桑田佳祐
AAA ended in 2018, so I guess this is the first event of its kind since then. One of the joys is hearing Kuwata-san sing his classic hits. But this time, there were guests! I was wondering who the guests would be, but as usual, I couldn't get a ticket, so I was about to give up. Then I heard that they would sell day-of tickets starting at 12:00 PM. I tried it on a whim, and a miracle happened. The last time I was at the Budokan for anything Kuwata-related was for the "Budou" tour in 2015, when it was one ticket per person, just like this resale. My seat was on the first floor, directly to the side. Everyone around me was alone, but they seemed surprisingly young. Miki Sumiyoshi, the emcee, appeared first, and Kuwata-san came on after an opening act produced by him. He followed up a song by Takuro Yoshida and "Ashita e no March" with "You don't listen to rock, do you...", and then Aimyong made a surprise appearance! I was shocked. Then, with Kuwata-san's harmony, they slammed into "Kimi wa Rock wo Kikanai." Kuwata-san became hooked on Rock in Japan Festival after appearing in 2002, and he encountered Aimyong there. I'm healed by her songs that easily resonate even with people in their 50s. The encounter with Kuwata-san, my favorite, instantly maxed out my excitement. It was a dream collaboration. And Sakurai-san is his close friend, but it's been 19 years since Yumehito Island. It seems like it's been that long. But they still look great together. "Kiseki no Chikyu" (Miracle of the Earth) got a lot of attention, but the duet of "Bojo" (Longing) was breathtaking. You can't hear it anywhere else. I could have predicted Hara-san, but I lost the lottery for her solo live show, so it was refreshing to hear her solo songs. "Ichou Namiki no Serenade" (Ginkgo Tree-lined Serenade) is an autumn song that I often listen to at this time of year, so I was happy to hear it. Yoshii-san was also at the center of the Rock in Japan Festival's grand finale last year, but when he sang Kuwata-san's "Tokyo," I was surprised that it felt cool even when someone other than Kuwata-san sang it. They are comrades who have both overcome illness, and you can catch a glimpse of their wonderful relationship. Collaborations between Kuwata-san, Sakurai-san, and Yoshii-san, and Aimyong's rediscovering of her singing ability in "Nagori Yuki" (Lingering Snow), it's like a treasure trove. The next guest's appearance, combined with the age range of the audience, caused an earth-shaking cheer. It was the appearance of Mariya Takeuchi, which you can say is quite the rare item. It was amazing. She told an episode of listening to "Namida no Kiss" (Tears' Kiss) at a supermarket when Kuwata-san was hospitalized and being moved to tears. It was completely fresh. It was the first time I heard that her younger brother was Kuwata-san's junior in Better Days. But today's ultimate item was Mariya-san's "Shizuka na Densetsu" (Quiet Legend). It would have been amazing if Tatsuro Yamashita was there, but Kuwata-san and Hara-san sang live chorus, which was the ultimate item. I had goosebumps all over and desperately tried to burn it into my memory. For the encore, everyone sang together, and at the very end, Kuwata-san sang "Matsuri no Ato" (After the Festival) alone... No, there aren't many spaces as luxurious as this. There have been many grand finales, such as Hopeful Breath from Rock in Japan Festival last year and Yumehito Island in 2006, and "Katte ni Sinbad" (Arbitrary Sinbad) from AAA in 1993, but it's not easy to hear all the guests with their own songs and Kuwata-san's harmony. Thank you for the day-of ticket. Also, I was able to hear Kuwata-san's "Yoitomake no Uta" (Paver's Song) live for the first time in a while. The first time I heard it was at the Budokan in 1993. At that time, it strongly attracted the audience, and it was a big song that led to the masterpiece "Kodoku no Taiyo" (Solitary Sun). It's still amazing. I feel the need for these kinds of events. I think it was a really wonderful live show with a lot of potential for the future. Kuwata-san, please hold another festival. Also, now that you're solo and it's autumn, please come to Rock in Japan Festival. Because you're solo, so it's not Southern All Stars.
