For the first time in 14 years of livegym history, B'z had an opening act. "The Flower" consists of Showtaro Mitsuzono, Kaichi Kurose (both were supporting members in livegym Brotherhood and Eleven) and the vocal, Shinpei Nozaki. After a warming up session with the opening performance, all lights in the whole stadium suddenly went off, leaving only bright images on two giant screens which moved slowly towards each other. When the grandeous opening music stopped, Tak Matsumoto and Koshi Inaba suddenly appeared in the front of these two joined screen. A high-energy number, "Go* Fight* Win" opened the night's concert, followed immediately by "Stay Green".

This time B'z applied many funny and eye-popping stage effects. When Inaba started to sing "ZERO", on the giant screen a middle-age security guard appeared. His unsmiling serious lip-synching to Inaba's powerful singing prompted laughters from the audience. In "Surfin' 3000GTR", Inaba stood on a surfin' board in the middle of the stage and computer effect merged his image with an ocean background so it looked as if he were really surfing.

Matsumoto Tak's Solo Bewitching The Whole Stadium It was half-way to the concert when Matsumoto took the stand and started to speak to the audience. He humorously kissed the signature Les Paul "Tak Burst" a few times and then blew kisses to the audience. His speech that followed after (*see below) brought laughter and soothing effect to the arena. As Matsumoto performed the Oriental-style "Koi Uta", behind him appeared a gigantic dragon in beautiful blue, red and green color. The whole stadium listened in silence. It was an effective way to calm the audience down for a while as more action were promised to come.

One Great Moment After Another In The Midst Of Fireworks

After performing his solo, Matsumoto said that he was in a good mood to continue his performance and this time he would like to go to the centre stage, just like Inaba did for his solo in 1999 Yokohama concert. He went backstage with a camera following him closely. On the way, he was stopped for an autograph by an old granny who cleaned the place. In front of a vending machine, he tried to get a can of drink but many empty cans were spilled on him out of nowhere that he was bruised 'black & blue". When he finally reached to the centre stage, the security guard who has been accompanying him the whole time suddenly took off his black hat and jacket. The screaming sound of the audience could not be louder as he turned out to be Inaba in disguise!

In the centre stage, Matsumoto with his acoustic guitar and Inaba with his blues harp, B'z performed two songs, "Koi Gokoro" and "Hadashi No Megami". This acoustic performance showed B'z in their truest form (just two members) and was a display of their true skills.

The second half of the concert which followed afterwards was nothing short of adrenalin-rush performance. Beginning with the all-English "DEVIL" right to the ending of two encore songs "Atsuki Kodou No Hate" and "JUICE", B'z had everyone in the audience singing, screaming and clapping along. Supporting members Matsuda Takanobu (keyboard), Billy Sheehan (bass) and Shane Galaas (drums) also delivered their wonderful solos. There was not one moment of pause, save for the heart-warming "Green"speech (*see below) by Inaba. He had 70,000 people screaming for him : "Green is beautiful!" It was truly one amazing way to spend a summer night.

Click here to see cool pics of B'z LiveGyms trucks, merchandises and posters
Pictures forwarded by F. Matsumoto at B'z Kairaku No Heya

September 01, 2002| Taiwan Daily News, HK China Times, Lianhe News | Translated by Keen for this website ©

1. TAK "KOI UTA" SPEECH
(He refered to Tak Burst as 'koitsu' which means this person, him or her, I'll use 'her' becoz the speech flows better that way)
Tak : It's been a long time since I first started my relationship with her. But even up to now, we still don't get along very well. The reason is because she doesn't listen to me. Mostly because I'm still green. But I'm always grateful to her. If I hadn't met her, I think I wouldn't be standing here in this place, spending this moment together with everyone tonight. So I really thank her for this.
Audience : (cheer and clap)
Tak : After a long time, this year I finally did and instrumental album with her. Please listen to a song called "Koi Uta" from this album.

