The BABYMETAL Newswire collaborator in Japan Hitoshi Sugioka went to the Sakura Gakuin free event at the urban dock of Lalaport in Toyosu, in Koto, Japan. Was his first show, for that reason the review is very special for two reasons: is the first Fan Review about a Sakura Gakuin show, and also was his first Sakura Gakuin experience. Read his review below.
Fan Review from the Sakura Gakuin show at Lalaport in Toyosu
"I'm fan of Sakura Gakuin since middle of 2014, but i'm fan of BABYMETAL since December of 2012. I never was very active in the online community, and always tried to hid my interest for Sakura Gakuin, you will see and will understand. My friends are most of them fans of rock and metal, more metal than rock, and they always judged me for being a BABYMETAL fan, so when i realized my interest for Sakura Gakuin i had to have very careful. I listened their albums several times, but im not sure about all the names of the songs, but i love the music.
I went to several BABYMETAL shows, but never went to a Sakura Gakuin show, until Lalaport in Toyosu. I live near there so was easy to go, and when was announced, i read the news in Newswire and they said that the event was free, i was confused because the idea of "Hitoshi you must to assist, this is your chance to go and see the show, is free. Guilty pleasure for free." So decided to assist, and also the idea of watching Mizuno-San with a different outfit and signing a Sakura Gakuin song was something that started to kick my head.
See, wasn't so easy, i had to talk at work to ask for a free day, they said yes (i was lucky!). That morning on March 8, was cloudy, very cloudy most of the day, i was nervous because of the rain, one of my best friends lives in front of my house and i needed to be smart, "They can't see you Hitoshi", i was thinking.
Decided to arrive early because i wasn't sure about how many people could be able to assist, but it was raining already so in the other hand i was confident about reaching a good spot. "Time to go!" I forgot a special cover for my cellphone, so i wasn't able to take photos for this coverage. I took a couple.
Already in line, we recieved the notification that probably the first show could be cancelled because of rain, i was alone but two cute ladies and a great Fukei-San (with a little flag and t-shirt of SG in hand) told me that they were confident for the second show. After, some minutes, the girls came out to apologize, talk a little with fans and Fukei and for free they streamed the new album! I was in shock, my head was thinking in how to remember the songs to share my comments here but was so fast, sorry. Also i don't want to be the spoiler.
At 14:00 rain almost stopped, we saw some sun rays, stage started to dry and my emotions were incredible, i was sure that my first Sakura Gakuin show was minutes away.
I was a bit far, tried to take a couple of photos of Mizuno-San but are very pixaled so asked Newswire to post official photos in place of mine.
The first song was "Acha! Cha! Curry", i think i heard two or three times that song, "Mini Patissier!" I was in shock, my first reaction was "Take a photo Hitoshi, is your Sakura Gakuin show!", so i took two. Kikuchi-San and Mizuno-San wearing an outfit different to BABYMETAL, and my first SG show started with a Sub Unit!
Then "Hirari! Kirakira Yammiyammi Museum", live debut, lovely song, highly recommended.
First MC talk, sadly i can't remember very well what they said couldn't hear and also i was really hyped talking with others around.
After the MC part, "Haato No Hoshi" with the huge pompons! They look "chokawaii!" with pompons. Kikuchi-San was super happy singing and dancing and i noted a great performance by Kurashima Sara during the event but mostly during "Haato". "Hello IVY", and my favorite song so far "Marshmallow Iro No Kimi To". Almost cried thinking in Nakamoto-San, was a very powerful perfomance.
Then another MC talk, and the closing songs were "Aogeba Toutoshi", the new DVD Single. Was incredible, some fans were touched by the song and lyrics, "I can't believe they graduate in 20 days" some said, others "I will miss them". Then "Jump Up", a great closing song to be honest.
Mizuno-San and Kikuchi-San did a perfect performance for me, as we used to see from them. Kawaii, gentile, smiling, eye contact, greeting people with hands. I can't be more proud to have attended to the show.
After the show ended, we all were super hyped and happy, i was happy and felt one of my missions was accomplished.
Sorry if i didn't bought their CDs yet, but i was there in a Sakura Gakuin show :)"
SETLIST -
Acha! Cha! Curry
Hirari! Kirakira Yammiyammi Museum
MC
Heart No Hosi
Hello Ivy
Marshmallow Iro No Kimi To
MC
Aogeba Toutoshi
Jump Up
