Es VOL.42 live report“livescope 〜THE FINAL〜”Tokyo场

●○ From music freak Es Vol.42

GARNET CROW’s final Tokyo performance arrived less than two months after the announcement of their disbandment. The venue was filled with people who had come to burn the sight of this one-time-only stage into their memories, and everyone waited for the curtain to rise. As the lights went down, a huge round of applause broke out. The curtain covering the stage was illuminated by colorful lights to the accompaniment of a piano melody, and when a sea of stars appeared, the members took their places. Hitoshi Okamoto’s silhouette emerged, and the live began with a bewitching intro. “Rhythm” opened the show. When the curtain fell, YURI NAKAMURA appeared at the center of the upper level of the stage in a black dress and began to sing with power. The columns of the set, reminiscent of crystal, were lit up, bathing the stage in radiance. The audience rose as one and applauded, captivated by the scene. In the following “Misty Mystery,” AZUKI Nana’s passionate piano rang through the venue, making it a song filled with powerful life force beneath its mysterious atmosphere.

After saying, “Good evening, everyone! Thank you for coming tonight!”, Nakamura came down the stairs from the upper stage full of energy. Cheers erupted at the intro to “flying,” and the audience’s applause grew even louder. Dressed in predominantly black outfits, the members delivered each song with their customary care. When Nakamura smiled and said, “Welcome to our live tonight. I hope we can make wonderful memories together this evening. Please enjoy yourselves to the fullest until the very end!”, the venue erupted in cheers. “Summer Illusion (secret arrange ver.)” was then delivered to the brightened hall. Nakamura sang while keeping time with a tambourine, and during the chorus she waved her hands from side to side, becoming one with the audience. AZUKI was also seen singing along for a moment, as if each member’s feelings toward the song were showing through. The early part of the set continued with nostalgic songs before moving into “Last love song.” As Okamoto’s sharp guitar solo and Hirohito Furui’s keyboard tinged with poignancy rang out, the audience watched the stage intently so as not to miss a note. Was I the only one who found “The Color of Sunflowers,” with its dramatic development and heartrending chorus, especially striking that night? Instead of proceeding calmly from one song to the next, the MC included a relaxed conversation among the four as they looked back on their debut period. They spoke about being chased by production deadlines, and a story emerged about Furui accidentally falling asleep while filming a music video after a string of all-nighters, filling the venue with laughter. They also shared memories of the first time one of their songs was broadcast on television and how Nakamura, whose vocal range was so broad, was sometimes mistaken for a male vocalist when they debuted. It was a precious time for conversation.

After recalling their deep connection with [Detective Conan], Nakamura announced that they would perform songs associated with [Detective Conan], and the audience’s excitement rose at once. The moment she said “Mysterious Eyes,” yellow cheers rang out, and AZUKI spontaneously commented, “That feels fresh!” Here it was performed together with “Over Drive,” the theme song of the theatrical film “Detective Conan: The Lost Ship in the Sky.” During “Mysterious Eyes,” Nakamura’s voice spread brightly over the audience’s louder applause, and many listeners must have felt the comfortable warmth of the moment. Then came “Over Drive,” beneath the glow of the mirror ball. As the dramatic development drove the chorus to a climax, the sense of unity grew, and the audience’s waving hands formed a great wave across the venue.

The next MC turned to the latest album, “Terminus.” We were told that the title expressed the wish that the songs they had created would travel farther and more deeply from GARNET CROW as a single terminal. Once again, the four members had time to talk about the album, allowing the audience to hear directly how deeply they felt about each song. They then performed “closer,” the final track on “Terminus,” joined by strings. The curtain at the back of the stage also changed to a classical design, and a poignant melody enveloped the venue. Because the lyrics evoke memories of everything that had come before, each word struck with particular force. With the audience’s attention focused on the stage, “Fireworks in the Sky” followed in an arrangement that movingly magnified the song’s scale. Four female string members were introduced, along with Daisuke Ikeda, who handled the string arrangement and conducted. After they discussed the new arrangement, they moved on to “One of My Dreams.” The song had been arranged in an unusual formation of strings, drums and bass, and vocals. Though simple, it was a luxurious piece that let the presence of every sound and voice be fully appreciated.

After the classical atmosphere, a segment featuring Okamoto on vocals was prepared. Okamoto and Furui appeared after changing costumes and chatted with the audience while introducing merchandise designed by Okamoto for this tour. When AZUKI, also in a new outfit, joined them, Okamoto introduced the next song by saying, “This is a song I sang in the early days,” and “Even If I Line Up More Than a Thousand Words...” began. Its relaxed rhythm and tones, together with Okamoto’s mellow voice, softened the atmosphere of the venue. When the string members and Ikeda returned to the stage, the concert entered its second half. As the dramatic intro to “Yesterday of Tears” stirred the audience, Nakamura appeared on the upper stage in a bright pop outfit centered on white and orange, prompting cheers. Once the chorus came together in unison, they moved into “Lonely Night.” The dance number sent the venue into a fresh wave of excitement, and the audience covered with light-up merchandise looked beautiful. The energy continued into “wish★,” where Nakamura’s happy expression as she sang with cute choreography was memorable. After dancing together, they closed the section with the passionate “U” and reached another MC.

