“THE BOOM’s lead vocalist Miyazawa Kazufumi known for his passion for world music and from his travels through Europe and South America has gathered talented musicians from various countries and created a band to reflect his world music passion, the band known as GANGA ZUMBA and their first major concert DVD is full of excitement, energy and fans won’t be disappointed by it!”

DVD INFORMATION:

DVD TITLE: GANGA ZUMBA

DURATION: Approx. 102 minutes

DVD INFORMATION: 16:9, Region 2, Rel. March 26, 2008

CATALOG #: VFBV-00022

COMPANY: FIVE D PLUS

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

DVD TRACK LISTINGS:

1. Rainbow Warriors
2. HABATAKE!
3. ちむぐり唄者
4. SAMBA CAOS
5. すばらしい日々
6. Cangurus em Recife
7. 美しい島
8. 楽園
9. Toquio
10. Mambolero
11. BAILA CON GANGA ZUMBA
12. BRASILEIERO EM TOQUIO
13. WONDERFUL WORLD
14. Jardim Das Delicias
15. Bridge
16. DISCOTIQUE
17. Why?

Kazufumi Miyazawa will always be remembered for bringing Okinawan music to the forefront along with his band members from The Boom but during the Boom years, Miyazawa would experiment with world music.

In 1998, he released his first solo album “AFRO-SICK” which was released in Brazil.  Between 2002-2005, Miyazawa known for his solo act as “MIYAZAWA SICK” toured through South America and Europe and encountering musicians around the world.

Eventually in 2006, he and these musicians from various parts of the world would create the band GANGA ZUMBA.  The name is derived from one of the first leaders of Quilombo dos Palmares, now known as Alagoas, Brazil.

The band released their first mini-album “HABATAKE!” and the album featured a song used for the 2006 FIFA WORLD CUP.

Because of the various musicians involved in th eband, the group has featured music style that compliments Spanish, Latin and Brazilian music.

Watching this concert was very exciting and Miyazawa and fellow musicians and background singer really go all out and they feed off the crowd’s energy.

I was pretty much amazed at the performances and I have to admit that it took sometime to get used to vocalist  Kazufumi Miyazawa with longer hair (my last time seeing him was probably in 2006 with the BOOM).   His vocals were spot on and the musicians were really awesome to watch as they were really into their music playing and the background vocalist was also jamming onstage and fully of energy.

The band members were just as awesome.  Violin & Erhu player Reiko Tsuchiya was pleasant to watch, as were Tsuyoshi Miyagawa on drums, Marcos Suzano on percussion, Kenji “HOOK” Imafuku on percussion, tatsu on bass, Hiroshi Takano on guitars, Fernando Moura on keyboards, Luis Valle on trumpet and Claudia Oshiro on background and also main vocals.  From playing with the band or their designated solos, they all did an awesome job!

Overall an electric performance by everyone in the group and 17 tracks of awesome music!

The DVD insert is a standard bi-fold with photos from the concert in the interior pages and production credits and DVD cover on the outside.

I have to admit that I was not entirely familiar with GANGA ZUMBA with the exception of THE BOOM’s Miyazawa as the lead vocalist.

Overall, I really enjoyed hearing Miyazawa’s world music influence reflected in his music and bringing together a variety of talent from various countries.  That’s pretty cool!

The group are performing in Japanese and in Spanish and even when the trumpet player Luis Valle would come out and sing or rap in Spanish, the crowd was really into it and I felt that Reiko Tsuchiya played amazingly on violin/erhu as well!

All in all, this DVD was a surprised.  Each song, I enjoyed and again, there is so much energy during this concert, that it’s worth watching.  I was very impressed by the concert especially for the fact that it was my first real taste of GANGA ZUMBA and watching them perform together.  They are a cohesive group and look forward to hearing more from them.

GANGA ZUMBA Summer Session “UM” 2007 Live at Shibuya AX

GANGA ZUMBA

“This Every Little Thing music DVD was released during those experimental years of music DVD releases from avex before the CD+DVD releases.  But it does feature one of the most ambitious, artsy drama (based on a song) that captures the soul of ELT’s hit ballad ‘fragile’.  If you had problems understanding the music video to ‘fragile’, fortunately this DVD will have answers.”

DVD INFORMATION:

DVD TITLE: Every Little Thing

DURATION: Approx. 27 minutes

DVD INFORMATION: 4:3, Region 2, Rel. March 28, 2001

CATALOG #: AVBD-91050

COMPANY: avex trax

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Every Little Thing is an interesting band as it was an electronic band known for its dance tunes in the mid-90’s and in 1998 made it big with their ballad “Time Goes By” (their 8th CD single) which sold over a million copies.

The group has changed since their initial debut, now there are two members and the group is more rock oriented.

There second largest selling CD single came on New Year’s Day 2001 with their 18th CD single “fragile” which would be another ballad and would feature a music video that was condensed from a drama and thus before avex started focusing on the CD+DVD releases, which are commonplace now, they would release these music videos with other content as separate DVD’s that would sell under $20.

“fragile” is a well-written song by ELT’s Mochida Kaori and Ito Ichiro.  In a way, the lyrics are very in-depth of feelings one would have to someone they really love, especially during a breakup or a split and just realizing the feelings that you have the person is quite strong.   And reading various Japanese threads of how the song meant so much to them, it’s a powerful ballad and definitely one of the reasons why the song was another hit for the band.

This DVD features both music videos for their 18th CD single “fragile” and their 19th CD single “Graceful World” plus the TV commercials and the full length drama for “fragile”.  Both videos for “fragile” and “Graceful World” are somewhat tied together but to fully understand what is going on, you really need to watch the 15+ minute drama.

The storyline is a bit fragmented as you see parts that actually is hard to make sense.  In the beginning, you see a woman who missed a taxi and an older woman getting in, then it flashes to a moment where the younger woman gets into a taxi and the older woman missing its chance.  (confusing, I know…so just forget this scene).

You start to realize that what you are watching are bits and pieces of the past and the present.

Sounds confusing and the drama is a bit confusing but to tell the story, the young woman riding in the taxi is suddenly having to help someone after a car accident takes place in front of the taxi and a guy is injured.  She ends up helping the guy injured by using her scarf to help him.

Then you see scenes at the airport where she gives the man money and he goes on his way to leave the airport.  Flash forward to another time in the future and the young woman realizes that the man she gives money to is not leaving for a flight but messing around with another woman.

