Sheena Ringo - Ringo Expo 08

It was certainly dramatic. The clinical modernity of the seating in Saitama Super Arena stood in contrast to the 1920s Art-Deco set design; a pure white assembly of geometric shapes that seemed very Fritz Lang. It was the perfect setting and as the lights went down with the murmur of an orchestra warming up, a soft glow of white crept up the back of the staging. Calls from the audience filled the hall for a moment, as flags were shook in earnest before the trippy beat and gentle lighting muted the audience once more. From a screen above, organic abstract firework and flower designs flowed over each other and into lights painting the kanji of the lyrics on either side of the stage. It was into this magical atmosphere that Ringo's soft disembodied voice floated over the crowd.

Gradually the stage became illuminated as wisps of smoke and green lighting brought Sheena Ringo into view. She sat imperiously, almost eerily still in a long white gown and crowned by a magnificent headdress of cobwebbed antlers that brought to mind Bjork. Eyes lowered, she sang in haunting tones, never once lifting the veil on this dramatic opener.

As the music came to a close she murmured very softly 'welcome' while the fans went crazy, shaking their flags and screaming 'Ringo-chan!'
The music dipped into her natural jazz and blues next as Ringo rose from her seat. Her vocals dripped with sultry, honey like tones and despite her minimal movement she exuded a true classic Hollywood star power. In the short a capella moment preceding Sid to Hakuchuumu her incredible talent became suddenly clear as her powerful vocals rose over the silence. It was a rockier track although she was still limited by the movement her dress would allow her. Instead the camera treated the audience to aerial shots of her dress revealing its incredible train.

Honnou was greeted with huge cheers as might be expected and Ringo performed to expectations. She sang through a white megaphone as the crowd joined in with her singing. The orchestra break brought a flurry of brass and spotlights before covering the stage in a thin veil of light. Sheena Ringo meanwhile seemed evermore diva-like as she sang side on, tilting her head towards a microphone she barely held. Despite the beauty of Honnou though it was overshadowed by a glorious performance of Gamble.

The present orchestra really added much to the rich, sultry sound of the song. Amidst the complexity of instruments though, with loud flourishes of brass within the melody, Sheena Ringo's voice never once failed to rise powerfully and crystal clear above it.

She departed the stage for her first costume change as the audience were treated to an MC with a video for her 10th Anniversary. The song Shuukyou played as a voiceover gave the story of her career through the rise of her solo work and then into Tokyo Jihen.

It marked a neat transition as Ringo reappeared with long black hair and in a flapper dress with a fur stole. The music style changed too with a straight up rock ballad; Ringo picked up her guitar and the lighting became more vivid and psychedelic. The melancholic strings of Gips followed with a stage of soft blue lights and a fantastic guitar solo. When not belting out the aggressive chorus, Sheena Ringo padded around the stage in an almost trance-like state as she sang, dragging her fur stole like a child might a stuffed toy. At the end she momentarily disappeared beneath the stage only to reappear and take her place before a small keyboard for Yami ni furu ame. Water effects and strong bass sounds filled the arena for the jazzy song that even included a moment of scat style singing in the musical interlude.

The watery theme continued in Yokushitsu (The Bathroom). Echoey guitar themes and a repeated strain of 'da da da' over the PA set the atmosphere for another visually dramatic performance. At points it could have almost been video art. Sheena Ringo stood by a kitchen sink and worktop set up near the instruments, holding a butcher's knife close to her neck. Her manner was curiously zombified, her head remained bowed and the knife dangerously limp. At first she clinically halved an apple on the chopping board, each time returning the knife to the dangerously callously held position beneath her ear. Then in flurries of red lights, as she sang with angry vocals the knife went down violently, smashing the apple halves into mush before returning again to that position of calm as if nothing had happened. All the while she sang and the audience watched breathless at this fantastic, creepy performance.

It couldn't have been more different from the glamourous European sounds that followed in Sakuran. She sung in perfect English, for a song full of playful jazz sounds. Her dancing was still somewhat possessed though, a trait she continued into Tsumi to Batsu. The passion in her voice was clear, particularly in Tsumi to Batsu. The stage was bathed in red lights; the atmosphere dripping in sexy 30s glamour. Somewhere between this and Kabukicho no Joou she managed to change again, this time in a black trench coat with her hair in a neat black bob. It brought a small touch of 60s swing before the groovy Blackout. The flags in the audience waved in time with the music that together with the clock illumination gave a fun feel to the music. This laser clock warped as the song continued becoming a laser show during the guitar solo.

