The way only Ayu can make you feel...

[immel]

I basically didn't listen to Ayu at all during the past 2 years, likewise I stopped frequenting AHS like I used to and it's all become one big fond memory of mine.

I was listening to music today, something I tend to do a lot, and my habit has been to skip Ayumi if she ever popped up in my playlist, but as she hit me with evolution, the live .ac3 version from CDL 04-05, she ran a long, slender knife right through my heart. I turned on the DVD and played the song again and as the drums started echoing out over the arena and Ayumi, catching me off balance, entered the stage, I could do nothing but sit in awe, slightly shaking and hugging myself, not noticing my racing heart and hyperventilation until near the end of the song. As the song ended and Flower Garden took its start I noticed my eyes were slightly wetter than usual...

It was really amazing to experience this feeling once again, true nostalgia at its finest. It felt like I experienced everything I went through during the time when I discovered Ayumi all over again, in 10 minutes. Listening to Ayumi that very first time, watching the ARENA TOUR 2005 DVD, my trip to Tokyo and seeing Ayumi live, graduating, all the people I got to know at AHS... and the list goes on.

Ironically evolution was the very first song by Ayumi I ever listened to.

I paused the DVD during her emcee to write this post, where else can I possibly turn when Ayu blew me into a million pieces all over again?

Some images from the performance:

Spoiler:

Thank you for reading .

[Lumix]

I don't want to spam, but..

- -

[tehxiinae]

evolution ALWAYS excites great emotions and energy in me. i have a lot of memories with that song...

awesomely enough, evolution was also the first song i heard and cdl 0405 was the first concert i ever bought but i didn't get to see Ayu when i went to Japan last year D: *cries profusely*

you know, my boyfriend calls my love for Ayu fandom, and it really bothers me...
it's not fandom!
i have someone i look up to and take inspiration from. i have someone who gives me those feelings. i think it's a little more "real" than fandom...

[Coelacanth]

That's easily one of my favorite evolution performances. That whole portion of CDL 04-05 is wild! She's so energetic throughout the whole thing.

I guess I know how you feel. Even though I listen to her music on a daily basis, I'm always rediscovering certain songs/performances and I'm in awe all over again. I haven't seen her live though, so I couldn't possibly relate to that feeling.

May I ask why you stopped listening to Ayu?

[immel]

Originally Posted by Lumix

I don't want to spam, but..

- -

- - back to you!

Originally Posted by tehxiinae

evolution ALWAYS excites great emotions and energy in me. i have a lot of memories with that song...

awesomely enough, evolution was also the first song i heard and cdl 0405 was the first concert i ever bought but i didn't get to see Ayu when i went to Japan last year D: *cries profusely*

I'm sorry that you missed her, but maybe you will have a new chance in the future . Although it is true that she has changed her way of performing and the style of her songs, so what has passed can never really be replaced or relived.

you know, my boyfriend calls my love for Ayu fandom, and it really bothers me...
it's not fandom!
i have someone i look up to and take inspiration from. i have someone who gives me those feelings. i think it's a little more "real" than fandom...

Haha, I have a similar problem with my girlfriend, but she's into hitomi instead . She's such a fangirl.

Originally Posted by Coelacanth

That's easily one of my favorite evolution performances. That whole portion of CDL 04-05 is wild! She's so energetic throughout the whole thing.

Energetic really captures the feeling of it all. I'm still a bit shaky.

I guess I know how you feel. Even though I listen to her music on a daily basis, I'm always rediscovering certain songs/performances and I'm in awe all over again. I haven't seen her live though, so I couldn't possibly relate to that feeling.

May I ask why you stopped listening to Ayu?

It simply dropped off me as time passed, excessive listening during a short period of time possibly drained me somehow, I really did everything I could ever dream of during the time when I discovered her. And as I did other things popped up and a lot of things happened in my life, I don't know why it killed my Ayumi ... could I call it fanaticism? but afterwards it simply wasn't there anymore.

[ayumisrael]

Welcome back to an ayu fan?

I will just under the thread's question.

A: She makes me feel (her music makes me feel) like no other artist can in the very good and positive way.

I have to say that evolution is one of the only crowd songs that I never get tired of when she sings it live!

[truehappiness]

Well, that sort of feeling always gets me whenever I listen to a new Ayu song [or even find out about a new release].. like my heart starts beating all fast and it's like "Oh lord, wtf is going on?!"

So, I know exactly what you mean... I think.

[Melrose]

Haha..I think that's one of her worst performances ever. XD With the whole "shuya!" or w/e thing she yells. :3 But cool that she got you so emotional..I understand the feeling.~~ (Have it with new Ayu songs like MW :3) I think a similar performance for me would be my name's WOMEN from AT05. I always tend to watch that when I feel like watching Ayu live.. Such powerful lyrics and performance.

