IDLE is DEAD!? Former BiS Members Strike a “nerve” at Hibiya Yaon for ANARCHY TOUR Finale!

| Artist | Posted by Kai Okudara on Jun.29.2016

Tentenko

Tentenko appeared on the stage right on schedule, starting off with abstract noise music. Even though she was an idol, it was not surprising at all because she has collaborated with famous noise band Hijou Kaidan as a member of BiS (BiS Kaidan) and made her major debut with Toshiji Mikawa (Hijou Kaidan).

As the wind continued to blow strongly, Tentenko created her distinctive world. She sang a phrase “Atarashii Asa ga Kita Kibou no Asa da” (a new morning came with hope) from “Radio Taisou no Uta” in a track composed with heavy bass sound and screaming noises.
Maybe she was implying that something really drastic would happen during this event. The audience, including myself, could not help but hope that it was what we all had been anticipating: BiS reunion on stage.

Tentenko continued by playing a song in which her voice seemed to be sampled and looped. Sounding like a theremin, the music was accompanied by a lyrical rap-like phrase “Douka shiteruze Vini Vinyl Atama Kurukuru” (this is not certain but at least that’s what I think I heard). This phrase was completely in comprehensible but, there was a comfort within the state of acatalepsy. However, after she left the stage, the noisy feelings in my heart did not calm down at all. This was the moment that I knew that this event would be legendary.

words by ykmk

LUI FRONTiC Akabane JAPAN

When Tempest Takeuchi (guitar), Ohara just begun (bass), and Angels Ken (drums) came out onto the stage, the audience stood up in anticipation of Pour Lui’s passionate performance but, she appeared at the back of the amphitheater and ran through the aisles as she got things started with “Kanjitaiyo Sobaniitaiyo Atarashii Kaze to Kirisaku Hikari wo”. Thunderous applause and cheers welcomed the “new age rock icon” who exuded the kind of eternal charisma which never dissipates.

During the MC, Pour Lui mentioned BiS, commenting that those who were in BiS had often been called “ugly women that were terrible at dancing and singing”. Emphasizing the importance of having a dream, she added that despite those criticisms BiS had managed to stand on to the stage of Yokohama Arena, a venue which can hold more than 10,000 people. The audience was then heated up with “Rip me” (“rip” リプ is an abbreviation for “reply” リプライ, as when replying to someone on Twitter), her words piercing my heart one by one. Noting her growth as a singer and her stage talk, I was deeply moved by her performance as an artist, not just an idol. When she was in BiS, Pour Lui surprised and moved me many times through their extreme activities. Even though it might have been her that was surprised by Junnosuke Watanabe (ex-BiS manager), seeing Pour Lui now continuing to surprise and move the audience, I felt as if I had begun to see her true talents shining through.

To end her set, Pour Lui ran through the audience and did “ippon-jime” which is a hand-clap performed to celebrate the successful conclusion of a task. Pour Lui essentially did not change at all but her skill and attitude towards singing had definitely grown as shown by the red-hot performance of LUI FRONTiC Akabane JAPAN that day.

01 Kanjitaiyo Sobaniitaiyo Atarashii Kaze to Kirisaku Hikari wo
02 Smash Hit
03 Starlight
04 Rip me
05 Dear

words by ykmk

POP

POP took advantage of the spaciousness of Hibiya Yaon by having Ao Shigusawa appear on the stage alone before and directing the audience’s attention to the back of the amphitheater with a shout. As all heads turned, Saki Kamiya, Maaya Inukai, Yua Yumeno, and Miki Yamamachi began parading their way down the aisles, much like Pour Lui had done for her set. Kicking things off with the hyperactive “Happy Lucky Kirakira Lucky”, the colorful quintet raced around on the stage, pointing and pumping their arms. Soap bubbles floated towards the stage as the fans shouted out a loud MIX and waved their arms along with the members of POP to the bouncy synthpop of “who am I?”.

Stopping to introduce themselves, “youth representative” Ao resumed her bullying of Saki, digging up how unremarkable Kamiya was during her days in BiS. As the haranguing continued, the other members began chanting “Kamiya” in a mocking tone. Reaching her breaking point, Saki shoved Ao to the floor, protesting that her present self no longer had any relation to her past self because, “we’re doing a POP live, aren’t we?” Snapping back into line, the others meekly agreed with her and the live continued with an explosive performance of “Plastic 2 mercy”.

The mood continued to heat up with “pretty pretty good” as the audience swung their arms along to the ebizori-like choreography, which proved to be an early warm up for the grand finale (the choreography is quite similar to “nerve”). Taking out cyalumes in their respective colors, the members of POP lead the audience in waving them from side to side during the sparkly “Hashiru!!”. As Ao sang her lines, the others ran up to her and high-fived her, the process repeating when it was Miki’s turn to sing. Assuming a super sentai pose, POP brought their set to a close with the fist-pumping rock of “QUEEN OF POP”. As a group that had undergone the most changes since their formation, the growth of POP has been exciting to watch through their many live performances, especially since the return of Saki Kamiya.

