The Official Maaya Sakamoto Thread

[primavera♥]

Awww that's so cool

[Earth_maiden]

Okay, so the concert isn't very fresh in my head, but here's what I can remember:

Sun Plaza in Nakano was very easy to find, thankfully. I went over at 3pm and lined up outside in the rain to get some goods:



For the record, I didn't see a single foreigner there, only Japanese people, so I felt a little out of place. After about 45 minutes I bought my goods, then I went off to wander around then came back at around 5:15pm. They had this little thing set up:



I didn't want to ask someone to take a picture of me though so I went without. The foyer was really packed, and later on in the concert I couldn't see a single spare seat. I had no idea where my seat was, it was labelled row 0, seat 50. I was like, wth? So I asked this random salaryman if he knew where it was, he had no idea either, so he took me to one of the staff and they had a conversation in Japanese, then the salaryman took me into the venue and showed me to my seat. I would have been totally lost without him, I was soooo grateful! Here's where I was sitting:



3 rows from the stage. I died!! At 6pm the lights went down and the band came out. All the audience would have been content to sit, but the guitarist motioned for everyone to stand up so we, then Maaya came out and we all cheered. She looked amazing, so cute and womanly at the same time. She was wearing a black dress that had these really vivid sunburst designs, and she was wearing this blue feather collar/should pads that were kind of strange. And sneakers. She opened up with Triangler and the whole crowd was dancing and clapping, it was so energetic. Here's the setlist:

1. Triangler
2. DOWN TOWN
3. Spica
4. Ame ga Furu
5. Okaerinasai
6. More than Words (had screens in the background, really amazing)
7. Praline
8. Kimi ni ai ni Ikou
9. Pilot
10. Saigo no Kajitsu (was performed with only a piano accompanying)
11. Bike (right in the middle, Maaya left for about 3 minutes then came back with a costume change. I don't really remember what her second outfit was, sorry!)
12. Buddy
13. action!
14. Private Sky (we all sang the "you be my boyfriend, I'll be your girlfriend" part, so much fun!)
15. Get No Satisfaction!
16. Magic Number
17. Kazemachi Jet (there was a dance!! Very easy to learn and we all danced with Maaya!)
18. Nekoze
19. Loop
20. Pocket wo kara ni shite (we all sang along here, I cried )

ENCORE

21. Mistubachi to Kagakusha
22. Yakusoku wa Iranai
23. Dekoboko March (Tairetsu wa Kimi ni Tsuzuku)

The last song was amazing, possibly my favourite part of the night, Maaya and her band walked down into the aisle and marched along like a marching band, she was waving her own flag like a banner and her musicians and singers followed her. When she got back to the stage, she had us all singing the "lah-lah-lah-lah-lah part while she sang the rest of the song. When she first walked down into the aisle she was 2 metres away from me, I smiled and waved at her and she smiled back at me briefly, I died once again.

At the end she waved goodbye to us all and threw her flag into the audience. It landed nowhere near me, of course. I could see she had signed the back as well, I would have given anything to catch her flag!!

I have to say, all the fast energetic songs had everyone dancing and clapping. There was a woman in her 40's or so next to me, and next to her I think was her husband, he must have been pushing 50 or so, and he was constantly dancing along to every single song that he could. Everyone had so much power and energy, I was really surprised.

I was sneaky and took a pic of the stage at the end:



It finished at around 9pm, so it was 3 solid hours, actually longer than the Ayu concert I attended the night before. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience, I'm so grateful I got my ticket randomly on YAJ and ended up in the 3rd row. There are just no words to fully describe Maaya's voice live, she has so much power and strength in her voice, there was NO audible issues or wavering anywhere, she was just totally perfect.

When my stuff arrives (I had to send them home via EMS) I will take pics of my goodies and everything that came with them. Sorry if my review isn't very detailed, but its been 2 weeks since the concert and most of the finer details have faded from my memory.

[Earth_maiden]

New album out: Singer Song Writer
2013/03/27

Eighth album from Maaya Sakamoto includes eight new songs, a remix version of "everywhere," a re-arrange version of "Chikai," which was originally included in the album "Driving in the silence," and more for 10 songs total. All songs are written, composed, and produced by Maaya Sakamoto herself. Arranged by Shin Kono and Zentaro Watanabe. This edition includes a bonus DVD with a music video and documentary on her song writing process. *The DVD disc is encoded for region 2 (Japan, Europe, and Middle East), and no subtitles are included.

1. 遠く TOOKU
2. サンシャイン SUNSHINE
3. everywhere ?HAL mix EVERYWHERE
4. ニコラ NICHOLA
5. Ask. ASK.
6. なりたい NARITAI
7. カミナリ KAMINARI
8. 誓い ?ssw edition CHIKAI
9. 僕の半分 BOKU NO HANBUN
10. シンガーソングライター SINGER SONGWRITER

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=VTCL-60340

[Yoake]

Her new single is pretty good. The accoustic version of okaerinasai is even better than the original one.

[Earth_maiden]

CDJapan dispatched my copy today. I love Okaerinasai so I can't wait to hear the acoustic version!

[Yoake]

SAVED sounds so beautiful!! ♥__♥

[AyuGAME]

Pretty good..both songs

[Earth_maiden]

The limited edition version includes a mini-live CD from her Singer-Songwriter concert.

