ayumi hamasaki ARENA TOUR 2018 ～POWER of MUSIC 20th Anniversary ～ [III]

[voltron]

To be honest, nothing about this show really came across as "cheap" to me. It was scaled back and lacked a "wow" factor - but I think it still looked polished, as much as it could be. Her outfits were pretty, the stage was fine, her voice was strong, etc.

I really enjoyed myself, and I'm not going to apologize for that or argue with people who didn't enjoy their respective shows. Would I have loved a CdM-level show? Of course! Was I disappointed in this show? Not at all.

I'll admit that this did not capture the same magic as the original PoM - but that was also a longer tour, and what was eventually released was very different from how she started (I think the first part of the tour was all 1 outfit if I remember correctly). These performances were largely recycled from various recent tours (including the original PoM) and I think that's part of the big disconnect people are feeling. This is a scaled-back show, but it feels scaled-back partly due to lack of inspiration/direction. I honestly think if she had tagged on "~A Best Live~" people would be eating it up, because they'd be expecting something more recycled. But still, I don't find what she has done to be inappropriate for an anniversary tour.

And we're looking at like 10 shows, of which none probably sold out, so I think people need to set expectations for the budget she has. Small tweaks could go a long way - she has been trading in more elaborate stages for projected videos, which is fine - but these videos felt a little bit "stock" to me and could have been more impactful than they were. The MC was almost non-existent, and while I didn't mind that - it probably would have made people feel like it was a longer or more elaborate show. I was surprised that in Fukuoka she didn't at least talk about being home, etc. in some detail.

As for a few other random pieces - I felt the dancers did NOT overwhelm things at all. And with regards to female dancers, it was very easy to miss any of them other than Midori. The other 2 (?) were barely around. The performers were really unnecessary for this tour, but I love Riki so I'm not mad about it.

Also, I've seen her 5 times in 4 different shows and I think I would probably rate them vocally as this:
- TA Tour 2015
- PoM 20th Anniversary
- TA Tour 2016
- CDL 04-05

[~angel*ayumi~]

I can so agree with you voltron.
I also whould have loved CdM-level show as I especially planned my trip arround her anniversary and was expecting THAT super big anniversary show, but even if it wasn´t like that I wasn´t disappointed at all, but I can totally understand that ppl who expected the same as me or a 1->1 copy of original PoM are disappointed. I also whould have loved a bit more strings, a bit more glamour, but all in all I rly enjoed the show as it was, the setlost was rly awesome, her voice was good, her "acting" is srsly a bit to over-the-top but I am used to it xD
I can also understand Ayu that she is not satisfied wuth the show, maybe she wanted to do exactly that what I was talking about me (and sure most fans) expected but just couldn´t in this short time and with her condition. I have the feeling she wanted to deliver big, otherwise she wouldn´t have set up a 60 dates tour that goes until so short before her anniversary, but she just took over and overestimated her physical strengh and the limits of her body.
Alltough I whould love a bomb and many anniversary stuff diring and after the tour I just wish that she rests a bit.

[me0wie]

interested in ur theory too!

i was at her 7 & 8 april show, and i wasn't majorly disappointed. wasn't expecting a huge show - i was also at her 10th anniversary HK show, def cannot expect the same kind of scale. loved the anticipation of not knowing what the setlist will be like. makes me wanna attend the 1st shows of her tours instead of the "big" last show.

at this point, i think it's sufficient that i'm still able to see her performing live, against everything else.

Originally Posted by voltron

It was the same for the encore, as well. I'm not sure if it was mentioned, but the performer's interlude was catcher in the light.

She sounded great 95% of the night, with very few exceptions. To her vocal critics - I know she has better and worse performances, but I do think she takes her vocals seriously. I saw Namie, Koda Kumi, and Ayu in this trip and Ayu is really the only one that relies on background singers and doesn't use a significant backing track. Honestly at times you could barely hear Namie over her backing track, and during some songs when it poked through it was sour notes (other slower songs where she used less of a track were great though). Koda Kumi also uses one heavily and while she has really strong belts and a versatile voice, she also has her share of misses. I was really impressed with her overall.

I also think the tracklist was very intentional, with the songs before/after Micce sang diary. Remembering back to her TA post about not singing it and placing it after Secret in another tour because it was like the current her singing to the her that has died. I don't have a full theory baked yet, but I think the songs were pulled for lyrical meaning. It was a really dark tour by and large, for lack of a better explanation.

[starsky82]

Originally Posted by thesweetseason

I need help. Do I need to still be a member of TA to pick up my tickets? My membership expired on 30th April and I would like to renew it, but can't navigate the website to save my life... I can still login, and when I go to register it says member already logged in. I'm so confused.

Just came back from Japan after attending Ayu's Fukuoka Marine Messe concert! After 15 years I finally see her in person! So surreal!

Was slightly disappointed that she didn't cover a few of the songs like Far away and evolution didn't really have the hype it always had. From reading some posts here in the past few weeks, I guess that's attributable to her scaling down her concerts. I think with all the declining album sales and news of her hearing loss, it's bearing down on her. Contrary to what some say, I actually feel her crying is not an act as she does get emotional singing in front of her fans. Hope she gets back on track with the right balance for her concerts. Hoping to see an opening concert next year perhaps...

Nevertheless, I enjoyed her concert and seeing her in person for the first time! Special thanks to thesweetseason for selling me the ticket!