She slaps the man and the relationship is over but she can’t stop loving him and constantly looks at their picture together.

Flash forward three months later and she meets the guy who she help in the accident, who comes back to return her scarf and say thank you.  The guy asks her out for a date and the two get closer.

Flash forward a month later, the woman and the guy she helped are dating.  They eat at a restaurant and then the scene goes back into the past with the young woman and when her ex-boyfriend were together, eating at a restaurant.  And then you get flash forwards, flash back to the past during the dinner segment.  And then you realize that during the flash back to the past, the current guy she is dating (from the present) was sitting next to her and her ex (during the past flashback).

Flashforward to a scene where she almost walks through a redlight and nearly gets hit by car but a ghost helps her.  Throughout the drama so far, you see this kid.  An angel or a ghost who seems to be by her side.  Not too sure what this boy represents so far in the drama.  A guardian angel?

In the present time, she takes the old frame of her and her ex and replaces the photo with a purikura of her and her current boyfriend.

You then see a scene for a bus going to Narita airport.  You see the woman twice.  In actuality, you are seeing the woman in two timelines.

Then you are taken to the Narita Airport where she meets with her current boyfriend and given a ring.  They drive off in his Mercedes Benz and while in love and driving back home, they are hit by a big rig.

Flash forward to another scene at the airport now during present time and the ghost/kid is running while the woman is walking one way from the airport and the guy (who plays her current boyfriend) is walking in another direction and suddenly the two people see each other and stop and look at each other and the drama ends with a message.

You can view this last scene as either a) the couple are ghosts and they see each other at the airport  b) another group of people (who are the same actress and actor) discovering each other at the airport  c) the future where the two survived the crash and haven’t seen each other for years and just discovered each other at the airport.

So, I suppose you can have your own ending.  Something tragic, something supernatural or something positive.  Depending on how you interpret that final scene.

When you watch the “fragile” music video, you get pieces from that drama to show a woman who survives a big breakup and ends up in a accident helping another guy and then of course, ELT’s Mochida Kaori singing and Ichiro Ito playing his guitar.

For “Graceful World”, the music video is nicely done and features ELT singing but then you get pieces from that drama with short pieces from the drama during the opening, guitar solo and at the end which I’m not sure if anyone can really piece anything together from those scenes.

So, you have to drama to get the full story and the drama is only on this DVD release.

This is an older DVD release and I wish that the drama or even the music videos made sense but it almost has this “Final Destination” type of feel to it.  Perhaps someone that was meant to die, didn’t.  And thus he gets in a second car accident and is killed.   But I think that the storyline was pretty much about how life is “fragile”.

The drama is actually a bit artsy but at the same time, I can see people getting confused bu there is an interesting storyline behind the two music videos by watching the full drama.  The drama can be viewed in multiple ways and I think the director did a good job with that.

Again, this is an older avex-released music DVD.  These days, these music videos and dramas are included on the CD single releases.  Back then, during the experimentation of Japanese music DVD’s and how they would be marketed, they were marketed outside the CD singles and sold separately.  Fortunately, that has changed as now you can buy both the CD+DVD for a great price compared to how things were in 2001.

As for the DVD,  this DVD is about eight years old, I’m sure you can find it cheaper online these days but all in all, it was great to revisit this DVD again.

“For a nostalgic ride during the earlier years of the music of m-flo, a motion picture featuring music videos, live concert clips and behind-the-scene videos featuring Lisa, Verbal and Taku. Full of cool, interesting interviews and things that fans may not have known about each individual.”

DVD INFORMATION:

DVD TITLE: m-flo * TUNNEL VISION

DURATION: Approx. 89 minutes

DVD INFORMATION: COLOR/NTSC / English and Japanese audio, Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track

CATALOG #: RZBD-45014

COMPANY: Rhythm Zone

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

I really don’t know what song actually attracted me to m-flo immediately but I have to admit that their CD single releases such as “Mirrorball Satellite 2012″, “L.O.T. (Love or Turth)”, “Hands”, “Come Back to Me”, “Quantum Leap” were just CD singles I would listen to a zillion times.

With a lot of the Avex-related DVD’s being re-released at a cheaper price (and no longer in the clam shells but in CD-cases), for the fans of Hamasaki Ayumi, BoA, Otsuka Ai, m-flo and a few others can now enjoy their concerts or music clip collections without breaking the bank.

As for m-flo, back in 2000, with the popularity of the group, a motion picture was created titled “TUNNEL VISION” featuring behind-the-scenes footage and also things you may not know about the people behind m-flo featuring vocalist Lisa, rapper Verbal and MC Taku.

“TUNNEL VISION” is pretty much a video that showcases seven of their music videos from 1998 through 2000 and live footage from their “Planet Shining Tour” featuring seven of their music videos. There are a total of seven live videos. For “Hands”, I found it interesting that only this clip would feature another angle footage which you can watch the projector screen or watch the group perform live. Also, there was a few omake situations where Lisa forgot the lyrics to one of the songs and the fans have a good laugh and she does as well.

Speaking of the fans, similar to their concert videos now, even when they first started, the audience was totally into their music, waving in their hands, crowded and just really enjoying the live concert. That was great to see!

Also, editing was done well for the concert with camera angles close up on each person and a wide stage shot. The full concert performance is shown and not cut off.

I have to admit that the earlier music videos for m-flo were a bit low budget and as much as I loved their songs back then, even back then I wasn’t loving the music videos because they were a bit too basic back then. Eventually things began to get better by their third or fourth music video

But what I enjoyed about this DVD is things that I really didn’t know about the group.

m-flo is derived from mediarite flow (meteorite flow) and all three attended St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo. Verbal is Korean, Lisa is half Columbian-Japanese and Taku is Japanese and the off-shots really show a side of each individual that I never knew about.

For example, with rapper Verbal, included is a skateboarding film he did back in 1988. Apparently, before being a hip hop artist, Verbal (Ryu Yong Gi) was a hardcore skater. The short film featured the young teen doing skateboarding tricks. Also, showing Verbal visiting his favorite record shop “Guiness Records” to purchase vinyls. Verbal studied after high school in Boston.

For Lisa (Elizabeth Sakura Narita), her section featured her talking about her earlier career as a solo artist. In fact, there was a segment where she performed with her band The Vanilla Essence and sang a song. Then she and the band talked about the past and the restaurant where they would perform. Lisa would then show off pictures and posters before she became a member of m-flo.

