Stepping onto the global stage. Atarashii Gakko blow up Coachella! AJ Hartley's AG review #16
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 เม.ย. 2024
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I was in the middle of that crowd close to the front. When suzuka came back out and started jumping and told the crowd to start jumping, she looked like an absolute rockstar, the crowd was completely electric and energetic, and i literally got chills as i jumped along with my hands up. The roar if the crowd after they finally finished nai nai nai was so loud and appreciative, i almost started tearing up. Im so happy and proud of them
I'm envious that you got to see it in person but I think we sensed the feeling you describe. Wonderful stuff, and thanks for the comment!
I’m not sure how I got so into AG. I was never into Anime, K-pop, or J-pop. Something about them caught my interest like no other group has done in a long time. I kept my fascination for them under wraps because I felt that being in my 50s, people would negatively judge me for liking a talented group of young women from Japan who dance and sing with energy and passion while wearing traditional Japanese school uniforms. After watching that incredible Seishun Wo Kirisaku Hado unedited dance video, I decided to see them live. So, I flew out of New Mexico to view their Seishun concert in Los Angeles in November 2023. Best concert (any concert) I’ve seen in a long time. My actions may be viewed as crazy by some people, but when greatness takes place, your heart takes control.
Yeah, I can relate. Until they blew up last year, I never thought I'd get to see them live in person and when I introduced them to people before that, reactions could go wildly either way. Yet here we are. :)
Yes! Well said. AG are a stellar talent, and people exposed to them often fall in love with what they do! So much talent, and Suzuka being a true Rock STAR!
don't worry. even in japan AG fans are from various age range. :)
Totally relate to what your saying. I'm in my mid-50s as well and absolutely adore AG! I was a dj in south Florida/Miami area for almost 20 years, thought there was nothing new and honestly, jaded when it came to any new music. AG changed all of that, These cats rock! I hear elements of jazz, punk rock, hip hop, dance and blues all throughout their catalogue and you are spot-on about their "greatness." AG is the most important group to come along in quite some time. The world needs them.
Same I stopped watching anime and listening to K-pop a long time ago but these girls are so fun and eclectic
I was waiting for this analysis. What stood up for me was how they managed to convince all the people who were there as "sceptics", the people who where there to see what this headliner was about, and boy oh boy, they show them all. The girls stood up to the challenge and nailed it, and at the end not one in that tent was not enchanted by their charisma, jumping and dancing, filled with the joy and energy they radiate . Thank you, as always, for putting into words, in such an articulated way, the feelings of us AG fans.
My pleasure! Glad it resonated a bit for your sense of the show :)
Definitely one of their best sets that I've seen so far. Those song transitions were top notch. Felt like one long medley instead of separate songs. With that they gave fans like half an album's worth of new songs. And they all seemed so refreshed and energized. Looking at all of their social media it's clear they're having a blast especially Suzuka who I remember her saying during the Budokan concert that she was having a hard time dealing with the sudden bump in fame so I'm very glad to see they all seem genuinely happy currently.
Agreed. I saw a very frank chat between her and another artist a few years ago, and when she was asked how long she would stick with AG she basically said "as long as it's fun."
AG is phenomenal. Im an old man but refuse to buy into the oldie rubbish's and music is one of my fav outlets. Never been sick a day in my life and I think always looking for the new , the fresh helps that. I live here in CA and that was super fun to see USC marching band on stage with these princesses
Indeed :)
Thank you for this, sir. Your warm and eloquent analysis made me realize that I have been having problems articulating my appreciation for these talented, hard working young ladies. Until I watched your video, I was content with saying, "Hey, check this out. They are cute as hell."
Thanks! Glad it was helpful! Check out some of my other discussion videos of their stuff :)
Some have noticed that the ending bit might be a reference to James Brown's "Please Please Please" live performances, where he would also be dragged by his bandmates out of the stage but he would refuse and return to continue singing (they would always put his cape on like they did with Susuka)!
Oh, that's good. Yes, I hadn't thought of it, but there was a moment during Forever Sisters where I was hearing a little James Brown funk and wondered if they were getting it through Showa Japanese pop or direct from American funk.
I thought the exact same thing! Between that and the Smoke on the Water reference, they really paid homage to some of the greats from the west that some of us old timers could really appreciate. 😄
@@Retec I mean, it makes sense given their references to 70s music elsewhere, especially 70s Japanese music. I think they (or at least Suzuka) connects to that more analog sound. I'd like to hear more of it in their own stuff. I wonder if they like Glim Spanky.
@@AndrewHartley I thought Niles Rogers was about to come onstage
Lol, I notices that also.
You missed that in the 'Don't Wanna Go' routine at the end they were *directly* referencing James Brown's famous live 'cape routine' which he performed on stage from the 1950s until the beginning of this century. Check out videos here of "James Brown cape routine". AG's choreographers have some serious chops.
I missed the live broadcast and did not even know about it until three days later. I was happily surprised and can't watch their performance enough. Mizyu was particularly in top form.
