119 replies to this topic

[Krusha]

Stories please!

[SacredCultivator]

Mines short, since I don't quite know names and whatnot.

(Thanks to makistar)
SetList:
1 - River
2 - Aitakatta
3 - Iiwake Maybe
Intro
4 - Kuroi Tenshi
5 - Seifuku Resistance
6 - Bird - Takamina, Rie (Mariko), Sasshi (Maimai)
7 - Heart Gata Virus - Haruna, Ami (Nozomi) , Mocchi (Maimai)
8 - Blue rose - Sayaka, Sae, Yuko, Miichan
MC
9 - Boku no Taiyo
10 - BINGO! (English version)
11 - Oogoe Diamond (English version)
MC
12 - Sakura no Shiori

ENCORE
13 - Namida surprise!
14 - Ponytail to Shushu
15 - Hikouki Gumo

- - -
There seemed to be quite a delay to begin with, since when one of the Announcers came out, the crowd cheered, but he mentioned how the concert isn't ready yet.

Announcer noted that Press could film/take pictures of the concert for the first 20 minutes... That didn't pan out well, since after 20 minutes, you still see majority of the staff filming/taking pictures of the entire concert, although you could tell when people's camera/recorders died due to batteries.

The English Intro's were freaking awesome.

Most notable one is Ono Erena, as I mentioned previously, she stumbled on her line and had to read it off her hand.

Sayaka's was by far the best out of all members.

Can't quite remember the other members intro's, but most consisted of their ages and their nickname, where they allowed the crowd to call them out.
(I'm sure someone can fill in most of the English that was said)

Songs were great and full of energy, although one thing I noticed was Ono again, she seemed a bit lost and unsure of what to do, as she did a LOT of looking at other members to see if she was doing the right thing. BUt off the top you could tellt hat Yuko + Sayaka were full of energy and it showed from their performances.

And Acchan... I'm sure everyone had a great laugh.. She blew out her mic and had to use Minami T.'s mic. That was cute.

Wont' go into the Performances (one-by-one), I'll let others do that.

BUT, what really got me was the end fo the Concert, when the middle section began the Encore, encore, AKB, 48 chant... And after what felt like forever, they came back on-stage and performed... That beats MM's hands down.

I didn't attend any signing, as I don't have any merchandise nor care too much =X.

But that's be my condensed story.

OOOO almost forgot... Minami T. was fun to watch too, since when she emphasized on some dance moves, her facial expressions that she made were just priceless.

----

Side Note:
I posted way too short of notice about my Spare Ticket (2nd Row, First + Second Seats), but I asked my friend that hooked me up with it if she wanted to attend and she didn't know AKB48 so she refused, and suggested I take her Sensei, who's it was her first time at AX as all her students talked about it and she thought to go see what all the hype was. So 99% of the time she had her hears plugged due to the bass of the music. And It was funny, before the concert, she was reading the little biography the AX Booklet had of them and she was like... "So is AKB48 big here?", I said, from the general turnout, they aren't as big as MM was when they came.. And she was shocked that MM was big in the states as she's heard of them, back in their Golden Era. ANd she laughed that I listened to them... I was like... "So... Morning Musume suki desu ka", and instantly she just laughed at me. ANyway, we spent most of the pre-concert talking about my fansubbing and she was all interested since she's a Japanese/Linguistics Teacher. She enjoyed the ballads and she didn't know names or anything, but she pointed out that a few of the members could really sing and had a voice.

Well... End of my story.

[hello!projecthappiness]

I was so sad that 10nen sakura wasn't played!
But It was awesome non the less!

[Krusha]

Sacred Cultivator,

Thanks

Their concerts tend to be great stuff - nice performances by good girls, and it's all quite entertaining

[droopy10]

Thats an awesome setlist! wish I could have been there or be on the tracker one day.

[anhh]

http://img37.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=61796_lakb049_122_134lo.jpghttp://img266.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=61801_lakb050_122_510lo.jpghttp://img261.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=61813_lakb051_122_387lo.jpg
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[anhh]

http://img196.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=62048_lakb059_122_87lo.jpghttp://img226.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=62052_lakb060_122_360lo.jpghttp://img41.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=62057_lakb061_122_494lo.jpg
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[anhh]

http://img127.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=62253_lakb069_122_49lo.jpghttp://img229.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=62259_lakb070_122_531lo.jpghttp://img216.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=62268_lakb071_122_62lo.jpg
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CNN iReport: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-467956?