For MC Taku (Taku Takahashi), his segment featured a look inside his home and his studio. Taku shows off how some songs come together and his hardware. Similar to Verbal, Taku also went to study abroad in Los Angeles after high school.

Also, featured are segments of the group eating teppanyaki and also promotional pieces for their music releases.

There are no special features and the menu features a selection for either the full motion picture, their music videos, live clips or off-shot footage.

The DVD insert features pictures of the trio in concert and production credits.

Granted, this is an older DVD and most people these days who are familiar with the group know of them post-Lisa years.

But I was impressed how much was packed into this overall motion picture. Actually, when I think about their current DVD releases, m-flo DVD’s have been nothing but awesome and you get your money’s worth.

With “TUNNEL VISION”, again older material but if you are a big fan of the group and wanted to see behind-the-scenes footage of them, there is quite a bit material on Lisa, Verbal and Taku and its 89-minutes of m-flo goodness.

If there was one thing that I didn’t like, the track list on the back is not the order of what is being played. It’s just a tracklist broken down as music clips and concert footage featured. So, for those not familiar with their music, when a song comes up, chances are that they will not know what song is being featured.

So, with these re-releases now much cheaper, if you are interested in checking out their older material, definitely check “TUNNEL VISION” out. A good balance of music videos, live concert footage and off-shot material but it’s up to you if you are open to watching the group’s older material.

+ 89-minutes of music videos, concert footage and behind-the-scenes footage of m-flo

+ A good trip through memory lane to remember how m-flo was when they first started

+ Rare side of the life of Lisa, Verbal and Taku shown through the off-shot and Verbal’s skateboarding video also included.

- Fans who are not into their older material may look at this DVD as too old for them to watch. Also, no track listings in terms of what is being shown during full play, just a track listing of music videos and live footage performances.

BAND: D’espairsRay

DVD: Spiral staircase #15 Final - 20070513 Shibuya-AX Japan

LABEL: J SHOCK

CATALOG #: ADM-202036

DVD INFO: 4:3, DURATION: 118 minutes

1. DAMNED
2. ANGELDUST
3. MIRROR
4. IN VAIN
5. SIXTY NINE
6. PIG
7. LOST SCENE
8. CLOSER TO IDEAL
9. TRICKSTER
10. SCREEN
11. SQUALL
12. KOGOERU YORU NISAITA HANA
13. REDDISH DIV.
14. DESERT
15. HOLLOW
16. FUYUU SHITA RISOU
17. KALEIDOSCOPE

ENCORE:

1. BORN
2. FORBIDDEN
3. FASICM
4. TATOEBA KIMI…GA…SHINDA…RA

With the release of albums featuring Japanese rock bands D’espairsRay and the Underneath from new Japanese music distribution company J SHOCK, the company also debuted their first DVD release with D’espairsRay “Spiral Staircase #15 Final - 20070513 Shibuya AX Japan”.

Having listened and enjoyed their album “Mirror”, I was definitely interested in seeing how D’espairsRay would perform in concert.

One thing I’m very adamant on in regards to a band is that if they sound as good as they do on an album, they better sound just as good live.

Nothing destroys it for me than to hear a beautiful or hard hitting song and then watch a lame performance, lack of passion and just overall just the epitome of “suck”.

Fortunately, I can give a positive thumbs up that D’espairsRay’s new DVD was a very good concert and the overall energy of the band and the audience was captured very well, thanks to the many cameras utilized throughout the venue.

Shibuya-AX is not a super large venue but from concerts that I’ve seen in the past, if camera footage is placed well and depending on the bands performance and the audience reaction, things can come out quite effectively.

So, for the band’s stage presence, one thing that caught my attention was the spiral staircase wrapped around the background.  Definitely a nice touch to use the stage effectively (since many other bands just typically use a curtain or secondary level stage to make things look good, especially at Shibuya-AX).

As mentioned prior, the use of cameras was effectively used.  That is many of them.  But before I go on, let me talk about quality.  One thing that I noticed that many bands tend to go for more of a digital video type of recording for their concerts these days, for this concert, it looks as if the folks of Visual Trap went for film.  So, the digital crispness that some may be used to from concerts of major labels is absent.

But don’t think that this works against the concert that they didn’t go visual because what the camera crew employed was a good number of cameras fixed around each band member with various angles, closeups.  This includes cameras behind the audience, above the audience and so you don’t miss a beat.

When it comes to editing, I tend to be a bit fickle about how many seconds before transitioning to the next band member.  I tend to prefer to like the camera staying on a fixed band member for four seconds or more but many times, on this concert, the camera stays for only a second.  And on many pop acts, this would be a no-no, because it could be dizzying and just doesn’t work.

But for this concert, the transitioning worked because you actually are getting a good view of each band member and around the stadium as if you were truly there and for the multiple closeups from a variety of angles, you get even more visually.

As for the audio, the audio is in PCM Stereo, no digital 5.1 ch but it’s OK.  As much as I like the audio to be digital 5.1, for an independent release, I think what was delivered on this DVD was more than I expected to receive compared to other Indie concerts on DVD.

As for special features, you can choose the encore songs and the cool part about this is although four tracks are listed on the DVD track listings, there are actually I believe six tracks and you get the nearly seven minute “Off Shot” which shows the crew building the stage, the band checking out the stage and everything leading up to the concert

The menu is simple with the play all, song selection and special features.

As for the DVD insert, it’s a vertical tri-fold featuring pictures of the group and the venues performed at for the band’s live tour.  Other side features credits and track listing.

I actually found the concert to be very cool.  I’m not exactly knowledgeable on the bands members or a lot of their music but a lot of the songs from their “Mirror” album, it was great to see them perform live.

The performances were very energetic, the band performed very well on stage, great stage presence, lighting and overall, the camera crew and editing crew did a great job in trying to capture the concert moment, especially for those who are not physically there.

The concert does not include the complete MC segments and not sure if they did much speaking during the live concert to begin with but all in all, taking for what this DVD features, I have to say that among the many Indie bands I have watched on DVD, production-wise, the quality and what the production crew was able to capture, was pretty impressive.

Very good camera footage and again, although not digitally recorded, the editing crew made up for that by making sure that you didn’t miss a beat.

So, for those who are fans of D’espairsRay and have been curious about this DVD, I’m telling you right now, you can’t go wrong.

With J Shock now bringing J-Rock fans distribution for some of their favorite bands to the United States audience, please support them by purchasing the DVD.

