KinKi Kids' 15th Anniversary Concert in Tokyo - 30 Dec 2012 to 1 Jan 2013 (Part 1)

[I will be updating this post with more video clips and photos over the course of next few days or weeks...depending on my schedule.
Update on 6/1:  Videos 2 and 3 links + silver ribbon photos
Update on 8/1:  Video 5]

YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!!!

It's KinKi Kids' 15th Anniversary Concert!

[You can go straight to the Concert section below if you don't want to be affected by my negative thoughts!  Hahaha!]
Before this, fans were wandering cynically whether the agency has really become totally senile and is not going to even hold the traditional year-end KK concert.  Thank goodness we fans were not deprived of this tradition!  Especially when 2012 can really be described as a KK desert, with only 1 single at the beginning of the year.  It was solo after solo after solo.....well, you get the point.  It's not that I don't support their sole activities (I attended Gravity con in Tokyo) but my heart is really with KinKi.  I want more KinKi Kids' activities!  So when I heard Koichi announce at his Gravity solo con that KK will be holding their traditional year-end KK con, I was ecstatic!!!

If I don't recall the sequence wrongly,

• 24-Sep:  Koichi attended Hey! Hey! Hey! live and made the infamous response "Even though it is KinKi Kids' 15th anniversary..."  (see my earlier post on that)
• 5-Oct:  Johnny-san went to Osaka to attend Tsuyoshi's 小喜利 (this is similar to a solo stand-up comedy act, except that there is a 天音 (voice from above) that will ask Tsuyo questions)
• 6-Oct:  Johnny-san attended Koichi's Gravity concert on 1st night in Tokyo - Yokohama Arena.  
• 8-Oct:  Koichi announced KK year-end con during Gravity concert!!!  Tsuyoshi then also updated Love Fighter with the KK live con decision.

So was Johnny-san personally assuring KK that they have not been forgotten?  I would dearly like to think so. KK has always been perceived as being personally selected and groomed by Johnny-san.  However, they are also very close to SMAP as they had been taken care of by SMAP when back-dancing as juniors for SMAP's performances. There has been long-going rumours about succession fights at the agency, with Johnny-san's niece pitted against SMAP's manager fighting for the prima donna role.  Of course, not forgetting the other pair of rivals - Machi and Higashi......both of whom Koichi is close to.  Gosh, no wonder KK does not wish to take sides and is not in any camp!  But that probably also explains why nobody takes special care of them.  Only Johnny-san will.  And we all know Johnny-san is already very very very old and he won't be around to take care of KK much longer...=.=

So it is with this mindset that I really value whatever opportunities there are left to see KK and watch them perform.  Of course I hope for many more KK anniversaries to come, but as KK themselves had commented a few times over the years, it is not they who decide whether they get to stand on the stage but it is the times and the audience.

So enough with this facing up to "reality" and let's get back to the super duper すごい (awesome) and of course かわいい (cute) KinKi Kids and their 15th anniversary concert!

Concert Stage and Effects

30 Dec:  Red  -  Whilst the seat was very very high up, it was actually quite good as we were right in the center and KK spent half of the concert on high stage platform!  I am so lucky!  We could see the whole stage effects and this is also the best spot for ML recording!  Wahahahaha!
[I am trying to upload the video clips and will insert the links once upload is complete.  Video 1 is complete.  Try and see if it works.  Shhhhhh!]

31 Dec:  Blue  -  We bought this from the Harajuku shop on 30 Dec around 1 pm.  There were so few KK con tickets available for sale.  Only about 20 tickets (1 column in display shelf) for 3 nights when there were usually at least 6 columns for past concerts! Today's singing is the best!  Both Tsuyo and Koichi were in great shape.  30/12 - Koichi's voice not so warmed up and 1/1 - Tsuyo's voice could not reach high notes well. Think he was too tired out from 31/12 KK con, Johnny's Countdown and his wee hours 小喜利.

1 Jan:  Purple  -  We were in Row 10!  I got these tickets from JE International.  We were about 100 m from the bottom tip of the figure 1 stage and 30 m from the aisle in front of the stand!   When Tsuyo and Koichi came to that area, we can see them close up!!!  Ahhhhhh!  I can faint.  Koichi is super good-looking, just like a prince who has walked out from a manga.  However, the one with the greater surprise factor is Tsuyoshi.  OMG!  He is sooo good-looking in real life.  When on TV or in photos, he looks good only at certain angles due to his plump cheeks and jaws.  But in real life, his face is actually quite small and if you see him on a MRT, you would probably be sneaking peeks at him cuz he's so good-looking!

Concert Set List

(Photo 1 / 4:05pm)

(Video 1 / 4:39pm  - http://www.4shared.com/video/ISDm1sd9/IMG_2412.html
 
- This is a short recording just before the start of Anniversary.  2 vehicles were moving down the aisles towards the end of the dome, each with a small round platform with a person standing on it shining the spotlights at the audience.  Nope, that's not KK.  KK did a switch with these persons when the dome turns dark and when lights came on, ta-daaaa, there they are!!!)

