Oricon Style live report from the Sakura Gakuin Festival 2010 at Yokohama Red Brick on November 28, 2010. The first Sakura Gakuin Festival features also the live debut of BABYMETAL performing their debut song "Doki Doki Morning"! Check the live report translated and album of photos below!
Oricon live report on Sakura Gakuin Festival 2010 featuring BABYMETAL live debut!
All 600 seats in the hall are sold out. Ten people in uniforms appear and cheer up the stage warming up the packed venue. The Students Council President Ayami Muto takes command and began with the chorus of "School Days". The seniors are Junior High School students, 14 years old. The juniors are 11 years old Yui Mizuno and Moa Kikuchi (born in 1999!). Although there is only 3 years of difference, Ayaka Miyoshi is 168cm tall and Moa Kikuchi is 129cm tall, a 40 centimeters height difference in this unique limited-growth-period unit.
As soon as they start to dance the audience stands up from their seats. Buds blooming, Sakura blooming, showing full of energy. When they seat in their chairs, homeroom teacher Mori Hayashi takes part to start introducing the members. Suzuka Nakamoto's "Special skill: Mental arithmetic"!, getting laughs from the audience at moments. Then the festival continues with "Hello! IVY" which was included in their major single.
The 10 girls who danced rhythmically while singing were swinging their hands left to right with flags. At the other end, everyone had a small pink flag as the venue became united with Ayami's commands on the movement of the flags: "Up", "Down", "Left", "Right".
Next, the announcement of clubs activities. Yes, Sakura Gakuin, which is a "school" also has club activities inside the unit. First, Ayaka Miyoshi and Airi Matsui appeared with the "Newspaper Club". Then the Baton Club "Twinklestars", a 6 people unit with Ayami and the younger ones. They sang "Dear Mr. Socrates" with cheerleader skirts while holding a baton in one hand.
Next is Marina Horiuch, Iida Raura and Nene Sugisaki with the Cooking Club "Minipati". They sang the "Happy Birthday" song, about making a birthday cake wearing a white kitchen hat and white kitchen clothes.
Once they appeared, the rock sound comes out, a combination of Suzuka Nakamoto, Yui Mizuno and Moa Kikuchi. And unusual heavy metal Idol number "Doki Doki Morning", shaking their heads from the start. Although the melody is pop, Nakamoto is singing microphone in hand while the two smaller girls are dancing around in both sides like robots. According to their introduction: "Suzuka is fluffy sometimes", "Moa breaks suddenly", "Yui often laughs a lot".
Then the Go Home Club appears. The three girls appeared with pajamas, the girls from "Minipati" Marina, Raura and Nene sang a hit song from the 80's "Medaka No Kyoudai". Sparrows, cats and other animals are mentioned in the lyrics.
When the venue was already excited, all the members appeared with T-shirts instead of their sailor suits to perform "Let's Dance"; their fans heating up furthermore more. A take of techno styled music jumping in lines, horse-jumping, bringing legs side to side in a row, getting cheers over and over again. The small girls, the tall girls, mischievous flowers glowing.
The School Festival is reaching the climax. The ten girls changed to their uniforms and appeared on stage in one knee to sang their major single debut "Yume Ni Mukatte". Furthermore they proceeded to make a pyramid formation with Ayami at the upper vertex, changing formation rapidly again. There is lots of dynamic feelings, everyone seems to have a great smile.
Then the members talk one by one: "Practices outcome was well put today!", "We succeeded thanks to everyone's power!". The last song was introduced by Ayami, "We will sing with all our power", the mellow ballad "Message". Seniors exchange enthusiasm with junior and elementary students front to back. "Egao wa yasashiku shiawase kibun ni surun desu" (Because your smile is really gentle), is what they had accomplished on stage today.
Then, after the encore, a clapping Ayami comments: "This is the starting point, we will do our best!" The last song is "Hello! IVY" for second time today. The venue swayed the pink color flags at the rhythm of Ayami's small flag from above their seats. In the end, everyone gathers in the center of the stage to the call of "IVY!" "Yeah!". The ten girls waved their hands with a satisfying smile, said "Bye bye!" and left the stage behind.
In less than 4 months since their first ever performance in August. Sakura Gakuin held a remarkable performance. Each time the 10 girls come to stage their growth changed, their height and look changed, and also their skills. Each of their lives will be irreplaceable.
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Oricon Style live report by: Takashi Saito.
Photos by: Oricon Style.
Translation by: Maik Gianino.
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