[Live Report] 5/12 Chang-Gero Sonic: 4th Stage [PointFive(.5), that, halyosy]
Because I just want to be able to put this out there, probably the most detailed English live report of PointFive(.5)’s performance, or I guess, 4th stage in general, at Chang-Gero Sonic 2018. The rest of my report will come at a later date, sorry about that... (I just want to spend my last few days in Chicago having fun before I move back to Boston for the new school year.)
Long post.
During the final song for the 3rd stage, SKILL, I knew that the 4th stage had to be the stage for PointFive(.5). PointFive being a huge part of my life, my only time I can see them perform live... I knew I had to start heading over in order to get good spot. I started moving from my spot, and ended up in about the fourth row from the stage, towards the right of the stage (I was really close to Mi-chan and Asamaru).
From the banners, the other performers for 4th stage also included that and halyosy, and Tourai, who had to back out last minute. (The song he had planned was Roshin Yuukai.)
Once 3rd stage had finished, there was a small DJ portion between the transition, and everybody around me was really antsy. We all couldn’t stand still, but it was just... silent in the front. The back had a lot more people talking and singing along, but in the front, we were all intently watching the stage... waiting.
We’ve done 7 years of waiting... and that wait was over.
Right before the stage started... Mi-chan tweeted a picture of all 5 of them. “Ittekimasu”. They’re off. I got Mi-chan’s notification on my phone, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. My breath was absolutely taken away.
(left to right: amu, Dasoku, clear, Asamaru, Mi-chan)
For the other stages, they started the first song with just, the beginning of the song, but there was a little introduction that I immediately recognized. It was the introduction to “Kimi Reflection” that they used in the live album XFD (it starts at 0:18), the exact same one.
Hearing that intro… I was thrown back into that time, and I immediately started crying.
Once the real song started, all 5 of them ran on stage: Mi-chan first, then Asamaru, then clear, amu, and lastly, Dasoku. It was a little hard for me to see, because my eyes were just flooded with tears.
It’s been years. It’s been 7 years since they sang this together.
Dasoku's the first batter in the song, and his microphone was having a little problem, and you couldn’t hear him loud enough. But it started getting louder as the song went on. But his lazy charm... was really there. The emotions didn’t show on his face, but his voice was amazing.
amu was next, and he was having so much fun. He was smiling so much, enjoying singing his lines so much.
clear and Marutan’s exchanging lines were next, and they were looking at each other, smiling, Marutan’s hand on his ear, either trying to fix his earpiece, or to make sure he was audible.
Mi-chan was next, starting off the chorus. He was like amutan, smiling, enjoying this time together.
The lead in the chorus was handed to clear after the line “baka mitai” which the whole crowd sang together... and that last word of the first chorus, “rhythm”... clear was bent over, belting out that note, perfectly. His singing has only perfected over time, and there was a lot more power, more breath control, making it even more powerful than what you here in the recording.
And that’s when everyone in front started to cheer loudly. Reality had sunk in for all of us, that they were all here, all gathered, right in front of us.
Their voices changed so much over the years... they themselves have changed... but it was perfect. The rest of Kimi Reflection... was perfect. Their harmonies were so... together, their colors melting and mixing together, making the world just a bit more colorful, magical.
And amutan’s high note at the end of the song, he was like clear, bent over, pouring his heart out into this final note. The music finished, and everyone was cheering, screaming things like “Okaeri...!”
(One thing I’d like to note, something that I haven’t seen in other unit lives, is that the screams for each member were pretty equal. The amount of screams for Asamaru, were the same amount as for clear, and the same for Dasoku, Mi-chan, and even amutan, who’s been so inactive on Twitter until the first Chang-Gero lineup announcement... It’s like that on their videos too, which I find something so... intriguing... The love for each member was so balanced...)
It was my first time seeing Asamaru, and honestly? He’s exactly like what I imagined. Small with tired eyes, wwww. He was so cute...
They started talking a bit while the crowd was still applauding.
clear introduced themselves.
clear: Hello, we’re PointFive(.5)! Eh, after our live at the Hibiya Open Air Concert Venue 7 years ago, we went on hiatus. We said that we would come back one day, and even though it’s just for one day, because of Chang-Gero, that wish came true.
The applause started up again.
clear: It’s been 7 years, isn’t it incredible that we’ve gathered again? You guys waited for a long time, huh (w). How have you guys been lately? Has anything changed?
Dasoku: I’ve changed. I’ve gotten fat.
Gero, from backstage: Ojii-chan! Your stomach is poking out!
amu, in English: Me too!
clear: Ah, me too. Marutan and Mi-chan haven’t changed at all, huh (w).