2. BEFORE "KOI GOKORO"

Koshi : Love Yokohama!
Audience : (cheer)
Koshi : The ones at the very top, can you hear me?
Audience : (scream)
Koshi : Even though we have always been doing this Livegym tour, but tonight unexpectedly we are left alone in this centre stage, just the two of us facing each other in this small distance. Why after all this time, we still must do it this way, face to face? This is the first time ever that we perform like this, right?
Tak : (nod) Well, because it's really about time for us to face each other!
Koshi : (laugh) You said it well there.
Tak : Because we're green, we should go back to a beginner's heart. Let us do this face to face thing once again.
Koshi : Yes... B'z is in fact just the two of us, right? While remembering the first jacket shot we took together... what was it like ?
Tak : I can't remember the first jacket!
Koshi : (looked hurt) If you want to check, when you go home, go and check please.
Audience : (laugh and cheer)
Koshi : Well, today with everyone here, please participate, sing and dance together freely!

3. THE "GREEN" SPEECH
Koshi : This time, we came out with an album called "Green". We've always been doing livegms and recording, during which, sometimes it doesn't go as well as we hope. This sort of time makes us lose hope and let us feel that... somehow... we're so... green. Just like this, we think of ourselves as unskillful and we're not happy with ourselves. We have moments like this. Everyone here has them too, right?
Audience : (cheer)
Koshi : Yes, you do! Definitely you do! But because we still have that part of ourselves that we hate or think we must fix, I think that it is a very happy thing. Because you see, a person who has a goal to reach, a place to go to, he's not giving up yet and he's recklessly moving forward (arms reaching upward), look! Isn't this the most beautiful thing?
Audience : (cheer)
Tak : (smile)
Koshi : That's why in trying and difficult times, we think this way... I'm aoi. I'm green. Becoz I'm green, I try hard (=ganbaru). Eeee~? Ganbaru is old fashion? Ganbaru is uncool?
Audience : (laugh)
Koshi : No, no, ganbaru is... utsukushii.
Audience : (clap)
Koshi : Utsukushii is beautiful. Aoi ore wa utsukushii. Green na ore wa beautiful (=this green me is beautiful). Green na ore wa beautiful da! Just like this, we force ourselves to keep going... In our condition, right from the beginning, you all have supported us. Here we'd like to thank you for that, domo arigatou.
Audience : (clap)
Koshi : As a band, there're still many things we don't like about ourselves, still a lot of greeness in us. If you're willing to, together with such green B'z, in hard and trying time while remembering that motto "Green na ore wa beautiful", would everyone try and work hard together with us?
Audience : (cheer)
Koshi : 'Green' us are?
Audience : Beautiful!
Koshi : 'Green' you is?
Audience : Beautiful!
Koshi : 'Green' you over there is?
Audience : Beautiful!
Koshi : All of us, you and I are?
Audience : Beautiful!
Koshi : Arigatou..... At this moment, I feel like I have done a little talk-show kinda thing.
Audience : (laugh)
Koshi : It turned out to be quite comfortable... Everyone, please keep your warm eyes on this green B'z!
Audience : (cheer)
Koshi : And lastly, having all of you gather here in this great place... minna, minna, minna (pointing everywhere)... saikou ni beautiful da (= everyone is most beautiful)!!!

4. SHOWCASE
Koshi : B'z no...
Audience : (scream)
Koshi : (laugh)... today it is not LiveGym, but it is showcase. Quite rare in its case.
Audience : (cheer)
Koshi : Although we have been training hard for the lives this year, on this showcase we're still allowed to make many mistakes (wide grin and looked at Tak).
Tak : (laugh)
Koshi : We have the privilage to be forgiven...
Koshi: ...When you go home tonight, the talk that Inaba was wrong here, Inaba was wrong there will definitely spread.
Audience : (cheer and laugh)
Koshi: Go ahead and say whatever you want! (laugh)
Audience : (cheer)
Koshi : B'z no... B'z no... B'z no... kyou wa showcase ni yokozou!!! (=welcome to B'z showcase)

SONG LIST : 1. Go* Fight* Win 2. Stay Green ~ Mijyuku Na Tabi Wa Tomaranai 3. ZERO 4. Love Me, I Love You 5. WARP 6. Surfin' 3000GTR 7. Blue Sunshine 8. Koi Uta 9. Koi Gokoro 10. Hadashi No Megami 11. DEVIL 12. Everlasting 13. Fireball 14. Liar! Liar! 15. Samayoeru Aoi Dangan 16. Giri Giri Chop 17. Ultra Soul ENCORE : 18. Atsuki Kodou No Hate 19. JUICE

Additional reports and song list are taken from "A Beautiful Reel" | Translated & gathered by Keen for this website ©

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