#the instrumental break on when memories snow alone i need to full orchestra set up

[asterinjapan]

A Magical Evening

Good evening!!!!!!! Well, it’s more like night now, but as you might have noticed from my use of exclamation marks, I am too excited to go to sleep yet, haha. I don’t have a lot of pictures from today, but I also don’t care, because…

Today was the day of KOKIA’s concert ‘The Christmas Season with the Orchestra’, and as a long-time KOKIA fan (10 years and counting), I was super excited to attend and this is in fact the main reason I’m in Tokyo right now. So let me tell you all about it!

This will be a long report, because it was a very exciting (and long) day. Just a head’s up before you decide to press Read More, haha.

EDIT: since I share this post on a KOKIA site, I have edited it to only refer to the concert (song by song). I’ll make a second post about the rest of the day and make sure it’ll get posted on this day as well (I can backdate my entries).

 I hope you’re not hoping for an unbiased review here, because I kind of love KOKIA a lot, haha.

 The orchestra started with an Overture, which consisted of Have yourself a merry little Christmas, smoothly transitioning in a gorgeous arrangement of KOKIA’s song Anshin no Naka, to finally roll into Arigatou…, which was the first song KOKIA wrote herself (she’s written almost all of her own songs ever since). That alone was awesome, because the arrangement was lovely, and how cool must it be for KOKIA to have a full orchestra play this song which she wrote almost twenty years ago? (Her 20th anniversary is coming up this April.)

KOKIA now arrived on stage and immediately started with Ookina senaka (‘broad back’), a song I haven’t heard from her in quite a while. It took me a while to recognize it, as the orchestra gives it a brand new feeling and just, wow. This orchestra is amazing, as is KOKIA of course. What an amazing combination.

The next song was a Christmas song, Seinaru yoru ni~Holy night, her own song from her Christmas album Christmas Gift. The orchestra was equipped with bells to set the mood, and it’s a very pretty song overall, working us up into a Christmas mood for the next song: Christmas Medley! This song is also from that album, but it is completely rearranged and the songs in the medley changed too. Going by memory, I heard have yourself a merry little Christmas, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Let it snow, I’ll be home for Christmas, Akahana no tonakai (Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer in Japanese), Jingle bells, and The Christmas song. The transition from one into another was so smooth (my only complaint about the CD version is how one song basically stops before the next one picks up, which isn’t exactly a medley). I really loved it, and it was super fun to hear Rudolph in Japanese (I think it’s one of the first songs I learnt in Japanese, ever). So cute! Jingle Bells was very awesome because the orchestra threw in  Joy to the World, in full power, and then it blended into Jingle Bells. So that was really surprising and so cool. The Christmas Song was lovely already, but then it ended in this big, overwhelming ending, wow.

Up next was Family Tree from her album I Found You. This was quite the change, because the song is in Japanese and KOKIA just – easily overpowered an entire orchestra with just her voice? Wow. This was such a strong performance, with some pitch changes compared to the CD (and previous live) arrangement, making it feel brand new again. Her opera roots became more evident here.

Next up, a song I hadn’t heard in a while either: Chiisana uta (‘small song’). This is. Not a small song at all, haha, since it’s pretty long on the album (6 minutes? Maybe 7? There was a 7 minute long song on the album, I know that). Today, though? After I realized what song it was, I just felt overwhelmed again. The swelling of the music was just amazing here, indeed going small in places before coming back in full force. I fell in love with this song all over again.

Next up, percussion picked up a bell. Then the harp struck a couple of chords. Next up, a lone flute. What song was this going to be? It turned out to be Oto no tabibito (‘Sound traveller’), a song with instrumentals that feel very traditional. Even with more western instruments, the orchestra replicated the feeling amazingly well, and once again KOKIA gave a powerful performance with this wonderful song.

