Tokyo's Coolest Sound

On Monday April 26 was Nagisa Yōko's recital at Shibuya Quattro, an event to celebrate the issue of her new 400-page photo book titled "NAGISA" . The show featured a full band, back dancers DeliciouSweets, and special guest Nomiya Maki! I had been wanting to see Yoko live for a long time, and Maki being guest this was the right time.

Doors had opened an hour before start, but we only made it some 20 minutes early, missing the chance of watching seated. Quattro had been transformed into a seated hall, and the place was quite packed. Before the show started, DJ Nagata Kazunao (Fantastic Explosion, ExT Recordings) stood in a suit playing some tracks including Fantastic Explosion's "Chocolate", and Pizzicato Five's "A New Song" covered by Duke Aces from the tribute album.

Then the show started. We were treated to 2 hours of Yoko's beautiful singing, and the funny retro dances of DeliciouSweets who changed outfits several times. Best of all was a part in the middle of the show, the musicians and singer exited, and the DJ played "Fiorella with an Umbrella" in full, with 7 girls dancing on stage. All P5 fans knew it was the time for Nomiya Maki!

Maki and Yoko came on stage wearing similar dresses, both silver with lots of glittering (see photo on Yoko's blog). The first song was "koi no Vacance", a cover of The Peanuts! They also sang P5's "Mon amour Tokyo" in duet! Yoko explained that she first sang this song with Comoestas on a private tribute album that was made as a gift for when P5 disbanded in 2001. Some bits of their choreography somehow reminded me of Vanilla Beans. :)

Here's the show's full set list from Yoko's blog.

futsukayoi / kinu no kutsushita / moeru bunbun / Medley: Only You, Sugar Town, Mambo Bacan, Come On A My House, Summertime, kono mune no tokimeki o / BGM kaburitsuki jinsei / gebageba komoriuta / onna no michi

BGM Fiorella with an Umbrella
With Nomiya Maki: koi no Vacance (The Peanuts cover) / futari no Season (The Zombies cover) / Mon Amour Tokyo

New Tokyo / aishū no Rockabilian

Encore: honmoku Blues / kamonegi ondō / chōdo jikan to narimashita

Maki's part seemed way too short, but it was really great! She came back during the show's encore for the time of another song.

A memorable evening!