Indeed :)
I was watching a Japanese interview where the group broke character and spoke seriously like the grown women that they are. They were asked about their favorite AG song and I think it was Mizyu listed Koi Geba, because it was the first song after gaining creative control that they used their art to tackle an important subject. I had so many follow-up questions I wanted asked, especially regarding the “gained creative control”.
Yes, I'd love to hear more about that. Koi Geba was 2019, and I know nothing about what was going on then that would signify such a shift. I wish Japanese interviewers would ask more probing questions. If you find the link, please add it. Thanks!
Thank you, for your comments, I watched the show this morning on here, and I agree having only been watching them for around a year , this show was amazing the older songs , the new songs, their dancing , their singing, , brought Tears to my eyes with happiness, I loved the ending where Susuka didn't want to go and that 20 second dance they then did in the corner was brilliant, . I actually found them on here on TH-cam shorts with the pineapple Kryptonite dance the do, I investigated further to who they were , and was hooked. AGs Ghostbusters theme for the Japanese market was excellent, and I watched over in New York at the premiere with the stars from the film. Ps Hi from England
Excellent! You are not alone in having got into them over the last year. 2023 was meteoric for them. Try to see their upcoming London show!
@@AndrewHartley , yes I took your advice and bought. 2 tickets , for my daughter and myself ( who has never seen them ) with the VIP meet and greet , any advice ?. Also did you watch their recent HITClouds, in USA, the girls had a few mishaps on stage , early on Mizyu fell a little over the monitor speaker on the left Bart of the stage , then later Rin completely fell over the monitor whilst they were in the black coats, and then at the end of the show Mizyu fell again at the very end as the do the bit where Susuka doesn't want to leave, for me the monitor's were placed in a bad position on stage , not the girls fault , but true professionals they carried on as if nothing happened.
Bye for now, have a lovely day every day.
the smoke on the water transition felt like it made me sentient for the first time
Ha!
Im an OG who's been watching live performances for 50 years, these ladies are world class. That James Brown" dont want to leave stage" move with the cape is a homage to great stage craft. I enjoy the fun and passion that they bring to their videos, they make me smile, and you're never too old for the joy of good music that's fun.
My feelings exactly!
Very insightful review Andrew! I also wanted to bring up how hype it was when Suzuka started jumping and screaming "NAI!" after escaping the other girls' grasps in the last song. It got the whole audience jumping! It was a sight to behold!! 🤩 ATARASHII GAKKO were so amazing and I'm so glad I gave them a shot
Indeed! And as several people have observed, it was a striking homage to James Brown's iconic Tami show performance: th-cam.com/video/vruy2GRUsV8/w-d-xo.html
Amazing stuff.
TH-camr Captain Disillusion is how I discovered AG - They collaborated with on one of his videos a few years ago. I've followed them since they started releasing through 88Rising. I'm so excited to see the young ladies stepping out on the global music scene! This performance killed!
Yeah, I remember that video. Very cool. He and I tweeted back and forth at the time. I used bits of it in my Pineapple Kryptonite cocktail video :)
Wow they even had the USC Trojans lol. Wasn't expecting that but totally killed it. Ladies came there to perform and perform they did. Great review and observations here. :)
Thanks!
Thank you so much for another fantastic review.
What a performance! AG are getting just better and better every time I see them. Their levels of professionalism and especially their confidence in their ability to deliver are just amazing. I think you can see them really growing in to another level through the One Man Show and the Budokan concert to now Coachella.
But the most important thing for me is that they haven't lost the special ingredient of pure JOY in everything they do. (I always think Mizyu is desperately trying not to burst out laughing with the fun of it all.) They must be the happiest group of performers all time, and man is that catching!
And did Suzuka actually brush her hair especially for the gig?
"The only way is up" as someone once said...
Thanks again Andrew for all your videos and the hard work you put in to them, much appreciated.
My pleasure. Thank you! And yes, I think Suzuka looked unusually well groomed, though the way she fussed with her hair at one point seemed deliberately ironic. I think they can be stars and will still manage not to take any of that stardom too seriously :)
Excellent review, spot on. These girls are on a path of greatness.
My brother wrote & produced “ Snack Time”. Brilliant, silly & discipline these girls are! Thank you so much
Wait, your bother produced Snack Time? Who is he?
@@AndrewHartley Hi Andrew, My name Is Mike, brother on Mark( Money Mark). The photo is my daughter. Yes, he lived with them in LA and recorded all the music in the house. So funny, I knew who AG was before he did! He came over one day and said he’s working with four Japanese girls. I knew right away it had to be them. I’m also in the music business. Ok, if you need any questions answered, let my know, cheers, Mike
@@mian5890 Wow. Thanks, Mike. Yes, I am (of course) familiar with Money Mark's work and have been following AG closely for about 4 years. I have lots of questions! Perhaps we could connect via email? You can reach me at author@ajhartley.net
💯Everything you said. I am an old classic rock fan (my idols are in their 80's like me) but i watch Coachella streaming to see what's new. AG was amazing! All the J-pop was but these girls blew me away! I think the world discovered them along with me at Coachella. They are a breath of fresh air, with something to say, and total rock stars.
