HEY everyone… I apologize for not getting this review out sooner. I’ve just been trying to enjoy the DVD a little for myself first before reviewing it.
And I also apologize for not reviewing the A B C C-ute concert. Frankly C-ute is kind of depressing me lately, and now especially with Erika graduating, I really want nothing to do with them right now. And I didn’t really even like the DVD. But whatever, I’ll save my “Future of C-ute Without Kanna and Erika” post for another day.
Now back to a group that definitely is NOT depressing me right now, Berryz Koubou! Concert Review IKUZO!
Here's my favorite performance of it all, Furare Pattern!
1. Dakishimete Dakishimete
A good opening number, the lead-in was well done too. The vocals weren’t fabulous, Risako didn’t sound so good during the first half of the song. Miyabi sounded great though, this song really features her well and shows her talent at consistently good live singing. The dance looks more boring when done live I think, which is strange because I love the dance and watched the dance shot version of this single a lot. But live it just seems awkward and choppy. These outfits are great though, the jackets are cute as well. IMO these are the only good outfits from this tour.
2. Ai no Suki Suki Shisuu Joushouchuu
This song is so corny but I love it. Gotta like those cheesy chimes in the beginning. And the crowd seemed really excited about it as well. They took off the pink jackets for this one, which I like better, but I know everyone else was unhappy about it. I guess I wish they would have kept them for one more song and then took them off. And is this a recurring theme in H!P? The girls wear an outfit with jackets for the first song and take them off for the second. It happened in the most recent C-ute tour as well.
3. Sayonara Hageshiki Koi
So I’m definitely biased against this because I don’t really like this song. But they performed it well so I have no other complaints. Risako’s first solo line wasn’t too good, though… her timing was a bit weird. And it was strange how Captain lip-synched to the “whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa” part after the first chorus and before the first verse. Or at least I’m pretty sure she lip-synched. Do you guys know what I’m talking about?
4. VTR
It’s weird. Um, stats of their blood type and favorite school subject? It felt like reading a baseball card. And the outfits they used for them are also not good. What is this insistence on the princess look for Berryz? One thing the C-ute concert totally kicks Berryz’s ass at is the VTR. That VTR was awesome.
5. HAPPY! Stand Up
Love it. Fun, repetitive, and kind of funky too. I’m really happy that this song didn’t fall into the background after the Berikore! tour to promote the album it was on. This song is so Berryz it’s crazy. Now, these outfits. Does anyone like silvery space diapers with strange backpacks with squirt guns attached to them? If so, I guess Berryz is really reaching out to that demographic. I, however, am not one of them.
6. Gag 100kaibun Aishite Kudasai – Acapella Version
Wow. Fantastic. Didn’t really blow me away, but was still quite impressive. Berryz isn’t all cuteness, you know… they really do have talent. I really have to admire everyone but Momo on this song—singing the melody must be by far the easiest part to sing. The harder parts would be all of the harmonies, and even more so, keeping the beat. So good job girls … I loved it. The crowd didn’t seem to like it all that much, though… I guess wota don’t like stuff like this.
7. MADAYADE
You know, I would have minded if they just skipped over this song this tour. I mean, I like it a lot, but it just isn’t really a fun song to listen to live. It’s too upbeat to be a ballad but not really upbeat enough to be exciting. They all sang it well, though.
8. Nanchuukoi wa Yatteru YOU KNOW?
Haven’t heard this one in a while, it was really enjoyable. The dance seems pretty uninspired though, especially during this live. It’s a pretty upbeat song with a heavy dance beat, I assumed the choreography would match it. But no, it’s mostly para para and recycled H!P dance moves. And what was that part where Miyabi and Yurina had their backs to the audience during the instrumental break? Anyway, the singing was well done.
9. Sakura wa Raku sa (Captain and Miyabi)
Yes! LOVE this song! Captain sounded fantastic, and her dancing was really fluid. Miyabi just sounded like she always does, I guess. Not bad, but just uninteresting. I wish they would have done a full version though.
10. Sabori (Risako)
God, what an ugly dress. Well, as much as I like Risako solos, this one really didn’t do it for me. Believe me, I loved her VERY BEAUTY and REAL LOVE performances from the last two tours, they were great. And this one was fine too, I guess the song just doesn’t get me excited like the other two do. But you have to love that pouty face she does. > 3 <
11. MC (Maasa, Captain, Momo)
Well we find out that Captain’s rival is… Chinami!! I think it’s because Chinami is always next to Miyabi in pictures are Captain wants to be there instead. These outfits leave a lot to be desired, I really think they should have just gone with something like C-ute’s A B C casual outfits, or like the ones they had in the Berryz Kamen vs. Cutie Ranger tour. If only…
12. Joshi Basket bu ~Asaren Atta Hi no Kamigata~ (Chinami, Maasa)
This song is pretty weird, but I lived this performance. Neither Maasa nor Chinami ever really amaze me vocally, and they didn’t here, but they sure were fun to watch! And for the record, I do think Maasa has the most awesome in Berryz, so I’m not biased against her at all.
