VOL.136 hills パン工場情人节live report

●○○ From music freak magazine Vol.136

Valentine Live REPORT at hillsパン工場
-GARNET CROW-

■February 13 (Mon.) and 14 (Tue.)　G-NET presents Valentine Live 2006
Performers: GARNET CROW

【SET LIST】1. Natsu no Maboroshi　2. flying　3. Mysterious Eyes　4. Yuzukuyo　5. Mikansei na Neiro　6. Wasurezaki　7. Sky　8. Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e　9. Holy ground　10. Crystal Gauge　11. Last love song　12. Hashitte Yuku　13. in little time　14. Hare Dokei　15. Yume mita Ato de　16. Futari no Rocket　17. In the Blue Forest　18. Koisuru Koto Shika Dekinai Mitai ni　19. Bokura dake no Mirai　20. Kimi no Omoi Egaita Yume Atsumeru HEAVEN
ENCORE　encore-1 Rai・Rai・Ya　encore-2 Spiral

GARNET CROW had drawn attention since their two-day premium live show at Osaka Central Public Hall at the end of the previous year. Their first appearance of 2006 would be this Valentine's Live.
Following the MC, the support band members first took the stage. Hitoshi Okamoto appeared next, followed by AZUKI NANA, Hirohito Furui, and YURI NAKAMURA in turn. After drummer Masato “PON” Yamaguchi's count-in, the opening song was the refreshing “Natsu no Maboroshi.”
Except for Nakamura, who wore a red-and-white checked half coat, the other three members were dressed casually in black-shirt styles. In contrast to their look at the previous year's premium live show, their relaxed clothes, combined with the intimate distance of the live house, created a sense of closeness.
“Everyone, welcome to a GARNET CROW live show. Please get excited and enjoy yourselves until you make this live house shake.”
From Nakamura's first words came the nostalgic “flying” and “Mysterious Eyes.” With this lineup, these songs were performed with confident playing and perfect teamwork, immediately captivating the fans who had gathered.
“Even though we have passed the first day of spring, the cold days continue. But the daytime is gradually getting longer than it was on the winter solstice of December 22, and apparently in Saint Petersburg, Russia, it is already more than three hours longer. When the season warms up, you would like to see a view like this again, wouldn't you?”
After this MC from Nakamura, AZUKI's piano played the graceful intro to “Yuzukuyo,” shifting the mood into a more subdued direction. In the two songs that followed, the contrast between AZUKI's piano and Furui's keyboards colored the arrangements and conveyed GARNET's supple musical outlook. Nakamura's soothing vocals enveloped the venue in a quiet emotion that sank into the heart.
Nakamura's third MC was a little playful, with an exchange with the audience.
“Before we made our major-label debut, GARNET CROW released one independent work. Would anyone like to request a song from it?”
She deftly handled requests such as “A crown” and “Eien ni Houre,” and “Sky,” presumably the song that had been planned in advance, appeared. With Okamoto's acoustic guitar ringing darkly, the lyrical number created an atmosphere unique to a small live house. The following album tracks “Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e” and “Holy ground” were also deep-cut selections that could only be enjoyed at a fan-club-only live show. The feeling of music slowly permeating the room was one of GARNET CROW's charms.
“Next is Hitoshi Okamoto, who is entering his sixth year as a solo artist!”
At Nakamura's introduction, Okamoto answered with a bashful expression and sang “Crystal Gauge” with an unhurried ease. From the middle onward, the set gradually recovered its brightness and speed, running through five songs in a row. The block ended refreshingly with the latest single, “Hare Dokei.”
Now it was time for the second half. It began gradually with “Yume mita Ato de,” built to a climax with “Futari no Rocket,” and passed through a medley of two album tracks. Then, of course, the climax of the live show had to be this: the stimulating guitar riff and passionate sound of “Bokura dake no Mirai.” Finally, after the fresh “Kimi no Omoi Egaita Yume Atsumeru HEAVEN” followed immediately afterward, even the audience that had been listening quietly to the singing could not help raising their fists. GARNET's distinctive live space, deftly moving between hard and soft, stillness and motion, was as vibrant as ever this year.
Then came the encore. They believe in delivering new songs to live audiences earlier than anywhere else and before anyone else. This time, too, they performed the new song “Rai・Rai・Ya,” due for release on March 1, for the first time. Its grand sound, deeply moving lyrical world, and soul-stirring vocals conveyed GARNET CROW's definite evolution in its sixth year. There is no doubt that this song will join the ranks of their classics.
“Spiral” was prepared for the grand finale. The powerful song changes from a medium-tempo opening into an up-tempo section, and the members repeated the final chorus again and again until everyone lost themselves in the moment with smiles on their faces. It left a truly refreshing afterglow.
GARNET CROW made many moves last year as it marked the milestone of its fifth anniversary. Experiencing this fan-club-only live show made us feel that their insatiable desire to explore music remains unbroken and is as strong as ever this year. We are already looking forward to their next move.