I was tired of Ayu for like..2 weeks+ recently. :3 But that's only because I downloaded her whole discography for the first time before that and went insane on 24/7 listening and then it becomes boring, so now I always do variation with other artists. XD

[truehappiness]

The "soruya!" thing is a Japanese thing. I don't think anyone really got it [but I'd seen it previously in like, random anime and random Japanese programs..]~ Clearly she wanted to make CDL04-05's pre-countdown really.. Japanese. She even dressed in a hapi/happi and hired a taiko drum team..

[ImpactBreaker]

"The way you make me feel
You really turn me ooo~on
You knock me off of my feet
My lonely days are gone

aaoow"


I personally can't feel that old amazing magic ayumi touched me when I first knew her, even though it's not her fault, it's just the way I am over everything in life. I still enjoy her songs though. But it must have been a wonderful feeling you must have felt. I like when I feel nostalgic about something I previously loved. I wonder if in a couple of years, I'll listen to some oldest ayu songs and I'll feel those same feelings again

You got the evolution side effects!

[immel]

^Haha .

Originally Posted by truehappiness

The "soruya!" thing is a Japanese thing. I don't think anyone really got it [but I'd seen it previously in like, random anime and random Japanese programs..]~ Clearly she wanted to make CDL04-05's pre-countdown really.. Japanese. She even dressed in a hapi/happi and hired a taiko drum team..

There was some big discussion about it some time back and I remember we never got to any conclusion about it, it's just some kind of power expression.

I asked my best friend right now, he's living in Tokyo and has been since 1.5 years and speaks fluent Japanese, he doesn't know how to translate it, it's simply something to say... in that kind of situation. He says it could be something like "come on".

Originally Posted by ImpactBreaker

"The way you make me feel
You really turn me ooo~on
You knock me off of my feet
My lonely days are gone

aaoow"

Haha, good old MJ .

I personally can't feel that old amazing magic ayumi touched me when I first knew her, even though it's not her fault, it's just the way I am over everything in life. I still enjoy her songs though. But it must have been a wonderful feeling you must have felt. I like when I feel nostalgic about something I previously loved. I wonder if in a couple of years, I'll listen to some oldest ayu songs and I'll feel those same feelings again

I have to say I am the same and that is part of why I was so caught off guard, this simply isn't something that happens to me and the... just.. wow.

[Melrose]

Soruya? o_O Sounds more like an "sh" in there to me.. Or like... "SAIYA!" Idk. XD I guess I don't hear the r.

[4ever*ayu]

welcome back, immel !

you've got a great life "ayu's re-discovering" experience after some period of time..congrats!!
you must be so excited...

Btw, thx to your all episodes of AyuReady dl thread, it still works perfectly 'til now!!

[mimika]

4ever*ayu: i like your sig?? is that from her shanghai concert? how did you get that pic??

[immel]

^Please keep posts like those to private messages, it has nothing to do with the thread and is only interesting for you and 4ever*ayu .

Originally Posted by Melrose

Soruya? o_O Sounds more like an "sh" in there to me.. Or like... "SAIYA!" Idk. XD I guess I don't hear the r.

If you say soruya quickly it sounds pretty much like saiya. Hmm, I think some subtitles transcribe what she says as "saiya", but since those are fanmade it's not something to trust completely. Anyway, soruya is a word that exists and is used frequently in situations like those.

Originally Posted by 4ever*ayu

welcome back, immel !

Heya, thank you. I don't think I'll be back much more than before, I'm pretty sure this is quite temporary, but I'll be checking up and in on threads here and there .

you've got a great life "ayu's re-discovering" experience after some period of time..congrats!!
you must be so excited...

Yeah, maybe now I'll feel like listening to her music a bit more, time will tell .

Btw, thx to your all episodes of AyuReady dl thread, it still works perfectly 'til now!!

Now THAT's quite something, after two whole years I only had to reupload one or two episodes and that was a long time ago! A big thanks to everyone who keeps checking the links and downloading the episodes is in place . Thanks!

[4ever*ayu]

@ mimika, yes!! that's from her stop in Shanghai last year,
i made that from ASIA TOUR 2007 Documentary video...
just capture the pics while playing it using PowerDVD player...
i'm glad someone like my sig...

Offtopic huh,..sorry lad ...!!

[tasking]

I don't think Ayu-chan will ever get old for me, though I've only been a true fan since December 2006. She has the ability to do something that no other artist has made me do - cry! And it doesn't even have to be a sad song! I tear up at Boys & Girls and similar songs a lot. Just seeing everyone singing along in unison and Ayu and the dancers jumping on stage happily, makes me happy as well!!

I think this pretty much sums it up:

If one of you yells "YES!"
Then I'll get in line and
yell "YES!" as well.

Spread your arms wide.
Let's clap our hands and walk together.
When you start running
come here and we'll begin together.
You are my pride.

In these seemingly worthless days
there is hidden a trick to being happy.
It was made for
everyone to share.

It's ok if
you don't win.
If that happens then
let's lose together.

Spread your arms wide.
Let's clap our hands and walk together.
I can hear your voices.
Nothing seems scary.
I'm not alone anymore.

*hugs for everyone*

[truehappiness]

Wow, the bolded lyrics made me hesitate for a second. Scary.

[tasking]

^ Is that good or bad?