ConcertReport NingenIsu October 29,2023 Aomori

*The set list will be displayed. If you don’t want to see it, don’t scroll.

At the beginning

I went to the “Shikisoku-Zeku release commemoration solo tour” of Ningen Isu.

As it was raining in the morning, I was expecting to hear the usual greeting of “sorry for your bad weather today…”, but it did not rain.

The usual routine was to line up in numerical order (Ningen Isu customers line up in really orderly numerical order), enter the venue, and change drink tickets for beer.

I settled right in the middle of the venue. The staff lady at the venue told us, “There are still customers, please move up a little more in the front. But please move up moderately, as too much stuffing can make you feel ill! ”

Everyone laughed, and the applause that followed was amusing.

Now, I have finished our beers and are ready to go.

Shigan-Goeika

The members appeared on stage with the usual song.

What was different from usual was that Suzuki was seated for the performance.

Even so, the chairs were set up high so that the audience could see his face clearly.

Saraba-Sekai　Farewell to the World

As expected, the concert started with the first song from the new album.

The image of the music video comes to my mind.

As the lead track, the song has a profound structure. The modulation to major in the middle part was also wonderful.

Suzuki played sitting down, but he stood up and performed in the middle of the song.

His condition seems to be getting better.

Akuma-Ichizoku  The Devil’s Family

Another one from the new album.

I knew it was coming.

As Suzuki said, “I’m looking forward to playing it. ”

It’s a very groovy song similar to “Hoichi-Junan. ”

banter

First of all, Suzuki said, “I apologize for being the only one sitting down. ”

No, no, no, I am just grateful to you for playing live even if you are sitting down.

The drummer and bassist are sitting, so Wajima is the only one standing and playing.

Wajima said shyly, “It’s like I’m so hyper.”

He also said, “Tsugaru dialect has many derogatory words for people. ”

The word “ataoka” is used to describe someone who is “crazy,” but he thinks those around him are crazy. That’s the kind of song it is, he started.

Kyoki-Ningen  Crazy person

Is there any song that gives us so much courage to live?

It must pierce the hearts of all those who have lost the meaning of life, those who are frustrated and depressed, those who have made mistakes and regret them.

It’s fun to shout “Ooh!” to the main riff.

I also enjoy shouting “Ooh! ”

Because I, human.

Jigoku-Dai-Tetsudo　Hell’s Great Railroad

The next song started with Suzuki saying, “Gata-Goton. ”

This is the fourth in a row from the new album.

As the name of the “great” railroad implies, this one too feels the pressure of a heavy train coming toward us.

Suzuki says that he asked Wajima to write lyrics for the railroad.

The solo in the middle part, which imitated the sound of a railroad crossing, was wonderful.

banter

The sound of a railroad crossing is designed to make people feel uneasy,” said Wajima.

Suzuki asked, “Is it bumping semitones? ”

Not really,” said Wajima, showing us how he actually played.

Perhaps it was because he was sitting, Suzuki was very concerned about the health of the audience.

He told the audience to go outside and take a rest if we felt sick, and said that the next song would be just right.

Yaneura-no-Neputa-Matsuri　Attic Neputa Festival

I haven’t heard this song in a long time.

Well, when was the last time?

Suzuki has written many lyrics about Neputa, but this one is eerie and fantastic.

Shincho-Kyura-Kyukyu-Bushi

The intro guitar brings cheers.

Yeah, I don’t think I’ve heard this one recently.

Maybe because ” Yaneura-no-Neputa-Matsuri ” was so dark, they brought back a song that gets people excited.

The singalong “Kyu-kyu-kyu-kyu” was fun.

banter

Wajima has already lost his father, and his mother is in a nursing home.

At the Corona Disaster, he was not allowed to visit her at all, and when he could, it was through a transparent glass window.

Wajima said that the sight of parent and child holding hands through the glass was somewhat like ET.

He started by saying that it is better to be filial to one’s parents while they are still around.

Toshisyun

A literary rock in which Wajima writes about his feelings for his parents, whom he can no longer see.

After listening to Wajima’s personal story, the song touched me more deeply than usual.

Listening to the song, I sometimes reflect on my own behavior.

banter

“Aren’t you tired?”

Suzuki is always concerned about the physical condition of the audience.

He began to exercise the audience by asking them to move their necks in this way, and then we knew the next song.

When he was about to call out the title, Wajima was still in the middle of tuning, so he stopped for a moment.

He said again, “Move your neck in this way,” and drew laughter.

Namekuji-Taiso  Sluggy Gymnastics

A dark song from the new album, bursting with Suzuki’s verses. The riffs were perhaps the most disastrous ever.

banter

He talked about how he poured salt on slugs.

