayu...(clap)..."

and then the encore part open by Dance show time...i record this part by using my handphone (very naughty me...LOL), they use medley of Ayu remix song (I want this remix!). The quality of the video is not really good, but you can feel the energy of the audience, and see little part of the stage...WARNING the quality is not good...but if you watch it, you definitely won't see Japanese who stand still, they clapping, dancing, shouting and enjoy it a lot. So i feel weird for people said Japanese is so silent, i don't see it at the concert that i attend, they are pretty energic for me.



After the dance session ended Ayu came out and talk, not much talk...she mentioned about July 1st and then she decided to sing it which is got a very huge positive response from the audience...


she wear the same costume, but her hair is long blond, little wavy i think...

16.July 1st
Love the song, love the movement, love her current voice...

somebody mention that she sings Greatful days after July 1st, but no...she didn't sing Greatful days...

17.Boys&Girls
Sings together, love the movement in the end part...everything is just so much fun...

18.how beautiful you are
My tears start to flowing in this song...i see the girls beside me cried too...Ayu said that this is the last Nagoya concert for this year (in my heart i said...you, Japanese are so lucky to have her here in Japan, she will come back next year, for me...i don't know when i can see her again). Very beautiful...she sings really well...papers pyro explode after bridge right before last chorus...i regret that i'm too busy collecting the paper for me and Indonesian Ayu fans, so i missed the last part of the chorus.
So i keep my eyes on Ayu after that...following her every movement, bowing here and there, shouting arigatou and stuff.
Beautiful...just beautiful...

OVERALL :
1. I already watched her twice asia tour 2008 and this year concert, i enjoyed both of them on the same level, but maybe because i got better seat this year, i even can say that i enjoyed this concert more than the 2008 one.
2. She sings live in all songs...her voice is really good for me. Even better than 2008, more powerful and constant.
3. Many people said that Japanese hate Timmy, but i don't feel that vibe in the concert that i watch, when timmy move to the front or in the circle stage, i see a lot of people waving to him and cheering him. Even i can hear some japanese girl called his name...i don't really distracted by his presence as well, i think Timmy aware with a lot of bad opinion towards him. He become really in the center, i think just in NaNaNa...
4. The japanese is full of energy, they keep on moving, waving, dancing, singing, shouting, etc...check the video for the prove
5. I disagree with the opinion said that the show is half Ayu and half dancer, i don't feel it that way, Ayu charisma is too strong for being overshadow by something else...the concert is still all about Ayu.
6. The demographic of the audience was very diverse, from kid to oldies...but i think there is more female than male attending, maybe about 60/40.

After the concert...

I asked the girls beside me to take my picture, but like usual immediately after me saying english words, they become so nervous, they asked me in Japanese where i come from, i said Indonesia, and their eyes become so big, like not believe that i came this far to watch her concert. They tried to took my picture twice but none of them working, they shaking really hard so the picture is not good.

I took stage picture before i left (we can't took any picture even after the concert ended...which is very crazy and strict rules for me).

Stage picture (you can see the board, it's said that we still can't take any pictures...XD), way out full of Ayu Fans! I want to breathe with them! hahaha

I asked the staff to take picture of me...this time by using better camera, so the shaking is not really showed. But Japanese really nervous with foreigners...they tried their best, but we can feel a lot of nervous energy from them.


pardon for my narcis photo in this thread...LOL, it's day 7 for me, so i already feel so tired and i just experience Ayu concert which is very excited, so i just looks so tired in that photo..hahaha

I'm walking around, and see there are some non-official Ayu merchandise seller, it's very crowded and stupid me to just buy one A logo necklace, i wish to buy more.


After the merchandise seller area, there is parking area, and there is a lot of Ayu Fans cars, not as cool as ayu fans in Tokyo, but still very cool to see fans dedicated so much for her.



In the end...i'm hoping to get another opportunity attending her concert, and all of you, Ayu fans, you really need to work it out and find the way to watch her live. You won't regret it. Once again sorry for my bad English, hope you enjoy my super long report!
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Ayumi Hamasaki...Queen of my life...


Last edited by AyuGAME; 28th July 2012 at 03:43 PM.
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