13. Aitai Kedo… (Momo, Yurina)
Momo sounded awesome, but Yurina bored me like she always does. It’s not like her singing was bad, but her stage presence can be pretty nonexistent sometimes and here is a good example. And they kept Maasa and Chinami out there to be backup dancers, I guess? It seemed kind of weird to have them there. Nothing would have been lost from the performance if they had just left. No offense, you two.
14. Otokonoko
I’m not nearly as big of a fan of this song as everyone else seemed to be when the best-of album came out, but I can’t deny this was a good rendition of it. I keep getting reminded of Massara Blue Jeans during that part right before the chorus where there are they three hits with the guitar rhythm. I want to sing, “massara pin no BURUU JIINZU!” And we finally get a look at Miyabi’s black-and-white outfit, which is way better than everyone else’s.
15. MC (Yurina, Chinami and later Risako)
I don’t get this one at all. Something about soccer and Risako is their coach. And Chinami and Yurina disagree on something, I guess…?
16. Ah Merry-go-round (Captain, Momo)
Really didn’t expect to hear this one, but I’m glad they sang it! I expected it to be one of those album tracks that’s played the first tour after it comes out and then is forgotten forever… and I also never got the impression that this song was that popular. But I’m glad to see a comeback and Momo and Captain make a good duo!
17. Furare Pattern
REALLY didn’t expect this one either! I haven’t listened to this in such a long time. Everything was great—the dance, the harmonies, the outfits (the ones they wore in
18. Jingisukan
My god, give this song a rest. I have nothing really to say about this except that is a carbon copy of every other time that they’ve sang it.
19. Happiness ~Koufuku Kangei!~
This song is so crazy, but it was pretty awesome. And I swear to God Miyabi does the best of those little “ooh”s. I wish Berryz would start bringing those back. No one can “ooh” like Miyabi. Once again their English is a bit off… they squish “HAPPINESS” into “HAPPNESS”. But it’s not a big deal, at least I know what they’re saying.
Wow this one is popular. The energy in this performance was pretty high too. Another great performance, one of the best of the DVD.
21. Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance
Another big energy song, and the crowd seemed really into it. The wota came up with some good cheers for this one, and I like the ones that Saki leads (the ones were a girl sings a line ending with ‘monkey’ and Saki yells ‘SAY!’ and the audience yells it back). And you can’t forget those signature Berryz “WAO!”s either. The monkey graphics on the big screen were kind of corny though.
22. CLAP!
Why do I feel like this is going to be the next Yuujou Junjou oh Seishun? Honestly I feel like it’ been overplayed. And for some reason all of Berryz always performs it even though it’s actually only a Chinami-Yurina-Miyabi song on the album. But the audience liked it a lot (probably why it’s done so much) and you could hear them shouting out the words too.
23. Seishun Bus Guide
I’m pretty sure this is a different performance than the one that was shown on Dohhhup, because they’ve definetly improved since then. I still think this song is a bit ridiculous, but the girls did a great job singing it. I think this is a song that is in a good range for Risako, she sounded really great here. Those outfits look really warm, though…! (They wore the Seishun Bus Guide space outfits—the blue ones).
24. Rival
Okay, part of me wants to yell and scream, “OMG RISAKO DID THE FALSETTO AND IT WAS GREAT!!!” But there’s another part of me that says… did she really do it? Was she really in Super Risako Mode, or was it slightly edited? It’s really hard to tell. As much as I am a Risako fan, which I am, I know her consistency is not the best in Berryz. I’ll leave it to the readers to decide… But aside from Risako’s Maybe-Real Falsetto, the song sounded okay. I think it might take some more time for this song to sound really great. And I can’t blame them, the dance as so much jumping around and running that it makes sense if it’s a hard one to perform.
25. Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai
Oh God, I’m sorry Berryz. These dresses are horrible. They look awful and uncomfortable and make the dance for this song look stupid. You can barely even see their leg movements! Like, WHO looked at these and thought, “Yeah, these are good. This is definitely the best work I can do. I’m really giving Berryz Koubou a lot of credit here.” Those really ruined this song for me, even though they sounded fine. I just can’t look… it burns…!
26. Sono Subete no Ai
I think I am really giving Berryz super props when I say that I loved this performance despite those crime-against-nature outfits. It was fantastic. Everyone sounded great. Without a doubt one of the most important Berryz performances in their history. It was very emotional, and even the level-headed Saki started to tear up. Risako did too but that’s not really a surprise. Just wow. A great ending to a great tour.
Well, there you have it. So to me, this tour was much more enjoyable than C-ute’s A B C (except for the outfits, C-ute had the best). And in some ways it was even better than Momusu’s PLATINUM tour as well. I guess Berryz just has that effect on me. I rate this concert a 8 / 10.
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