The whole crowd laughed at how those three bluntly said they’ve gotten fat, and that clear just turned to his left and said the same line to the other two. Marutan looked a little startled at the sudden change of direction the conversation was going.
Asamaru: I don’t think I’ve changed.
Mi-chan: I haven’t changed either.
Dasoku: Mi-chan says that, but he’s gotten a little bit macho.
Mi-chan: I gained muscle!
Which then, Mi-chan lifted his hoodie a little bit, and Marutan felt his abs. Everyone in the crowd was just laughing, and the other 3 were just speechless.
Dasoku: Don’t emphasize that it’s been 7 years so much (w).
clear: But 7 years! Elementary schoolers back then...
clear then looked back at the crowd, unable to finish that sentence.
Dasoku: After you’re done properly thinking about it, talk (w).
amu: If it’s been 7 years, elementary schoolers...
clear: If it’s been 7 years, then they’re in university...! They graduated from high school!
I felt so outed at this moment... WWWW. PointFive(.5) debuted in 2010, so I was in my last year of elementary school at the time. I was in my 3rd year of university during Chang-Gero.
Dasoku: Yep, that’s right (w).
amu: Newborns have entered elementary school during that time...
Dasoku: Yep, you just keep adding years.
This made me laugh, I love this awkward singing ossan. You’re so old--
clear then returned to the original topic.
clear: But nothing changed!
Dasoku: I already said, I got fat.
clear: Okay, but besides physical appearance!
Dasoku: Physical appearance (w).
Mi-chan: Oh yeah, Dasoku-san, you became a YouTuber!
clear: But he was banned from YouTube...
Everyone started laughing at this part, because it was just a running joke throughout the whole concert that he got banned from YouTube for a bit. But once the laughs died down, clear tried to get everyone to speak again.
clear: Hey, it feels like no one else is talking! Properly hold the microphone!
Asamaru: Well, I thought it would be okay if I just left the speaking parts to you, clear...
clear: But I’m not the type to speak much either, you know! It’s because no one else would say anything, so! Someone has to do it! At the end of our live, when we were asked how we felt, everyone just...!
He then started pointing fingers at the rest of them, starting from Dasoku, and ending on Mi-chan.
clear: “It was fun.” “It was fun.” “It was fun.” “It was fun.” Everyone said that!
Dasoku: We can just leave it at that, too.
clear: No, we need to have at least one person to do it properly! If there isn’t someone, wouldn’t it be bad! Think about the people who want to write about this!
The banter between those two was so funny.
clear then proceeded to tell them all to say something because they were all quiet.
Dasoku, in a small voice: Everyone has a towel, huh.
clear: Say it in a louder voice, no one can hear.
amu: Eh, I can’t hear, what what?
Dasoku, still in a small voice, a little stubbornly: Everyone has a towel, huh.
Dasoku is so cute. wwww It died down a little bit after that, and clear went on to introducing their next song.
clear: ... Well! We’re all together again, and we’re really thankful for Chang-Gero. I know it’s troubling, but we have one more song together as a group. Well then, please listen. Select me.
Shobon, on the drums, started clicking his sticks together, and clear started off with the iconic first line. “Kakuse~nai~”
I think one of the biggest things that stuck with me during their Select me performance was the sight of all 5 of them, at some point of the song, grabbing onto their chest. The song is about a one-sided love, and Mi-chan before has mentioned “ah, so it’s that kind of love song”. It’s a kind of rough love, where the feelings are so strong you can’t hide it, but you’re too scared to admit it.
That’s exactly how it felt at that time.
clear and amu told us already at Canaria that it would be their last stage together. In the interview with Gero and PUPI, they all expressed that even though they’re excited to perform together, there’s still a lot of anxiety. Those raw feelings seeped into their singing... They didn’t want it to end like this.
I remember there were a lot of tears around me during the lines: “If everyone is smiling, then there’s nothing to fear in these joyful days that seem like eternity.”
During the last chorus, when all of them sang their own “please select me” line, you could see the pain on their faces, even though they were smiling.
At the end, everyone was clapping so hard, cheering for all of them once more, saying thank you for keeping your promise... “We’ll definitely come back.”
They all exited the stage, and about 15-20 seconds passed, and clear came back on. He had taken off his glasses.
clear: Honestly, it’s so amazing... PointFive(.5), huh... I’m really, truly, not the type to talk a lot. But now, I’ll be able to walk while I talk! The next song is a solo ballad that I’ve been given the honor of singing. I believe this is my most popular solo...? Please listen. Little Traveler.
The lights had turned blue, and clear started to sing.