Thanks! Glad you feel the same :)
Thank you AJ. You captured the feelings I had after watching the live stream.
I too saw them on the Seishun tour in Brooklyn and I think that was them testing the waters. When I went to Tokyo explicitly for the Budokan Show, they had a confidence that was palpable.
There have been some folks in discord and Reddit who want to cling onto the old AG! that they first discovered, but I for one support them and encourage their growth onto the global stage.
Yeah, bands have to be allowed to evolve. I love the early stuff, and I think that they may well recapture some of that feel from time to time, but I'm here for where they go now.
教授、いつも有難うございます✨
AGは、彼女達の仲の良さ、パフォーマンスの素晴らしさ。そして、何より感情を表現できるSUZUKAの魅力的な声が好きです。
彼女達の夢でもあった初のCoachella出演なのに余裕さえ感じられ、これに向けてAGがどれだけ準備していたのか分かりました。
もう削除されてしまいましたが、昨日はフル動画も上がっていました。
そこのコメント欄には、他のアーティストを見たくて見たが、AGのライブに魅了され好きになってしまったという日本人も居ました。
偏向報道の多い国内で彼女達の努力と実力が認められてゆくのは、本当に嬉しい限りです✨
SUZUKAの英語力が上がっているのは明白で、忙しい中でも教授が贈った本で勉強が出来ているといいなと思いました😊
コメントありがとう。入念な準備と純粋な感情の両方を感じることができたし、AGは完璧なパフォーマーとして、またグローバル・アンバサダーとして、本当にさらに良くなっている。そして、彼らの英語は劇的に上達した。私の本が役に立ったかどうかは疑問だが、彼らが読もうとしてくれたことを願うよ :)
@@AndrewHartley
はい😊
私も英語力があれば、教授の本が読みたくて仕方ありません。Amazonで取り寄せ可能なのがわかったので、いつか挑戦したい、、
それでは、仕事してきますw
教授も、どうか良い1日を✨
@@petitbois2272 日本の出版社はまだ決めていないが、希望は捨てていない。今日も良い一日でありますように。
I think Coachella might be AG's Sonisphere, but on an even bigger scale. They even got a photo in "The Atlantic"...next comes "The New Yorker". ;-) They said "Atarashii Gakko" so often in the set that nobody in that tent left not knowing who they'd seen.
"Arigato" was great, I loved the 1970s funk and sweeping the stage is the most basic of theatrical activities and "Forever Sisters" really sounds like it could become an anthem. Did anyone else get a "Sister Sledge" vibe from it and the call out to Money Mark at the beginning was nice.
There was a technical issue with feedback at the end of CANDY and I heard Suzuka say "skip ahead" which I assume was something for the audio technicians. Anyway they didn't let it get in the way of the performance which only comes with a lot of time spent on stage dealing with such issues. That showed their confidence and professionalism.
The ending to Nai Nai Nai is as reworking of the James Brown "Please Please Please" routine - which is pretty ballsy - they even used the kimono jacket in the same way that James Brown used his cloak, but it worked really well. AG are never timid!
th-cam.com/video/vruy2GRUsV8/w-d-xo.html
Yeah, I missed the James Brown reference, but several folks have commented on it since and I'm convinced. Great stuff. And yes to teh aSister Sledge vibe too. That pop funk seventies vibe is all over Forever Sisters, and ties into their love of Showa pop and to the James Brown crossover you mentioned. I hope we hear more of it.
@@AndrewHartley I thought the guitars in "Arigato" were more directly 1970s funk but it and "Forever Sisters" took me back to flares and awkward teenage discos. I wonder if the lyrics of "Arigato" will reveal some specific meaning to the "broom mics".
@@cuttysark8017 Ha! Yes, right there with you :)
@cuttysIark8017 I saw in one of the comments at the AG app that the brooms could be in reference to the after school cleaning chores that japanese students do A nod to their original theme of being school/student leaders
@@ernielim2470 Yeah, I wondered about that too, esp. since they did a video once on cleaning the school.
Great breakdown video! You said everything that was in my head when it came to AG's set at Coachella. I've watched many of their performances online (and two in-person), but there was something really special about this show in particular. The group always brings their A-game to any performance they do, but their stage presence at Coachella exuded a heightened confidence and bravado that I'm sure will continue to help them catapult onto the world stage. It was clear they had the crowd in the palms of their hands, and they were eating up every moment of it. And my GOD the "Smoke on the Water" transition was immaculate!
I'm very much looking forward to their new album this summer - and hoping to hear your review of it as well!
Thank you! I'm keen to hear it too.
I’ve watched your commentary on this concert several times because I enjoy it. My compliments to you because it’s evident that you take time to develop a script to capture your thoughts and observations of the event. I appreciate it because you are not giving random thoughts to fill time for YT clip. Thank you.
