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transitions101As Arashi holds their 2020 National Stadium concert without a live audience for the first time, Sho pens down his thoughts regarding the upcoming Arafes and Arashi's first concert at Kokuritsu.
The year 2008. Our first concert at the National Stadium.
It was the scene from our opening performance.
Arashi, dressed in luminescent yellow outfits.
“Beyond the dream”.
(You said that many times in the Behind The Scenes video of “Arashi Around Asia 2008 in TOKYO”.)
Why was this scene unforgettable?
It’s because it’s a scene that you can only see during the actual show.
Certainly, we traveled to the National Stadium.
The show was confirmed, and we did a recce of the venue.
Before the show, we also rehearsed at the National Stadium.
But, the scene that we witnessed was “a stadium without any audience members in the stands.”
On the day of the actual show.
During the opening.
As the intro to “Love So Sweet” started playing.
The sky.
The flags of Arashi, billowing in the wind.
After that, the seats, right at the very top of the stadium.
The audience which gradually came into view.
The National Stadium, filled with the brim with Arashi fans.
That, to me, was an unforgettable scene.
For me, who had witnessed empty seats right at the back of concert venues, it was an unforgettable scene.
The seats of the main stadium which hosted the 1964 Tokyo Olympics were now filled with Arashi fans.
The year 2020.
Now, for the actual show.
We’ll be holding a concert at the New National Stadium without a single audience member in the stands.
Should we hold a concert without any audience members?
It’s frustrating, but we had to choose between these two options.
Once again, I want to burn that image into my memory.
The audience seats in the new National Stadium.
In 2008, it was Shindo.
[T/N: Shindo, Nasu and Ukisho are part of Johnny's Juniors. Ukisho was just 6 years old when Arashi performed at Kokuritsu in 2008.]
Now, we will be performing on the same stage together with them.
No matter how many times you’ve been to the National Stadium, you can’t see the scenery from the stage unless you’re standing on it.
I wonder what kinds of scenes will be reflected in their eyes…?
I fervently hope that “Arashi’s Present Stage” will be remembered by as many of our juniors as possible.
Well, now.
The show which was supposed to be performed in May.
We’re simply quietly working.
Together with the staff who have made preparations for a long time, we’re single-mindedly rehearsing every day in order to raise the curtains on the show.
Together with you.
We’re moving towards the dream which, at one time, had been a mirage.
Let’s head to a world no one has seen before.
Let’s get the party started.
Sakurai Sho, 15 October 2020
There is a scene which is unforgettable to me.
The year 2008. Our first concert at the National Stadium.
It was the scene from our opening performance.
Arashi, dressed in luminescent yellow outfits.
As far as the eye could see, a vast panorama of fans, filling the National Stadium.
Beneath our stage stood many staff members who watched over us, including the ones who have yet to work with Arashi back then, but we are now indebted to.
“Beyond the dream”.
The Dome concerts were a dream destination for us in the mid-2000s. We didn’t even imagine.
No.
We couldn’t even imagine the scene that lay before us.
(You said that many times in the Behind The Scenes video of “Arashi Around Asia 2008 in TOKYO”.)
Why was this scene unforgettable?
It’s because it’s a scene that you can only see during the actual show.
Certainly, we traveled to the National Stadium.
The show was confirmed, and we did a recce of the venue.
Before the show, we also rehearsed at the National Stadium.
But, the scene that we witnessed was “a stadium without any audience members in the stands.”
On the day of the actual show.
During the opening.
As the intro to “Love So Sweet” started playing.
The sky.
The flags of Arashi, billowing in the wind.
After that, the seats, right at the very top of the stadium.
The audience which gradually came into view.
The National Stadium, filled with the brim with Arashi fans.
That, to me, was an unforgettable scene.
For me, who had witnessed empty seats right at the back of concert venues, it was an unforgettable scene.
When I first performed in the National Stadium where the 1964 Tokyo Olympics were first held, it was the same year where I worked as a caster for the 2008 Olympics.
The seats of the main stadium which hosted the 1964 Tokyo Olympics were now filled with Arashi fans.
The year 2020.
Now, for the actual show.
We’ll be holding a concert at the New National Stadium without a single audience member in the stands.
Should we hold a concert without any audience members?
Should we give up the idea of holding a concert?
It’s frustrating, but we had to choose between these two options.
Once again, I want to burn that image into my memory.
The audience seats in the new National Stadium.
Imagining each and every one of those seats filled with all of you.
Imagining each and every one of those seats with all of you watching over us.
In 2008, it was Shindo.
In 2009, it was Nasu and Ukisho.*
I heard that they watched us from the audience seats at the National Stadium.
[T/N: Shindo, Nasu and Ukisho are part of Johnny's Juniors. Ukisho was just 6 years old when Arashi performed at Kokuritsu in 2008.]
Now, we will be performing on the same stage together with them.
No matter how many times you’ve been to the National Stadium, you can’t see the scenery from the stage unless you’re standing on it.
I wonder what kinds of scenes will be reflected in their eyes…?
I fervently hope that “Arashi’s Present Stage” will be remembered by as many of our juniors as possible.
Well, now.
The show which was supposed to be performed in May.
We’re simply quietly working.
Together with the staff who have made preparations for a long time, we’re single-mindedly rehearsing every day in order to raise the curtains on the show.
Now.
Together with you.
We’re moving towards the dream which, at one time, had been a mirage.
Let’s head to a world no one has seen before.
Let’s get the party started.
Sakurai Sho, 15 October 2020