Concert Review: STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION

Photo credits by JUS Management


As the lights dimmed and the anticipation in the air reached its peak, the stage came alive with a kaleidoscope of colors and pulsating beats. The venue at Kawaii Kon was buzzing with excitement as fans eagerly awaited the start of STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION concert. As a fervent enthusiast of his work, I couldn't have been more thrilled to be part of this electrifying event. STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION is a sound-making project by R.O.N., who is mostly known for his songwriting/composition/arrangement for many anime sound tracks.

From the moment the first track ‘#02’ began to reverberate through the speakers, it was evident that this concert would be a feast for both the ears and the eyes for new-comers and fans alike. The seamless fusion of high energy compositions and anime visuals created an immersive experience that transported the audience into a world of vibrant energy and felt like they were part of the series itself. The track list, consisting of fifteen carefully curated songs, was a testament to the diverse range of musical styles throughout various genre. Each track brought its own unique flavor to the mix, keeping the energy levels soaring throughout the night.

One of the standout moments for me of the concert was the performance of “SPARKLES”, a track that focused a lot more R.O.N’s vocals in a ballad like composition. I had found myself completely lost in the music, swept away by its emotional intensity of his vocal range. Another highlight was the inclusion of a cover of ‘Guilty Night, Guilty Kiss!’ from the popular Love Live! Series, which R.O.N worked on as the main composer and arrangement for the sub group Guilty Kiss. I was blown was by the way it was covered and absolutely love every minute of it.

Perhaps the most memorable aspect of the concert was the atmosphere of pure joy and camaraderie that permeated the venue. As strangers danced side by side, united by their shared love of music and anime, there was a sense of community that transcended language and cultural barriers. It was a testament to the universal power of music to bring people together and create moments of genuine connection.

As the concert drew to a close with a euphoric finale, R.O.N brought on one more surprise guest, Brittney Karbowski, the voice actress of Rimuru of the series That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime to introduce his last song  ‘PEACEKEEPER’. The opening theme song for the upcoming Third Season.   

STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION concert was a dazzling spectacle that exceeded all expectations. From the eclectic tracklist to the stunning visuals and R.O.N out of this world’s vocals, every aspect of the event was meticulously crafted to delight the senses and ignite the imagination. But beyond the technical prowess and R.O.N brilliance, it was the sense of unity and shared passion that made this concert truly unforgettable. If given the chance, I would gladly relive this experience again and again, as it was a testament to the transformative power of music and the enduring magic of anime.

Walküre to Release “FINAL LIVE TOUR 2023 〜Last Mission〜” Concert Video on Blu-ray & DVD

It has been officially announced that “Walküre FINAL LIVE TOUR 2023 〜Last Mission〜,” which took place from May to June this year, will soon be available on Blu-ray and DVD.

Kicking off on May 20 at Tokyo Ariake Arena, followed by performances at Maruzen Intec Arena Osaka and Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Halls 1-3, “Walküre FINAL LIVE TOUR 2023 〜Last Mission〜” marked the first-ever six-performance arena tour in Macross history, entertaining a total of approximately 74,000 attendees. The final show witnessed fierce ticket competition, with numerous fans eagerly anticipating a video release.

This product, which captures the excitement and enthusiasm of the live venues, will be released in five different formats.

The limited-edition “Mission Complete Edition,” exclusively available on Blu-ray, includes approximately 10 hours of footage, featuring Tokyo Ariake Arena Day 1 & Makuhari Messe Day 6 performances, Tokyo Ariake Arena Day 2 & Makuhari Messe Day 5 encore segments, and an in-depth documentary offering an inside look into all six performances. Additionally, it comes in a special collector’s case accompanied by a lavish 68-page photo book.

