Ayumi Hamasaki Countdown Live 2010-2011 ~ do it again [review - Part 1]

This is the first of two parts that I'm going to post. Didn't realize it's going to take me this LONG to do a recap/review of her live. So, I'm separating it into 2 parts. The 2nd part will be the Encore.

Tracklist:

Last Angel, Duty, is this LOVE?, Marionette, Free & Easy, Endless Sorrow, Dearest~HEAVEN~CAROL~Together When, Humming 7/4, Bold & Delicious, Mirrorcle World, SEVEN DAYS WAR, Evolution, Boys & Girls, Dream On

This is not her main concert but a Countdown Live which she gives every year. It’s like a tradition and it gives insight to what comes in the next tour. It also gives fans to spend the new year countdown with their beloved artist as she’ll do one right in the middle of the performance. How accurate the countdown is, I’m not sure…but it’s a definitely an experience to remember forever for a fan.

Note: When I first saw how the stage is placed in the middle this time and not the usual front, I actually thought “has Ayu’s budget gone down because of decreasing album sales and etc…” because the middle placement is unusual for her. I think it’s the first time she did that. It doesn’t give a grand and magnificent feel like before and the colours definitely had toned down too. However, I was wrong. Read on…

The countdown kicks off with 3 clowns – bewildered, I definitely am. Then I realized it’s the same as how she began the previous Rock n’ Roll Circus tour with. So maybe she’s recycling the idea but with a different pattern. The clowns try to grab audiences’ attention, which they of course get because there’s nothing else to watch. They’re drawing attention to a light bulb and I am completely befuddled by that. I really don’t get what they’re trying to deliver here, but never mind, it’s part of the show and it’s just beginning. They do some acrobatics with the ladder though, which got some fans (right in front of them, LUCKY!) cheer happily watching their antics. Then, there’s a phone ringing…the clowns search for it and then the screen shows these signs of prohibiting phones during the concert I think coz I can’t read Japanese. Or basically, they’re asking audience to silent their phones xD Quite funny. And then two of them got into a fight and when the music begins, they change into slow-mo pace, which is pretty interesting to watch. After a FULL 6 minutes, the clowns make their final acrobatic act and the light dims. Fans start to cheer because they know Ayu’s gonna appear anytime, anywhere. The show is finally starting for real.

The first track is Last Angel. I think it’s a good track to begin the live with, definitely gets the crowd excited with the fist-pumping song. For an instance, I feel like I’m in the middle of a disco gathering. The view of the crowd with their pink glow-in-the-dark sticks are amazing looking from above. Her dancers appear first followed by her and when she does, everyone cheers. She’s wearing the short wig this time. The theme colour is purple, so her dancers are all dressed in purple suits, including her. She delivers the song quite well. After an upbeat track, I am quite surprised to see her picking an old song, Duty, for the second one. I’m not familiar with this track but her fans should love it, I suppose but since it’s toned down, I’m not feeling much hype anymore. Luckily, the 3^rd track puts me back on attention-mode.

 When Yo-chan showcases his guitar solos, I knew it’s gonna be either another upbeat track or a rock number. I was right. She performs is this LOVE, one of the tracks I’m more familiar with. This time, without her dancers, she sings accompanied with her two back-up singers, who have I think, been forever with her as far as I could remember. One thing I find odd about her backup singers is, the fact that they’re kinda old and so when they dress in rock-ish leather costumes and boots, I can’t help but shudder to myself. Most of the time, when I can’t bear to see them, I just ignore the parts where they appear. But not to say they’re not good, afterall, they’re there for a reason. The same goes with Ayu’s army of dancers. Back to the track, Ayu manages to hit all the high notes without much problem. It’s a good performance. 

The clowns return with flashlights, to stall some time because  it’s obviously so Ayu has time to change into another costume.  One the music begins, I’m pretty excited because it’s Marionette. And when it’s Marionette, it means they’ll be acting like string puppets. I always find that very interesting to watch. But they take it further this time. After having done the same style for the previous lives, I’m glad they change or rather, add more creativity to it. In this case, one of the dancers first appears and the clowns gather around him, suspicious. One by one, they appear. And the clowns carry them onto the middle main stage and re-arrange their posture which is kinda cool. 

And finally Ayu begins singing, she’s wearing a light-coloured gown and the addition to the setting are 3 other human puppets hanging in the air above her. It makes the whole stage looks so much unique. The outer stage also rotates during the performance.

Free & Easy comes next, and I think this is another favourite track for her fans. She is cuffed on one hand to a wood in the middle of the stage, while the rest of the dancers gather around her. She holds a mike this time.

And then Shuya appears. WHAT THE HELL IS HE WEARING? I’ve always cringed whenever it’s Shuya’s turn to dance or do whatever he’s doing on stage, alone. I don’t know why Ayu always picks him anyway. Well, it’s not like I hold a grudge against him, but I don’t really get his free dance moves, maybe I’m just not an artsy type of person to appreciate it. And that costume he’s wearing…can’t he wear something more normal? It’s again, the usual pattern where he runs around, looking for his beloved. By the time he appears, the other dancers are gone and left Ayu and him.