KOKIA sometimes took the time between her songs to talk a little. I think the first time was after the medley, and the second time was here. She talked a bit about the Christmas season, and her gratefulness for people coming over, and then she transitioned to Arigatou… (‘thank you’), which we got a sneak-peek of in the overture. And just… wow. This was the first song of KOKIA I ever heard along with Shiroi yuki (‘white snow’, which seems awfully appropriate given the season and the fact I keep getting sent pictures from the Netherlands under a snowy cover tonight, haha). As mentioned, it was the first song she wrote herself, and she’s rearranged it several times. It’s not the first time I heard it live, but it was the first time I heard it live with an orchestra backing her up. The flow in music was absolutely beautiful, and I started to tear up a little.

Of course, that was when all the lights went on for intermission, pff. I quickly went to the restroom and then returned to hastily type out the track list on my phone and my impressions. (I was super proud I knew the entire list from memory still, and then it turned out that the set list was printed on one of the photos in the lobby… which I entirely overlooked. Oops.)

Speaking of the intermission, the harpist had stayed behind to tune her instrument. She took almost the entire break too – I feel her pain, haha. It’s a lovely instrument, and featured prominently tonight to my delight, but yeah, the tuning… Such fun.

  The rest of the orchestra had returned by now, barring the pianist and the conductor. Which was kinda odd, because it wasn’t the first violinist who arrived last now, and doesn’t an orchestra need a conductor period? However, KOKIA re-entered the stage and the lights went off – except on KOKIA and the pianist. KOKIA is amazing with an orchestra, but her going back to her core with just a piano by her side is always magical. The song turned out to be Kasa o kashite agete (‘please lend me your umbrella’), which is a song I must confess I don’t listen to very often. (It’s only on one album, which is a live registration of a very emotional concert.)  It’s a wonderful song, however, and stripped back to only KOKIA’s voice and piano it was so pure and soft. It didn’t sound particularly fragile, but I still got the feeling it was a bubble – sparkling and beautiful, but thin and likely to burst the moment you touch it.

The next song was Faraway, which is a B-side to a single and actually quite the slow song, so it hasn’t made as much an impression on me as it’s A-side (Hikari o atsumete (‘gathering lights’), for those interested). Now, however? Suddenly power had seeped into this song, and I hadn’t realized it could even sound like that. Gone was the slow, soft and dreamy song I remembered, it was more like a power ballad. Whoa.

Next was Atatakai basho (‘cozy place’), which is another gentle song. It’s from her album aigakikoeru, which was also released in France (actually ahead of the Japanese release) and the first album I physically owned, and this is one of my favourite tracks. Once again, it was completely rearranged, and my notes call this ‘movie-esque’. And it does feel like a movie soundtrack all packed into one song – introduction, main conflict, climax, resolution. This orchestra has done soundtracks before (I own two more albums with game music covered by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra), and it definitely gave off this feeling. I loved it. KOKIA showed off her powerful voice again and I was blown away.

Next up, usaghi (‘rabbit’). This is an odd little song in that it’s always sounded a bit – French? To me. I can’t really put my finger on it, but it’s pretty fast-paced and definitely feels exotic compared to the rest of the album, mostly due to the instrumentals. The new arrangement gave it a new, fresh feeling, but I can’t really say what changed for me (aside from the instruments, obviously). The refrain still came off a little French, but once again, also more movie-like. Dang, it’s only been a couple of hours and I already have a hard time retelling, haha. KOKIA does really like France though, so I’m not stretching it super far!

There was still a song from the overture we hadn’t heard yet, and it was Anshin no naka (‘in peace’). I feel like I keep repeating myself, but the magic of KOKIA’s vocals and a full orchestra… it’s just amazing. I already really love this song (…which loses its impact if I keep saying so every other song or so, but ssh), and I wanted to wrap it up and keep it close.