... let me say this. clear’s voice doesn’t know decay. There are days where his voice is rough on cast, but every performance I’ve been to his, every single live... he delivers. When he belted “hibike” during the bridge... the whole stage vibrated, it shook. The emotions he put into the song, the sheer amount of power... he’s incredible. He really, truly is.
(I also have not stopped crying since before the stage began. I don’t know how I didn’t pass out from dehydration.)
At the end, he bowed deeply and thanked the crowd, and left the stage.
When Dasoku headed towards the stage, the intro of Shinpakusuu #0822 played. The lighting had turned from blue, to blue and pink, and without saying a word, he started to sing.
When me and Linn saw Shinpakusuu on the setlist, we wondered who would sing it, but hearing Dasoku sing it was just so... calming. Having two ballads in a row like this, by two amazing singers, was just so... much for my heart.
Also, he’s just improved so much since his uploaded version... his voice was so much more stable, and there wasn’t any strain. Listening to him sing really just, showed me the true meaning of “安心感”... just, that sense of security...
Just as he came on, he left without saying a word.
Mi-chan came on, and as he came on, the intro for Iroha Uta started playing. The lighting had turned red.
Mi-chan’s voice has changed so much over the years, it’s not as rough sounding as it was years before when he first covered it, it was pretty smooth, but it still had that... fervent? appeal to it. It was honestly so sexy, the way he just, controlled the stage.
When he was done, he also bowed and thanked the crowd for listening, and he smoothly walked off stage.
The string of smooth transitions ended here... w
clear hurriedly got on stage.
clear: Hurry, hurry!
Dasoku: But it’s far.
clear: It’s not far!
Dasoku... your laziness will never seem to surprise me.
clear: It’s really been such a long time! It’s been a long time since we sang together, the two of us!
Dasoku: Yeah, it has.
clear: ... It’s like you have no feelings... There’s nothingness...
These two are so awkward, I swear...
Dasoku: Yeah, it’s been a long time. Ever since then, we had this terrible argument.
clear: We did not!
Dasoku, trying to imitate clear: I have nero now, so it’s fine.
clear: No, no!! I never said that!
They looked at the crowd, and said their iconic line.
“Ready, go.”
The music for magnet started to play, and they sang it properly until the end of the bridge.
“Daijoubu to sasayaita, anata mo naiteita no?”
The music stopped all of a sudden, and Gero enters the stage.
Gero: This is so great! Dasoclear! “Ready go!”
Gero then puts the microphone in front of Dasoku’s mouth, waiting for him to say it again. Dasoku says it in such a deep voice, clearly unamused with Gero’s... somewhat incoherent fanboying.
Gero: I heard it from backstage, it was just awesome! It’s sad that Jack-san wasn’t able to make it today.
Dasoku and clear are just looking at him, the looks on their face just screaming “eh, what is this guy doing...”
Gero: You know, I sang this as well~ I sang it together with someone named Faneru-kun. Where do you all think he is right now?
Gero then looked up into the sky.
Gero: Fa-kun! I’m doing fine!
The crowd was just laughing, saying things like “he’s not dead!” and “don’t kill him off like that!”
But then a voice answered.
?: Don’t kill me off like that.
THE WHOLE CROWD WAS IN SHOCK. WE KNEW THAT VOICE.
?: I’m not in a place like that.
Gero: Can you see us?
Faneru: I can. Hello, everyone. It’s been a couple of years. This is Faneru.
Gero: This is so nostalgic, we also uploaded this. We were called “Negero”.
And then Faneru literally just jumps into the dialogue from the intro of their magnet. “To iu wake de...”
Gero looked so offended when he went for the lines, but played along and recited his lines as well. But after Faneru’s “outobutsu damare” line, Gero was laughing too much to keep going, but Faneru continued. Faneru changed the lines a bit, and instead of saying the request for magnet, like in the video, he said “what are you doing now?” It was a question directed towards himself.
Gero: Ohh, that’s a good question! I’m interested too!
Faneru: Eh, right now, I’m actually in charge of doing the mix at this live.
The whole crowd was honestly just yelling nonstop now between each line exchange.
Gero: I can always count on you! I rely on you for so many things, that’s how I can make a living. Even today, you flew out from Kumamoto to Tokyo for me.
The whole crowd just goes “Eh?!” in unison.
Faneru: Everyone, where do you think I am right now?
Everyone was just looking around at this point, trying to find out where that voice was coming from.
Faneru: I’m above the stage.
Gero then just goes “hah?!” and looks up, and calls him “Ten no Koe”. He goes “Ten no Koe, Ten no Koe-san, yeah!”
Faneru then says the finishing blow. “Thank you for always supporting me.”