Well, if it’s not for Ayu’s strong vocals for this song and the outburst of her emotions, plus some beads of sweat on her face (yes, lol…I know that’s not part of the plan, but it somehow contributes to the representation of the show), I would have fast-forwarded the song entirely because I can’t bear to watch Shuya staggering around, searching for her frantically when she’s practically just few meters away from him.

Can someone please fix his hair?

Endless Sorrow – Ayu appears sitting on a crystal decorated chair (I don’t know what you call that, is there even a name for that piece of metal?) but basically, she’s not just going to sit there is she? Well, knowing Ayu…she will float up into the air. And the minute the second verse kicks in, she’s seen going up while spinning. She’s closing her eyes most of the time while spinning and barely opens them. I’m sure she’s afraid. xD

Dearest~HEAVEN~CAROLS~Together When… - Time for a digest of slower tracks. This is also the time when she needs to showcase her vocal abilities. For Dearest, she still sounds pretty strong but towards the end of HEAVEN, she begins to get a bit choked up and it shows during the rest of the tracks, when she is off-key at some parts as well as having some difficulties hitting the higher notes. The air – acrobatic performer appears during the last track. The acrobat continues to perform her moves as Ayu prepares for the next song, most probably another change of costume. Some credits should be given to the acrobat because she’s really in the air, just clutching onto the piece of clothe and nothing else. No safety harness, whatsoever.

After a significant period of absence, the dancers are back this time to perform with Ayu, Humming 7/4. An energetic track the show cannot do without the dancers. Since they’re gonna be jumping and running around, they all change into pants and glittering jackets. Nothing much to shout about this though since the stage’s kinda limited, there’s not much place for them to run to. And it’s the usual style – Ayu gets the crowd to sing along and jump like the lyrics go “ Everybody go, Everybody JUMP!” I’m pretty sure enthusiastic fans really jump along with her.

Bold & Delicious – Her vocals are really strong here. You can practically see her neck veins protruding lolz…as she shouts *ehem* sings xD The thing about the song is initially I wasn’t drawn to it when I listen the CD track itself, but after watching her perform it live, I’ve come to appreciate the meaning and the energy the song exerted.

yes, we love the show too ^_^

Mirrorcle World – Another fist-pumping track that never fails to deliver and impress the crowd, especially during the powerful chorus.  I remember watching her Asian tour performance and the humongous ship replica she used on stage, and was in awe. THAT is one marvelous masterpiece! And only artists like Ayu can do something like this. Though she has dumped that ship, the performance is still pretty awesome. It’s coz she utilizes the lasers and the lightings to the MAX! The laser displays are wonderful especially when they go all CRAZY towards the end. She knows the crowd love it so when the song ends, she still continues with a short showcase of it. SUPERB LASER SHOW.

 It then slows down and the screens show footages from her previous lives, some sentimental moment as we see the clowns try to cheer some of the dancers who are down. Here comes one of my fav part of the show. 

SEVEN DAYS WAR- She appears with her real hair, damp and messy but still stylish lol. She does the countdown in the middle of the track. Is it just me or the countdown seems slightly faster than the actual seconds ticking? But anyways, it’s a really nice and heart-warming performance. The lyrics are appropriate too. I see some dancers tearing up but miraculously Ayu doesn’t, probably a little but overall, it’s a meaningful and joyful one.

Even her name is etched on the gloves ...

Evolution, Boys & Girls – Fast-paced tracks are always great to drive the crowd. She never misses these tracks. During Boys & Girls, she gets on a crane and hovers on air, rotates around so as not to miss those audience sitting on far top of the arena. It’s a good move, I’d say. It shows how much she’d go just to reach out to her fans. Plus, it’s another idea to make it even more interesting. 

look at the number of cymbals on his drumset!  That's a lot...

She introduces the band members during this song too. I notice that her drummer has changed! Where’s the old one? I like the old one, but the new guy plays quite well too xD  Overall, I still think the musical fountain she did back in MY STORY tour was the BEST for this particular track. I kinda miss the fountain. 

Just when the crowd thinks that it’s encore part, Ayu surprises them with another track before calling it off. She performs Dream On with Urata Naoya, member of group AAA. This might very well be one of the first (I’m not sure of her past lives, in the old days) collaborations she makes during her live show. She seldom does a duet or collaborate with other singers, except for those A-nation songs, but what a pleasant surprise she actually invites him to sing with her the song they collaborated in. I hear the audience cheer quite loud the moment he sings.

Thoughts on the first half:

Impressive stage acts, though with minimal props but the laser display was pretty awesome. Her vocals are quite good with some off-keys during certain songs (mainly coz she was on the verge of tears). The first half is overall, promising and I'm sure fans will love it. I just thought the last track, the collaboration with Urata Naoya was quite oddly placed lolz...or maybe it's because I don't see Ayu singing with other people much on stage, and her parts are little so it's a song they can do without, but it's still an addition to the show because the audience get to see other artists besides her. Well, I'm off to the Encore!