Suzuki’s recollections begin, “What a pitiful thing I’ve done. ”

He said he used to stick his hand into the hollow of an apple tree and grab starling chicks out of it.

The starling chicks were full of mites, and he would say, “Wow,” and put them back in the hollow.”

Half of the customers were putting off the banter(lol).

In response, Wajima said, “It’s catch and release. ”

Suzuki continued to talk at his own pace, “I did something bad to them, I wonder how they are. ”

Wajima says, “That bird would have changed for generations after that. ”

Shide-no-Tabiji-no-Monogatari  A Tale of a Journey of Death

Oh, I am so glad I wanted to hear this.

It seems that there are some places that were not played.

Wajima’s narration in the middle part was so powerful that it seemed to drag me into “death,” and that my heart was filled with repentance.

Senrei  Baptism

Okay, my prediction was right on target.

But I didn’t expect to perform in the middle of the show.

I remember that it has been often performed in the beginning of the show until now.

Konjaku-Hijiri

Oh, they are going to play this here…

As expected of Ningen Isu, no matter how much I think about it, I can’t predict the set list, which exceeds my expectations.

It was a song with a complicated development, typical of Ningen Isu.

banter

They talked about “Yorozuya,” a recycle store in Aomori Prefecture.

Suzuki said that he had bought guitars and basses at Yorozuya.

There are no people in the musical instrument section of Yorozuya, so he can concentrate on choosing the right one.

Wajima, on the other hand, has also bought strings at Yorozuya.

The theme song for the Yorozuya commercial is now being played by Ningen Isu.

So, I never expected…

Yorozuya’s theme

This is precious!

It was like the first time they played it at the Aomori venue.

I want to brag to everyone who went to the other venues.

I heard they rehearsed it about 2 times and it was done in no time, but it’s catchy and very good.

banter

Suzuki said, “Now they are using our portraits, but this time we will use live-action portraits. ”

Then I’m going to sell my guitar, says Wajima.

I’ll assess it, says Suzuki.

I’ll handle the accounting, says Nobu.

And so Nobu’s usual yell starts up.

The venue heated up rapidly!

Mirai-karano-Dassyutsu　Escape from the Future

When Nobu sings, the venue becomes more colorful at once.

The gloomy and heavy atmosphere is one of the characteristics of the band, but when Nobu started to sing, the atmosphere changed completely and started to shine brightly.

The highlight of the performance was the second verse.

Suzuki and Wajima each carried a term on their head and played.

From this point on, Suzuki was also playing standing up, so I guess he is getting much better.

I want to escape from the future, too.

Uchu-Dengeki-Tai  Space Blitzkrieg Squad

Hey,hey,hey! I even got the position right before the last song!

There’s no doubt about it, this is so exciting.

It was a hot topic even before the tour started, wasn’t it?

Who doesn’t like this song?

Many people were seen spinning their hands and toweling off to the song “Fun Fun Fun Fun. ”

I danced with my hands spinning.

Hari-no-Yama  Hell’s Mountain Of Needles

The last song was the well-known “Hari-no-Yama. ”

I was a bit worried, but Suzuki played while standing.

His voice sounded better than usual.

The main part ended here.

Hoshizora-no-Michibiki  Guidance of the Starry Sky

The first encore song was also predictable!

This song was dedicated to Kurotaki, who was a friend of Wajima’s when he was a student and passed away the other day.

Kurotaki was an expert on chords, and he taught Wajima how to hold down the Dm6.

So Wajima felt like I was writing the song with him.

After listening to the song after hearing this story, it is even more poignant.

banter

The acoustic guitar he just used and the electric guitar he will use next were a gift from Gibson.

The electric guitar was a custom-made for a left-handed player, but he had it made for a right-handed player.

Jimi Hendrix was the opposite, so I am the Jimi Hendrix of Tsugaru, Wajima said.

Suzuki said, “Let’s at least make you the Jimi Hendrix of Tohoku. ”

When asked to play something, Wajima began to play…

Purple Haze

This was played until the middle of the song, but I got the impression that it was improvised.

I wonder if they played it at other venues.

And then…

Into the Void

A cover of Black Sabbath.

This was only halfway through the song, but it was a rare opportunity to hear something valuable!

Tokushin  Blasphemy

Oh, at this position!

I couldn’t have predicted this one.

Mujo-no-Scat  Heartless Scat

Normally, they would pull back once, but this time, they didn’t pull back and played all the way through to the third encore song.

I wonder if it was because the last song was a “Mujo-no-Scat. ”

As Wajima said at the beginning of the show, “We are now in full swing,” he was right, the performance was very good.

At the end

So the concert was over.

Wajima said, “We’ll be back soon,” so maybe the next tour is already scheduled.

What a service minded person they are!

May you all be in good health until the next show.

October 31,2023　Freakz