Mrs. GREEN APPLE, 2-day “CEREMONY” show in Japan: Review

“Mrs. GREEN APPLE Presents CEREMONY,” a new form of entertainment by a three-person band that fuses fashion, music, and culture, was held on June 10th and 11th at K Arena Yokohama in Kanagawa. Prominent guests from various industries gathered in VIP seats with a dress code, and shared the joy of music that transcended genres with the packed audience.

Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s Motoki Omori (Vo./Gt.), Hiroto Wakai (Gt.), and Ryoka Fujisawa (Key.) appear on stage every night in elaborate outfits. The fashion theme was “The Hero’s Journey,” with inspiration drawn from The Wizard of Oz on the first day and Momotaro from the Japanese folk tale on the second day. In his opening remarks, Mr. Omori spoke about the essence of the event, saying, “This is not a festival, a joint show, or an award ceremony. There is no competition or rivalry, just encountering each other’s cultures and enjoying the sounds. I would like to re-propose this together with everyone in this venue.” These words became the guiding concept for both nights.

s**t kingz held the world premiere of “slow burn,” which was released on the same day. ASMI, who appeared for the first time in three years since the collaboration with MGA “Blue Ambience”, expressed his gratitude before performing a confessional performance of his new song “Tokyo Tower”. The “Chou Tokimeki Advertising Club” excited the arena with their gorgeous and cute performances, and there was a moment when they were all smiles as they surrounded the three members of MGA during “Cho Saikyo.” ORANGE RANGE immediately excited the venue into summer mode with their songs “Shanghai Honey” and “Ikenai Taiyo,” and other artists also waved their hands and got excited.

The AI ​​set was breathtaking. During the acoustic rendition of “Happiness,” the venue lights turned on, turning the entire arena into one giant choir. After the set, Fujisawa said, “I cried.” “AI’s voice is very powerful, yet it conveys a lot of warmth and kindness.” TOMORROW The audience erupted into excitement as the five members got off the stage and walked through the artist lounge section, culminating in the moment when Omori and the five members met face-to-face at the front of the stage.

VIP attendees included Japan’s top athletes such as Tomokazu Harimoto of the Japanese national table tennis team, swimmer Yui Ohashi, and skateboarder Coco Yoshizawa. “Music gives me energy and courage,” Harimoto said. “I always listen to Mrs. GREEN APPLE before an important game.” It was a vivid reminder of how powerful energy music is in the world of competitive sports.

On the second day, Mone Kamishiraishi will be watching the anime movie “Your Name.” ” theme song “Nanmonaya” quietly began singing a cappella. In “Memento Mori,” Omori’s solo work that was later made into a picture book, the world of the picture book spread out on the video screen, and her light and gentle voice enveloped the venue. Nekry Talkie sang “Hojo no Susume” and “Oshirei Daisakusen” over the roaring band sound, and performed their new song “Yokeina Koto,” demonstrating the band’s true potential. Singer-songwriter Ami Sakaguchi revealed that she posted an MGA cover on social media when she was in the second year of junior high school, and later performed a stripped-down solo performance of “Naked Fire.” When FRUITS ZIPPER began singing “My Cutest Part,” Omori, who was watching from a round table, jumped up and started dancing at the first note of the intro.

Maximum the Hormone stirred up a storm of headbanging with “Shimi,” dramatically changing the tone of two days of sophisticated taste to something akin to “rich, rich, extra-thick” ramen. Drummer Nao’s line, “This is an MGA tasting party. Please don’t knock before you try it,” sparked a burst of laughter, and the final number, “Mega Lover of Love (CEREMONY edit),” dragged the entire arena into a wall of roaring noise. K-Pop boy group TWS performed three songs, including their Japanese debut single “Hajimemashite,” captivating the audience with their flowing choreography and fresh vocals, raising expectations for the finale.

Ayami Nakajo, who served as moderator on both days, delivered closing remarks in the form of a letter. “For me, music is the great orchestra of the movie called life. There is always music in each ceremony, and various songs will continue to color our lives. Today, at this moment, I have encountered the greatest orchestra.” Her words resonated deeply in the venue.

Mrs. GREEN APPLE was closed both nights. Sharing several songs across the two setlists: “ANTENNA,” “Wind and Town,” “Heaven,” and “GOOD DAY,” the band seemed to absorb the cumulative energy of every artist that played that day, and their set carried an almost uncanny intensity. In particular, the performance of “Heaven” on the second day was a decisive moment that seemed to convey Omori’s passion up until now.

“To make things, to be creative, to be an expressive person…it’s a very lonely endeavor,” he reflected in his closing remarks on the second day. “It’s about how many times I doubted myself and then believed in myself again.However, beyond logic and beyond cynicism, I felt in the deepest part of my heart that music is truly the greatest thing in this world.My heart was more fulfilled than any victory, and my regret was more deeply engraved than any defeat.That was our ceremony.” ” At the finale, the three members of Mrs. GREEN APPLE stepped away from the microphone and called out in quiet voices, “See you at CEREMONY next year!” — And just like that, two special nights came to an end.

Not a festival, not a joint show, not an awards ceremony, CEREMONY was a unique entertainment experience in itself. That concept was perfectly realized over two days of pure musical joy.

—This article by Takayuki Okamoto was first published on Billboard Japan.