Wow, thank you! I considered just chatting but thought it would be a better use if everyone time if I wrote it out first :)
I too have been following them for years. I also love how they used "Smoke on the water" to get to Otana Blue. I think they can thank Money Mark for that.
I'll ask him
Thank you for another fantastic review!! I had such a blast watching their Coachella performance, I thought it was so well-thought out and the leaders had such great and infectious energy. I've been following quite a few other Coachella sets and there's been quite a lot of complaints about how dead some of the crowds are, haha. So it was nice to see that AG really captured the audience's hearts and got them to jump and follow along with their gestures. I think it really shows how compelling they are as artists!! They absolutely ATE IT UP on that stage and I love to see it. I can't wait for them to be more well-loved by people across the world.
THere's an element of the cafe crowd to Coachella sometimes: a slightly detached coolness as if they've come to rate what's emerging. The festival has a reputation for being a showcase which unveils new, often slightly off beat talent, so I guess that's to be expected. But yeah, AG seemed to win them over :)
Man, I really loved your discussion and analysis of AG!'s Coachella set. Very eloquent and fresh. I myself am a relatively new fan, having only discovered that they played at a music festival here in the Philippines last February, which was actually their second gig in Manila since they had already visited back in 2022. I first heard Pineappke Kryptonite and enjoyed the very quirky video. After that, I saw the video of their Intergalactic cover and I got even more curious. However, it wasn't until just early this month that my appreciation for them multiplied a thousand fold. I was totally floored by Tokyo Calling (a reference to The Clash's London Calling, I suppose). I really love how it started with an eerie ominous vibe, but exploded towards the end with a message of hope and unity. Total genius. Oh and did I mention the killer choreography? Honestly, I'm not much of a dance act fan. However, after seeing AG!, I knew they were special and that they were more than just a dance act. I really dig how they used their "rigid" Japanese upbringing to bring out their own uniqueness, which we can plainly see in their videos and live performances. I actually still have a lot to say about AG!, but I'll stop here as I am still reeling from AG! awesomeness. Cheers!
So glad you enjoyed the review! And welcome. Check out my other AG videos :)
Hello Andrew. Wonderful review! Atarashii Gakko is coming to full fruition with an astonishing blend of raw vocal and dance talent, originality, star quality, confidence, a little quirky comedy, and the ability to reach directly into our hearts and make us literally scream with delight. Their performances often become like a religious experience for many ardent fans around the globe. When Suzuka suddenly jumps into the audience and starts holding people's hands, she is connecting with us and letting us express our emotions and telling us that everything is alright. She wants us to feel joy, and a sense of power. It's as if she and the other young ladies have healing powers...
Agreed! I hope to have a new AG! video up soon that will draw on an insider's first hand experience of how they work. Should be really interesting.
I've watched the uploads of this AG performance several times and I'm really happy how good it is. I literally love everything about it. I follow them since mid 2022 and it was a ride full of surprises, not only the blow up in early 2023.
And yes, I hope that they'll keep this kind of sailor uniform for a while because their dance moves look more freaking with them and its a more individual AG fashion.
Would be nice they wear them on the world tour.
I careful watched your breakdown of AG performance here and I had often the same feeling about this, thank you for that good work you 've done to get us deeper in this amazing experience.
Thank you! I appreciate that and am glad we are on the same page!
Wow, just wow! It looks like they absolutely killed it at Coachella. I wish I could have been there. Really looking forward to their new album in June. Thank you for making these videos!
My pleasure, and me too!
They're just too friggin awesome! Thanks so much for putting them on my radar. I think the first time I ever heard of them was when you reviewed NaiNaiNai a while ago. They've definitely become a welcome addition to the bands that I will always support, no matter what. Thanks for the breakdown. This was absolutely epic.
My pleasure! Glad to help get you into them!
Finally had a chance to watch their set.
You're right.
They keep getting better and more confident with bigger crowds.
Hey Rick. Yeah, they are as we used to say, really feeling their oats :)
I have not seen your thoughts on the second show. If the first show was another level that second show was on a different planet. The audience was huge and at least ten rows back outside the tent. The whole crowd were screaming before they even started and AG were feeding off the energy. Suzuka was in the crowd multiple times and the finish was spectacular. They required a much bigger stage and you know what. With performances like that they are going to get them. Its there 10th anniversary next year I want to be flying to Japan to see them in the proper big tent. IE Tokyo Dome !!
To be honest, though I agree with your assessment of the crowd response for night 2, I just didn't feel I had enough to add to merit another video, especially since what little footage I used got me in trouble with Coachella... But yes, another step up.
