Es VOL.4 live report“Happy 10th Anniversary livescope 2010 〜THE BEST TOUR〜”

●○○From music freak Es Vol.4

GARNET CROW

Happy 10th Anniversary livescope 2010 〜THE BEST TOUR〜
2010.2.27＠Tokyo International Forum, Hall A

The nationwide tour [Happy 10th Anniversary livescope 2010 〜THE BEST TOUR〜], held to celebrate GARNET CROW's 10th anniversary and built around the best-of album 『THE BEST History of GARNET CROW at the crest...』, came to a successful close last month. This tour certainly had a festive quality, but at its core was the members' strong theme of “going out to convey our gratitude.” It could also be called the most packed and musically rewarding stage of all their live tours so far. This magazine reports on the opening show, held at Tokyo International Forum Hall A on February 27. （TEXT BY YUKI TACHIBANA）

Only about three months had passed since GARNET CROW's Akasaka BLITZ show on last year's live-house tour, so it was unusual to be able to see them live in Tokyo again after such a short interval. The venue this time was Tokyo International Forum Hall A, and with the opening show of a nationwide tour centered on the best-of album 『THE BEST History of GARNET CROW at the crest...』, it was only natural for the audience's expectations to be high. Onstage, a curtain printed with the tour logo and 10th-anniversary logo stood out, illuminated by garnet-colored lights. The two-level stage conveyed the scale of the venue and heightened the anticipation of what was about to happen.

The concert began on time. As the members appeared one after another on the darkened stage, the venue erupted in applause. After Okamoto's hard-edged guitar roared out, Nakamura suddenly appeared via a pop-up at the center of the upper stage as she began to sing. The opening song was “Nami no Yesterday.” The audience, stunned by the surprising start, erupted into cheers the very next moment and fixed their eyes on the stage. “Good evening, everyone! We're looking forward to today!” Nakamura called out energetically, and she was already holding the microphone toward the audience during the chorus. GARNET CROW's stages had often followed a pattern of letting the audience listen carefully at the beginning before exploding in the second half, so this opening was quite an adventure. It revealed a lively side of GARNET CROW that was different from the “dynamic” energy they had shown in live houses. After Nakamura said, “We want to celebrate our 10th anniversary, so please enjoy yourselves all the way to the end!”, they performed “Mysterious Eyes” and “Natsu no Maboroshi.” With images of their early days projected on the screen, many people must have felt the weight of those ten years while also appreciating the polished arrangements of the present. Rather than making you feel the passage of time, their music delivers the very presence of music itself in a comfortable form. Watching the venue tighten up for the stylish, cool new song “As the Dew,” the words “evergreen” crossed my mind. The word “crest” in the best-of album title means “summit.” When Nakamura declared, “We will keep aiming higher,” the members' earnest figures under the spotlights made a strong impression. GARNET CROW may at first give an impression of being restrained, but listening to the songs they have released makes it immediately clear how expressive their music is. The many popular songs among their singles, B-sides, and album tracks are proof enough. This concert had a set list that answered those feelings from the fans. After surrounding the venue with a warm atmosphere through “Yuudachi no Niwa,” a succession of relatively gentle songs began with “Sen Ijou no Kotoba wo Narabete mo...,” then gradually grew more aggressive from “Kaze to RAINBOW.” As the light from a mirror ball rained down, Nakamura moved to the upper stage and AZUKI's vivid phrases rang out. In “wish★,” which began with an exotic mood, the audience responded by reaching their hands toward the stage. The structure was truly seamless, even including songs that had not been performed at recent concerts, such as “Clockwork” and “Crier Girl & Crier Boy 〜ice cold sky〜.” “Timeless Sleep” brought the opening portion to a close. The stage glittered with blue lights and became a fantastical space, while Nakamura leaned into the standing microphone and sang with deep emotion. The melodies woven by Furui and AZUKI swept through like wind, and the pulsing sounds sank into the ears. After the opening set had stimulated all five senses in one exhilarating rush, the members left the stage. The next section was an acoustic corner with Nakamura and Okamoto.