“Spiral Staircase #15″ is energetic, hard hitting and visually entertaining.  Check it out!

TITLE: BEST LIVE DVD -PREMIUM LIVE DREAM SELECTION-

COMPANY: avex trax

CATALOG #: AVBD-91511

DURATION: 100 Minutes

DVD INFO: Region 2, 16:9LB

RELEASED ON December 5, 2007

1. Tohoshinki - Rising Sun (from 2nd LIVE TOUR 2007 - Five in the Black)
2. AAA - SUNSHINE (from a-nation `07 BEST HIT LIVE)
3. Suzuki Ami - Delightful (from SUZUKI AMI AROUND THE WORLD - LIVE HOUSE TOUR 2005)
4. Do As Infinity - Tokumade/Yesterday & Today (from Do As Infinity -Final- Live at Budokan 2005.11.25)
5. m.o.v.e - come together /Blazin’ Beat (from LIVE TOUR “DECADACE PARADE ‘03)
6. Kiyokiba Shunsuke - Utai hito - (from LIVE TOUR 2006 Sore ike!)
7. globe - DEPARTURES/Love again (from globe the best live 1995-2002)
8. day after tomorrow - faraway (from 1st Love Tour 2003 - elements)
9. Shimatani Hitomi - Amairo no Kami no Otome (Hitomi Shimatani Live 2007 - PRIMA ROSA)
10. TRF - CRAZY GONNA CRAZY - EZ DO DANCE/Where to begin (Life e-Motions TOUR 2006)
11. BoA - QUINCY (BoA ARENA TOUR 2005 - BEST OF SOUL)
12. Every Little Thing - Shapes of Love/Hi Fi Message (from Every Little Thing 10th Anniversary Special Live at Nippon Budokan)
13. Hamasaki Ayumi - M (from A museum -30th single collection live)

The latest compilation DVD from avex trax features live performances from 13 artists/groups from various avex entertainment inc. labels with a total of 17 tracks and offered on DVD for an attractive price (for Japan) at Y2,800 ($28).

The hard thing about reviewing these type of DVD’s is that if you watched many of the live concert performances of the groups featured (and other artists not featured), you either take what they give you or you question why was this on here and not this.

Starting with the first DVD track, Tohoshinki’s performance of “RISING SUN” from their 2nd LIVE TOUR 2007 DVD was one of the most amazing performances I’ve seen from a boy band. The choreography was awesome, as it was very reminiscent of Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” (people in uniform marching and incorporating dance choreography) and I felt that the selection of that performance definitely deserved placement on this DVD.

As for AAA’s “SUNSHINE”, I would imagine that the reason why this performance was chosen was because they lost one of their members earlier in 2007. And taking footage from their live concert DVD release three months prior to this DVD release was too soon. But “SUNSHINE” from a-nation is definitely not their best performance but because of circumstances of losing a member, this was probably the only footage they could have used of the group with it’s current members.

Suzuki Ami is another situation where there is only one DVD release of her live performance and the rest were a-nation live concert performances. So, another reason why I can understand they chose to go with “Delightful” from her 2005 concert. Definitely one of her most lively performances since returning to Avex.

Do As Infinity in a way was surprising because of their inclusion on this DVD. The group broke up back in 2005 and they could of went with another group such as m-flo, EXILE or someone else from their various sub-labels and feature their current performances. But at the same time, Do As Infinity is one of the most popular bands from avex and despite their breakup, I think it’s understandable why they included both performances and fortunately it was from their Final Live from Budokan.

m.o.v.e was a surprise as well because their last live concert DVD was back in 2003. But because the group is celebrating their 10th Anniversary, I can understand their inclusion on this DVD and because they are one of the long standing groups from the avex label.

Kiyokiba Shunsuke’s inclusion was pretty cool and good to see another rhythm zone artist on this DVD but then again, it makes you ask why the group he was formerly a member of (EXILE) and Koda Kumi are not on this DVD, is surprising. But nevertheless, it was good to see Kiyokiba included.

globe had the ultimate concerts in the 90’s for any avex artist or group and it was no surprise that they would have some inclusion on this DVD and the two performances of “DEPARTURES” and “Love Again” were awesome to watch.

day after tomorrow was another one I just wondered…what about Amuro or even Otsuka Ai. But day after tomorrow was big for avex in the past before their breakup and it was no surprise to see them featured despite not being a group anymore. But I would have thought for a different performance than “faraway”.

Shimatani Hitomi’s performance of “Amairo no Kami no Otome” (since this song is very special for Shimatani and like she told J!-ENT, this was the song that got her on “Kouhaku”) was no surprise but I would have thought they would of included other performances, especially “DESTINY” or another performance from the “PRIMA ROSA” DVD.

TRF is no surprise since avex would not be avex without TRF, the group who helped put avex on the map in the early 90’s. So, it’s cool to see them include their first major hit song “EZ DO DANCE” and “Where to Begin” to give a nod to their 15th Year Anniversary.

BoA’s performane of “QUINCY” is actually very cool but I wished they included another performance. There are so many live performances of BoA that could have been included on this DVD.

Every Little Thing is another group that had no relation to Komuro Tetsuya that helped drive people towards Avex. And another group that celebrated their 10th anniversary, so no surprise to see them included on this DVD.

And last, Hamasaki Ayumi. She’s had so many memorable concert performances but yet “M” was chosen and only “M” was featured. So, a bit surprised about that. I would of expected a second or third song (since they do that with the a-nation DVD releases) included on this DVD.

The quality of the DVD performances selected are from the better live DVD’s from the artists and the fact that it’s on 16:9 is cool. But one thing not included on this DVD but are included on the original live performance DVD of the majority of the artists is that the choice to listen to the performances on 2ch or digital 5.1. Unfortunately, this audio option is not available on this DVD.

All in all, “BEST LIVE DVD - PREMIUM LIVE DREAM SELECTION -” is a cool DVD featuring a good number of performances from various avex labels.

When you create a DVD compilation like this, you’re never going to please everyone.

I could be nitpicky and wonder why this artist and that band is not included. Also, question why some of the bands who are no longer around were offered on this 2008 DVD release and not current artists such as Otsuka Ai, Amuro Namie, EXILE, m-flo, etc.

Also, question why some of the videos selected for inclusion on this DVD were selected and not other awesome performances… but again, when it comes to live performances, it’s always in the eyes of the person of which performance was awesome to them. So, taking it for what this DVD is worth and its low price point (low for Japan), this DVD still offers over an hour and 40 minutes of live concert footage and a good number of the performances are awesome!