The standard edition will be available in four different formats, each containing the tour's opening day and final show on both Blu-ray and DVD. “At Tokyo Ariake Arena (Day 1)” comprises footage from the Day 1 performance at Tokyo Ariake Arena and backstage documentary footage from both Tokyo shows. “At Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Halls (Day 6)” similarly features footage from the Day 6 performance at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Halls 1-3 and backstage documentary material from both Makuhari performances. All Blu-ray versions offer a dual sound mode, with 5.1-channel surround and 2-channel stereo, to faithfully reproduce the overwhelming energy of the massive stages. (Please note that the DVD and documentary are available in 2-channel stereo only.)

The cover features an original illustration drawn by Chisato Mita (CAPCOM), the character designer for MacrossΔ. This striking illustration portrays the Walküre members adorned in their pristine white live outfits, evoking the theme of “departure.” Please don’t forget to book your copy below!

Standard Day 1 edition

Standard Day 6 edition

Limited edition

BAND-MAID, performers of the ending theme song for the 2nd season of the "Kengan Ashura" anime, have made huge waves with their first ever performance at "Lollapalooza Chicago"!

World-renowned girl band "BAND-MAID" has garnered attention from all around the world following their performance at "Lollapalooza Chicago," one of the largest rock festivals in the world.

"Lollapalooza Chicago," a festival held on 9 stages over 4 days from August 3rd to August 6th, 2023, saw over 400,000 visitors, and is said to be one of America's major three outdoor festivals alongside Coachella and Bonnaroo.

BAND-MAID is the first Japanese band since X JAPAN 13 years ago to perform at such a well known festival where artists from all over the world eagerly awaited their appearance. We will deliver a live report on these girls who have had the attention of many since even before their performance, like being chosen by local media as "12 Artists to See At Lollapalooza" along with K-pop group New Jeans.

The audience waited impatiently in the blazing sun for nearly an hour before BAND-MAID's show. They performed 13 songs over the course of an hour from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. on August  4th (US local time), the 2nd day of the festival. The Japanese girls rock band left a deep impression at America's largest music festival.

Kobato Miku (guitar and vocals), KANAMI (guitar), MISA (bass), and AKANE (drums) gallantly took to the Coinbase Stage, beginning the day's maid service (live show) with an instrumental song, "from now on". When the petite girls wearing maid outfits suddenly began playing rock music with technical instrumentals, the audience, full of people who were likely seeing them for the first time, couldn't hide their astonishment at the disconnect between the band's heavy music and their cute appearance. SAIKI (vocals) joined in for the next song, "DOMINATION," and powerfully belted out lyrics expressing the girls' ambitions for "world domination".

The highlights of the show were the session parts during the interludes of "Don't you tell ME" and "HATE?" KANAMI and MISA alternated back and forth with guitar and bass solos, as though holding an exquisite dialogue conveyed entirely through their sound. These two girls were able to bring out more than 20,000 people during just their 2022 tour of America. They've already performed in three United States festivals in 2023, and their ceaseless efforts have only further refined their individual performance skills. With SAIKI watching over the powerhouse duo with a big smile, and AKANE and  Kobato Miku supporting the overall rhythm cozying up to the two's session, the band's sense of unity is more apparent than ever after 10 years following its formation.
BAND-MAID trucked on with brutal hard rock pieces, followed sometimes by lighter songs like "Daydreaming" that showcased SAIKI's calmer singing voice. The finale was "endless Story", and with it came the crowd singalong typical of festivals. SAIKI left the stage with a huge smile, saying to the roughly 20,000 people gathered there, "Thank you Lollapalooza! We're BAND-MAID from Japan! Thank you so much!"

BAND-MAID is currently holding a tour of the United States and Mexico, beginning with their appearance at "Lollapalooza Chicago." They'll tour Japan in Sepetmber and October, after which they'll prepare a show at Kanagawa's Yokohama Arena in November in a triumphant return performance and finale to their 10th anniversary tour. Tickets are currently available for pre-order, so be on the lookout.