@@AndrewHartley Yeah I saw the strike but you got it rescinded so props to you. You are nothing but a massive positive influence for AG. And I see a few seconds ago another US tour announced for Oct 24
初めまして！
日本人ですがこのチャンネルをきっかけに新しい学校と出会いました、ありがとうございました！
日本国内ではコーチェラに参加した他のアーティストの方が多くフューチャーされて、海外でのAG人気や彼らの実力や魅力が、伝わりにくいですね、寂しい事です。
コーチェラでの新しい学校の衣装は、日本の怖い昔話「耳なし芳一」を参考にしたのかと思っていました。
「とおりゃんせ」の昔話も、「行きにいた子どもが帰りはいない」とか、ちょっと怖い話だったためです。
でも、考えすぎかもしれませんね。
いつも深い考察をありがとうございます！
コメントありがとう。耳なし芳一との関連性は考えていなかった。本当に興味深い。私はラフカーディオ・ハーン版の物語でこの話を知っている。考えてみます！あなたがアタラシイ学校とつながる手助けができたことをとても嬉しく思います！
Good call I think to go for the visuals. And I loved the new look outfits. Perfect move, as you say, to increase their profile.
Yeah, the new uniform may be a one off but out feels like a nice evolution so they don't get seen as perpetual school girls in an idol tradition they were never really part of.
@@AndrewHartley 教授はじめまして！外からコメントすみません。
私は5月5日のZepp福岡のライブに行ってきたのですが、新しい制服の時は新曲。
衣装チェンジして“いつもの”白制服になってから「恋の遮断機」などの古い楽曲を披露していました。
曲のリリース時期などで使い分けしていく可能性もあるので、今回一回限りでは無い気がします。
ご参考になれば！
@@fujiharufujiharu ありがとう！10月に彼らを見る予定なんだけど、アメリカでのショーと日本でのショーはかなり違うんだろうね。そうだね、君のコメントはとても興味深い！
I missed the Smoke On The Water refrain at first pass, but on the second watch, this was their “hamidashiteku” pose down…
AG!, Ota, 88 are so on point it floors me
Hello, nice to meet you. I'm a Japanese fan.Thank you for your review of Coachella AG Live on the 21st. It was just as wonderful as the 14th.
Yes, a great second show! Thanks!
@@AndrewHartleyThe Review of the second show? I'dont find it here. How can I find it please?
It was an awesome set. I only saw it on videos, but the impact was still there. I can't wait to see them on their next tour.
Check out their live stream tonight
Great video as always, AJ! I definitely feel that AG! showed Coachella, and the world, why they are masters at what they do! I can't wait to see what comes next.
Well said!
Thank-you for your excellent review. A.G. are playing at Forrest Hills NYC in May. Think of the coup if they also were musical guests on SNL.
That would be cool.
Thanks for sharing this. Your videos haven't popped up in my feed for a long time but I remember now that you introduced me me to AG when i first moved to Japan about 4 years ago. Thank you so much. They have become huge in the last year. I think you also introduced me yo Chai. I need to start watching your videos more regularly. Thnks.
I really appreciate that, thank you, and welcome back! Yes, it has been wild to see them blow up in the last year or so. While I know that Otona Buru became a TikTok sensation as people tried to copy the dance, I wish I knew what it was (if it was any one thing or a combination of things) which triggered the interest so long after the song was released. But yeah, great to see it pay off for them. Feels like they hit the bulls eye of a dart board from a hundred yards away.
i saw the videos of their performance at Coachella and was immediately hooked! Spent the last few days devouring all their videos and ones about them. They are uniquely captivating! Excellent review Andrew!
Glad you liked it! Check out the rest of my AG playlist for more discussions/reviews
I am so happy for them and once again thank you to you for bringing this band into my life.....Babymetel are number one with me but these girls are a close second....Thank You sir
My pleasure! And thanks :)
Suzuka pulling a James Brown end of the show cape and all :-) love it!!!
,didn't this marching performband with Fleetwood Mac years ago or some other rock act?
Yeah, the James Brown homage is epic. Wish I'd spoken about it in the video. Don't know about the USC band but that sounds possible.
Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk and Gwen Stefani’s Hollaback Girl
Yep, Fleetwood Mac, "The Dance" I think. It didn't do them any harm!!! But what a performance by AG, amazing! They just keep getting better and better.
More great analysis and commentary. Been following your work since you broke down Megitsune. I had seen and like AG but your analysis of Dokubana really made me see how deep and special they were. Thank you for your assistance in my love of both AG and Babymetal.
My pleasure. That's kind of you to say, thank you.
I can't wait to see what they do this weekend!
Best commentary on their performance at Coachella.
Nice edit!
Thanks!
Thank you for yr informative and detailed review.
My pleasure!
An excellent review Mr Hartley,there is reason to believe that a colab with BM might be on the horizon ( it’s been mentioned in an interview by Momoko) 👍
Yes, fingers crossed! I find myself wondering what that collab might look/sound like. A funkier version of Kagero, maybe. That would be something.
@@AndrewHartley
BMC ?
Really great review! I really enjoyed their performance in Coachella and I look forward to their concert in Seoul in June!
Thanks!
Great Wrap up of their show - really looks highly entertaining (as to be expected). They'll come to Germany in June - and I can't go due to health reasons. I'm quite sad but In hope they'll return in the nearby future.
