Es VOL.1 live report“livescope 2009 〜夜明けのSoul〜”

From music freak Es Vol.1

GARNET CROW
livescope 2009 〜Dawn of the Soul〜
2009.11.24 @ Akasaka BLITZ

GARNET CROW's live tour "GARNET CROW livescope 2009 〜Dawn of the Soul〜" kicked off at Zepp Nagoya on October 2 and traveled to seven cities for nine performances, carrying the new album *STAY 〜Dawn of the Soul〜* with it. Because the venues were live houses, the tour offered a rare chance to encounter a new side of the group. This report covers the tour's semi-final, held at Akasaka BLITZ on November 24.
(TEXT BY EMI MORI)

On November 24, with winter beginning to make itself felt, Akasaka BLITZ was filled with heat. This was the semi-final of GARNET CROW's live tour "GARNET CROW livescope 2009 〜Dawn of the Soul〜." Their last Kanto-area show had been at Yokohama BLITZ on October 12, while their last Tokyo show was at JCB Hall during the previous tour in August 2008. Jazz numbers played over the venue as the standing floor filled with fans, and the murmur of the crowd conveyed its anticipation. Once the scheduled start time had passed, the support musicians entered. GARNET CROW then appeared onstage, and the show began as YURI NAKAMURA took her position last. The opening number was "Elysium." Jin Okamoto's guitar roared across a purple-lit stage, followed by Nakamura's clear, dignified voice. As the members' sounds layered together, they gradually dyed the venue in GARNET CROW's world. The audience watching the stage seemed intent on taking in every sound with their entire bodies.

With Nakamura's greeting, "Good evening, everyone. We're GARNET CROW. Thank you for being here tonight," the pace rose further with "Yume・Hanabi," creating a flow distinctly different from their previous shows. Nakamura sang passionately after switching to a handheld microphone, while Furuya played along to the buoyant rhythm. The speed with which the excitement spread at the start was something only a live house could produce. The members' expressions as they enjoyed themselves in their own ways during "flying" were equally memorable, and the colors played by AZUKI Nana and Furuya in the instrumental break were like a rainbow suspended over the stage. After a brief MC, two songs from the latest album followed in succession. The audience's clapping grew louder during "ON THE WAY," and then "Hello Sadness" arrived with overwhelming presence, making for a seamless progression. During the unabashedly cool "Go For It," Nakamura even sang one passage without a microphone, and the venue was completely swallowed up by their music.

This show was also structured around enjoying conversation with the audience between short MC segments. As Okamoto had said when discussing the tour—"I really feel like the audience is watching me directly (laughs)"—the gaze directed at the stage was intense. The short distance made the call-and-response in "Naked Story" perfectly synchronized as well. "Mysterious Eyes," which followed on that momentum, was the punk version with Okamoto handling the vocals. Its aggressive arrangement suited the live-house space perfectly, and the members played with even greater heat.

The stage then shifted to more subdued songs. "Hana wa Saite Tada Yurete" drew everyone in at once, while "Maboroshi" led them into an enchanting world. During "Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e," light from several mirror balls set onstage and the particles of sound ringing out with solemn grandeur created the sensation of touching the mystery of the deep sea. The members left the stage for a while, leaving the audience immersed in the afterglow.

As a remix of "Rainy Soul" played through the venue, a keyboard and guitar were set up at center stage and the second half began. Okamoto appeared in a soccer jersey and denim, while Nakamura wore a long dress, marking the start of the acoustic section. They began with "Stay." A central song on the latest album, it has steadily grown more powerful each time they perform it live. "Hyaku-nen no Kodoku," delivered to an audience watching breathlessly, had a warm arrangement that made listeners want to sing along, and must have sounded fresh to many. "Holy ground" was performed as Nakamura accompanied herself, making it a truly rare moment. After "Koi no Aima ni" offered another moment of comfort, the two left the stage and an encore began.