If you happen to enjoy the artists featured on this DVD live performance compilation DVD, then definitely check this DVD out. Especially if you have never seen their live performances before. Again, you get the video in 16:9 but you don’t get the digital 5.1 audio. Just the Stereo audio track.

But again, for the price it’s being offered for and the number of artists featured, it’s still a pretty cool live performance DVD compilation.

ARTIST: Various Artists

DVD TITLE: a-nation ‘07 BEST HIT LIVE

CATALOG #: avtdvd-096

DURATION: 1:44:24

DVD INFO: Region 2, 16:9 LB

1. Suzuki Ami - Delightful
2. AAA-Sunshine
3. My Little Lover - dreamy success
4. Tenjo Chiki - Piranha
5. KEN MATSDAIRA - Mashiken Barabara
6. Takasugi Satomi - Tabibito
7. COLOR - Hoshi ga Ochinai Yoni
8. Natsuki Mari - Kimi e - ONE NIGHT ONLY-
9. Every Little Thing- Kirameki Hour
10. Tohoshinki - Sumer Dream
11. mink - Amazing Grace
12. Nakamura Ataru - Tomodachi no Uta
13. Otsuka Ai - CHU-LIP
14. Koda Kumi - FREAKY
15. TRF- BOY MEETS GIRL
16. TRF - LEGEND OF WIND
17. Hamasaki Ayumi - 1 LOVE
18. Hamasaki Ayumi - fated
19. Hamasaki Ayumi - glitter

OPENING ACT:

J-Min, Seara Ko-jo, JONTE, MAY, Ramuji, FONK, Hiroki

BACK STAGE:

MIYAGI, EHIME, SHIZUOKA, HYOGO, TOKYO

The latest DVD for a-nation ‘07 is here with “a-nation ‘07 BEST HIT LIVE”.

The summer concert festival featuring artists on avex’s various sub-labels and also artists managed by avex management agencies such as tearbridge took part in a concert that brings out thousands of people.

In 2007, the concert was held in Miyagi, Ehime, Shizuoka, Hyogo and Tokyo.

The DVD features the various performances from the artists that took part in the concert which was held in different cities throughout Japan but how does the latest a-nation DVD fare compared to past releases?

“a-nation 07 BEST HIT LIVE” was interesting in what artists they included on the DVD.

In the past, we would get a really beefed up DVD with several performances by an artist or group but continuing the trend since 2005, a-nation DVD releases would feature only one performance for each artist with only Hamasaki Ayumi to get multiple performances.

Of course, fans who want more than one single performance on the DVD comparable to the 2004 release are upset that a-nation has continued the trend in 2007. With only TRF and Hamasaki Ayumi getting multiple songs.

So, I do understand where the fans of the 2004 DVD are coming from and why they have been vocal. In the past, you would get around 8 artists (typically the more popular artists) with multiple songs.

But I feel that Avex wants to spotlight their roster (which they have a large roster of artists) and show them on the big stage. And for me, I actually like that because if I wanted to hear multiple songs of an artist, I can watch a DVD of that artist. I’d prefer to see a performance of an artist that I’ve never seen.

So, for 2007, the DVD shows performances by Suzuki Ami, AAA, My Little Lover, KEN MATSUDAIRA, COLOR, mink, Nakamura Ataru, Koda Kumi, Otsuka Ai, Hamasaki Ayumi to name a few and with the differences of musical styles from let’s say a TRF from a My Little Lover, you get a bit of everything.

My highlights of the DVD were:

Suzuki Ami - Delightful: Previous performances of Suzuki at a-nation were ok. Nothing great. But this performance, it was great to hear her sing live and not be super-diva and it was great to see the support from the fans during this performance.

AAA-Sunshine: AAA is always a lively band to watch perform live and their performance at a-nation was energetic and vibrant.
My Little Lover - dreamy success: I would not imagine ever seeing My Little Lover performing live at a-nation but her they are. Akko and band were lively and great to see them perform live.

Tenjo Chiki - Piranha: This quartet from Korea actually surprised me. Their onstage presence was very sexy and their performance of “Piranha” sounded great live!

COLOR - Hoshi ga Ochinai Yoni: Wow! I’ve always loved COLOR (past group and present group) because it’s a very western R&B sound and to hear them perform live was great. Great vocals!

Otsuka Ai - CHU-LIP: This performance was probably among the most lively that night with possibly several hundred people on stage dancing to the song. Very energetic and Otsuka Ai is always fun to watch perform live especially in this song because the band and everyone is into it and dancing.

Koda Kumi - FREAKY: A very cool performance and actually very surprised only one performance from Avex’s diva is on this DVD. Very sexy and love the pyrotechnics.

TRF - BOY MEETS GIRL and LEGEND OF THE WIND: The fans continue to support TRF, avex’s oldest group currently on the label. And it’s great to see them perform because they still look as great as they did 15 years ago.

And there were a lot of musical performances that also caught my eye. I was interested in watching Nakamura Ataru perform (Avex’s transexual artist) for the first time and she did a great job. Her songs are very elegant and would be great to watch in concert with an orchestra as opposed to something like a-nation.

mink (made in korea) did an awesome job singing “Amazing Grace” but personally, would love to see them include other songs that she performed at a-nation but nevertheless a good song.

Hamasaki Ayumi’s performance was good but it pales to comparison of what you could see on her own personal concert DVD’s which are more energetic and great to watch. But her performance at a-nation are still very cool to watch.

As for Tohoshinki, they performed well but still, that performance of “Rising Sun” in a-nation 2006 still remains my favorite performance by the group.
As for bonus features, the DVD features the 10-minute “OPENING ACT” which features clips of J-Min, Kojo Seara, JONTE, MAY, Ramuji, FONK and Hiroki. Similar to previous DVD’s, the opening acts tend to show about two minutes worth of each performance. I don’t see why they don’t include the full opening acts on the DVD, would have loved to see the full performance of JONTE and MAY. This goes the same for those who played on the Power Stage such as JAMOSA, Mother Ninja, DRM, Asia Engineer and 5050 (to name a few) who are briefly shown on the Back Stage bonus feature.

The final bonus feature is BACK STAGE and this one was actually pretty cool. It’s a 30 minutes behind the scenes segment for a-nation from setting up and behind-the-scenes at the concert performances at different cities throughout Japan primarily Miyagi, Ehime, Shizuoka, Hyogo and Tokyo.