Sad to hear that you can't go. I'll be in Cologne, but that show is sold out by now. I'll guess ther will be some fancam footage to console you. It's not the same, agreed, but at least something.
Hope you get to see them soon!
Yes I, ve VIP Ticket Cologne purchased within the first hour after the ticket release I'm so happy.
After this amazing Gobi performance I 'm really looking forward what show they'll deliver in Germany!!? 😮
@@aurosan750AU I would love if they brought the rubber alien on stage for Pinapple Kryptonite. The odds are very much against this, but then we hope while we live. See you in Cologne!
Hey AJ! Thanks for the report on AG! (A, B, C, D, E & etc?) Doesn't Suzka's not wanting to leave the stage seam like something that's worthy of James Brown performance - right down to having robes being thrown on her? I imagine JB would be proud of her!
Yeah, someone said something along those lines earlier int he comments. I confess I hadn't made the connection, but I like it. Let's hope the connection brings some more 70s funk to their sound. I hear it on Forever Sisters, but would like more. And given their productivity of late they may even give the hardest working man in show business a run for his money!
MM produced Forever Sisters 🎼
Yes, he said. I'm hoping he'll tell me a little more about the process for this and Snack Time :) Thanks again for connecting us.
@@AndrewHartley Yes, I hope he can give you a little sneak peek into his process. Forever Sisters in particular is a mature step up & such a “ bonding “ song to me. I hope it resonates with others.
@@mian5890 Totally agree. It feels richer and more grown up, a testimony to their shared experience and to a spirit of collaboration., Great stuff.
Thank You !👏
You're welcome!
I was looking forward to your thoughts on AG’s coachella performance. Thank you for this. Hope you can do the analysis/review of the three new songs.
Hopefully when the new album drops.
Thank you
You're welcome
I think otona blue is a staple - it is the most famous song they have it what made their career. i think a lot of fans would be disappointed if it wasnt played
absolutely. I was surprised they didn't play a full version of Pineapple Kryptonite, esp in California. It was, in many ways, the song that brought them the most US attention (until Otona Buru caught fire retroactively).
Wow, thank you for this extensive and on point analysis!
AG ❤❤❤❤
You're so welcome!
Thank you for the excellent commentary. I thoroughly enjoyed their set and can’t wait to see how much they modify it, if any, for this Sunday. Agree with all the comments on James Brown comparisons.
Thanks!
Oh ...thats nice the video is online again...horrrayy!!👍
Yeah, it's normal for a video to go back up while the dispute is being reviewed. You'll know what happened if it's still up in 28 days (their assessment period).
I’ve been a fan for years. SUZUKA is hilarious.
yep :)
Great review Professor Hartley! I'll be in Japan May & June, and was hoping to catch another live show there, but they are in the US and will be doing their first European tour. Love the T-shirt, btw.
Thanks! Yes, I'll be in Japan later in the summer but doubt I'll get to see them. And their success there has made getting tickets much harder. Still, fingers crossed.
It felt to me that a big part of the audience didn’t know what was going on. They liked the performance but were trying way too hard to demonstrate it. Seemed fake. Cultural shock probably, but anyways AG rocked the stage 120%
Your comments always resonate with me. If you look around your house be it the kitchen, garage or living room I defy you not to find many objects of Japanese manufacture. However Japanese culture has been one export to The West that has not fared so well. It was only ten years or so ago that the Japanese Government poured serious Yen into ''Cool Japan'' to promote Japanese culture worldwide. Amazingly the only notable music export was a band who was in a niche of a niche down a very long winding road. The Babymetal success story is amazing in it's own right. That Babymetal could fill an arena in LA and London was remarkable not only for that but for the dismal failure by comparison of mainstream J Pop to penetrate Western markets. The bubblegum idol mixture just never flew far from home. Now its all change as K Pop bands break box office records and fill baseball stadiums across the US. At least three Japanese groups seem to have ''westernised'' there acts (if that is the correct phrase ?) whilst as you mention also staying true to there roots. Ado, Yoasabi and Atarashii Gakko are the ones that spring to mind. Ado filled a 7000 seater in LA and AG are headlining a Coachella stage (did not see that coming). That AG set was a masterclass of performance and musical eclecticism. There rise over the last twelve months has been nothing short of staggering both at home and abroad. They have come so far from handing out leaflets in Shinjuku. How are they going to top that next week ? More new stuff or an encore of Mayoeba Toutoshi with Suzuka in the crowd would probably break me !! Roll on London, June 10th and then yet another pilgrimage to Japan ?
Great comment. Thanks! Yes, I was wondering whether week 2 would be a do-over or would shake things up a bit. I hope for the latter. Their journey, especially over the last year or so, has truly been remarkable. I hope it doesn't overwhelm them.
@@AndrewHartley Just like those Japanese acts with a global following who have relatively recently celebrated ten years. IE Babymetal and Band Maid, lets not forget AG will celebrate there tenth year together next year. I hope all the long hours of practise, the tiny stages and leafletting on the streets will stand them in good stead for the fame and success they are now starting to enjoy. I am heartened by the fact that they retain full artistic control and would love to see them spearhead a global Japanese presence in the mainstream music scene
If Babymetal was with 88Rising and not Amuse they would be international stars. Hell if they were with anyone but Amuse they would be much bigger.
