GANG PARADE + Marine Day = Bikini Encore? “WE ARE the IDOL” Shibuya WWW Live Report!

| Idol | Posted by Kai Okudara on Jul.29.2016

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While people across Japan were flocking to the beaches on July 18, 2016 in celebration of Marine Day (the 3rd Monday of July), GANG PARADE headed for higher ground with an electrifying sold out performance at Shibuya WWW! In addition to commemorating the release of “WE ARE the IDOL”, the first single since changing their name weeks earlier, it was also marked a bold declaration by Yua Yumeno, and a encore performed in bikinis!

Striking a dramatic pose with the lights at the back of the stage casting shadows, GANG PARADE went right into “QUEEN OF POP”, following up with “Alarm” and a throwback to their days as Pla2me with “Toraresou”. Taking a short break to introduce themselves, the members claimed their “gang colors” (most idols say they’re “in charge” 担当 of their colors) as part of their new name/image of GANG PARADE. Acknowledging that it was a big step forward for them as it was their first time to perform at Shibuya WWW (capacity: 450), their largest venue yet, the members expressed their determination despite returning from Sendai (They were the opening act for BiSH and The LEGENDARY SIX NINE’s two-man show on July 17th.) by overnight bus just a few hours prior. The only signs of possible fatigue showed when Saki Kamiya added an extra “W” to Shibuya WWW’s name.

Slowing down the pace slightly with “3rd FLOOR BOYFRIEND”, “fly away”, and “too misery”, the energy blipped up momentarily as the acidic synths of “NEON” dripped from the speakers and GANG PARADE moved quickly about the stage. Clapping in sync with the flashing strobe lights as the beats of “Lonely lonely lonely” built up, several times a voice could be heard shouting “Party People!”, a reference to past live performances where fans would shout out “EDM!” due to the group’s heavier electronic sound.

GANG PARADE took a detour to their recent more conventional idol direction, waving their cyalumes to “Hashiru!!”, throwing out heart kechas to “Daydream”, and bouncing and rocking their way through “who am I?”. Emerging from the eye of the storm, the audience erupted into a mass of moving bodies and voices shouting out a MIX, swinging their arms along to the familiar choreography of “pretty pretty good” and linking arms while swaying from side to side to “UNIT”.

Covering their eyes with their hands, GANG PARADE went in for the big finish with “Plastic 2 mercy”, whipping the fans into a frenzy as they kicked up their feet and jumped aggressively to the group’s very first song. Sprinting towards the finish line with “Happy Lucky Kirakira Lucky”, the members zoomed around the stage before thanking the audience and making a hasty exit.

After a few minutes of encore calls, Miki Yamamachi appeared on the stage alone. She explained that she had written the lyrics for “Kore wa Kitto aventure” by imagining the feel of a summer party song and urged the fans to make it the best summer ever. While she was talking, the rest of the members, dressed in bikinis, snuck up behind her and took off her uniform. As they danced around the stage barefoot, swinging their hands in the air, the mood of Marine Day washed through Shibuya WWW. Immediately, the audience lit up with the glow of camera and smartphone screens as the fans began snapping as many pictures as they could of GANG PARADE’s debut performance of the song.

Seeing as Shibuya WWW had been immortalized in idol history with the school swimsuit performances by BiS (February 15, 2013) and BiSH (September 6, 2015), it seemed as if the bar had been raised as GANG PARADE showed off their slender bikini-clad bodies forged by their intense schedule.

After “Letter”, there were several announcements including the title and release date of their new album “Barely Last” on November 8th which would be followed up by a one-man live on November 13th at Shinjuku BLAZE (capacity: 800), taking GANG PARADE up to another level in the hierarchy of venues. Yua Yumeno stepped forward to introduce the final song of the afternoon, “WE ARE the IDOL”, which she had written the lyrics for. She explained that she admired idols and had longed to be one before she joined POP in 2015. With her eyes watering, she boldly confessed her dream of standing on the stage of the legendary Nippon Budokan and how it kept her moving forward despite the trials of being an idol. Admitting that it may sound like an impossible and reckless goal to aim for given their current situation, she vowed to keep working to realize that dream and asked the fans, staff members, and other members to help her achieve it. Having set the mood, she and the members of GANG PARADE performed “WE ARE the IDOL” for the first time

Sadly, just as GANG PARADE seemed to be picking up momentum, Ao Shigusawa shocked fans during a release event for “WE ARE the IDOL” at Cut-Up Studio in Tower Records Shibuya on the evening of July 19th when she announced that she would be withdrawing from the group. Her final performance with GANG PARADE will take place at the Sky Stage of Tokyo Idol Festival on the evening of August 7th.

Set List

01 QUEEN OF POP
02 Alarm
03 Toraresou
04 3rd FLOOR BOYFRIEND
05 fly away
06 NEON
07 too misery
08 Lonely lonely lonely
09 Hashiru!!
10 Daydream
11 who am I?
12 pretty pretty good
13 UNIT
14 Plastic 2 mercy
15 Happy Lucky Kirakira Lucky

E1 Kore wa Kitto aventure
E2 Letter
E3 WE ARE the IDOL

Buy Item

We Are The Idol

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GANG PARADE One Man Live “Barely Last”
November 13, 2016 (Sunday)
Shinjuku BLAZE
Open: 4:00pm Start: 5:00pm
Presale: 3,000 yen (+ 1 drink minimum)
Female area available

Related Links

GANG PARADE Official site: http://www.pop2m.com/

GANG PARADE Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/GANG_PARADE

Author

Kai Okudara

Writer, researcher, photographer, foodie, KSDD

From Nippon Broadcasting System to Radio Nippon, The Charm of Getting to Really Know Idols Through Radio, and What Hasn’t Changed Between Then and Now