4th Stage literally had everyone in ruins by this point, if they weren’t already.
Gero then takes the mic and says “Who here like Faneru!” AND EVERYONE IS SCREAMING FOR HIM AT THIS TIME, so many hands in the air, waving, hoping that he can see all of us...
Gero: But I really do want to thank you. Therefore! For the last chorus, let’s all sing together. To reach the guy backstage. And also, to the creator of this song, who wasn’t able to make it today.
He points his finger into the sky.
Gero: Make it reach Tourai-san!
The music starts to play again, and Gerorin screams his iconic “gigabyte”. The whole crowd sang magnet together, starting from “dakiyosete hoshii, tashikamete hoshii~” of the last chorus.
clear and Dasoku leave the stage, and Gero’s the only one left. He announces the next performer, and that walks on stage. Everyone’s just in the crowd, torn by hit after hit from 4th stage.
that walks on stage so professionally, and the music starts playing, and it’s a ballad. rain stops, good-bye. Everyone’s emotions are in ruins, and the way that was singing it, was just so full of emotions, and everyone who was crying already was just crying even harder, but at least our souls had calmed down a little bit.
that walks off, and halyosy gets on stage, and he sings Konbini. I love halyosy’s voice so much, its so strong and stable... And this soft song just matches this soft man so well. At the end of the song, everyone was just in a very fluffy mood, all just smiling at halyosy’s softness.
that comes back on stage, joining halyosy! They introduce themselves as “thalyosy”, saying that they were actually part of the same band a long time ago named “absorb”, and it’s been a long time since they disbanded.
that then goes into his usual self, and immediately starts to roast halyosy. He points out that halyosy is just wearing an all white outfit (white dress pants, white collared shirt, white suit jacket, and a white hat), and halyosy starts to get flustered and defensive.
that: You’re wearing an all white outfit, you look really strange, you know that?
halyosy: What are you saying?! When I called you last night about what to wear, you told me that white matches with white, so I ended up just picking an all white outfit!
that: I can’t believe you fell for that~ But that’s something that makes you so likable, holyasy (horuyashi) (w).
halyosy: Who’s holyasy?!
Everyone was just giggling at how cute halyosy was, everyone knows how much of an airhead halyosy is.
They move on, saying that the next song was a song that means a lot to them, it’s a song that they had written a long time ago. It was popular at first, but then it had fallen from the rankings until they sang it at a high school graduation... and then it became a staple in high school graduations all around Japan, something they didn’t expect to happen at all. They then announced the song, Sakura no Ame.
... 4th stage really wasn’t fair. Their vocals together were so beautiful, so soft... Sakura no Ame is such an iconic song and it really does deserve all the love and attention it gets every time graduation season rolls around in Japan.
(Also, I love how everyone tweets halyosy during graduation season, sending videos and their thoughts and feelings about singing Sakura no Ame at their graduation. halyosy replies to the tweets, and also RTs the performances... it’s so sweet, he’s so sweet.)
Once they’re done, they invite PointFive(.5) back on the stage with them. Once they get on stage, that sudden speaks about Asamaru.
that: Earlier, I was watching Asamaru-san from the back, and I just thought he was so cute. I was wondering why he was holding an empty water bottle while he speaks, it was really so cute.
Everyone was laughing, saying that that’s really cute, and Asamaru was trying to deny it (but no he was really so cute).
They talk about how it’s been so long since they’ve all been standing on stage together. They said were also happy to be able to sing the song halyosy had written for them one more time, and halyosy was a little embarrassed, saying that it means a lot to hear it be sung again.
Their thanks transitioned really well into them announcing the next song.
halyosy: The next song was another song we had written, and you sang it for your first album!
clear: The arrangement was really amazing...
halyosy: It’s been 7 years since we all sang this song together at Hibiya. Let’s all sing it together. Fire◎Flower.
The crowd sang along the whole time, just like halyosy wanted us to, especially screaming along to the “ah oh, ey yey yey!” part! It was so energetic, everyone around the stage was having such a fun time, dancing around and smiling together, and to each other.
Something really cute that happened during Fire◎Flower is that amutan had gone behind Marutan, taking his hands and waving it around during the chorus, and Marutan was just, letting him do it... WWWW... They were both so cute.
As the song ended, PointFive(.5) talked about how they were happy to be back for the day, thanking PUPI and Gero for this chance, and thanking everyone who came to watch them. that and halyosy also thanked everyone, and they all started walking off the stage, everyone cheering for them, people still screaming out “okaeri”...
At the end, while everyone was exiting, Marutan actually took his phone out of his chest pocket, and faced the camera to the whole crowd... We were all wondering what he was doing, until he announced it at the very end...