This corner had become a fixture after last year's live-house tour and countdown concert. Its appeal lay in the members performing informally in the space set up at the center of the stage. The song choices were also fresh: that day they performed “Rai・Rai・Ya” in an arrangement wilder than the original. They announced the unit name “MINIQULO” and revealed that they had made a CD for limited sale at concert venues, prompting applause from the audience. On “Koi no Aima ni,” Nakamura accompanied herself on keyboard, making it a rare song where listeners could fully enjoy her harmony with Okamoto. They also prepared a concert-only treat: the next song would be chosen by the audience's applause. That day, the audience got to hear “Yofuke no Ryuuseitachi.” The simple arrangement made it a luxurious moment that drew attention to the individual strengths of each song.

The members returned, and the concert entered its second half. As the audience watched the stage, the members spoke about the past ten years. Furui said that he had struggled while building the GARNET CROW sound, but that he had been allowed to do whatever he liked thanks to the members and everyone in the audience. AZUKI said that this day would remain a memorable one for a long time, choosing her words carefully. Okamoto said the years had passed in a flash because they had been so fulfilling, and Nakamura thanked the staff and everyone who had supported them for ten years. They performed “Yume Mita Ato de” for an audience that had taken the members' feelings fully to heart. As the song progressed, each note filled with emotion, and Nakamura was overcome with feeling for a moment, reminding everyone once again how important this song was to the members. In response, the audience raised blue glow sticks all at once during “Holy ground,” and the venue shimmered. The feelings of the members and audience overlapped, turning the whole venue into one. Songs that demanded close listening followed, including the heart-wrenching melody of “call my name” and “Sekai wa Mawaru to Iu Keredo,” which was impossible to hear without sensing its vitality, and the concert pressed toward its finale.

From here, lively songs appeared one after another, beginning with “Futari no Rocket,” as if to say that the only thing left was to raise the energy. After the band-member introductions and the pleasant sense of unity created by “Ameagari no Blue,” the audience plunged into “Kimi no Omoi Egaita Yume Atsumeru HEAVEN” in full high-energy mode. Fine handclaps echoed throughout the venue, and after the audience welcomed “Koyoi Eden no Katasumi de” with mounting heat, the main set ended with the members and audience enjoying the collision of their energy.

The members came back for the encore to a powerful garnet call from the venue. They performed “「Sayonara」to Tatta Hitokoto de...,” Nakamura's voice spreading to every corner as heart-shaped paper slowly fell from above the stage, creating a sentimental atmosphere. A happy surprise followed: the new song “Over Drive,” due for release on April 14, was performed ahead of its release. The blissful stage closed with “Spiral.” The members had moved around the stage, determined to enjoy the concert with their whole bodies. Furui and Okamoto in particular looked fresh as they frolicked like boys, making it impossible not to feel how wonderful it was that, even after ten years of musical activity, they were still in an environment where they could enjoy music purely. After the show, I was certain that the unusually clear feeling I carried away came from the repeated exchange of gratitude between the stage and the seats. It was a stage that showed the bond between the members and audience, deepened through their songs.

【SET LIST】
01. Nami no Yesterday　02. Mysterious Eyes　03. Natsu no Maboroshi
04. As the Dew　05. Yuudachi no Niwa　06. Sen Ijou no Kotoba wo Narabete mo...
07. Jewel Fish　08. Yume no Hitotsu　09. Kaze to RAINBOW　10. wish★
11. Clockwork　12. Crier Girl & Crier Boy 〜ice cold sky〜
13. Timeless Sleep［Acoustic Corner］14. Rai・Rai・Ya
15. Koi no Aima ni　16. Yofuke no Ryuuseitachi　17. Mizu no Nai Hareta Umi e
18. Yume Mita Ato de　19. Holy ground　20. call my name
21. Sekai wa Mawaru to Iu Keredo　22. Futari no Rocket
23. Ameagari no Blue　24. Kimi no Omoi Egaita Yume Atsumeru HEAVEN
25. Koyoi Eden no Katasumi de
［ENCORE］
26.「Sayonara」to Tatta Hitokoto de...　27. Over Drive（New Song）
28. Bokura dake no Mirai　29. Spiral

●During this tour, Hitoshi Okamoto began reading while traveling between venues. He apparently started stopping by bookstores on a whim and buying books he liked more often.