Hello! Project 2008 Winter ~Kashimashi Elder Club~

Elders

Installment #3, the Elder Club, with a few "not so elderly" elders.  This is going to be an interesting concert.  It is no accident that this is the third disc I am reviewing.  It is the one I was the least excited to see, compared with Wonderful Hearts and Haru Pro Award.  I sorta feel badly about that because I am one who always trumpets that the elders don't get enough respect, should be featured more, are more talented than they are given credit for, etcetera etcetera.  The cast of characters doesn't make it any easier to figure out...

Matsuura Aya, arguably the most talented singer in the history of Hello! Project.

Abe Natsumi, No one had a bigger fanbase at Haru Pro than Nacchi.

Morning Musume OG, haven't we all been clamoring for this?

Ongaku Gatas, judging by what I read on IW, they should be a big draw.

Melon Kinen-bi, I am a big fan (even if that is a lonely club) so that should be an enticement, at least for me.

So there are five good reasons why I would think more people would be interested.  I know I left a few out, but I am trying illustrate why they would be a good draw.  It is no reflection of how I personally feel about v-u-den, Yuki, Atsuko or Ayaka.  My point is "on paper", this looks like it should be a great show.  But if I go by last years' Elder Club show, I should expect a few great moments, surrounded by a bunch of the same performances we see at the H!P Big Show.  I'm going into this one "cold", let's see how it goes...

Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari ~ I've already seen (and commented on) this when it previewed on Dohhhup.  I love this song, so I was excited to see an "Elder" version.  Nice start to the show, my favorites were Yuko (very sexy and cool), MKB (very cute), and Kei-chan (also cute).  I was most disappointed by Ayaka (c'mon, give her a cooler "English" line than that!)  How about, "I wanna strive to have Tsunku know who I am"  or "I wanna bring back my old English Lessons"  Those would have been cooler lines.  Also, Gatas kinda ruin the mood at the end.   But I am still happy that they performed this, it was pretty cool!

The Peace! ~  To me, Ayaya and Yossie are the stars here.  Aya can make anything sound awesome, and Yossie just gets better with age.  I like the fact that they took someone who isn't known for this song and gave them a lead part.  I think it would've been even cooler to give a big part to someone unexpected, like Ayaka.  But it was another good performance.

So far the Elder Club has gotten off to a promising start

Yattarouze!/Narihajimeta Koi no BELL ~  I've already reviewed these for H!P Awards 2008.  On the first song we got a couple of closeups of Miki and Minami, that's nice.  Mika Mutou spent most of this performance dancing far "off-camera left"  Then why is Mika in this group if she barely gets a chance to participate?  Does she score a lot of goals?

Ai Ai Daiko ~ I loved how Gatas cleared a path for Yuki like she was an Empress.  After watching disc 3, I was excited to hear this again.  So kakkoii!  Yuki does not disappoint.  I am "this" close to buying my first Maeda Yuki CD!

Onegai Miwaku no Target ~  The main difference here is the use of stationary microphones.  Not as energetic as the other performance.  But I guess it's better than performing in a tent at the car show.  But look how excited the Wota are!  MKB seem well liked!

Jaja Uma Paradise ~  Watching this reminds me of "Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" for obvious reasons. (Just trying to come up with an even more obscure Russ Meyer reference)  I've always liked v-u-den, so I'm sure I would've enjoyed this in person.  It is the same routine as the other show.

Progress report:  So far the show has been pretty good.  Not spectacular yet, but not bad at all!

HAPPY TO GO!/Watarasebashi ~  It is nice that Aya did completely different songs for the two different programs.  As much as I like Aya, I still don't own a copy of Double Rainbow.  So this is a new song to me.  Not bad, HAPPY is a very mature sounding song.  Kinda "jazzy".  My guess is that they adapted Aya's setlist to the program.  More mature for Elders, more fun "pop" songs with the younger groups.  She does both formats very well, which is why I think she is so special.  Even if I prefer her "less mature" material.

