Tamaki Koji "GRAND LOVE" Concert Tour 1998
| Date | City | Time | Ticket Price |
| Nov. 24, 1998 | Kurashiki - Shimin Kaikan | 18:00/18:30 | 6,300Yen |
| Nov. 26, 1998 | Nagoya - Kokusai Kaigiba Century Hall
| 17:45/18:30 | 6,300Yen |
| Nov. 27, 1998 | Nagoya - Kokusai Kaigiba Century Hall
| 17:45/18:30 | 6,300Yen |
Terry Mihashi again participated in the concerts and gave us the following reports:
[Nov. 24 - Kurashiki]
[Nov. 26 - Nagoya]
[Nov. 27 - Nagoya]
Nov. 24 - Kurashiki
I went to a concert on November 24. This concert was held at a city
auditorium in Kurashiki city near Okayama. Here's the report.
Kurashiki city is a medium sized city with many historical attributes.
Small canal running through the city, old shops and restaurants, etc. Very
nice city to visit during the day (I got there after dark). I walk toward
the city auditorium, but I don't see too many people walking that way, which
worried me a little. But I got there in time, and I do see some people
lined up.
My seat was in row 3. little to left off the stage. I never got this close
to the stage, so I was very excited. In addition, Koji often looks toward
his right (left side of the stage), so this was a great angle as it turned
out. I got to my seat pretty late, almost close to the opening, but a
fellow member from the Japanese ML visits me to say Hi. We also promis to
run to the front at the end, because Koji has been coming onto the stage
even after the show has been announced completed over the PA system.
The auditorium lights slowly dim and the musicians including Koji comes out
from the left side. In the last tour, there was a curtain and they raised
the curtain as musicians started playing music. But this time, we see the
musicians walking to their spots. Crowd responds, and they are already on
their feet.
| # |
Songs | # | Songs |
|---|
| 1 |
DANCE with MOON | 11
| Ai Dattan'dayo |
| 2 |
BELL | 12 | Danbouru to Mikanbako |
| 3 |
Sayonara ni GOOD BYE | 13 | Karinto Kouba no Entotsu no Ueni |
| 4 |
Come On | 14 | Flag |
| 5 |
To me | 15 | Rookie |
| 6 |
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - Ai ga Umareta - | 16 | Den'en
|
| 7 |
Yami wo Romance ni Shite | 17 | MR.LONELY |
| 8 |
RELAX | 18 | Seigi no Mikata (Hero) |
| 9 |
CAFE JAPAN | 19 | Negai (Encore) |
| 10 |
GRAND LOVE | 20 | Melody (Encore 2) |
Program Details
1. DANCE with MOON
Koji is playing his guitar with Capo 2. Kaki-kun (Wataru Yahagi's nickname)
plays Les Paul.
2. BELL
He inserts the name of the city (Kurashiki) in his lyrics and crowd
responds.
3. Sayonara ni GOODBYE
Koji takes another guitar from the staff, and so does Wataru Yahagi. Wataru
takes an acoustic guitar. "Tamaki-san!" people shout...both women and men.
"Yes, that's my name," responds Koji. "I personally love the city of
Kurashiki," crowd roars. He introduces the musicians.
Yuji Tanaka on drums
Carlos Kanno on percussions
Haruyoshi Rokudo ("Roku-chan") on bass
Satoko Andoh ("Satchan") on keyboards
Wataru Yahagi ("Kaki-kun") on guitar
4. Come On
Yuji moves from drums to percussions. Crowd sings the "Oh yeah" part.
5. To me
"I would now like to sing an old song." Wow, this is from "Anzenchitai V"
album. Very very beautiful song. Satoko plays the piano, and Wataru plays
the acoustic guitar. Very very beautifully arranged.
After the song, I see Koji receiving another guitar from a staff wearing a
costume of a racoon dog. He is an equipment coordinator named Kakehi, but
also is a member of the Japanese mailing list, and I decide to call his name
just to let him know that fellow Japanese mailing list member is here. ;-)
Me: Kakehi--!!
Some people in the crowd: Who's Kakehi?
Koji: Kakehi?
Crowd goes silent 'cuz they don't know who Kakehi is.
Koji: Kakehi?
Me: Tamaki-san!
Koji: Kake-hi? (grins)
He turns back, raises his hand toward the back of the stage behind
keyboards, and say...
Koji: HE is Kakehi.
and Kakehi comes out from the back and crowd finally understands who Kakehi
is, and applauds.
Well, I never thought that Koji will take that much time to respond to a fan
yelling their names. But I guess since I yelled a name that was totally not
expected (I mean, who would yell at a staff's name and not musicians'
names?), so Koji probably thought that he should tell the crowd who Kakehi
was. At any rate, that was great to have him respond to me. It sure made
my day.
"Anybody's birthday today?" Koji asks. One or two hands come up, and crowd
applauds..
6. HAPPY BIRTHDAY - Ai ga Umareta -
Koji inserts the name "Kurashiki" again in his lyrics and crowd responds.
At the end, he kisses the microphone. Female fans go nuts and Koji does it
again.
Drum beats begin and Kakehi comes out to pass another guitar to Koji. Koji
runs away, turns around. They stare at each other. They take several steps
in sync. They stare again. Crowd goes even wilder, probably because they
now feel more familiar with this staff, Kakehi.
