[A] Arena Tour 2018 Nagoya Show 4.21 Report - Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai
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Old 24th April 2018, 07:14 AM
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hayasaki hayasaki is offline
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Arena Tour 2018 Nagoya Show 4.21 Report

Its that time of the year again, i thought. A new tour, a new day to remember. The sun was soaring hot but the wind remains chilly which made me feel sick for a couple of weeks now. I always hate this part of spring -when total coldness disappears and the weather couldn't decide if its going to be hot or cold or just whatever. I woke up pretty late, and a bit feeling sick, but one certain thing was on my mind -Ayumi Hamasaki's Nagoya Show for this year's tour will about to happen. It felt like it was just yesterday when I attended the third chapter of her Just the Beginning's tour few months ago but still, i get so excited and pumped.

I've been attending her shows over the last five years since A Best Live back in 2013. I kind of felt a bit proud to realize that i have attended both her 15th and 20th Anniversary Tour despite following her for more than half of my lifetime already. Each show is different but always follow a specific template. And so i thought that this show's going to be the same show that i have seen for so many times with just a different look.

I found myself riding the train heading to Nihon Gaishi hall. You'll definitely know that the Queen's in town when almost 90% of people inside the train wears atleast one thing that has that remarkable "A" symbol. Atlast, i arrived at the venue. The line for the goods was crazy. Although the sun was soaring, people were so patient just to buy the goods.

I met MissElin & her friend and joined the queue. It was our second time meeting each other (looking forward for more lol). To be honest, i quite didn't like most of the goods this year. I decided to get just the sports towel and the key holder which i really really love. We spent some time together while waiting for the gates to open.
I was able to meet one facebook friend from Taiwan as well as Aries, an AHS member from Italy/France. It was really nice meeting fans from different parts of the world.

About an hour passed, i found my seat in the arena. I originally got a stand seat somewhere at the back but fortunately found someone who has spare arena seat ticket. My seat was so close to the center stage. On the right side of the arena. At my back, i saw two fans from Paris with their Team PARIS & Ayu Sphere uchiwas. I wanted to approach them but my shyness ate my away lol. (Hello there if you're here in AHS lol).

The show started a bit late. Probably some 15-20 minutes. As the show starts, there was some kind of Epic music that's being played. Some kind of music you'll hear from a sci-fi or war film. Suddenly, Ayu's voice was heard as she says that the 20years she had was really the years given to her by her fans.

"Welcome to the Power of Music"

Spoiler:

•forgiveness

The curtains were pulled up and on the stage was just Ayu. She was wearing a baloon type gown. She started singing the english phrases of forgiveness in acapella (which i have no clear idea what the lyrics are even now lol). After that, the band was illuminated at her back. They were in a higher platform. The stage was rather simple, but the 2-layer LCD was huge. The first layer served as frame and the second one was the normal big one. The arrangement was just the same with first Power Of Music and Cirque de Minuit. She sounded really great and on point.

•evolution

The song started with a different arrangement. It sounded like an Epic song (almost similar to the one they played in the intro). It felt like a war is about to start or an asteroid is about to hit Nippon Gaishi lol I liked it a lot. I live for these kind of music. As the intro progresses the music turned into a familiar classical music. It reminded me of my graduation day from university lol (can anyone tell me the name of the music). The dancers started marching out to the stage and ayu started singing the first verse and chorus in a slower phase. Then the song exploded in full after the first chorus with the original
arrangement plus some orchestral addition here and there. It was really fun and she sounded awesome and energetic too.

-Interlude-
After evolution the lights were dimmed off and Yochan started walking to the center stage. This part is where the Band and Dancers introduction took place. I kinda liked the fact that they also introduced the dancers and the band at the same time. And Yongae is back. The korean back up singer back in A Best Live and & CDL 13-14 i think? The introduction let to the intro of A Song for XX

• A Song for XX & Mad World

Ayu appeared on the stage wearing the same costume she wore during Made in Japan Tour. -After the first verse during the instrumental part Ayu together with Yochan and Bass guy started walking towards the center stage. I was really surprized to see that they put a walkalator on the cat walk. That looked so cool imo. She sounded good and IMHO she always slay ASFXX live. The LCD showed fire during ASFXX which made the stage burning. Mad World came next with the same arrangement. I quite didn't like how she sounded here. There seems to have a lot of shoutings in the chorus but on the calm parts she sounded good yet emotional.

•ever free
This is a nice addition to her "performed live" songs and i'm pretty sure many of us have waited for years for this. The arrangement started calm and beautiful. She sounded awesome. I never imagined how her current voice would suit this song too. After the chorus, the song becomes rock and the longing & sad aura turner into a violent angry one. More like Memorial address & Last Minute.

-Interlude-
I wasn't really paying attention on this part.
As far as I remember they were playing a beautiful slow track and Midori appeared somewhere on the stage and started dancing. The LCD screen started showing some kind of beautiful classical painting and the first layer becomes a beautiful frame.

