So last Friday I went to the very first Hatsune Miku concert in New York City. I had seats on the second balcony, and though I had a cold the day of the concert I went anyway.
I was never prepared for such an event. I've been a Vocaloid fan since 2008, and I of course have seen videos of the "hologram" performances. But I never knew what it looked like in person. From where I could see, it looked like she (and her fellow Crypton Vocaloids) was really there. Sure, the edge of the glass screen (which you can't see during songs with dark lighting) and the light of the projector sort of ruined the illusion after a while, but it felt like a real 3d prescence. Sometimes the stage would have fog near her feet to enhance the illusion.
For those who don't know, the concerts are projections of 3d models on a transparent glass screen. But the way they choreograph it and the lighting and position makes it look like they're there. Especially when you're viewing it from the balcony. I couldn't imagine being in the seating area.
Most of the fun of being a member of the audience is the participation. Every person is handed a bag with a free glow stick. Some of the more dedicated fans brought their own glowsticks in the colors of their favorite Vocaloid. Had I known they didn't sell different colored glowsticks there, I would definitely have brought some blue, pink, and yellow glowsticks to cheer on Luka, Kaito, and Len. Anyway, the audience are encouraged to sing along to certain parts, such as the "A-o eieie" in Fire Flower, the chorus of Just Be Friends, and during Popipo pretty much everyone sang the whole thing. Pretty much everyone in the ballroom, myself included, knew the words of that song by heart.
Being there in person changes absolutely everything about seeing so much Miku (whenever I watch the videos I just skip ahead to the non-Miku parts). Even the stale, tired old songs like World is Mine and Melt were so exciting when you're seeing it live for the first time.
I of course, am a big Kaito fan, and cheered the loudest when Kaito came on stage. I even brought a Kaito plush with me. Kaito and Meiko usually only get one song every concert (Kaito got two songs in the Indonesian concert but not here...). When you see them... It's like that episode of Spongebob where he sees himself for two seconds in the Krusty Krab commercial and freaks out at just that. Gotta take what you can get!
Probably my favorite part of the concert, aside from Kaito, was Hold Release, Raksha and Carcasses, Rin's Kokoro, Luka's English version of Just Be Friends, and Senbonzakura.
Cameras were forbidden, so unfortunately I cannot post any pictures, but I had a great time!
It's been confirmed they might come again next year, and I just cannot wait!
I was never prepared for such an event. I've been a Vocaloid fan since 2008, and I of course have seen videos of the "hologram" performances. But I never knew what it looked like in person. From where I could see, it looked like she (and her fellow Crypton Vocaloids) was really there. Sure, the edge of the glass screen (which you can't see during songs with dark lighting) and the light of the projector sort of ruined the illusion after a while, but it felt like a real 3d prescence. Sometimes the stage would have fog near her feet to enhance the illusion.
For those who don't know, the concerts are projections of 3d models on a transparent glass screen. But the way they choreograph it and the lighting and position makes it look like they're there. Especially when you're viewing it from the balcony. I couldn't imagine being in the seating area.
Most of the fun of being a member of the audience is the participation. Every person is handed a bag with a free glow stick. Some of the more dedicated fans brought their own glowsticks in the colors of their favorite Vocaloid. Had I known they didn't sell different colored glowsticks there, I would definitely have brought some blue, pink, and yellow glowsticks to cheer on Luka, Kaito, and Len. Anyway, the audience are encouraged to sing along to certain parts, such as the "A-o eieie" in Fire Flower, the chorus of Just Be Friends, and during Popipo pretty much everyone sang the whole thing. Pretty much everyone in the ballroom, myself included, knew the words of that song by heart.
Being there in person changes absolutely everything about seeing so much Miku (whenever I watch the videos I just skip ahead to the non-Miku parts). Even the stale, tired old songs like World is Mine and Melt were so exciting when you're seeing it live for the first time.
I of course, am a big Kaito fan, and cheered the loudest when Kaito came on stage. I even brought a Kaito plush with me. Kaito and Meiko usually only get one song every concert (Kaito got two songs in the Indonesian concert but not here...). When you see them... It's like that episode of Spongebob where he sees himself for two seconds in the Krusty Krab commercial and freaks out at just that. Gotta take what you can get!
Probably my favorite part of the concert, aside from Kaito, was Hold Release, Raksha and Carcasses, Rin's Kokoro, Luka's English version of Just Be Friends, and Senbonzakura.
Cameras were forbidden, so unfortunately I cannot post any pictures, but I had a great time!
It's been confirmed they might come again next year, and I just cannot wait!