After that, KOKIA held a little talk again and mentioned her next song: moment ~ima o ikiru~ (‘live in the moment’). I’m very glad she did, because I need to be emotionally prepared for this song. The album moment came out during a time I really needed it, and this really picked me up when I needed it most. As a result, that entire album hits close, and I was already reduced to tears when she sang it live during the first time I had the privilege to attend a KOKIA concert back in 2014. She outdid that performance here. This song was a victory march – it started with an upbeat riff you often hear in the ‘let’s go end this battle’ songs in movies and musicals, which continued all the way until the very end. The orchestra came on powerful and just swelled and swelled until every single instrument was participating, including the big percussion and the big gong. KOKIA still managed to overpower the instruments, her voice amazing and strong and holding the long tone in the song for about 20 seconds (I tried counting, but I was – pretty emotional by this point). She went back to sounding so very small and near fragile, though she still kept her underlying strength, before it swelled up again and finally quieted down entirely, but not before the riff had the last word. I’m not entirely sure if this was the song that ended with a harp solo, but it might as well be, I was already in tears anyway.

After her final words, KOKIA sang one more song: Eiga no you na koi deshita (‘it was a love like in the movies’). Which, yeah, sounded exactly like a movie song. Actually, maybe it was this song with the harp solo. It was so sweet and lovely, I wanted to give it a hug. (And KOKIA too while I was at it.)

KOKIA took her final bows, left the stage, came back, left again with the conductor, came back again for the final bows this time for real! … Only to reappear once more, haha. After that, the orchestra also packed up, and it was time to leave the hall.

  I barely had any time to recover (especially from moment), because I still had a piece of paper burning in my pocket! We queued up immediately, although the line for the autograph session was pretty long already. I was in a prime view spot to see KOKIA arrive, maybe a meter and a half removed from me. I was – kind of shaking at this point. It’s really surreal to be a fan for so long, invest so much time and energy in running a fan site and talking to others about her. It’s almost like I know her personally (I’ve been translating her blog consistently for over six years now, enough to easily grasp her words during her concert even if my brain is woefully behind on Japanese vocabulary. I am pretty attuned to her way with words at this point). I owe her a lot. Actually, I wrote her a letter saying so, and I’d prepared a little bag with said letter, some candy from the Netherlands and two small gifts. I asked, and I was allowed to give it to her, so I got excited over that already, haha.

Finally, I made it to the front of the line, where I got introduced. She shook my hand, and I think she thanked me for my work on the blog? And then she shook my hand again? I was reduced to just saying ‘thank you’ in Japanese over and over again and I did manage to stutter out I brought her a gift bag from the Netherlands, and I also did eventually remember to ask her to sign my booklet for me, haha. I’m typing this and I can still hardly believe I actually met her, and shook her hand, and she was so nice and kind! She must have seen hundreds of people face to face today, but she chatted for a little with everyone who wanted to, and she actually remembers people by face and name.

We stuck around long enough for KOKIA to wrap up, and she walked right past us and thanked us for coming (in English too), and she’s just – so nice. Ahh. Never meet your heroes, they say, but I kinda disagree here.

  I’m just so happy, guys. I got to attend an amazing concert, I got to meet KOKIA (which is still so surreal and I’m never washing this hand again – metaphorically at least), I made new friends, and I just. I’m just flailing my hands wildly right now, haha.

I’m sorry if this entry was a little incoherent and a little (very) long, but since this was the whole reason I went back to Japan again so soon, I hope you can forgive me.

Gosh, this was so, so worth it. I’m so happy and I keep staring at my signed booklet, it’s actually happened.

Only now KOKIA’s anniversary concert is April 29-30… I don’t think I can return again so soon, haha.

  But KOKIA, if you’re reading this, thank you so very, very much for an unforgettable evening. It was a privilege to actually meet you and express my gratitude face to face, even though that was pretty much the only thing I told you, haha. Your music means so much to me that I don’t think I can express it in words properly, although I tried to do so in my letter. I can genuinely say I’ll always be a fan, and I can’t believe how lucky I am to have seen you perform live on multiple occasions now. Thank you for allowing me to meet many new and wonderful people, today and in earlier times, and for sharing your music with the world. 

#tokyo 2017 #report: tokyo 2017 #report: KOKIA concert #report