[dez0424]

poor riki, can't he just be given an ordinary position? i'm so done with the frog thing.

[truehappiness]

That is a bit surprising. I think he's been a monkey and then basically permafrog since then. I guess there's probably a reason for it though.

[attractive nausea]

Well for MADE IN JAPAN tour he was probably dressed as a monkey for the first song but after that he was a normal dancer, how was he for Just the beginning tour??

[Katsuyuki012]

He was a frog during CdM startinh with CDL, then MiT and MIJ he was a monkey (not only beginning, other parts too) so um yea the frog coming back is honestly much better than all those clowns imo..

[Xianghua]

I feel like him being a frog on this tour just served as a "throwback." But yeah it was out of place for this tour.

[melissalove]

^ I rather him be a monkey for the significance of it.

[AJFmzk]

Originally Posted by ~angel*ayumi~

I can so agree with you voltron.
I also whould have loved CdM-level show as I especially planned my trip arround her anniversary and was expecting THAT super big anniversary show, but even if it wasn´t like that I wasn´t disappointed at all, but I can totally understand that ppl who expected the same as me or a 1->1 copy of original PoM are disappointed. I also whould have loved a bit more strings, a bit more glamour, but all in all I rly enjoed the show as it was, the setlost was rly awesome, her voice was good, her "acting" is srsly a bit to over-the-top but I am used to it xD
I can also understand Ayu that she is not satisfied wuth the show, maybe she wanted to do exactly that what I was talking about me (and sure most fans) expected but just couldn´t in this short time and with her condition. I have the feeling she wanted to deliver big, otherwise she wouldn´t have set up a 60 dates tour that goes until so short before her anniversary, but she just took over and overestimated her physical strengh and the limits of her body.
Alltough I whould love a bomb and many anniversary stuff diring and after the tour I just wish that she rests a bit.

I completely agree and I also planned my trip around the show and I would have loved either a true PoM version 2 or a huge CdM style show. Y'know, something extra special because of the anniversary. Tbh, my only disappointment was in the perception. I feel like she was hyping things up really early on with this tour, and it felt like her original intention was to do a Power of Music Part 2, but then something happened, maybe time, budget or physical limitations or a combo of all three. Not her fault, but it seems like something was changed or got derailed after her initial build up. For example, when I applied for tickets it sounded like there was going to be a full orchestra, so my disappointment stems from the perception I had built in my head. I'm aware she never explicitly said full orchestra, I think a lot of people including me just assumed because she re-used the Power of Music title. (Plus I'm a perfectionist in my personal life, so once I have an idealized version of something in my head, anything less will, of course, fall short, which is quite an unrealistic standard to have, but I digress). But I did actually really enjoy the show, and I do hope that I get the opportunity to see her again in the future.

To me, the most important thing is the music, so I was very pleased with how the band, the arrangements and especially Ayu sounded, and the strings were an added bonus. I still wish she had the orchestra (maybe she will for THE FINAL), but you can tell that Ayu did the best she could given whatever limitations she had on this tour and it was a good show, especially considering how limited her prep time was. Also getting to see YongAe was a really nice bonus! My main annoyance with Just the Beginning that I went to was that there was no band, so I was so happy to be able to get to see her with the live band at least once.

[Gorgonia]

Today is Hiroshima’s show so if anyone is still wanting to go, I got an extra ticket. Message me!

[matt9210]

Just on my way back from the Hiroshima show! And read few a number of pages of this thread for the first time, interesting to see a few comments similar to what I was thinking during the concert.

This is my 4th time seeing Ayu after TA 2015, CDL 15-16 and Made in Japan. Not sure where I'd rank this out of the four, but I was mostly impressed with vocals and setlist. Some songs I didn't know too well/care for, but it probably doesn't take much to beat CDL 15-16 setlist

Gutted there was no Mirrorcle World, been waiting for that one everytime and thought this show would be my best shot! Also, it didn't feel like a 20th anniversary setlist. Bold and Delicious was a pleasant surprise which got me dancing! Would have loved a few morecomments of these!

Regarding Ayu's acting, I came this time expecting it, so it didn't bother me much. It threw me off in other shows I'd seen because like others have said, it feels fake. I don't think they're necessary at all, but I watched it more as a theatrical performance along with the dancers, and I was able to enjoy it more. Whilst the sad emotions don't seem like it's genuinely her, I really admire her stage presence and energy, and her love for performing does seem genuine.

No problem with concert length, 2 and a half hours seems normal/slightly more than normal to me! If anything, the jokes/MCs in her other concerts were far too drawn out and repetitive, but this time it generally felt like a good amount.

[EndOfTheWorld]

Now that the Hiroshima date is over, there is a break in the schedule. I wonder what will happen next. Rehearse for a-nation?

[Katsuyuki012]

^album too, I'd say

[Sky High]

^keeping my fingers crossed

[Yumsushi]

Originally Posted by kelvinkhew

Anyone attending 21st July 2018 show?

Chibi-chan and myself are.

[roxaskh2fm]

The waiting is killing me! I hope that she includes a new song or change the setlist.
And, of course, news about the new album!

PS:
I have an extra ticket (team ayu global) for the next concert (Ishikawa 06/16).

[attractive nausea]

^ Honestly at the beginning of the tour if was 100% sure there would be changes in the setlist but now i'm not so sure anymore ):

[SKYia]

Originally Posted by Yumsushi

Chibi-chan and myself are.

Me too.