A second slideshow followed as Ringo left the stage. A child's voice, that of Ringo's son, came over the system to tell the audience a story about his mother, from her difficult birth, to her first piano at age 4 and all the way through to her debut. He spoke very eloquently, using an incredibly polite form of Japanese far beyond his years that captivated the audience.

As he spoke, white coils descended on both sides of the stage with four female ballet dancers between them. Then as the orchestra resumed playing, the girls danced, winding themselves around the coils. It was another visually stunning performance; Sheena Ringo sat while she sang, within a curious cage of green lasers that would later become like harp strings, stretching out over the audience. It was quite astonishingly beautiful and made for a lovely interlude before the return of the band and the introduction of Shiina Junpei, her brother. Together with Junpei, Ringo sang a lovely subtle version of Kono yo no kagiri before the bizarre Tamanegi no Happy Song, a piece that contained the line, 'The World is just a great big onion'.

There was one final quiet ballad, the piano led, Yume no ato before the concert ended on a high of rockiness. It made Yume no ato's heartfelt tones, all simple, sweet and melancholy feel even more beautiful. Tsumiki asobi couldn't have been more different. The dynamic of the concert changed again, becoming more energetic as the dancers began to dance in moves plucked straight out of the sixties, even down to a bizarre chicken dance. Then in O Matsuri sawagi, the music blended 20s, 30s and 60s with varying jazz and vibrant electric guitars. Ringo's dancing was equally as varied, sometimes geisha-like grace and at other times quite manic. Then suddenly from the wings, Awa-Odori dancers appeared to join Ringo on her runway and dance along. Together with the flags waved frantically in the arena, it was an unbelievable spectacle as Old Japan met 30s America!

The Awa-odori dancers departed after, leaving Ringo to say her thanks to the audience through the brash introduction of finale song, Karisome Otome. Live it was a melee that somehow worked with a hammond organ creating moments of calm before energetic verses. Ringo made her way to the back of the stage where a pair of doors were opening. She sang, 'good bye' and leapt through the door, leaving the rest of the band to play out the frantic closing notes.

An encore was not long in coming though. She spoke a little bit first to thank her fans for coming. Tadashii machi opened this first encore, its straightforward rock structure such a contrast to the theatrical styles that had gone before and this simplicity was quite honestly a refreshing joy. Koufukuron meanwhile closed it, with more indie rock and a resumption of the white megaphone Sheena Ringo had used earlier.

The fans were not yet satisfied though, chanting encore until the lights came back on. Ringo explained this time that it was her first time to play in front of such a large number of people and to play with a full orchestra, so it was quite overwhelming. This comment was greeted with a chorus of 'ganbatte' from the audience, encouraging the singer and thanking her for the spectacular concert. She responded by singing the opening to a rather cute song, Mikan no kawa, before introducing a new untitled song that would serve as her finale. In the video projections around the stage, her eyes looked so intense as she sang. Despite that it was a fun song as the Awa-Odori dancers returned. The flags waved endlessly, even after Sheena Ringo was long gone.

The orchestra gradually faded out on Ringo Expo 08, leaving the stage finally darkened for the credits to roll on the video screens. The audience was left with one final musical reminder, Marunouchi Sadistic, as they slowly left the arena. The magical world of Sheena Ringo's music, with its theatricality and elaborate interweaving of genre and styles had gone. Ringo Expo 08 was a truly unique concert, one so spectacular that it would live forever in the memories of all who were there.


Set list:

1. Hatsukoi Shoujo
2. Sid to Hakuchuumu
3. Koko de kiss shite
4. Honnou
5. Gamble

Ringo's story - BGM Shuukyou

6. Gips
7. Yami ni furu ame
8. Suberidai
9. Yokushitsu
10. Sakuran
11. Tsumi to Batsu
12. Kabukichou no Joou
13. Blackout

Ringo's story - BGM Yatsuke Shigoto

14. Kuki(STEM)
15. Kono yo no kagiri
16. Tamanegi no Happy Song
17. Yume no ato
18. Tsumiki asobi
19. O matsuri sawagi
20. Karisome Otome

Encore 1
21. Tadashii machi
22. Koufukuron(Etsurakuhen)

Encore 2
23. (New song)
24. (New song)