Rabbit: I finally remembered the question I wanted to ask when we talked about Vocaloids a few posts ago.
Tiger: About time, so what was it?
Rabbit: Would you pay to see a Vocaloid live in concert? Would it really be worth it?
Tiger: Interesting, what brought this on?
Rabbit: Well, we’ve purchased a few of the BD concerts, Hatsune Miku Live Party 2013 in Kansai and Mikunopolis in Los Angeles. They’re fun to watch and I’ve always wondered what it would be like to go see her in person. Well, you know what I mean.
Tiger: We’ve seen a few live performances of both classical and popular music. I gotta say, I prefer seeing classical live. I’m not one for mosh pits.
Rabbit: Stereopony was awesome when we saw them! They had so much energy.
Tiger: Yeah, they were fun to go see. But I guess it would depend on which Vocaloids were going to sing at the concert. As much as we love our favorites like Kagamine Rin and Len, they are kind of old now. Especially when you look at popularity polls, Hatsune Miku has even dropped out of top three standings.
Rabbit: Yeah, but she’s also a classic. She may just be the Cher of Vocaloids.
Tiger: Didn’t a critic once say that after a nuclear apocalypse, the only things left on earth would be cockroaches and Cher?
Rabbit: Something like that.
Tiger: Just a point of order, we don’t listen to Cher. I don’t even know why you brought her up.
Rabbit: Anyway, Mikunopolis in Los Angeles was the first concert recording we ever saw and some of the first live Vocaloid music we heard. It was recorded at Anime Expo 2011 when Hatsune Miku made her first appearance in the United States. She and the others were accompanied by The 39’s, a live band.
Tiger: It must be hard playing with a recording; it leaves you very little room for mistakes. Probably why they are professionals but I wonder what they think of it all. It’s a little strange, don’t you think?
Rabbit: At least she’ll never go full on diva on them at rehearsals.
Tiger: *laughs*
Rabbit: At Anime Expo, classic songs like World is Mine by Ryo from Supercell and Romeo and Cinderella by doriko were performed.
Tiger: One of my favorite Len songs, Butterfly on Your Right Shoulder by Nori-P, was also showcased.
Rabbit: Rin also sang Meltdown (Nuclear Fushion) by iroha.
Tiger: I have to admit that the live version sounds so much better to me than the one you find in Project DIVA f 2nd. The live instruments bring a kind of weight to the music, I really love the sound.
Rabbit: Megurine Luka also sings her classic, Just Be Friends by Dixie Flatline.
Tiger: *groans*
Rabbit: What’s your problem?
Tiger: They always make her sing that. I realize it’s a popular song but out of the big Crypton stars, I think Luka has the best voice yet they never utilize it. Same thing with Len, he didn’t even get a solo song.
Rabbit: Well, it is named after Hatsune Miku so it’s understandable that she gets the bulk of the spotlight. Same with Hatsune Miku Live Party 2013 in Kansai. This time MKP39 backed up Miku and the others. Plus, appearances from KAITO and MEIKO were featured.
Tiger: Thousand Year Solo by yanagi-P and Piano x Forte x Scandal by OSTER project were notable inclusions. KAITO is okay but I love MEIKO, even though she’s from an older generation, I still like her sound.
Rabbit: Senbonzakura by Kurousa-P was a big crowd pleaser. I read that it was the #1 karaoke song amongst teens last year.
Tiger: As for what you actually see at these concerts, they use mirrors, smoke, and some pretty cool projectors to make Hatsune Miku and company appear on stage. Some of the staging looks better than others. I know in the LA show, you could see the reflection of the audience which was distracting. Kansai looked a lot better and they also seemed to have a larger stage to work with. I don’t recall seeing a strings section with the Kansai band though, I would want to go to a concert that has a least a few strings.
Tiger: Probably not. While I do enjoy the music, I’d rather spend my money on a real musical experience like A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. Now, if it was a Kagamine Len concert, I might change my mind, but it doesn’t really appeal to me. It’s a novelty that would be fun to see but I’m not going out of my way for it. Plus, you’d have to be there with a bunch of other people jumping and dancing and waving blow sticks that look like bunching onions in your face. I like dressing up in formal wear, going to a fancy restaurant, and then sitting to enjoy my music.
Rabbit: You’re just lazy and you sound like one of those classical music snobs.
Tiger: I can’t help it; I was trained by those snobs. Actually, they were really nice people, but they did instill in me a deeper appreciation of classical music and music in general. This is a good time to plug one of my favorite podcasts – Learning to Listen by Emily Reese. If you want to learn more about classical music from a non-snob classical music lover, she’s the one to listen to. She also does a great podcast about video game music called Top Score.
Rabbit: You know, you always get mad at me for hijacking our conversations but you just did it too! Now get back on your segway and segue back to the topic at hand!
Tiger: Point of order, you were the one that pulled me off topic. Its okay, I’m pretty much done. My answer is a big fat no, though I’d go with you if you asked.
Rabbit: Maybe I don’t want to go with you. Maybe I’ll go with Martin.
Tiger: It would be cheaper to go with him. So I take it you would pay to see Hatsune Miku?
Rabbit: In a heartbeat! I think it would be pretty special to see her perform live. To hear the band and share the experience with other fans, I couldn’t imagine a better time. Plus, it’d be neat to see the Vocaloids in all their different costumes. I wonder how they change so fast? I would definitely appreciate the opportunity to attend though I’m not sure if I’ll ever get the chance. She doesn’t seem to come up this way but if she did, I’d buy tickets in a heartbeat. I want to get that onion glow stick just so I can mess with you.
Tiger: *shakes head* You’re hopeless.
I haven't seen a band live in concert ever, so probably not for the question posed here unless I was dragged along by peers.
ReplyDelete"blow sticks," eh? Tiger likes her concerts kinky!