Live performances have a power that TV and video just can't deliver. I know they're usually expensive, but they're often worth it! When I first came to Japan back in 2003, I hung out with a friend who loved going to rock concerts. The first concert he dragged me along to was Evanesence. The hall was somewhere in Osaka (Osaka Zepp or something...?) We queued for ages waiting to get in. I was a little dismayed to find that we had to stand up for the concert. Standing for a long time always makes my back ache. I was also a little apprehensive because it was my first ever rock concert. And I'd heard a few scary things about rock concerts....
I thought it was good that we were only three rows from the front, so we were assured a good view of everything on stage. (Once I went to a concert in New Zealand, and we were so far away you needed binoculars to see the performers - which I didn't have! )
Then the concert started. The lead singer stood on the edge of the stage and leaned out, until we could have reached out and touched her. The music swallowed me alive. I couldn't take my eyes off the guitarist who was swinging his waist-length braids in a circle like a halo of black snakes. I already loved Evanesence's music from the CD, but the live performance of their concert was something else. It was a fantastic! It was AMAZING!
A few months later I went to a rock festival with my friend. It was held in Osaka Dome. They had a good line-up of acts that included Osaka group The
Ulfuls,
Michelle Branch (who I really liked at the time),
The Who, and
Aerosmith. We were not near the front this time, but not so far away as to need binoculars. We were close enough to wish we had ear plugs, particularly during the grand finale, Aerosmith. The preparation for their performance consisted of dragging a solid wall of huge speakers along the front of the stage. It was so loud our ears hurt, and we fled the Dome early.
What I found really interesting was observing the audience's reaction to the different acts. Michelle Branch was one of the earlier acts, and she did OK. But as soon as the Ulfuls came on they electrified the audience. They were an Osaka group playing to an Osaka crowd and they had instant rappor. But I couldn't understand why I should feel it too. I'd never heard of them before, and they were speaking and singing in Japanese which meant I understood maybe two percent, so why should I be caught up in their performance? Some kind of group telepathy? Why should I suddenly want their album?
After the Ulfuls there were several more acts, and the day wore on. I was flagging a bit. This music marathon was interesting, but a bit too much really. And then THE WHO came on. (You know The Who? Roger Daltry? 1970s rock music?
Pinball Wizard?) Well, I'd heard of them, and heard some of their songs. But in spite of the fact that they were my generation's music, I'd never gotten into them. (I liked Simon and Garfunkel, and Bread.) Their songs are legends... but they're OLD legends. And the group members are all OLD guys. But they were magicians! Their crowd magic was even stronger than that of the Ulfuls. They were masters of rock!
I bought an Ulfuls CD. I still don't own any Who music, and I don't particularly want to. But forever and always I'll treasure the experience, the incredible feeling of their live performance.
So have you been to any concerts lately?