What the two returned to perform after the passionate calls surprised everyone. Okamoto casually played a phrase from "As the Dew," a new song to be included on the best album *THE BEST History of GARNET CROW at the crest...*, due out February 10. With staff permission, Nakamura sang only eight bars of the chorus. Since they had just recorded it, her cautious singing was especially striking. It was also fresh to hear an acoustic version of "Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e," which had already been played earlier in the main set.

After this generous extra, all the members returned to the stage. Nakamura announced that GARNET CROW would celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2010, then said, "I think we'll sing the song we treasure most," and began "Yume Mita Ato de." It has been sung countless times, but on this night it sounded like a declaration that they would continue walking their path with purpose, stirring the heart. The warm yet powerful number moved many in the audience.

After "Nora," whose sunset-like lighting and Nakamura's conversational singing evoked nostalgia, came a sing-along section. The audience split into two parts and sang the chorus of "Doing all right" together. Nakamura told the united floor, "Everyone, that was wonderful," and the satisfied smiles on every member's face were unforgettable. The energy they had built up was unleashed all at once. As "Koyoi Eden no Katasumi de" began, the members' movements grew larger. Nakamura actively urged on the audience to the light rhythm, Furuya answered while waving his hand, AZUKI Nana played the keys while moving her whole body to the beat, and Okamoto threw a pick after his guitar solo.

The audience facing them gave just as much in return. They stretched their hands toward the stage during "Bokura dake no Mirai," sending the excitement even higher, and each support musician received a huge cheer during the introductions. The fast-moving set continued without pause into "Argentina," whose passionate sound released the heat in the venue. They shared a thoroughly joyful moment with "Fall in Life 〜Hallelujah〜" before reaching the end of the main set.

The members reappeared to a sudden GARNET call, wearing the tour T-shirts and taking their places with fresh expressions. After "Hibi no Hotori" provided a gentle pause, they relaxed into good-natured talk about the tour merchandise, Okamoto's original picks made for the tour, and AZUKI Nana's struggle to wear a differently designed T-shirt at every show. Then came the final sprint to add one more memory to the night. Nakamura moved energetically from side to side during "Futari no Rocket," singing with power while Furuya and Okamoto played with occasional dramatic poses. When the audience's clapping grew louder for "Spiral," everyone sang along with the chorus. As one of the band's most popular live songs, it made the sheer force meeting in that moment unmistakable. Furuya even came down from the stage and dashed along the front row, high-fiving the audience—a remarkable gift unique to a live house. With that unexpected moment adding to the atmosphere, the audience seemed to leap higher than ever at the song's customary jump. It was an ending that could only be called total combustion. The stage finally closed amid applause and cheers.

This may have been the first time I had seen GARNET CROW expose so much of its "dynamic" side. Each time they perform, they give concrete shape to their musical world and stimulate the listener's imagination, but on this live-house tour they met the audience as flesh-and-blood performers, enjoying the music together at the same eye level. It must have been a new challenge for them as well. As they continue to evolve, I am even more eager to see what direction they take in the year of their tenth anniversary.

【SET LIST】01. Hyaku-nen no Kodoku　02. Mou Ichido Waratte　03. flying
04. ON THE WAY　05. Hello Sadness　06. Rhythm
07. Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e　08. Hana wa Saite Tada Yurete　09. Rainy Soul
10. Go For It　11. Bokura dake no Mirai　12. Mysterious Eyes (Punk Style)
13. Stay　14. Yume Mita Ato de　15. Nora　16. Naked Story
17. Doing all right　18. Namida no Yesterday　19. Koyoi Eden no Katasumi de
20. Argentina　21. Fall in Life 〜Hallelujah〜
［ENCORE］01. Hibi no Hotori　02. Futari no Rocket　03. Spiral

★ Best album *THE BEST History of GARNET CROW at the crest...* set for release on February 10!!
Featuring 32 songs, including the new song "As the Dew"!! Every track newly remastered!!
★ "GARNET CROW Happy 10th Anniversary livescope 2010 〜THE BEST TOUR〜" coming soon!!
■ OFFICIAL WEBSITE　www.garnetcrow.com