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Hi everyone, 
Happy New Year. 

Outfits:
Seiko looked very beautiful last night in the R'nW. 4outfits in all. A long soft flowy 
light pink dress; a black soft evening gown with hair all pushed up like the 1992 Live pamphlet;
a white frilled dress which remains one of the Supreme album, hair is of the AiAiAi mode; a red kimono.


Background of the song "Ruiiro no Chikyu":
A very memorable song for many fans, as it was the song she sang right after Sayaka's
delivery and it was one of the very rare occurance that a song that is NOT a single
cut was sung. As we all know R'nW is a national affair, in JP it also translates to 
being a social affair. Songs that are sung in the R'nW must always be songs that
are non-commercial ie singers should not be treating it as a promotional event 
and promoting their latest releases; they must also be songs that the nation 
knows and loves. Thus, for Seiko to have sung songs like Sweet Memories and 
Ruiiro no Chikyu is a remarkable feat. (both of which are non-singles, 
particularly for the latter as it is a song from the album Supreme. 
Incidentally, it was the first time after 5 years, that Takashi Matsumoto 
Takashi wrote a piece for Seiko that sings about peace and mothernature.)


Performance:
The arrangement, which had most fans worried sick, was very much kept close to 
the original. The distinctive "ding-dong" sound found in the christmas songs 
(coupling songs of "The sound of fire" and "AiAiAi") of HS is there at the 
intro, and the sound of the grand piano plus the piano itself makes a nice pic 
while Seiko is singing. But I really wonder what it could have been had not HS 
been around and instead we have the entire orchestra of strings as the backdrop 
and playing to Seiko. 
Kudos to NHK (it seems that our cries and mails have not been in vain) for 
there was no mike attached to the piano. One disappointment was that the key 
was played lower than the original, resulting in Seiko's vocals being merely 
powerful... If you remember what I had written about the performance in FUN, my 
reaction to last night's performance was exactly what I had said about 
the "other" singers, maturing in age but not in the delivery. Last night, Seiko 
was to me, just a singer who had gone stronger in vocals... It somewhat didnt 
touch the heart as it did in FUN (and every time after when I replayed it over 
and over again). Still I was glad to hear Seiko singing live.

I had thought that The Sound Of Fire, #5 in 20th Party ablum, and some of the 
recent songs were just a few notes too low. They fail to bring out the crystal 
clear high sound that the fans and non-fans identify with Seiko, the singer. 
Sure they say that it gets harder to hit the high notes as one gets older. I 
have heard Seiko in some of the rehearsals, and in the dinnershows and in the 
request corners of the live shows... Seiko is still the Seiko-the-singer-the-
voice that we know and grew to love. To have her sing in that "false pitch" or 
to lower the key is like putting Ichiro (baseball player) at the pitching pit! 
Maximise what is best in her... kill that, and you kill what the Seiko sound is.


Fan's reaction:
On one hand, most fans were delighted that Seiko would be singing Ruiiro no Chikyu
as it carries so much meaning. On the other, we had quite enough of HS since 
20th Party and we are aware of the limitations of his "arrangement". TakashiI 
am thankful for the effort to keep the arrangement of the piece close to the 
original. The almost non-exitence stance of HS given by NHK, and the piano 
accompliment which was so much in the background and mediocre that it makes us 
wonder why he was involved in the first place... oh nevermind.


Sony update soon.,
Shopgirl


WBiteki" glimpse
hhtp://www.246.ne.jp/~dai-/biteki2.jpg
http://www.246.ne.jp/~dai-/biteki1.jpg

R'nW rehearsal shots
http://www.nikkansports.com/news/entert/et-011230-2.jpg
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/kiji/2001/12/31/20011231010748.jpg

"Best Ten" 12/30 TV special
http://www.tbs.co.jp/bestten2001/
http://www.tbs.co.jp/bestten2000/

for those still tolerable "Sound People"
http://tochu.tokyo-np.co.jp/00/hou/20011222/spon____hou_____002.shtml