POP changed their name to GANG PARADE on June 17, 2016.

01 Happy Lucky Kirakira Lucky
02 who am I?
03 Plastic 2 mercy
04 pretty pretty good
05 Hashiru!!
06 QUEEN OF POP

BILLIE IDLE®

Hosts of the tour, BILLIE IDLE® made their entrance in dramatic fashion, emerging from the fog floating out from the sides of the stage. First Summer Uika’s hair was jet black, probably due to her starring in the play “Ie ga Waratteru” (The House is Laughing) which opened on May 3. Yuuhi Yasui sported a short pixie cut. Momo Momose’s blonde locks now fell on her shoulders in soft waves. Nozomi Hirano had her hair pulled back into two short antenna-like horns. Moving as if in slow motion, the members of BILLIE IDLE® quivered while standing on one leg to the churning retro-futuristic electronic rock of “Monika”, jabbing their fists in the air and moving like robots.

After being shot with imaginary bullets by the others, Yuuhi got back to her feet while joking that the fans thought that she had died before taking her position at the corner of the stage before exclaiming, “Hasshin” (発信, literally “dispatch”, a phrase said when a train leaves a station) while pointing towards the night sky to begin “Furare Kibun de Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Momo took the other side of the stage to sing her verses before joining the others in a chorus line-like dance at the middle of the stage as they rocked out to their cover of TOM★CAT’s 1984 techno-pop hit. Unleashing a plethora of retro dance moves and quirky vocables, they box-stepped and shuffled robotically to “po pe pa” before shaking things up with their debut song “anarchy in the music scene”.

Uika brought the audience to a standstill silence when she began to talk about how it had been one year since BILLIE IDLE® had been formed, revealing that she had a serious announcement to make. As Uika continued, pausing dramatically between each word, several fans called out “Don’t quit!”, as they feared that it was news of a disbandment. “Today…we…have…new towels for sale!”, turned out to be the “important announcement”! Uika mocked the audience for falling for her ruse with, “As if we would breakup!” The mood did a quick 180°turn as she rattled through all the potential uses for the towels as the others acted as her spokesmodels.

During the gritty rockabilly shuffle of “Konnin Tokode wa Tomaranai”, Yuuhi ran offstage and returned with a bouquet to propose to Nozomi, only to be rebuked harshly as she was clobbered with the blue flowers. Yellow lights beamed down upon the stage, giving the illusion of daybreak as BILLIE IDLE® raised their fists high overhead while their voices joined together for “Toki no Tabibito”.

The bomber jackets were unzipped and the music revved back into overdrive with “Darlin’ ni wa Naranai”, Yuuhi and Nozomi pumping up the crowd by waving foam hands as Uika and Momo alternated verses. Stomping their way through “Heisei Rock Star”, the mini rock block came to a close, segueing into the seething vaporwave of “be-bop tu-tu”. Nozomi stood by herself to begin “HUMANOID” before the others leapt back onto the stage to join her as the synth melodies quivered and swirled through the air. Bringing out “Tomajin”, the anthropomorphic tomato from the MV for “Kanata ni…”, BILLIE IDLE®’s set roared to a close in a kinder, gentler manner (Tomajin spent most of the song in the arms of Nozomi and Yuuhi instead of being beaten up as he had been before).

Returning to the stage after several minutes of encore calls, BILLIE IDLE® entrancing the audience with a rare live performance of “Kodomo no You ni”. Silver streamers with the logos of the 5 performers printed on them exploded out from the stage as BILLIE IDLE® whipped the crowd into a frenzy with their fan favorite “be my boy”.

01 Monika
02 Furare Kibun de Rock ‘n’ Roll
03 po pe pa
04 anarchy in the music scene
05 Konnin Tokode wa Tomaranai
06 Toki no Tabibito
07 Darlin’ ni wa Naranai
08 Heisei Rock Star
09 be-bop tu-tu
10 HUMANOID
11 Kanata ni…

E1 Kodomo ni You ni
E2 be my boy

The lights dimmed and another encore call began. Uika and Nozomi returned, joined by Saki, Tentenko, and Rio Michibayashi, indicating that a live performance of “Douse Kieteshimau Inochi nara…” was indeed going to become reality. Finally, the moment anticipated ever since the last days of BiS arrived as the opening notes of “nerve” rang out through the amphitheater! Pour Lui appeared wearing a black “IDOL” T-shirt as the audience surged towards the front of the stage, forming a wall of bodies swinging their arms to the music. April 29th may be known to most in Japan as Showa Day (birthday of the previous Emperor) but, for kenkyuuin, it will forever be the day that, for one brief moment, BiS came back from the dead!

Photos by Yosuke Mochizuki

Related Links

BILLIE IDLE® Official site: http://www.billieidle.com/

Lui FRONTiC Akabane JAPAN Official site: https://www.lfajapan.com/

Maison book girl Official site: http://www.maisonbookgirl.com/

POP Official site: http://www.pop2m.com/

Tentenko Official site: http://tentenko.jimdo.com/