Additionally, on the day of their "Lollapalooze Chicago" perforamance, BAND-MAID released their new single, "Shambles," the ending theme song for the 2nd season of "Kengan Ashura" anime. We've already received a mass of comments from around the world from people who can't take their eyes of BAND-MAID, who are engulfed in a wave of enthusiasm both at home and abroad.
Photo and Text by FG5

August 4, 2023 Lollapalooza Chicago setlist
1 from now on
2 DOMINATION
3 Choose me
4 Don't you tell ME -session-
5 alone
6 After Life
7 NO GOD
8 Daydreaming
9 DICE
10 HATE?-session-
11 FREEDOM
12 Manners
13 endless Story

Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu Brings Love Around the World with Upcoming Holiday Concert!

Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu have taken Asia and the rest of the world by storm with their track “Suki!”, which hit No.1 on Spotify’s daily Indonesia Viral 50 chart, while also crashing into Spotify’s Viral Top 50 charts in Malaysia and Thailand, as well as Apple Music charts in 67 different countries and regions.

While the “TokiSen hurricane” is raging throughout the world, it has been confirmed that the group’s upcoming Christmas concert will be live-streamed to fans around the globe.

Their show at 01:00 PST on Sunday, December 26, 2021, which will be held at Nakano Sun Plaza in Tokyo, will be live-streamed exclusively for fans outside of Japan. This will be the first time that a Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu livestream will be made available overseas. The cheeky full title of the event is Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu no Doki Doki Christmas Party 2021 in Tokyo ~Don’t Talk to Any Other Girls ♡~.

The various versions of their hit single “Suki! ~Cho ver~, the viral sensation have been played over 10 million times on YouTube. On streaming music services, the song has accrued over 6 million plays, and since it has become a popular meme on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, related videos featuring the song have amassed an incredible 300 million total plays.

Tune in live from outside of Japan on December 26 for an unforgettable festive performance from this red-hot idol group!

Event name

Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu no Doki Doki Christmas Party 2021

Livestream date

December 26 01:00 PST / December 26 18:00 JST

Please be sure to check the start time in your own time zone.

Tickets

Livestream tickets are available to purchase via third-party sites such as ZAIKO. Please select your country or region from the list below for further information.

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Hikaru Utada Announced Online Concert!

The wait is almost over. Here’s the update fans have all been waiting for. The online concert titled "Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios" will be streamed on the artist's birthday, January 19.

The studio concert was recorded at Air Studios, the legendary recording studio in London, with the concept of performing the songs for the first time from Hikaru Utada’s brand-new album BAD MODE, releasing on January 19. Performing the majority of songs from an album on the very day of its release will be a first for Hikaru Utada.

For this performance, Utada gathered a group of renowned musicians led by bassist Jodi Milliner, the band master for their tour in 2018. The session is recorded and mixed by sound engineer Steve Fitzmaurice, who also worked on the new album. Video was directed by David Barnard, whose filmography includes Radiohead's "In Rainbows - From Basement" and Eric Clapton's "LOCKDOWN SESSIONS". The idea is that the online show allows you to immerse yourself in the ultimate performance with the best sound and video in the most comfortable space of your choice.

It's a rare opportunity for fans everywhere and the artist themselves to share and celebrate the release of the first new album in 3 years and 7 months, so don't miss it!

"Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios" Official Website
https://www.utadahikaru.jp/livesessions2022/

Title: Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios
Date: January 19, 2022
Open 7pm (JST) / Start 8pm (JST) Ends 9:00pm (JST) tbc
Archive Streaming: Available through January 23, 2022 11:59pm (JST)     

Price: Viewing Ticket (includes Digital Invitation Card): 2,800JPY (incl. tax)
Ticket Sales: From December 9, 2021 12pm/Noon (JST) to January 23, 2022 10pm (JST) *All Platforms

Streaming Platform (Outside Japan):
Stagecrowd: https://intl.stagecrowd.live/hikaruutada_0119/
Ticket Info: https://intl.stagecrowd.live/inquiry_hikaruutada_0119/