1. [Disc1] SAVED.
2. [Disc1] BE MINE!
3. [Disc1] KOE
4. [Disc1] SAVED. -Instrumental-
5. [Disc1] Be mine! -Instrumental-
6. [Disc1] 声 -Instrumental-
7. [Disc2] TOOKU
8. [Disc2] GRAPEFRUIT
9. [Disc2] CLOUD 9
10. [Disc2] park amsterdam(the whole story)
11. [Disc2] SCRAP-WAKARE NO UTA
12. [Disc2] SINGERSONGWRITER

Koe is the "Monster Hunter Frontier G" original theme song. I'm hoping it actually sekuraeru and they've just got the name wrong, since I heard that the latter was going to be on this new single.

[sora-kara]

^"Koe" is a Japanese language version of "Secrear", the monster hunter song.
the original version is in...? a fake language? i dunno...

[Earth_maiden]

The single sounds really awesome, and I love Koe!! I'm just waiting on my copy to show up from Yesasia.

I went through my mediafire account and I've got all of Maaya's albums and some random tracks uploaded if anyone wanted to download them? Or if they haven't of Maaya before and wanted to sample some of her music.

[Yoake]

The single is really great. Koe and SAVED are just wonderful! ♥

[sora-kara]

Yeah, all three tracks are solid really. Be Mine! is a bit chaotic, but it's something that can be warmed up to in not much time.

its really too bad that the covers are so...not good. hahahaha
maaya consistently has gorgeous and unique covers, so these are really disappointing. especially when the single is so solid.

[Earth_maiden]

I don't think she has consistently great covers, her hashiru and Shounen Alice covers aren't that great. I like the Be mine covers more than I like some of her similiar looking covers, like Loop or Kazemachi Jet.

I think Hajimari no Umi is my favourite Maaya cover. I love the colours and the full body shot of her by the (probably CG) pool. I think the cover I dislike the most would be Nikopachi. I don't even know what's happening or why she's wearing a cooking mitt...

[AyuGAME]

new song and PV! i like it, title [Replica]

[Earth_maiden]

I received the single today, going to upload it soon. It's very classic Maaya, I really like it!! The b-side isn't one of her best, but it's enjoyable. I think the bonus live CD is the best part.

Tracklist :
Disc 1:
01 Replica [OP 2 M3 Sono Kuroki Hagane]
02 Coming Up
03 Replica ~Instrumental~
04 Coming Up ~Instrumental~

Disc 2: (mini live album)
01 Platina [OP 3 Cardcaptor Sakura]
02 Be Mine ![ OP 1 Sekai Seifuku ~Bouryaku no Zvezda~]
03 Neko to Inu
04 Sing Song Writer

[Earth_maiden]

New tribute album to be released April 22:

From CDJapan:

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/VTZL-99

"Tribute album celebrating 20th career anniversary of voice artist Maaya Sakamoto! Features titles such as "Kiseki no Umi" by Akino Arai, "Bike" by Sugizo and much more. Additional CD contains the same song of first CD in the original version by Maaya Sakamoto. "

Tracklisting
DISC 1
1
/ the band apart
約束はいらない / the band apart
2
/ KIRINJI
うちゅうひこうしのうた / KIRINJI
3
/ WATANABE MAYU
トライアングラー / 渡辺麻友
4
/ TRUSTRICK
雨が降る / TRUSTRICK
5
/ SUGIZO feat.IA
バイク / SUGIZO feat.IA
6
/ SUZUKI SYOKO
さいごの果実 / 鈴木祥子
7
/ Tomita Lab feat.Emi Meyer
光あれ / 冨田ラボ feat.Emi Meyer
8
/ Negicco
プラチナ / Negicco
9
/ ARAI AKINO
奇跡の海 / 新居昭乃
10
/ Rasmus Faber feat.Frida
afternoon repose / ラスマス・フェイバー feat.フリーダ
11
/ MAGOKORO BROTHERS
ポケットを空にして / 真心ブラザーズ


DISC 2
1
YAKUSOKU WA IRANAI / SAKAMOTO MAAYA
約束はいらない / 坂本真綾
2
UTYUU HIKOUSHI NO UTA / SAKAMOTO MAAYA
うちゅうひこうしのうた / 坂本真綾
3
TRIANGLER / SAKAMOTO MAAYA
トライアングラー / 坂本真綾
4
AME GA FURU / SAKAMOTO MAAYA
雨が降る / 坂本真綾
5
/ SAKAMOTO MAAYA
バイク / 坂本真綾
6
SAIGO NO KAJITSU / SAKAMOTO MAAYA
さいごの果実 / 坂本真綾
7
HIKARI A-RE / SAKAMOTO MAAYA
光あれ / 坂本真綾
8
/ SAKAMOTO MAAYA
プラチナ / 坂本真綾
9
KISEKI NO UMI / SAKAMOTO MAAYA
奇跡の海 / 坂本真綾
10
AFTERNOON REPOSE / SAKAMOTO MAAYA
afternoon repose / 坂本真綾
11
POCKET WO KARA NI SHITE / SAKAMOTO MAAYA
ポケットを空にして / 坂本真綾


This will be interesting, I can't imagine the cover of 'kiseki no umi' will do the original justice, but we'll have to wait and see.

[AyuGAME]

watanabe mayu? AKB48?

[Earth_maiden]

^Apparently

[Yoake]

I'm afraid by this release, seriously. I'm really not sure if the covers'll be good. For me, Maaya's voice is so beautiful that I don't imagine others singing some of her most beautiful songs as perfectly as she does it.

[Earth_maiden]

^I know what you mean, I preordered it anyway since I collect all her works. When it arrives I can rip it and share if it doesn't get posted here before that.