•SEASONS & TO BE
Ayu appeared on the left side of the stage wearing a baloon type gown maybe almost similar to what she wore on the first part of the intro and has a small crown. She was really pretty and sounded great in Seasons even on the high parts. I noticed how she's getting better using falsetto lately. To Be was good, but she was struggling on the chorus and cried on the last parts.

• how beautiful you are
This song is one of my favorite performances in this concert. The intro was mixed with Pachelbel Canon which is one of my favorite classical pieces ever. Ayu sang at the same time they showed the song's music video on the large LCD screen.

•. BRILLANTE
After the previous song, two performers appeared, one on the cat walk and one on the center stage. They were playing that scary track they used for the intro in the first Power of music. Timmy appeared on the center stage and started chanting. as it progresses male dancers started appearing one by one until BRILLANTE started and Ayu appeared on the center stage as well. She sounded OK but i feel the chorus had a bit of shouting.

•DIARY
Miccie and Princess performed this song. Nothing special but i think its a nice song and their voices blended well.

•Catcher in the Light (interlude)
This is certainly the My Story Classical version. I wasn't paying attention to this part but this is where the performers did their acrobatic acts. On the last part they brought out a bar on the main stage and the frog guy did some gymnastics. He did well i think.

•Bold & Delicious
Ayu appeared on the stage wearing a very shiny/glittery outfit. Dancers went out one by one too. Ayu then called Kuni, Kazuma and Zin to do the actions for Bold & Delicious. This part felt a bit looooooong. After that the song started. The energy is back and Ayu sounded good and powerful. This song is one of my favorite songs live.

•Born To Be.
The same arrangement with POM and CDL14-15. Nothing too spectacular but she sounded good as well.

•NEXT LEVEL
One of the highlights of the show for me. They used a fog machinw on the stage while they show the sky on the screen which made the stage look like heaven. LOL The arrangement was really pretty. I know some of some of us here have heard it already but her voice was better this time. As far as i remember they also did the dancers introduction here (it could have been in Born to be) Silver tapes exploded by the last chorus which really surprised me. That was so unexpected. nevertheless it was a nicer performance to end the main show. The gap between NEXT LEVEL and the encore was pretty long. The ayuready track went playing for about 15min or so.


•Curtain call
The curtains were pulled up and Ayu the three backup singers were on the stage. The man playing keyboards was lighted too. The performance was rather simple and calm. Ayu's voice was really good. The backup singers did their parts good too.

After the curtain call, Ayu did a short MC, greeting her fans in Nagoya telling them that she really wanted to go back soon right after her show by the end of January this year. She also thanks the fans for the 20years she had in the industry.

•SURREAL & Boys & Girls
Its been a while to see a stand alone performance of this song. The performance was fun and it always looks cool when Ayu, the lead and bass guitar as well as the back up singers walk to that center stage on the second verse. They spent the latter part of the song in the center stage. Boys & Girls came in and the energy lever was epic. The dancers/performers started throwing balls. lol Just the usual performance which I always love. They did the band recognition in this part as well.

•a song born
I thought that Ayu starting and ending the concert with slow songs is bad idea but i surprizingly liked it. The song was performed in POM11 arrangements. Her voice on the verses was good. Although struggling, i was amazed how she hits the notes perfectly on the chorus. Well, probably not perfect but 80-90%? lol As the song ends, balloons were released down to the arena. She ended the show with just her voice singing "to you..."



Things i didn't like were probably those conductor movements that Ayu does. I think those were really unnecessary and looks weird to be honest. The frog man was totally irrelevant too. lol

The show was rather simple by Ayu standards but is still entertaining and fun. The vocals was good most of the times. I honestly believe that the setlist was thoroughly made based on the lyrics of the songs in chronological order. Which reflects her career over the past 20 years. Anyway, I surprizingly liked this show despite the negative feedbacks that i saw in the forum. And I just can't wait to see what she has in store for us after this tour. Probably a bigger tour? or a hall tour? If the dates on the staff's shirt were true then it's definitely far from hall tours but arena nonetheless.
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Last edited by hayasaki; 24th April 2018 at 07:24 AM.
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  #2  
Old 24th April 2018, 08:15 AM
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aliceshields aliceshields is offline
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Thank you for the detail report on the show, I hope for “ever free” will be in the DVD/Blu-ray release.
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Old 24th April 2018, 08:21 AM
Baco__ Baco__ is offline
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aaaah, I think I met the Italian guy on the next day! we didn't exchange contacts, so if you know him, tell him to talk to me hahaa <3
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Old 24th April 2018, 08:45 AM
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Sky High Sky High is offline
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Thanks for report hayasaki.
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Old 24th April 2018, 01:11 PM
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Evan Odinson Evan Odinson is offline
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Thanks for this report, loved it, and I'm glad you liked the show!
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Old 24th April 2018, 01:28 PM
Deep snow Deep snow is offline
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thank you for the report, hayasaki. I'm glad to see you had a good time!
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Old 24th April 2018, 03:13 PM
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roxaskh2fm roxaskh2fm is offline
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Amazing report!


Can't wait to go too!
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