Shingo Katori

My seventh performance on January 7th was Shingo Katori's, who greeted the audience with a cheerful 'Ohappu-tsu!' I happily joined the show after receiving an invitation. While I once wished to see a live performance with all five (or six) members together, that's now an impossible dream. Seeing them perform solo, one by one, might be a good alternative. Believe it or not, I was one of the few older fans who collected all the 'SAMPLE BANG' albums. To study, I went to my first Johnny's-affiliated live performance and my first Ariake Arena (though he's more of a mainstream artist than just 'affiliated'). I was aware that WONK had been involved in his music and that he collaborated with Maki Nomiya, so I thought I should do my homework. While researching, I found a familiar name as the bandmaster. Murata Yoichi? Is that the same Murata who was in the dark continent, Jagatara, and De La Luz? It was an unexpected reunion after decades (at least in my mind). I never thought I'd be connected through Shingo Katori. Now, onto the venue. I was concerned that there wasn't a band set up on stage, and the show started like that. I was a bit disappointed, thinking it was a karaoke-style live, but from the beginning, the use of lighting was superb, and I thought, 'This must be thanks to Shingo Katori's involvement in stage production since his SMAP days.' Then, around the sixth or seventh song, the back curtain rose, and the support members appeared! (I mentally exclaimed, 'Is this the Fujii Kaze pattern?') So, they were there after all. The sound of live brass was fantastic, and the stage, with its skillful blend of light, sound, and dance, was unlike any idol stage I had seen. It was completely different from what I had imagined; I was treated to a hardcore performance. I had the prejudice that most idol lives are lip-synced, but he was singing properly, and I was somehow pleased to see him out of breath while MCing. I was fortunate to have such a great opportunity.