VOL.134 live report“GARNET CROW premium live 〜happy 5th anniversary〜”2005.12.17 Osaka市中央公会堂(first half)

●○○ From music freak magazine Vol.134

GARNET CROW premium live
~happy 5th anniversary~
2005.12.17
at Osaka City Central Public Hall

On December 16 and 17, 2005, GARNET CROW held a completely invitation-only live show at Osaka City Central Public Hall as the final event celebrating their fifth anniversary since debut. Here is an on-the-page report of that magnificent live show! (TEXT BY SAI SAIDA)

【SET LIST】
1. Mysterious Eyes　2. flying　3. Natsu no Maboroshi　4. Timeless Sleep　5. Yuzukiyo　6. Mikansei na Neiro　7. Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e　8. Holy ground　9. Crystal Gauge　10. call my name　11. in little time　12. Eien wo Kakenukeru Isshun no Bokura　13. Yume Mita Ato de　14. Sen Ijo no Kotoba wo Narabete mo...　15. Hare-dokei　16. Futari no Rocket　17. Bokura Dake no Mirai　18. Kimi no Omoi Egaita Yume Atsumeru HEAVEN
＜ENCORE＞1. Haru Matsu Hana no Youni　2. Last love song　3. Spiral

　It took place on a December night when icy winds were blowing. It was a completely invitation-only GARNET CROW live show, limited to 800 people on each of two days, for a total of just 1,600 attendees. The venue was Osaka City Central Public Hall, a historic Neo-Renaissance building constructed in the Taisho era. The surrounding area was decorated with Christmas illuminations, heightening the premium atmosphere. When we arrived, the first thing handed to us was a gorgeous seat ticket. Once inside, it truly was a captivating space far removed from everyday life. Marble columns stood in rows on both sides, chandeliers hung overhead, and a red velvet curtain covered the stage. Chamber music played in the background. The retro exterior, interior, and atmosphere were all perfectly suited to the image of the Garnet live show taking place that evening.
　Amid a deep hubbub in which even whispered voices echoed, unlike in an ordinary hall, the live show began precisely at 6:00 p.m. David C. Brown's drum count rang out, and the curtain slowly rose. The familiar Garnet members and band appeared beyond it—or so we thought; first, our eyes were caught by their dazzling appearance. All the men wore black suits (keyboardist Hirohito Furui wore a black suit with a white shirt, while guitarist Hitoshi Okamoto wore a white shirt, black tie, and stylish flat cap). Among the women, center vocalist Yuri Nakamura wore a black velvet jacket and pink flared skirt, with her hair styled in large curls. Keyboardist AZUKI Nana appeared in a black long dress with a low neckline. Their outfits evoked medieval royalty and aristocracy. Their figures, brought into relief by the dazzling lights, were beautiful enough to draw a sigh.
　With every gaze fixed on the stage, the first song we heard was “Mysterious Eyes.” They brought the early classic to a close with a composed performance, and now the mysterious stage could finally begin.
　“Everyone, welcome to GARNET CROW's premium live show. We are truly happy to be able to hold this kind of live show as the culmination of the milestone year marking our fifth anniversary since debut. We will give it our all tonight, so please enjoy yourselves to the very end.”
　After Nakamura's words came “flying,” which drew the audience further into another world, followed by the acoustic sound of “Natsu no Maboroshi,” bringing a feeling of intoxication. The MC that followed piled on the effect. “On the way back from a recording session, we came to see this building, and the contrast with the moon floating above it was so mysterious that we wanted to share that image with everyone, so we chose several fantastical songs...” With that preface, the next three songs, “Timeless Sleep,” “Yuzukiyo,” and “Mikansei na Neiro,” were representative of Garnet's dark side. From the first half, many people were swallowed up by this heavy, pessimistic feeling and left dazed. Whether standing frozen or crouching down, their emotions trembled at every word of the lyrics projected on the screen. Sinking deeper into “Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e,” and then into “Holy ground,” the venue was ruled for more than ten minutes by a somewhat divine passage of time, until Nakamura's final sublime falsetto sent everyone heavenward.
　To soften that flow, guitarist Hitoshi Okamoto, who had reached his fifth anniversary as a solo artist, sang “Crystal Gauge” with a generous warmth, saying, “A little something to cleanse your palate...” This was followed by “call my name.”