By the way, we still have not taken our seats yet.
7. Yami wo Romance ni Shite
8. RELAX
After the song, Koji comes running to the left of the stage. People around
me go wild.
9. CAFE JAPAN
After this song, there's a short pause. The auditorium lights are back on,
and we get a little break. I run to the bathroom. and when I return, I had
some explanation to do (to my next seat neighbor) as to why I knew the
staff's name.
Lights dim again and....
10. GRAND LOVE
Koji comes out by himself, and there are two microphones set up. One to the
right, another to the left. He goes over to the right, and he hears that
people on the left is making a bigger noise so he runs over to the left. He
then sees the spotlight on the right microphone, so he goes back over to the
right, and starts singing this song. When he got to the part where the
lyric is "Odokete misete (joke around)," he ran, spun around, jumped, and
came running to the left side and went on with this song. After the song,
he does the sumo steps (go figure), he jumps and spins around and as crowd
goes wild, imitates a pitcher throwing. Crowd goes even wilder.
It gets quiet again and...
11. Ai Dattan'dayo
Satoko plays the keyboards and toward the end, Haruyoshi comes over to help
her out with synthesizers (playing strings section). By the way, this is
the newest single by Koji. A new arrangement...I could almost not figure
out what this song was until Koji started singing.
12. Danbouru to Mikanbako
Bass drums sound really prominent in this song. Koji and Wataru play guitar
duet in sync. I can see Wataru smile. My eyes are glued to Yuji's feet, as
his right foot hits the bass drum and his left foot plays the hi-hats. Very
very interesting.
13. Karinto Kouba no Entotsu no Ueni
At the ending, one spotlight shines down on Koji, as Koji points his guitar
toward the source of the light up above.
14. Flag
Wataru plays Les Paul guitar and does the solo in this song.
15. Rookie
Everybody stands. At the refrain section, the auditorium lights turn on
(even brighter than before/after the concert). Everybody dances.
16. Den'en
Another famous song. People continue to be on their feet. I mean,
everybody.
"Thank you, everybody,"......Koji says, and then continues onto the next
song.
17. MR. LONELY
Koji's voice really sounds good today. And you can feel it from his songs
and his expressions.
All musicians leave the stage after this song. Only Koji remains on the
stage...
18. Seigi no Mikata (Hero)
He was playing this song in key of G, but he may had tuned the guitar a
whole note higher, which would have made it an original key of A major.
"Ganbatte" part is sung by the crowd as well.
Koji bows and leaves the stage. "Is that it? We want more," says one
fan... We continue to applaud, and Koji comes onto the stage again with
other musicians...
"My beloved city Kurashiki...
and Japan...
May the world be in peace."
19. Negai (Encore)
This is my favorite song from the album "Grand Love", so I was very happy to
hear this song live. Note that Koji often talks about his wish: that the
world will be in peace. You can listen to that in "T" CD as well. And also
note that the part of the lyrics in this song can be translated as "if one
wish could come true, I wish that this blue planet of ours would be filled
with warm love...and I believe".
After the song, Koji holds hands with other musicians and bows several
times before leaving the stage again. The hall lights illuminate back on
and some fans start to leave. As for me, I didn't leave, but went
immediately to the front aisle, at the center. During this tour, Koji has
often come out onto the stage even after the PA announcement was made
telling people that this concert was over. Of course, some people already
know about this, so we gather at the front of the stage and start clapping
our hands. For a while, he doesn't come out... So, only myself and a
person next to me are the only ones clapping. A lot of people started to
head toward the doors when Koji comes onto the stage again. I am
immediately pinned to the stage wall, with all those people rushing to see
Koji up close. It sure was worth waiting, and thank god for the Japanese ML
concert reports which told me about this ahead of time. Otherwise, I
probably would have left a long time ago! But hey, I am right in front of
him with absolutely no obstruction in view. I mean, I was leaning onto the
stage, with everyone pushing me. Koji smiles and.....
20. Melody (Encore 2)
He takes his guitar and starts singing this song. I'm so thrilled that I
barely hold my tears. We all join and sing this beautiful masterpiece.
During guitar solo section, he starts to whistle, and either he forgets, or
he couldn't get those high notes out, he stops whistling and crowd
immediately applauds. Koji smiles as if to say thanks and continues... A
lot of people must have returned to the hall during this song, because as he
finishes this song, a huge (I mean, really huge) applause breaks out. Koji
smiles, takes a look at the people in the first row including myself, and
then he bows several times once again, and heads off the stage.
I leave the hall, really excited. I go to the foyer, and I see some concert
goods being sold. They include concert booklets, guitar picks and stickers,
T shirts, polo shirts, necklaces, towels, etc. They were also selling CDs
and they gave away Grand Love promotional posters for people buying CDs.
Then I took an overnight train back to Niigata. It was just exciting, and I
was very very happy that I was able to make it to this concert. Beautiful
songs, great selection, great seats, and Koji responds to me...gosh, I can't
ask for more (well, I guess I could). ;-)
Written by Teruyuki Mihashi
Organized by Kelvin Tsang
Last update: January 17,1999
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