On the screen, you see Japan and a location of each areas that a-nation took place and when you click on it, you get to see the “Power Stage” performances of several artists on various avex sub-labels. Or you can watch all performances by clicking “watch all”.

The cool thing about the inclusion of “BACK STAGE” is watching other performers enjoying the performances of other artists. Watching Koda Kumi and Hamasaki Ayumi enjoying TRF, AAA, Tohoshinki and My Little Lover getting excited about their performance and watching the audience walk to the concert area and see the dancers and people who are involved with the performances getting excited. So, always loved the inclusion of this on the a-nation DVD’s.

The DVD is presented in 16:9 letterbox which was cool to see and offers a 2.0 (Linear PCM Stereo Track) and a Digital 5.1ch track.

The DVD insert features photos of all artists performaning at a-nation which include those who performed on “POWER STAGE”, “OPENING ACT”, “SHOOTING ARTISTS”, “SURPRISE ARTIST” and “REGULAR ARTIST”.

Surprising is no appearances (or mention) by avex sub-label artists such as ANNA TSUCHIYA, EXILE and several others on the DVD (only on the Website). It’s understandable to not see non-Avex related artists such as mihimaru GT and SEAMO not on the DVD (although, they are managed by avex owned talent agency Tearbridge Productions) but would really like to see all artists who performed at a-nation to be mentioned or a small performance clip shown on the DVD.

Now mihimaru GT and Kome Kome Club are special tracks on the “a-nation ‘07 BEST HIT SELECTION” which is a CD album that contains a DVD with music videos.

And last, there is a special DVD limited edition release that comes with a t-shirt. Previous limited edition releases have included t-shirts and even the a-nation blue bear.

All in all, a-nation 2007 DVD is another cool DVD compilation of seeing other avex-related artists perform on stage together and watch it on DVD.

Sure, we can see the many concert collaborations on music specials on television but if you’re an avex fan, you will dig this DVD.

I know that many reviewers are very critical because their favorite artist(s) who performed at a-nation are not on this DVD. Some have mentioned “what about mihimaru GT or ANNA TSUCHIYA?” and really, I don’t know why they have no mention on this DVD.

The other reviews were extremely critical that only one song is represented for the majority of the artists and I guess if you compare the a-nation DVD to American concert DVD’s such as the woodstock performance or even the recent UK DVD release of celebration for Lady Di, I guess you can say, why not a multi-DVD release for a-nation that shows all artists?

I’m sure there are reasons for why it’s not done and in this release, I figured TRF got two songs because it’s their 15th Anniversary and helped put Avex on the map in the company’s first five years and of course Hamasaki Ayumi for what she has brought to the company financially.

I expect next year’s “a-Nation” (2008) to be even more special as the company celebrates it’s 20th Year Anniversary but for now, if you want a DVD that shows off cool performances by various avex artists, then definitely pick this DVD up. If you are more into the R&B sound for Avex’s RhythmZone label (such as m-flo, Koda Kumi, EXILE, RAM RIDER, etc.), then pick up Rhythm Nation 2007.

ARTIST: Shimatani Hitomi

DVD TITLE: Shimatani Hitomi LIVE 2007 - PRIMA ROSA

LABEL: avex trax

CATALOG #: AVBD-91489

RELEASED ON September 12, 2007

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Energetic. Vibrant. Beautiful.

Among the words I can describe Shimatani Hitomi in her latest concert DVD titled “LIVE 2007 - PRIMA ROSA”.

Shimatani Hitomi’s latest concert was filmed at the “Tokyo Livehall Stellarball” back in June and features a live band and a supportive crowd.

Previous concerts that I have watched Shimatani, typically the songs featured were ballads or faster dance tracks, so I was a bit curious to see how a full Shimatani Hitomi concert would be.

What you get is a very energetic concert with Shimatani really getting into the groove, dancing during the faster songs and looking elegant during the ballads.

In this concert, Shimatani performs many of the songs from her latest album “PRIMA ROSA” album which include CD singles such as “PASIO”, “Dragonfly”and “Neva Eva”. As well as beautiful ballads such as “Koimizu ~tears of love~” and classics such as “Garnet Moon”, “Falco” and “ANGELUS” ala medley.

In the early performance of the concert, Shimatani comes out with a black leather jacket, a dress that is not as ballerina-froofy-esque ala Jodie Watley and black boots. Her performance of “Dragonfly” was pretty much spot on and with the band performing and rocking out with her on stage, early on I was wondering how songs such as those that utilized an orchestra or symphony would be performed and I realized that a lot of my favorites were not being performed possibly because the stage was smaller to accommodate live rock band, background singers, dancers and Hitomi herself.

So, the live band worked well with songs such as “Dragonfly”, “Ramblin’”, “Bye-Bye” and “C’est la vie!”.

When it got to the medley featuring her classics such as “ANGELUS”, “Garnet Moon” and “Falco”, Shimatani came out with two background dancers and that is when her fans became more vocal and shouting as if you were watching an idol singer perform. During this performance, Shimatani was energetic and vibrant as halfway through the concert, we get a glimpse of classic Shimatani as she dances and definitely feeding off the energy from the audience.

Songs that utilized the Latin or Spanish style definitely worked well in this concert as Shimatani wagged her hips and got into motion with songs such as “PASIO” and “El Dorado”.

As for crowd participation, the crowd was definitely supportive especially during the medley of “ANGELUS” and “Garnet Moon” as the diehard fans started to scream during segments of a song.

Probably the most interaction was during the performance of “Camelia” as Shimatani, the band and the audience started twirling and waving their towels. I don’t think I’ve seen this much towel waving in an event that’s not sports related, so that was interesting to see. Especially as the camera starts to focus on the audience as they spin their towels over their head.

Camera angles used in the filming of the concert were well done as we get an angle of Shimatani closeup, faraway, sideways and angles behind the audience and looking towards the front of the audience. Also, various cameras on various band members and her background singers.

As for the editing of the camera angles, I noticed a five second setting per angle before a switch. Edited well and not dizzying.

As for the stage, the stage setup is elegant with the live band behind her, the background singers on the viewer’s left side and mobility for Shimatani and her dancers to dance. Background setup was a blue drape and lighting was very well done.