Going to add whatever video I found on YouTube about it.

Edit:




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPNva1GPx4U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7OQQStwhI0

[bloggingpig]

More of an overall day 0-1 convention report, but includes notes on the AKB48 events I attended:
http://www.anime-exp...showtopic=13496

Only a few minutes at the meet & greet w/o the ticket (doorman let those w/o in at beginning of it until those with tickets managed to find the JW Marriott). Moeno and Mocchi were at my table I believe, but since neither were in my group of top AKB stars I love (edit: based on seating charts of all AKBs from another meet & greet fan, most likely Moeno and Mocchi), I wasn't totally sure - esp. since they look Even More Heavenly in real-life sitting two seats away. (Yeah, totally weird - just walking into a regular o hotel meeting room, you'd think it be nothing. Then, you get to sit right next to one of them, and it's like - wowa, eyes start spinning a bit, world shrinks, and why is it they've always got the Perfect smile on??? Why can't I seem to say anything sensible?? lol.... okay, I can talk, but why aren't half the guys at the table saying anything? lol... even refused when asked by the girls... just listening they mumble.... guess they're even more flattened by their presence....) But most importantly, got a chance to thank them in person for their wonderful work, hard work, and delightful songs. (odd, but seems rare at times to hear fans to thank their stars....esp. knowing they're working harder than you to look like Heavenly Angels...)

Moved out for a ticket holder before I could go into in-depth Q's, but that's fine. Like a lucky break for a ticketless holder - the few minutes of face time.

AND OMG!!! where are you die-hard fans?!? Like only 7 or so fans waiting outside the room the entire time for the lucky break? Come on now, quite a few got a few minutes in there before the ticketholders finally arrived, so even if it was a ticket only event, ya gotta go hound the events for the lucky break like me and the others who got in w/o tickets!

---

Between oogling Tomomi, then Maeda, then back to Tomomi, then spinning skirt peeks, well, happy clam here concert-wise. The other long long post about the concert pretty much sums it up aside from my general post above about the HUGE number of empty seats on the left and right of center. Man, Nokia has to move FANS up for FREE when the show starts - imagine the AKBs coming out and what?!? front rows are empty?!?? Sad thinking they might be sad thinking about all that emptiness.... (generally, bad convention policing - show's ready to start, MOVE everyone UP who wants to get like 5-10 rows from the front close!)

The speakers were a bit muddy when they were speaking, and a touch overblown when they started singing, so sound board must have been sleeping or something. Would be better to hear everyone crisp and clean vs. slightly overdriven and distorted. Easily loud enough....

Their English - oh, well. We all know what level most Japanese can speak English at, and they might as well have simply delved right back into native Japanese since pretty much everyone and their buddies spoke Japanese (or so it seemed) there. Kinda cute watching them try hard - like young puppies - and generally fun/funny at times.

Concert started off with main, popular songs. Nice morning start for the girls (since it's likely 8:30 am Tokyo time by the time the concert started 30 min late), and a great way to get into the happy mood fast. Then sets of 3 singing other minor songs, mostly to see each of them roll hips, flash skirts, and all. (yeah, amazing how songs you never liked before seem appropriate the moment you notice their nice legs, then cute hips shaking, and well, droool....) Nice way for the audience to be entertained while the group did their main costume change. Breaks for talking, jokes,et.c here and there... (Remember them miming for the audience to guess Winnie the Poo and Jaws, talking about where they've visited in LA, where they'd like to go - Disney, and so forth.) Another round of popular songs, then off the stage.

Rows left of center had ~20 more fans that snuck up front after the show started, but still SO Empty you could have dropped anyone who was alive at AX in there for free and not even have worried. Oddly, nobody sitting like 20-30+ rows back bothered to stand, or move up (maybe not the hard-core fans? just newbies?) on the left side rows. Oh, well....

Off stage, center front started chanting for AKB48. Didn't sound as loud as MMusume last year at first - odd, why aren't the folks behind me chanting?? Oh, yeah, still sittiing, eh? sigh... a few minutes later, they finally chirped in, sounded louder, and off to a three song conclusion.