[Silver costumes]
1. Anniversary
2. Garasu no Shounen 硝子の少年  (Youth made of Glass)
3. Swan Song
4. Aisareru yorimo Aishitai 愛されるより愛したい  (It's better to love than to be loved)
(This is where the silver ribbons were shot out!  I didn't manage to catch the silver ribbon myself even though my seat on 1/1 was very good and should have got it.  The 2 ribbon rocket shooters aimed at my left and right and I was in the abyss in the middle!  Sob sob!  But I was sooooo blessed.  On 31/12, I went to toilet after this, thinking it was intermission (actually it was not).  This Japanese lady also went to the toilet and she had a whole bunch of ribbons entangled on her arm.  I told her she was very lucky and she offered me the silver ribbons!!!  YEAH!  I took 2, one for myself and one for my friend!

 

5. Time

Album History
[Coloured flowers costumes]

(Photo 2 / 4:57pm)

 

 

(Photo 3 / 5:01pm)

 
6. A Album (1997):  "Kiss Kara Hajimaru Mystery" (Kissからはじまるミステリー)  (Mystery Beginning with A Kiss)
7. B Album (1998):  "Zutto Dakishimetai" (ずっと抱きしめたい) (Want to Hold You Forever)
8. C Album (1999):  "Kimi wa Naite Tsuyoku Naru" (キミは泣いてツヨくなる) (Crying Makes One Strong)
9.  D Album (2000):  Misty
10. E Album (2001):  Lovesick
11. F Album (2002):  "Harukanauta" (ハルカナウタ） (Distant Song)

[White with black embrodiery costumes] 
KK appeared at the top of the top stage platform after the transition for the change of costume. Can you see the 2 tiny white spots being shone upon by the spotlights?

(Photo 4 / 5:16pm)

12. G Album - 24/7 - (2003):   "Teiden no Yoru ni Wa: On the Night of a Blackout" (停電の夜には －On the night of a blackout－)  (Video 2 / 5:16pm - http://www.4shared.com/video/ELpEVRNl/IMG_2416.html)


13. H Album -H・A・N・D- (2005):  Aozora  (Blue Sky) (Video 3 / 5:20pm - http://www.4shared.com/video/ep_oHOZx/IMG_2419.html)


14. I Album -iD- (2006):   "Love is... Itsumo Soko ni Kimi ga Ita Kara" (Love is... ～いつもそこに君がいたから～)  (Video 4 / 5:25pm) - this is the video where my iPhone accidentally hit the head of the person in front of me...  Orz

15. Φ  phi Album (2007):  "Kase no iro" (風の色)  (Colours of the Wind)
16. J Album (2009):  "Yūutsu to Niji" (憂鬱と虹)  (Melancholy and Rainbow)
17. K Album (2011):  "Negau ijyou no koto Inoru ijyou no goto" (願う以上のこと　祈る以上のこと)  (More than Hope, More than Prayer)

MC - 1/1 Birthday Con MC will be in Part 2

Tsuyo and Koichi each appeared on 1 monitor screen during the MC.

(Photo 5 / 5:42pm)

18. New Song No. 1 (by Ken-san 吉田建) (Video 5 / 6:14pm - http://www.4shared.com/video/l3lbS9RQ/IMG_2422.html)


19. New Song No. 2 (by Tamasa Kouji 玉置浩二):  "Muku no hane" (むくのはね)  (Pure Wings) (Video 6 / 6.18pm)

20. "Seppaku no Tsuki" (雪白の月)  (Snowy White Moon) (Video 7 / 6.25pm)

21. "Ai no katamari" (愛のかたまり)  (Bundle of Love)  (Video 8 / 6:30pm) - Unfortunately, I had to stop recording even before KK started singing as an usher started walking up and down the stairs checking very intensively.....)  

(Photo 6 / 6:29pm)

[Gold costumes]
This is where all parts of the stage (including the musicians) started moving to the back of the dome.  The top platform of the stage is about 25 m high (about 7 storeys)!!!  No wonder Tsuyo was saying こわい (scary) in his LF!  He has to sing and dance at such high level on a small little walkway with only railing bars at the sides......

 (Photo 7 / 6:35pm)

22. "Eien no Bloods" (永遠のBLOODS) (Eternal BLOODS)
23. Happy Happy Greeting
24. "Yamenaide, Pure" (やめないで,Pure)  (Do not stop, Pure)
25. "Jounetsu"  (情熱) （Passion）
26. "Ame no Melody" （雨のMelody） (Rain Melody)
27. "Hakka Candy" （薄荷キャンディー） (Peppermint Candy)

(Photo 8 / 6:51pm)

Encore
[Tsuyo took off his gold jacket and wearing a black T-shirt; Koichi still in his gold costume] 
28. Secret Code
29. Rocketman
30. "Flower" (フラワー)


Double Encore (1-Jan)
31. 99% Liberty