[summerain]

A Song for xx (a-nation 2008) - One of her greatest performances ever, the way she and her band used the natural rain for their benefit was special.

BALLAD (ARENA TOUR 2010) - Her wig is weird? I can't defend that. But the rest of it is cinematographic. Her acting, the dancers acting, the stage, the dynamics, THE DRAMA. Pure Ayumi Hamasaki.

Endless sorrow (ARENA TOUR 2016) - The way she uses acrobatics here is why I admire her so much as a performer. It's not only brave and a demonstration of performance ability doing the stunt embracing dancer's neck only with her bare hands — the gesture adds A LOT of meaning to the performance and the song. It's splendid.

reminds me / Tell me why (ARENA TOUR 2012): I really like the way she addresses some adult and delicate issues during a pop performance. The moment when we hear couples shouting after fighting is haunting.

Mad World (Saigo no TROUBLE): I really really love the contemporary dance routine of her dancers here, it reminded me some dance spectacles I attended some years ago, it's really another level of performance.

crossroad (a-nation 2010): It's just her, her voice, her band, her hair looking like a chandelier and she pouring her heart out. It's just what she song needed and whenever I'm upset she never sang it again (in a broadcasted or filmed show), I see that performance once more and I feel grateful it exists.

For My Dear... (PREMIUM COUNTDOWN LIVE 2008-2009): The reason I adore this song so much. Same thing I wrote about crossroad performance.

untitled ~for her~ (COUNTDOWN LIVE 2007-2008): The only performance she did for this song is so great and full of emotions, it's raw Ayu on stage. Love it.

M / appears (ASIA TOUR 2007): She exudes elegance and grandeur in all her gestures. Pay attention the way she looks and moves her body. Even the way she holds her hands is calculated but never sounds off or fake, she's totally comfortable and feeling at home there. Great performances of these songs and two of my favorites.

WHATEVER (COUNTDOWN LIVE 2004-2005): If she's pure elegance in M and appears at AT07, here she's the embodiment of POWER. I really appreciate this performance in particular.