The “Final Dance” of BiS: 48 Songs in Three and a Half Hours at Yokohama Arena

| Idol | Posted by Kai Okudara on Jul.19.2014

Sponsored Links

On July 8, 2014 “alternative idol group” BiS held their final concert, “BiS nari no Budokan” at Yokohama arena in front of about 9,000 “kenkyuuin” (BiS’ term for their fans). In their three and a half year history, BiS was never a group to conform to the norms of the idol genre, whether it was running around in the woods wearing nude bodysuits (“My Ixxx”), releasing albums entitled “IDOL is DEAD” and “WHO KiLLED IDOL?”, or attempting to run 100 kilometers in 24-hours before performing at a 24-hour concert (“hitoribochi”). Contrary to other concerts where idols said their final farewells to fans, there were no long emotional speeches or elaborate costume changes; BiS expressed their thanks with an impressive, near nonstop three and a half-hour, 48-song performance.

like a funeral…

True to their unconventional, sometimes controversial nature, there was an altar for fans to place flowers in front of portraits of the members, giving the appearance of a funeral. Fans who purchased the 2000 yen tickets were greeted by staff dressed up like hoodlums wielding baseball bats and made to navigate a path strewn with banana peels before entering the arena. Inside the arena lobby was a display of all the costumes that BiS wore during their three and a half year history on display as well as floral arrangements congratulating them on their accomplishments.

The final concert began with current members Pour Lui, Nozomi Hirano, Saki Kamiyama, Ten Tenko, Megumi Koshoji, and First Summer Uika being joined onstage by former members Yukiko Nakayama, Rina Yokoyama, and Rio Michibayashi for a 9-member rendition of BiS’ representative song “nerve”. After a short rendition of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” by manager Junnosuke Watanabe accompanied by producer Kenta Matsukuma on guitar, BiS returned to the stage in patchwork dresses and sang and danced continuously for over an hour before taking a short 3-minute break which was activated by a large button at the back of the stage labeled “S.O.S.”
The second half of the concert began with BiS newest song “FiNAL DANCE” and ended with the same song they started with, “nerve”, this time with BiS performing as a 6-member unit. In between, Saki Kamiyama ran into the premium seating area and crowd surfed, the members did a victory lap around the arena floor seating area, and several giant bouncy balls were tossed into the crowd. It seems as if BiS chose to have their music convey their gratitude to the “kenkyuuin” in attendance, having performed 48 songs (49 if you count “nerve” twice) in an impressive near-continuous 3 and a half hour concert.

The only words BiS had for the audience came at the very end of the performance when leader Pour Lui said “Thank you very much! We have been BiS! (Arigatou gozaimashita! BiS deshita!)” as she ran off the stage. This was followed by a memorial video featuring pictures of the members, acknowledgements, and announcements of their future plans: Pour Lui would be continuing her activities as a singer in the band LUI◇FRONTiC Matsukuma Japan, First Summer Uika and Nozomi Hirano would be forming a new unit called Billie Idol under the creative direction of NIGO, Saki Kamiyama would join a new idol group called Purania, Megumi Koshoji would begin a new project called “book house girl” in the fall, and Ten Tenko would be “free”.

Witnessing the end of BiS should serve as a lesson to all fans; you never know when a group is going to break up, or your favorite member might graduate so, by all means, if you have a chance to go see a group you like, take it! However, it did seem odd that as the “kenkyuuin” were exiting Yokohama Arena, they were handed a flyer for “A Solo Live in the style of former BiS” (Moto BiS nari no Wanman Raibu) that was taking place on July 9th in Shimokitazawa with a 30,000 yen entry fee which included an all-you-can eat/drink option. While we may never see BiS get back together anytime in the near future, it feels like they may not be done challenging our expectations of what idol culture is about. The DVD and Blue-Ray for “BiS nari no Budokan” goes on sale September 24, 2014.

Setlist

1. nerve
2. final dance
3. primal.
4. nasty face
5. mmgk
6. error
7. magumato
8. no regret
9. StupiG
10. odd future
11. fly
12. hi
13. die
14. mura-mura
15. BiSimulation
16. hide out cut
17. ano koro
18. get you
19. Demo, Sayonara
20. idol is dead
21. ash
22. blew
23. urge over kill of love
24. hitoribochi
25. i wish i was special
26. chelsea
27. ppcc
28. Hokousha tengoku no zatou desakende mitakattan da
29. survival dance ～no no cry more～
30. idol
31. Tofu
32. primal.
33. Usagi Planet
34. yah yah yah
35. eat it
36. gugigi
37. animal
38. Split-Brain Syndrome
39. my Ixxx
40. Paprika
41. give me your love zenbu
42. Thousand Volts
43. yell
44. Taiyou no Jumon
45. one day
46. BiS
47. Let It Be
48. nerve
49. endroll primal.2