Suzuka with AG is really working well on her English. Just from her time I saw her last year to this show, you can tell she is working hard on improving it. Her confidence in front of non-Japanese speaking audiences has vastly improved.
AG still not doing super heavy touring. We will see how their endurance holds up on doing 30-50 shows over 6 months. Their shows holding around 40-50 minutes time frame sounds about what the average will be. I don't see them bring set musicians with them every where, however AG bringing in locals like they did in this show when they can will bring nice touches.
Yes, I noticed that about Suzuka's English too. THey've done more English language mini videos recently and it feels like it's something they've been working on.
AG has certainly been busy in lots of other media though. I'm glad they have found success, but also hope they don't burn out too soon.
@@AndrewHartley An English interview I saw where the women felt confident enough with the translator to give serious answers, showed how much they exaggerate their English mispronunciations for the performance. This was probably a year ago and they were by no means fluent in English, although Mizyu and Kanon seemed to understand the English questions as they didn’t bother to listen to the translation, discussing their answers while the Japanese question was being asked. I’ll find the interview and add the link.
@@destinationsunnyside250 Awesome. Thanks!
@@destinationsunnyside250 When Kanon spoke to me at the meet & greet last year, she was speaking entirely in English accurately and without hesitation.
It was great to see them in such command on that stage, and the whole performance was super well planned and very interesting with lots of surprises! I had heard other artists had major technical issues and got rather angry, so I'm glad this didn't happen to them.
I am really looking forward to their new songs. Something with some meat on them. (Some of their recent ones for shows and movies have been OK, but rather simple.)
Yeah, I agree. I think the songs debuted here show real promise, and a bit of a return to lusher sounds and more complex melodies. Given at least some involvement from Money Mark I wonder if this means that the group are contributing creatively again, and if so if this indicates an expansion of their skills. I hope so. I love the early songs but they were entirely reliant on other composers. If they can have real agency over composition and still find richness and complexity, I call that a win.
@@AndrewHartley AG just anounced U.S. dates (late September through mid-October) for their 2024 World Tour! D.C. and Atlanta are probably the closest to you. I'm pondering going to Chicago. On sale starting May 9 for various memberships, May 10 for general public, VIP is an separate addon ticket this time.
@@Retec Yeah, I saw. I'm looking at Chicago too (we have family there).
@@AndrewHartley I would be super happy if I got to see you there!
I am not sure about what kind of music festival Coachella is, but looking at the moments of the video about the audience, it looked like a quite people of non-white descent. Well, this is just a mention. It seems to be in California, so probably it's a long way from where you live, right?, haha. Well, anyway, I am happy that AG has performed in US, or overseas.
As you know, AG is an artist with a unique personality in the Japanese pop-rock scene too. That's why it didn't get easy popularity and had a pretty long underclass, I guess.
I can see that this stage is quite elaborate. I believe AG's recent songs have some Japanese elements. Perhaps they are conscious of expanding overseas. I can also guess that they sing in Japanese because it has a demand from many foreign fans who want that these days. I am not sure if it was such a demand from abroad for Japanese music 40 years ago. It is probably true that even Hollywood has begun to re-make Japanese movies because it has made so many ones that the projects have dried up. The expression of every artists are exactly their ideas first, but from commercial point of views, I believe the markets cannot ignored. The viewers can basically watch / listen to / say what they want, I think. But I think it is good for the viewers that it would have such perspectives.
Well, I'm no expert, so I purely enjoy it. There seems to be people who write bigoted opinions below (I was misplaced by one of them in other reaction video the other day... Discussing is hard and tough. I am actually poor at it such like that...). Oh, excuse me.😅
Thank you from Japan!
My pleasure. Unfortunately, it is the nature of the internet that open platforms like this allow some fairly unpleasant people to speak their mind. We have to see past them and remain positive. I think AG are great cultural ambassadors, and that a diverse country like the USA thrives on the variety of music and ideas from different places. Some people will resist that, but I don't get care about them.
To me Perfume really were the first Japanese idols to break internationally. They had a world tour and song on a Pixar soundtrack a dozen years ago!
I think Perfume are a pretty exclusively Japanese phenomenon. They've acquired foreign fans as well, of course, and have played live shows overseas but I don't think they have any real mainstream international profile.
@@AndrewHartley #PrimaveraSound #prfm
I like Perfume, but I think Kyari Pamyu Pamyu may have beat them by a bit.
I'm sure you'll have heard it by now but the album is quite brilliant. It's new and diverse sounding but very cohesive despite this. A number of tracks draw on their previous jazz and disco sounds which I felt was an acknowledgement to their roots and reassuring that they weren't prepared to leave their original fanbase behind.
I don't know if you managed to see them in London on Monday. I sadly didn't and deeply regret it.
