My (miss)understood concert report+review (with non-concert pictures)

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by tethevo

Overall

I thought the concert was great. Ayu did a good job. BUT, I think it's not as good as her MY STORY tour. Last year's was just filled with all these different elements that made that insanely enjoyable. This year's costumes were not as great. The sets weren't as grand. I like songs from the MY STORY album a lot more than (miss)understood....even though the singles were stronger for the latter. Even the rain wasn't that impressive...though I suppose it's hard to top the waterworks of last year's.

Also, the concert was only 2 hours long. I think it's mainly due to the fact that there are less songs that are worth singing live from (miss)understood...as compared to MY STORY.

I pretty much agree with you. The concert I saw was also around 2 hours. I haven't really timed her other concerts, but I think some went for 2 1/2. It's weird though, because her set list was about the length that it normally is - maybe the m(u) songs are just shorter in general compared to her past albums?

As I stated in my own review, I thought the costumes and stage and effects of the concert really weren't all that amazing.(still better than most other tours anywhere though^_^) But there wasn't really anything that topped the theatrics of the My Story tour and when you are following a tour like that, you either have to match it, do better, or excel in a different area than the My Story tour did. And I don't think it did any of those 3 things. It wasn't as good as My Story in terms of sets and costumes and then also didn't capitalize much on where the My Story tour was weak. ie: having less choreographed, more raw performances that really grab an audience such as A Song For Xx(Dome Tour 01), Teddy Bear + Memorial Address(Arena Tour 03-04), etc. The m(u) tour came close with the is this LOVE?/miss(Understood) section, but not quite.

Also, I mentioned in my review that her voice sounded a bit strained at my concert and it seems to have only gotten worse for yours - hopefully her throat will recover.

Here is my ranking of Ayu's concerts after having some time to let the new tour sink in:

1. Dome Tour 2001 - the best combination of performance and theatrics. Great sets and costumes, yet the performance quality was not secondary to them.
2. Arena Tour 2003-2004 - Maybe not quite as impressive set and costumes wise, but still pretty damn good in that area. Has a lot of memorable performances in this concert and great audience interaction.
3. My Story Tour 2005 - The best tour for the theatrics, not as strong in terms of great memorable performances, but the rest of it was so well done that it made the concert memorable anyway.
4. (miss) Understood Tour 2006 - Not as good as the My Story Tour in terms of theatrics and then also not as good as the 03-04 Arena tour in terms of emotional, audience moving performances - so it ends up ranked here. (Still a great show overall though, please don't miss understand!^_^)
4. Stadium Tour 2002 - I can't choose between these two, so they are tied!
5. A Museum - I don't feel like writing anymore descriptions, lol.
6. Arena Tour 2002
7. Concert tour 2000 pt. 2
8. Concert tour 2000 pt. 1

PS. I also got one of the ribbon things that was shot into the audience.

Originally Posted by tethevo

I regret not asking them immediately for pictures. They all looked so cool and I bet they would be more responsive to my request than Yocchan was.

Probably. Dancers in general are just easy going. Was Yocchan reluctant? So lucky that you got a picture with him! My Mom would have freaked if we got to meet him at our concert.(half the reason she likes watching the concerts is Yoshio, lol.)

Oh, and there's no need to cover your face in the photos.

[tethevo]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

As I stated in my own review, I thought the costumes and stage and effects of the concert really weren't all that amazing.(still better than most other tours anywhere though^_^) But there wasn't really anything that topped the theatrics of the My Story tour and when you are following a tour like that, you either have to match it, do better, or excel in a different area than the My Story tour did. And I don't think it did any of those 3 things. It wasn't as good as My Story in terms of sets and costumes and then also didn't capitalize much on where the My Story tour was weak. ie: having less choreographed, more raw performances that really grab an audience such as A Song For Xx(Dome Tour 01), Teddy Bear + Memorial Address(Arena Tour 03-04), etc. The m(u) tour came close with the is this LOVE?/miss(Understood) section, but not quite.

Also, I mentioned in my review that her voice sounded a bit strained at my concert and it seems to have only gotten worse for yours - hopefully her throat will recover.

Here is my ranking of Ayu's concerts after having some time to let the new tour sink in:

1. Dome Tour 2001 - the best combination of performance and theatrics. Great sets and costumes, yet the performance quality was not secondary to them.
2. Arena Tour 2003-2004 - Maybe not quite as impressive set and costumes wise, but still pretty damn good in that area. Has a lot of memorable performances in this concert and great audience interaction.
3. My Story Tour 2005 - The best tour for the theatrics, not as strong in terms of great memorable performances, but the rest of it was so well done that it made the concert memorable anyway.
4. (miss) Understood Tour 2006 - Not as good as the My Story Tour in terms of theatrics and then also not as good as the 03-04 Arena tour in terms of emotional, audience moving performances - so it ends up ranked here. (Still a great show overall though, please don't miss understand!^_^)
4. Stadium Tour 2002 - I can't choose between these two, so they are tied!
5. A Museum - I don't feel like writing anymore descriptions, lol.
6. Arena Tour 2002
7. Concert tour 2000 pt. 2
8. Concert tour 2000 pt. 1

PS. I also got one of the ribbon things that was shot into the audience.