The concert does not include hardly any talk segments with Shimatani and her audience. Just a straight play through of her performing her songs and her band playing during intermission. I think the only time I see them include it in the editing is during the performance of “Perseus” where Shimatani asks the crowd “Are you ready”? and the majority of the interaction with the audience with Hitomi talking taking place after each song during the encore.

As for the encore songs, for “Neva Eva”, Shimatani and her background dancers came out with their eyeglasses and business outfit (while Shimatani donned a white and black checkerboard outfit) and performed the final four songs.

As for the special feature, the 15-minute document of “Hitomi Shimatani Live 2007 - Prima Rosa-” feature Shimatani and her background dancers learning the choreography for her songs, Shimatani and the band gettings things prepared for the concert and many scenes of Shimatani singing in front of her band with no music and overall rehearsals in the studio and then at the Stellarball.

Also included are footage before the concert, during the concert, what went on behind-the-scenes before the encore and also to see the fans waiting in line and coming into the concert area.

The document ends with a personal message from Shimatani talking about the behind-the-scenes footage and more.

As for the DVD insert, the booklet contains photos from the concert, concert credits and tracklisting.

DVD INFORMATION: Region 2, 4:3, Duration: 112 minutes, two audio: 1. LPCM/Stereo 2. Dolby Digital 5.1

BONUS CONTENTS:

Document of Hitomi Shimatani Live 2007 - PRIMA ROSA-

Before I go on, the version that I watched is an Avex Taiwan release and there is no difference from the Japanese release aside from the back cover.

All in all, I enjoyed this concert DVD. Because of the concert arena, audience participation and the fact that it was more of a live house feeling, you feel the energy of the concert and you see Shimatani really feed off that energy.

It may not have the orchestral/symphonic songs that I enjoy but I happen to enjoy her recent CD singles and to see them performed with this band but Shimatani was indeed vibrant, energetic and sexy.

Because to be truthful, I have seen previous concert performances and frankly, they missed that vibrant energetic feeling that this concert had and the rest were ok, some boring… and not as vibrant as this performance.

The overall DVD was fun to watch and I really like the addition of the bonus content showing Shimatani and band and dancers, behind-the-scenes. Definitely a different perspective compared to someone like Hamasaki Ayumi and what you would see on her DVD.

So, overall, compared to previous DVD’s that I have watched and concert performances from various other events from her CD+DVD, “LIVE 2007-PRIMA ROSA” was enjoyable.

Check it out!

ARTIST: Otsuka Ai

DVD: JAM PUNCH Tour 2005 - at Tokyo International Forum Hall A on 1st of June 2005

LABEL: avex trax

CATALOG #: AVBD-91342

DURATION: 127 minutes

DVD INFO: 4:3, Region 2

Released on July 27, 2005

TRACK LISTING:

1. -Opening-
2. Mousou Chop
3. pretty voice
4. kataomoi dial
5. Momo no Hanabira
6. Friends -Sabakan ver.-
7. Member introduction (Band introduction)
8. Kuroge Wagyu Joshio Tanyaki 680 Yen
9. Himawari
10. amaenbo
11. Kingyo Hanabi
12. Cherish
13. Daisuki da yo.
14. Superman
15. GIRLY
16. Ponpon
17. Happy Days
18. Sakuranbo
19. SMILY (Encore)
20. Biidama (Encore)
21. Sakuranbo (Encore)
22. Happy Days (Encore)
23. Always Together (Encore)

I know, I’m nearly three years late with this review. But as I have been enjoying the DVD releases for Otsuka Ai this past year, similar to my Amuro Namie DVD reviews, with Otsuka Ai, I am going backwards and in this case, now reviewing Otsuka’s first concert DVD “JAM PUNCH Tour 2005 - at Tokyo International Forum Hall A on 1st of June 2005″.

There are two releases of this in Japan, a normal version (which I am reviewing) and a limited edition version which includes off-shot video clips (behind-the-scenes) and also DVD easter eggs.

Because Otsuka’s older DVD’s are now budget DVD’s ($25 might be a bit of a stretch for some to call it a “budget” DVD), getting past concerts on DVD’s for a cheaper price is a good thing.

For each Japanese music DVD that I have seen and watched, there are many that bore me (I’m sure being there is a completely different experience) and the type of concerts that make me feel excited even though I’m not there and even though the concert took place years earlier.

Otsuka Ai concerts have been very enjoyable and her first concert DVD is no exception. Without rehashing of what has been reviewed on this DVD, I’ll just briefly give my thoughts on this DVD.

The DVD for her first concert is actually very enjoyable. I was not expecting anything remarkable for her stage setup and wasn’t sure if we would see different costumes during performances but the concert did surpass my expectations.

The first concert features Otsuka on a good sized stage with her band with a big video screen in the center. Very good stage lighting and the mood that is acquired during such songs such as “Momo no Hanabira” where the whole stage is dark blue with an amber light shining on Otsuka who is wearing a beautiful gray dress.

Another beautiful setting was during her performance of “Daisuki da yo.” and a night sky with stars all above the stage was a beautiful touch to the performance of the popular ballad.

The video screen plays a big part in the concert as songs such as “Friends” from her drama “Tokyo Friends” shows clips from the drama series, showing various video clips during each performance and a cool way to introduce her band members.

Speaking of the band members, similar to how Hamasaki Ayumi brings her band members to the forefront of her concerts and showcasing the musical family of their tour. Otsuka does the same with her band as well. And thus, the excitement on stage is shown through the band members instrument playing and movements. For me, I like the acknowledgment to her band and Otsuka’s interaction with band members.

As mentioned, different costume changes. From the beginning, she sports a black hood with cape and a mask. Sporting a beautiful gray gown and then later in a white gown and then later on in the concert, sporting blue jeans and a t-shirt.

As for Otsuka Ai, she’s not a dancer, so what you expect to see from Hamasaki, Koda or Amuro, not with her. No major choreography but showcasing her enthusiasm by smiling, singing and interacting with her fans. For songs such as “Himawari” and “amaenbo”, Otsuka plays the piano and sings.

As for the audience, they were definitely into it. You saw people of all ages at the concert and many singing and really getting into it. If there is one thing that I have seen with a lot of Otsuka Ai concerts is that she does interact with them and everyone in the audience is excited.

So, overall a very enjoyable concert from what you see on stage and also in the audience with everyone all into it.

And for those wondering if she cries in the end, yes, on the final song she does. What Japanese concert with a female artist or group would be complete without “the cry” right?