I'm seeing them in Chicago :)
"Arigato" reminded me of some classic Japanese funk and this performance from another charasmatic Japanese front woman with the Sadistic Mika Band. For older Brits this was on The Old Grey Whistle Test.
th-cam.com/video/XCfLnopIhng/w-d-xo.html
Absolutely. Great link. Thanks.
Thanks for pointing this out! Now I know a bit better what to expect in Cologne on june 7th - although with them you can't be too sure.
These are gorgeous visuals!! When did we talk about their sailor suits going to morph into something else? Just two weeks ago, I guess. I sort of felt it in the water, but would never have expected it to happen so fast.
I always love to see live instruments played on stage, but teaming up with a local band, even if it is the marching band of USC, takes some guts. As a former trombone player, I was instantly hooked.
The way they weaved in Smoke on the Water was brilliant! 🙂
The Cologne concert seems to be sold out, including the VIP packages, with the venue in the 1300-1500 range. The day after in Berlin, there seem to be just the more expensive "Hot" tickets left, but that was a quick glance only. The capacity of the Metropol main hall is mostly given as 800-1000
Fantastic. Wish I was going to be there too! Fascinating to see the way they are both keeping and moving on from the school uniform. Be interesting to see if that becomes their new battle armor, or if this was just a one off.
@@AndrewHartley In Germany they haven't had any mainstream media coverage (press, TV, music charts) at all (as far as I can tell) in the past years. The ticket sales started 10 weeks before the shows (7th and 8th of June) and shows were completely sold out within two weeks, Berlin even a couple of days sooner. Ticket prices about 48 USD. I expect them to come again next year to much larger venues - they deserve it.
@@artex98 Yeah, the upside of their rising success is more shows, though--as we've said before--it may come at a price and in less intimate venues. Such is life :)
Did they officially credit Money Mark as having worked on the 3 newest songs? I was under the impression they were produced by Yonkey, he was tweeting about the performance like he had a heavy hand in preparing the music and transitions.
Well, Yonkey was certainly involved in Nai Nai Nai so I guess he could have been referring to that. Suzuka thanked Money Mark in the intro to Forever Sisters, so I assumed he was involved in that. I guess it could simply have been a dedication to thank him for their prior work together, but it sounded more like a credit for recent work. Guess we'll find out soon.
@@AndrewHartley ah I missed that, but yonkey also produced otona blue, sukie lie, and giri giri, so I guess he could have been referring to any of those also
@@unclegoat2 true. Looking forward to finding out more and to the new album!
@@AndrewHartleyoh wow, apparently he did Tokyo calling and toryanse as well! He's been working with them a lot lately I guess, I can't wait for the new album!
AG could have exploded even more if they put the English translations of their lyrics up on those screens.
Their lyrics have to reach the listener to be even more appreciated.
Perhaps. I know AG like to emphasize the liveness of the audience/performer interaction, so maybe they didn't want people focusing too much on the screens?
Where i can find the complete show on internet ?
It was up on the Coachella site for a while but may be down now. Watch their live feed of the Gobi stage for tonight's show which, I assume, will stay up for a few days at least.
@@AndrewHartleythank you for answering ! I will show. Their success is too high
th-cam.com/play/PLcflO19Bl0zZuBnzdeAx-S6jBeQG1X2V_.html&si=k8xuNEfLUnJ15ovz
suzuka_02.28
I don't like everything about Atarashii Gakko, in fact, I'd say not much... but it deserves recognition for its extraordinary ability to sell itself abroad! I may be welcome, but for me Coachella is just a fashionable event where the music is in the background, the important thing is to get noticed: even the audience seems to react in such a way as to be able to be filmed by the cameras! But then, how can you desecrate "Smoke on the water"?!?!?!?!
Their goofy nature was appealing for about five minutes and then got old fast. Personally speaking not a fan of the music as I said before the performers goofy stuff didn't appeal for long to me. I wouldn't listen to their music more than a couple of times, and wouldn't particularly say I have a favourite song of theirs.
The wonderful world of music and stuff it's not for everyone, but it's nice to see them do well. They seem to have a few blow outs then fade maybe this will do better.
I genuinely hope no one is going to hate me for this..*
I’m so glad I’m not alone on this. 88rising seems to be pushing them towards hip pop and the US mainstream. And honestly, I just don’t like it. I can understand why people might like their new songs and their goofy act but it all feels so..bland.
I’m not a huge fan of their new music and the goofy act feels a little forced now. And after listening to some of their songs from their new album, it doesn’t seem like they will go back to making songs like Toumei Girl or Saisyu Jinrui. Which is sad because their old songs represent them better and have a lot more meaning to them, while their new songs don’t have that charm their old songs did. NaiNaiNai and Otome no Bigaku were good but Toryanse and Freaks are a big meh. I’ll continue to see how they’ll do in the future so I will still check in on them from time to time, but right now, I will just stick to their old songs. But still, i will root for AG, And I wish them the best of luck.👍🏾