The members discussed their favorite singles. AZUKI chose “Mysterious Eyes,” Okamoto chose “flying,” and Furui chose “call my name.” The sight of them sharing their memories was warmly charming. Introduced by Nakamura with, “Please listen to one of our favorite songs,” “call my name” began. Its direct sound, Nakamura’s dignified vocals, and AZUKI’s powerful piano in the outro were deeply etched into the audience’s hearts. More poignant songs followed—“People Say the World Goes Round,” “Yellow Moon,” and “The Two of Us”—and the venue became an emotional space. Just when it seemed the quiet mood would continue, the music began to Nakamura’s words: “Are you still full of energy, everyone? Let’s get excited from here!” The audience heated up through a call-and-response section and sparked into “Smiley Nation.” The sight of the united venue singing “Smiley Nation” together during the member introductions was refreshing, with smiles filling both the stage and the audience. The main set ended with “In a Corner of Eden Tonight.” As it was an essential live song, the audience’s applause and singing thundered through the venue, and when everyone jumped together, you could feel the building shake. After Nakamura moved from side to side of the stage, rousing the audience, and said, “Thank you so much for today! We had a wonderful time!”, the members left the stage.

The GARNET call that arose then was louder than ever and shook the venue. When the members reappeared in live T-shirts, the stage received an even greater roar of cheers□
“We had such a wonderful time too. Thank you very much□
,” Nakamura said, and each member began to share their thoughts on the live□
One moment was especially memorable: after Okamoto remarked, “The cheers before the song were so loud that I couldn’t hear the count□
,” the members’ delighted expressions were fresh to see. The conversation then shifted to merchandise□
and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere continued. Then Nakamura said, “As our thanks to everyone for all your support, we would like you to hear an unreleased song□
,” and a great murmur rose from the audience. The song was titled “Butterfly Knot□
.” It began as a medium-tempo number with a gentle piano intro, immediately drawing the audience in. The elegant, generous song was packed with showcases for each instrument, and it felt as if the future of the group was contained within it.

After the happy surprise, all that remained was to enjoy the moment to the fullest. The venue grew more festive during “Fall in Life ～Hallelujah～,” and the towels being waved by the audience intensified the sense of unity. Okamoto played a guitar solo on the upper stage, Furui encouraged the audience to applaud with a smile, AZUKI played happily while keeping time, and Nakamura moved around the stage, holding the microphone toward the audience. Seeing all four of them enjoying themselves so completely made us smile too. The members came to the front of the stage and began to leave while waving, but the GARNET call that immediately rose brought them back to the stage soon afterward.

“I’m very happy that we were able to spend such a wonderful time with so many of you today. Thank you so much!” Those were Nakamura’s words. The “wonderful time” and “thank you” repeated throughout the night must have been feelings shared by everyone in the venue. Then came the true final number of the Tokyo performance. Introduced as “the most important song to us,” “After Dreaming” took on a noble presence through its string arrangement and became even more dramatic. It contained everything that GARNET CROW was at that moment□

As the words “THE FINAL” indicated, this concert was GARNET CROW’s last stage. The people who came must have arrived carrying many thoughts: what would the performance be like, and what feelings should they bring to it? Yet those thoughts were blown away the instant the live began. What stood before us was GARNET CROW as always, delivering the appeal of each song with full power. It was a night that made us realize anew the strength of their own□ power. The sadness of no longer being able to encounter the new things they create cannot be erased, but seeing the members filled with satisfaction at the curtain call, I vowed to cherish the time we shared at their lives and the inspiration I received through□ them.

【SET LIST】
01. Rhythm
02. Misty Mystery
03. flying
04. Summer Illusion (secret arrange ver.)
05. Last love song
06. The Color of Sunflowers
07. Mysterious Eyes
08. Over Drive
09. closer
10. Fireworks in the Sky
11. One of My Dreams
12. Even If I Line Up More Than a Thousand Words...
13. Yesterday of Tears
14. Lonely Night
15. wish★
16. U
17. call my name
18. People Say the World Goes Round
19. Yellow Moon
20. The Two of Us
21. Smiley Nation
22. In a Corner of Eden Tonight
［ENCORE I］
23. Butterfly Knot (unreleased song)
24. Fall in Life ～Hallelujah～
［ENCORE II］
25. After Dreaming

★A report on the June 9 Osaka final performance will appear in the next issue (Vol.43: July issue)!!!

★【GARNET CROW livescope ～THE FINAL～□】
The June 9 Osaka final performance will be broadcast!
●Broadcast date: Saturday, July 20, 2013, from 23:00
●Channel: WOWOW Live (BS192ch)
●Details: wowow.co.jp/garnet