For the length...I'm inclined to think that there's a lot less happening...so a lot less time is needed for transitions...and thus the shorter length.

I think Ayu may be hitting one of her bad days...vocally. Let's hope she gets well enough by the end of the tour.

I really agree with the is this LOVE?/(miss)understood thing. Normally, that's the stuff I would love. But, there just seems to be something lacking in those performances. I don't know what it is.

I really hoped there would be more theatrical stuff...but there wasn't. I still blame the actual songs for this to happen.

I generally agree with your ranking too. My top three would have to be: Dome Tour 2001, MY STORY 2005, and A Museum.

Originally Posted by MeMeMeChant

The blonde guy is Mitsu, he's not here anymore. Yup yup.

Okay, so not Shu-Ya or Go-Mi. You think it's Hide? That's the HAPPY ENDING guy. That leaves the possibility of the guy being Hide, Naoto, Subaru or Zin. Naoto is the guy with the corn rows and he did the CAROLS introduction last year. Was it him?

I dunno how to describe Zin or Subaru. Subaru's best description is really skinny even with muscle. LOL. Zin. Hm. This guy.



Subaru:

...I don't recognize Zin at all. LOL Perhaps a different picture would help.

I sorta recognize Subaru (though I think they're all skinny guys with muscles LOL).

Argh...I'm sure who the guy wasn't...but I really don't know which one it really is. LOL

It's unfortunate that Mitsu isn't there anymore. I wonder why. No wonder I noticed a very unfamiliar face among the dancers (unless they didn't replace him and I'm just not recognizing the dancer).

[MeMeMeChant]

Originally Posted by tethevo

For the length...I'm inclined to think that there's a lot less happening...so a lot less time is needed for transitions...and thus the shorter length.

I think Ayu may be hitting one of her bad days...vocally. Let's hope she gets well enough by the end of the tour.

I really agree with the is this LOVE?/(miss)understood thing. Normally, that's the stuff I would love. But, there just seems to be something lacking in those performances. I don't know what it is.

I really hoped there would be more theatrical stuff...but there wasn't. I still blame the actual songs for this to happen.

I generally agree with your ranking too. My top three would have to be: Dome Tour 2001, MY STORY 2005, and A Museum.



...I don't recognize Zin at all. LOL Perhaps a different picture would help.

I sorta recognize Subaru (though I think they're all skinny guys with muscles LOL).

Argh...I'm sure who the guy wasn't...but I really don't know which one it really is. LOL

It's unfortunate that Mitsu isn't there anymore. I wonder why. No wonder I noticed a very unfamiliar face among the dancers (unless they didn't replace him and I'm just not recognizing the dancer).

Judging from the group picture from ViVi magazine, they haven't replaced him. I think the guy who I didn't recognize easily was Hide. Because he left for a while and danced for Namie Amuro's tour then came back looking... like he does now. LOL.

Yes, they're all skinny guys with muscles but Subaru is especially skinny.
Zin is the guy in the front on the left.


You know who I'm talking about when I say Naoto though, right? I'm hoping it's him in Rainy Day because he's my favorite and I love seeing him without having to look over all the dancers to spot him dancing.

[tethevo]

Originally Posted by MeMeMeChant

Judging from the group picture from ViVi magazine, they haven't replaced him. I think the guy who I didn't recognize easily was Hide. Because he left for a while and danced for Namie Amuro's tour then came back looking... like he does now. LOL.

Yes, they're all skinny guys with muscles but Subaru is especially skinny.
Zin is the guy in the front on the left.


You know who I'm talking about when I say Naoto though, right? I'm hoping it's him in Rainy Day because he's my favorite and I love seeing him without having to look over all the dancers to spot him dancing.

...LOL

I think it's time I take out my Ayu DVD to study faces. I really have no idea what Naoto looks like.

There were a few solo dances...but I think the only main MAIN one was the "rainy day" one.

It seems like Shuya is not one of the main dancers. He's almost always on the side or in the back...but rarely right next to Ayu for a whole dance.

[andre2907]

Thank you for the report. Too bad it wasn't as great as My Story but it seems a really nice concert, anyway.

[ShinoKawai]

Thanks for report^^
Beautiful posters I want it too

[lifewithnoreason]

I wish I could have been there with you.....You should have taken more pics!

[Pulsar]

Wow...very entrataining to read this...so it seems to me that yo-chan also got a new hairstyle...heh