So coordinated and beautiful. Really hard working girls. With just colored lights alone, managed to turn the stage into something else =) Dancing coordination just like the other concerts and PVs - always something going on, moving, something for the eye to gaze upon w/o getting bored or distracted.

---

Race to the Autographs!

If you DIDN'T think ahead, well.... do today before you go to one.
How much time did they schedule - 1 hour. How many people? Maybe 1 person takes 1 minute or less, that's 60-120 people in a rush. If you chat (and there's always a chat with AKB meets) a little with the girls, it's more like 1-2 minutes. That's more like 60 people at most.

Thus, if you're not anywhere near the pack of first 60, don't bother expecting to get in aside from the rare lucky break.

So, what to do??

Very last couple of seconds of the last song, exit Nokia and RUN LIKE MAD for the LA Conv center!!!!! before the crowd prevents you.

God, it was like a marathon - people in front, people chasing in back. And you didn't know how many were already in line.

Read post in link above for how it went. =)

---

Basically, could not have turned out better for the 1st AKB concert/meet/autograph I've ever gone to. Very lucky breaks at all of them, got face time with AKB's and autographed Kamikyokutachi. Quite a bit of it was due to my Crazy Dai Fan buddy who thought ahead and always suggested smart moves (shouldn't we be running? LIKE NOW!!!! RUN DAMN IT RUN!!! or I'm gonna KILL YA!!! lol.... nice buddy =). Definitely ups MMusume concert last year....

KEY TIPS: Always show up early. To any event you want in. Even w/o a ticket. Always let the doorman know nicely you don't have a ticket, but will appreciate the opportunity. Stick around. RUN, man RUN!!! Think ahead so you can get to the next event in time. Never ever tick off AKB management....(read story in link above)

[veyen]

I'M SO JEALOUS OF ALL OF YOU WHO WENT
I'm stuck watching youtube videos!

I think I would have fainted if I was there (from loss of blood of course ). And my voice would be dead for the next week from screaming so much. Maybe its a good thing I missed it after all...........




..... Nah, it would still be worth it

Anyway, why don't I hear anyone calling out for my girl Minegishi. I only heard one half-assed "Miichan" in the videos I watched. I am disappointed. I should have been there to balance out the "Takamina", "Acchan" and "Tomochin" screamers.

[SacredCultivator]

@veyen: That half-assed Mii-chan might've been me >< haha, I shouted hers and felt soooo uncomfortable as I think the timing was off, but witht aht said, it makes you stick out.

Hmm curious, got those links?

I think I randomly yelled out Mii-chan and Sayaka since there were too many Acchans

[bloggingpig]

http://s48.photobuck...rpet/?start=all
Saw this rather nice photo album of the red carpet event over at stage48...

[fizz540]

^
^
She's Kondo Sayaka, a member of SDN48 and the english translator of AKB48 for their LA trip.

Oh that explains a couple of things. One of the translators at the the panel looked curiously hot, hotter than the AKB48 members who showed up to the panel. I also noticed a Japanese press reporter zoom in on the translator for a photo. I thought I guess he thinks she's hotter than the members too. Yeah it was her, I recognize her from the photos.

BTW, I'll post some opening ceremony video and some concert introductions audio, some panel audio.

[MistaNight]

^
Oh yeah. Your probably right about that being her at the panel, I didn't think too much on it but it makes sense now as she seemed pretty friendly with the girls for being just a translator.

[cool_kickin_dude]

well, here's my experience of the concert..I'm trying to remember everything, so bear with me.

Got to the Nokia theater around 3 and waited to get in. Actually got a ticket in the center of the row so I could watch all of the girls. I have to be honest, for a AKB newbie who didn't know any of the girls, much less any of the songs, this was one of the best concerts I've ever seen(course, I've been to very few concerts in my life).

The concert lasted a good two hours, with the songlist and the MC's. The more I listened, the more I became a fan of the girls already.(Course, around day zero, I listened to their songs on someone's iPod while in line for the doors to open up). After the show, all of us made a dash to the autograph session. I felt like I was running out of breath and near sick as I made it. Got a good place in line as we waited for another 15-20 minutes for them to show, only to realize they were in the autograh room after all tha time. When I went in, they were playing the 100 Setlist concert on the big screen.

