On July 7th, we forcola held the second solo live performance at Kichijoji MANDA-LA2.
Each time, we aim to create a unique and irreplaceable experience for the attendees by capturing the moment in real-time. We call this solo live performance series "Sketch of Moments." This time, we gave it the subtitle "Found and Lost."
forcola pursues an expression that connects scenery, emotional imagery, stories, and music and lyrics. For this performance, we displayed paintings created by Umehara (vocal), specifically for this live show. These were showcased using the video display technology by Tsukamoto (piano).
1st Stage
The 1st stage was structured around a concept story centered on the song "Found and Lost," which is also the subtitle. We incorporated music and paintings to convey this theme.
【set list】
Eosphorus
The Road I Walked (English recitation)
The Road I Walked
Glimpse
Found and Lost
Trail across the dawns
Sister's Profile
This time, we unveiled two new pieces: a 7/8 time piano instrumental titled "Glimpse" and a song called "Trail across the dawn".
It's a bit embarrassing to explain the meaning and intention behind the songs and their arrangement here, so we plan to share a digest video instead.
2nd Stage
【set list】
Serenity
Treasure in Salina
Sayonara (Ogitaka)
Ureshii Kotoba (Ikuko Sennari)
Llora (Marta Valdes)
Fina Estampa (Chabuca Granda)
Hopes in September
(Encore)
Ma l'amore no (Ennio Morricone)
The 2nd stage featured forcola's representative songs from their albums and other related tracks. Unlike the 1st stage, which immersed the audience in a concept story, this part was performed in a relaxed and free atmosphere.
After performing "Serenity" and "Treasure in Salina" from Forcola's 1st and 2nd albums, we played two songs by musicians closely associated with forcola. "Sayonara" is by Nagano-based musician Ogitaka, and "Ureshii Kotoba" is by Ikuko Sennari. We had the pleasure of performing with both of them in Nagano in June.
The following two songs were from Latin America: "Llora" by Cuban singer-songwriter Marta Valdes and "Fina Estampa" by Peruvian singer Chabuca Granda. For "Fina Estampa," Tomone Kakinuma, who assisted with live preparation and video operation, joined us on drums, delivering a trio performance.
We concluded the stage with "Hopes in September" from our latest album "Into the Moment."
For the encore, Tomone Kakinuma joined us again to perform "Ma l'amore no" from the movie "Malèna," bringing the show to a close.
In hindsight, July 7th was "Tanabata," and we initially considered including songs related to it. However, as we developed the concept, it completely slipped our minds. We were so focused that we didn't even mention it during the MC. We hope everyone remembered to make a wish upon the stars and had a wonderful evening on the day.
Acknowledgements
This time, as in February, we brought in and displayed our own equipment. I would like to thank Tomone Kakinuma for her assistance with equipment setup, packing, and video switching during the performance, as well as the staff at MANDA-LA2 for their support.
And above all, thank you to everyone who came out on a precious day off, braving the scorching heat and traveling from afar. We are truly grateful.
Next activities
forcola's next activities will include live performances and album production.
Regarding live performances, we aim to have another stage that features both visual art displays and musical performances, although we are still in the planning stages for the next event. If anyone knows of a venue where we could simultaneously showcase visual art and music, please let us know. Of course, we are also interested in expanding our musical horizons.
Regarding album production, the 1st stage this time was structured around a new album concept, and we plan to proceed with recording and production based on this framework.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Thank you for reading.
Btw, we have launched our Instagram account!
We'll be sharing updates and our works there, so we'd appreciate it if you could follow us!