Ichiko's concert 1

Has been exactly a month since Ichiko Aoba’s concert and interview happened.

I am still listening to her music, quite obsessively.
Trying to figure out what it is that I am so inspired by her or her music.

But here is the song list from Sydney City Recital Hall (6th June 2023)

ココロノセカイ( kokoro no seikai )

Porcelain

Sagu Palm's song

Dawn in the Adan

海辺の葬列 (  Funeral procession at the seashore)

月の丘 （A Hill of the Moon）

向日葵の家の輪舞曲

海底のエデン　（Seabed Eden）

Space Orphans

Asleep among Endives ( アンディーヴと眠って)

機械仕掛乃宇宙　（Kikaijikake No Ucyuu）

Bouquet 

アンコール　En Core. 太陽さん　（Mr Sun ） ジャンゴラインハルトっぽいギターの短い曲を軽い 

The concert was full of young people. Very young actually. And there was a huge queue for the merchandise table and it was so long, it came all the way to the entrance of the venue. Those kinds were very keen to buy Ichiko’s Merch. We ( My partner and I ) walked passed those kids who I can tell they were very excited, high energy, aiming to get to our carefully chosen seats at the balcony.
Somewhat not full audience and I figured later because those people at the queue were determined to buy merch than seeing front act. Front act was changed to Leah Senior for Laura Jean who could not come. I had never heard of Leah Senior before and it was a nice bonus for me. She reminded me of Vashti Bunyan. Still do not know enough to know her song list nor comment on each songs, sorry.

I was a bit surprised that people kept walking into the seats while Senior played and people were kicking bottles and opening cans. Something I would not expect to hear in a such a beautiful concert hall but I am just old. Then the break. The queue was still long. I got some water and sat down again. In my carefully chosen seat. Right at the front at 2nd Balcony. We could have taken closest side balcony wight above the stage but we chose further away but can see the whole stage and hear both sides speakers.

In our best seats we thought, it was best seats. Ichiko comes in and sings Kokoro no Sekai, I am tearing up and you would be surprised to know that I am tearing up again as I write this. This is a surprise to me too. I get really emotional listening to her music. And this has happened multiple time from the day of the concert and now.

After the first song, waves of hand clapping and the guy behind us yells “I love you Ichiko!! ” and everyone was like yes, we do!

Just before few days of this concert ( as I write this I have goose bumps remembering) Ichiko was going to play at a festival called “Itadaki” in Japan but the festival was cancelled because of the weather but Ichiko suggested to have Instagram live teaming up with Itadaki. And I was in Brisbane, kept the time free and watched the whole live.
People watched from all over the world and comments in different language, fans were helping each other to figure out which song Ichiko was playing, heaps of love hearts and “mother”comment this stayed with me.

They were calling Ichiko “mother” ? question mark in my head then later on, I kind of figure it out that Ichiko is a mother figure like someone who gives love unconditionally? I could be easily wrong, let me know if someone reads and know what this means.

AS I have listened to her music so much previously to the concert, when she starts playing some chords, I recognise which song she is going to play. Anticipation.

Freely she coos, hums and plays scale type of things in the key of the song she is about to play. You can tell she is a seasoned player when you have listened her album then listened some of live recording. She adds notes, changes rhythm here and there and change singing notes as well. Such a special moment to see what Ichiko does in front of my eyes. I sing in my heart as she sings.

In between songs, Ichiko tells audience what she just played or going to sing in English and Japanese as she starts playing some chords or guitar phrases for next piece then to the intro and whistles and animal like sound.

It does not seem to matter to the audience she sings everything in Japanese at all.

Then here comes some guitar phrases come from “Dawn in the Adan” and my heart beats so fast and I felt like floating as I listened to the live version, today’s version of this piece I listened like million times. When the second verse starts with arpeggio style guitar, I am in tears. and as you guessed by now, I am in tears. Do not know why.

I am wrecked now crying so much.

Let’s say every maybe 5 years, I “meet” a song that brings me to tears just listening to it and here it is.

Dawn in the Adan by ICHIKO AOBA.

I must get back to what I need to do now so I leave this here.

To be continued.