Now, as for the video editing, I can tell you right now that you really get good cuts, good camera placement from within the stage, behind the stage focusing on the band and the audience, close up front to the audience, behind the audience to the stage. There are many cameras everywhere, capturing the excitement and the transitions from one camera to the other is not dizzying and done very well.

As for the DVD insert, you get a two fold insert that features photos from the concert inside and the outside is track info. and credits which feature band names, stage names, etc. Also, an insert promotional of her CD single “Planetarium” that was being announced at that time.

I may be a bit biased to the music of Otsuka Ai but I’ve seen a lot of concert DVD’s in the past year or two featuring artists I enjoy but something was off that I just didn’t like the experience. I will tell you right now that this concert DVD is not one of them.

Otsuka Ai’s “JAM PUNCH Tour 2005 - at Tokyo International Forum Hall A on 1st of June 2005″ is actually a very fun, entertaining concert that even though it’s her first, it’s still done very well and definitely worth to fit in your collection if you are a fan of her music.

Check it out!

GROUP: m.o.v.e

DVD: 10th Anniversary GIGA BEST

LABEL: avex tune

CATALOG #: AVBT-91052

DVD INFORMATION: Region 2, 4:3, 135 minutes

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

DVD TRACK LISTINGS:

1. ROCK IT DOWN
2. around the world
3. over drive
4. Rage your dream
5. BREAK IN2 THE NITE
6. platinum
7. Blazin’ Beat
8. words of the mind -brandnew journey-
9. sweet vibration
10. Gamble Rumble
11. SUPER SONIC DANCE
12. FLY ME SO HIGH
13. come together
14. Romancing Train
15. FUTURE BREEZE
16. iWAKE YOUR LOVE!
17. Painless PAIN
18. Blast My Desire
19. DOGFIGHT
20. GHETTO BLASTER
21. How To See You Again
22. FREAKY PLANET
23. DISCO TIME
24. Raimei -out of kontrol-
25. ANGEL EYES
26. Systematic Fantasy
27. SPEED MASTER

SPECIAL FEATURES:

1. JACKET GALLERY MOVIE

As part of the celebration of m.o.v.e’s 10th Year Anniversary, the group has released their third best hits album “MEGA BEST” and a compilation of their music videos with “GIGA BEST”.

Previously, m.o.v.e. videos have been released on VHS and 17 of their music videos were found on their 2004 album “REWIND singles collection” (AVCT-10142-3/B) but with “GIGA BEST”, you get 27 music videos of their 28 CD single releases (with only the 17th CD single “BURNING DANCE” not included).

Special features include a JACKET GALLERY MOVIE featuring the CD single, album and DVD covers scrolling with a special song by t-kimura playing in the background.

There is no DVD insert but the DVD inside cover includes a message from t-kimura, motsu and yuri.

You really can’t go wrong with “10th Anniversary GIGA BEST”.  If you are a m.o.v.e fan, this is the ultimate collection, especially if you didn’t buy the CD+DVD releases, the best albums or the older VHS releases.

Although part of the benefit of buying the CD+DVD releases (especially from Avex) is that they include the interviews and making of.  Rarely do the video collections, include these gems but then again, the company is not going to give away everything for this one release.  So, if you want the making of’s, you may want to look at our m.o.v.e 10th Anniversary interview and review for what the best albums and CD+DVD releases contain.

But as a m.o.v.e fan, I can tell you that this is the definitive video collection release for the group and you can’t go wrong.

GROUP: SweetS

DVD TITLE: Wings of my heart

DVD INFO: 73 minutes, 4:3, Region 2, Release Date: July 20, 2005

The following is a review on a Japanese female idol group known as SweetS that broke up last year.

Idol groups do come and go and for fans of SweetS, it was hard to imagine the girls wanting to call it quits to focus on their preparation for high school but its something that happens and not many female idol groups have the longevity as Morning Musume or DRM (formerly known as “dream”).

But nevertheless, SweetS was a group that had potential but unfortunately succumed to the short idol lifespan that many female groups in Japan have faced.

Back in July 2005, SweetS “Wings of my heart” was released.

The DVD is more or less a video about the group’s trip to Hawaii and taking their experience to record at Avex USA (in Hawaii) at the studio for the song “Sentimental Journey”.

During the trip, the girls get to meet a variety of Hawaiian locals from street performers to street dancers. The girls get to partake in flight school, visit an all girls school in Hawaii and perform for them, visit the KZOO studio (an AM Japanese radio station) and then prepare for their performance at Ala Moana Shopping Center.

Along the way, the girls show what they like about Hawaii which include shopping areas and eating at Coldstone Creamery. Also, visiting the beach and having fun.

All in all, it was an entertaining 73 minutes, watching the girls as they venture into different areas in Hawaii and how they interact with the locals.

In the past, Morning Musume has done several in Hawaii type of specials aired on television and I’m not too sure if this was aired on television but it had that kind of feel to it, especially when they visit restaurants and stores and you see the phone number and info display.

I did find the flight school segment a bit irritating as some girls seems to be playing to the camera of how frightened they were. I’m sure they were frightened but it was a bit overdone.

Now, the scenes of showing how frightened they were to perform in front of an American audience was definitely interesting to see and I’m sure it was quite nerve racking for them.

The DVD video was nice and colorful and for those wondering if there are any special features, unfortunately there are not.

The DVD insert comes with the lyrics to their song “Sentimental Journey” and a sticker of the DVD front cover.

But the overall video was lush, beautiful and to see the adventures of a female idol group (not Morning Musume) was cool to see.

All in all, Sweets “Wings of my heart” was a fun video to watch. I enjoy DVD’s that showcase an artist or group but DVD’s that are not always music video or concert related, so this DVD was definitely enjoyable and to get to know the personal quirks of each member and how they interact with each other.

There were times when the English speakers were communicating with the girls and you have a sense that the girls had no idea what they were talking about.  So, for American viewers, this might be a bit interesting to see.

Also, I know many Japanese performers have performed in Hawaii but at the Ala Moana Shopping Center, and its nice to see audience supportive.  Also, to see how the girls did well learning SAM’s (of TRF) choreography for their performance.

But to see the group having fun and enjoying themselves in Hawaii was cool to watch.  And because of that, I’m quite sure that fans of the members or the group itself will have a blast watching SweetS in Hawaii.

There are young women in this group who have a lot of potential as a solo artist, so I’m curious post-breakup if we will see a member of SweetS return back to the music forefront.