ENDLESS LOVE ~I Love You More~  This is the first of the four Elder "mashup" songs, which aren't as plentiful as in Wonderful Hearts.  Peeking down the setlist, Atsuko and Ayaka get to be in TWO songs apiece, WOW!  I hope Yui and Erika's future with H!P is more than an annual T&C Bomber cover every January.  Next...

WOW WOW WOW ~  Alright, it's an impromptu Pucchi Moni reunion!  I wonder if they would be interested in bringing this sub-unit back?  Ayaka, Kei-chan, and maybe Erika?  That might be cool.  It's nice to see Yasuda front and center for a change.  The three of them make for a strong trio!  Good performance, gives the energy a good shot in the arm!

Iki wo Kasanemashou/Datte Ikitekanakucha ~  Okay, I will give Kasanemashou another chance since Andra gave me a hard time about not liking it.  It's pretty, I'm just not running out to buy the single.  Believe it or not, I want to like Nacchi's work.  I am a fan!  I prefer the second song.  That "Thank You" at the end was adorable.  She is just too cute!

Danna Sama ~  Nothing remarkably different from the Haru Pro performance, which I liked alot.

Hitoshirezu Mune wo Kunaderu Yoru no Aki ~  Look out!  It's the attack of the Yasuda sub-units!  They did this song last year too.  The one part I really like is when Atsuko hits the high notes.  It's a pretty song, but...whatever.

Two-thirds of the way through, the show is losing steam.  I'm still hopeful for a big finish...

SEXY NIGHT ~   ROMANS are our final sub-unit of the night.  This does nothing for me either.  Lets call this one the "warmup" song for Mari and her appearance with Momusu OG.

Akai Freesia ~  As much as I love this song (it is one of the few I can actually sing along to), I had never heard a live version before.  So I was excited to see it on the setlist.  Ayumi looks very cute.  My favorite has always been Masae, but has she always been built like a Linebacker?  They are like the "Blue Collar Idols".  I actually like that about them.  Decent performance.

Koisuru Angel Heart ~  It's one of my favorites of theirs, as I've said on Haru Pro, and Bon Kyu! Bomb.  The version on Haru Pro is more like a tribute, with the entire cast singing in parts.  I prefer that version to this one.

Morning Musume OG Medley ~  They are wearing a less-revealing version of the Momusu's red "caped crusader" outfits that I love so much!  Now the Summer medley of The Peace! and Mr. Moonlight was excellent!  This one is not quite as exciting.  But it improved as it progressed.  Daite HOLD ON ME! is okay, they quickly get into Happy Summer Wedding.  This is much cuter.  And they all seem to be having alot of fun performing it!  There are so many cute parts to this song.  I love Nacchi's little "whisper" part near the end.  But my favorite part of the medley is Happy Night.  The song is so cool.  I remember how much I like it on Asuka's graduation DVD! 

Renai Revolution 21 ~   Once again I request giving someone other than Momusu and Ayaya a bigger part in these "chorus" songs.  I wonder how Ayaka, Yuki, and Atsuko feel about it?  You can't go wrong with this song.  I've never seen it not performed well.  And I will again sing the praises of Kei-chan!  She is more-talented AND sexier than many give her credit for.  She is just as exciting as Rika and Nacchi during this performance.

Final MC, I have to give props to Yuko and that sensational "kiss" the threw at the audience!!!

Michi Naru Mirai e ~  This is very cool for so many reasons.  First of all, it's a great tune.  And second, it's a new song to end the show with.  The middle of this setlist was pretty bumpy, but they ended the show as they started, with a bang! 

Overall the Elder Club is just missing some of the "fun" that the other two concerts possess.  Individually they are all great artists.  But it is just too big a concentration of mid to low tempo songs.  And the result is a show that sounds like it would be perfect for a Vegas dinner theater.  They probably need to be marketed differently, and completely seperate from C-ute/Berryz/Momusu.  But exactly what that would look like I am not sure of. 

There ya go!  All three discs reviewed.  I can't believe I spent my entire weekend doing this!  I haven't decided whether or not I will review the fourth disc.  How do you review 45 minutes of backstage footage?

CK in California