First one I saw was Sayaka, she was so beautiful with her long hair. Then Asuka signed her with big hearts. Rie signed her with a Valentine with her name inside. Then, Aki signed hers. She stopped and looked at me and pointed at her chin. I think she was looking at mine. My first thought was almost like Charmy's chin or I had a chin like hers. I pointed at her chin and she pointed at mine saying, "Kawaii!Kawaii!Kawaii!" as I went to the next one.

The person in front of me was speaking Japanese to the girls and the staff was trying to get him away so I could have a chance to have my CD book signed. Reina signed a flower with hers, although I couldn't understand what she was saying to me amidst the talking and the big screen playing.

This next one really was a great moment. When I get to Rino, she saw my shirt and said, "Hangry and Angry? I love them!" That made my moment right there. We talked a little bit about them, even with Rika and Yossie. She signed it, even putting Hangry and Angry in kanji I think I like her already because of that. Then I got Ami to sign her autograph and left the hall.

I felt like I was completely walking on air that night. In fact, the memories of meeting them are still being played in my head, if even slower.

[StevenLin]

I had row U for the concert. Half the theater was empty which surprised me a bit. I remember thinking "Man why didn't Morning Musume play here last year?" They could have easily filled up the venue.

The guy sitting next to me was a fairly hardcore; talked to me a bout how he tried to get tickets to the theater when he was in Japan but couldn't since apparently it's pretty hard for foreign fans. He was not an anime fan at all and it was pretty funny listening to him talk about how he wanted to bleach his eyes after seeing the cosplayers that were all around the area. He told me some stories about how much interaction AKB48 had with fans back when they were starting out. He talked ab out an episode of Japanorama episode about AKB48 which featured a wota who actually had a chance to to talk to Ito on the phone apparently Wow can you imagine having Reina hit you up on your cell....

Anyways, I'm a fairly new fan and I wasn't too aware of the stage songs so I was hoping they would mostly play singles. They did pretty much all the songs I wanted to hear like the English versions of Bingo! and Oogoe Diamond but I found myself enjoying the stage songs a lot though the only one I recognized was Bird. Thanks to SC for putting up the set list since I really liked Kuroi Tenshi and Heart Gata Virus and I wanted to be able the find the songs online when I got home.

I managed to get a good place in line for autographs since I was one of the people that jogged all the way from the Nokia theater to the room they were having it. It was pretty funny listening to all the people we passed saying "Why is eveyrone running?" While I was in line I saw the German guy who I saw at the NYAF show in the kimono last year. This guy must be the biggest foreign fan in the world and he's apparently being following the group since it's inception.

They let me in the room and the only girl I was able to recognize was Sayaka Sorry guys, I'm still working on being able to tell the girls apart and right now the only girls I can really pick out are the super popular ones like Sayaka, Tonomi, Atsuko, and Mae. It became a bit awkward because I had brought my Iiwake Maybe booklet for them to sign and I wasn't sure which of them were on there so a lot of times I would hand the booklet for them to sign and they would flip through it looking for their pictures and some of the girls weren't even on there Yeah, embarrassing. I talked to Sayaka about how I saw her in NY last year and how her heel broke during Blue Rose haha. She gave me a nice signature where she wrote "It's me!" and drew an arrow pointing to her on the booklet which was really amusing.

[fizz540]

Sorry Krusha for the uneventful thread but I don't have much to say as far as up close and personal stories with the group. I could just say what I saw since no one else has anything to say. I could talk about the panel but that was...I'd just have to tell you.

Here's the introductions from their concert. They had a mic problem in the beginning but it gets fixed once the first member starts introducing herself.



“I will give a besto smileru and so enjoy!” Reina Fujie

[Krusha]

Don't apologize; anything is nice - it's cool to hear from what people experienced, however little

And thanks for the file!

[Mai17]

so happy some of them remember me


I just hope Reina didn't find me annoying coz I keep trying to get her attention for 3 days (meet & greet, red carpet, concert, Q&A panel, autograph) LOL



btw , @autograph, Aki is so cute ... somehow she thought I'm Japanese and tried to talk to me with Japanese , but too bad my Japanese just all went down the drain coz I'm nervous/excited LOL gotta love the awkward silent LOL

also Sasshi keep looking at me but I got nothing to say LOL

[SilverGunZo0]

WoW you're really something, you meet singers in person, I must give you a medal !