On Wednesday, May 2, "Gachi Maji" idol group CY8ER culminated their 12 venue New Gene Tour with the final performance at Shibuya Tsutaya O-East. The 5 member pop EDM group performed in various prefectures throughout the country during the duration of their tour, which began in January at Shibuya Garrett and most recently in Okinawa Output the past weekend.
The day began early in the afternoon with a cheki kai prior to the live, giving fans the chance to meet the members and take a commemorative instant photo. Energy levels and excitement mounted as fans looped the lines multiple times to meet their favorite members and share silly poses and offer words of encouragement for the upcoming performance. This was followed by tour merchandise sales, featuring goods such as T-shirts, towels, and a group branded mobile battery.
Doors opened at 6:30, and fans were ushered in according to randomly assigned entry numbers. Within the 1,300 capacity hall, fans began to trickle in and congregate within the spacious all standing venue. During the interim, a techno-themed CY8ER logo animation was continuously projected on stage accompanied by a subdued bass beat to keep the crowd occupied.
At 7:30, from backstage the girls could be audibly heard making one final preshow rally cry, immediately after which the rousing CY8ER overture instrumental was turned on and met with a huge reaction from the crowd. The onscreen animation switched to a short introduction video showcasing each of the members, while from behind the curtain their silhouettes were seen as they filed into their initial positions. They curtains were then finally drawn to reveal the girls in new costumes frozen in various dynamic poses.
The show kicked off with "Kakushemu", riling up fans with its upbeat, festival theme, setting an energetic initial pace. Fans bounced back and forth, responding with resounding "Iya sasa!" at each respective part. Immediately after the first number, the girls paused to give a short MC and their self introductions. After a few minutes of light banter, the festival theme continued as the girls broke into "Koi Natsu", followed by one of several new songs, "Tobira Mirai." The dreamy opening melody of the song followed by the first lines sung by Pochi and Rinahamu in their trademark super soprano voices shifted gears to a sweeter, more subdued mood. Gachi koi calls abounded as fans climbed atop one another to lift themselves to their oshi's line of sight, thrusting penlights and screaming "O! Re! No! _____chan!" The romantic sentiment continued as the girls moved into "Kokuhaku Warp", another classic CY8ER number with a sweet melody and lyrics. The crowd copied the favorite "conga line" choreography as the beat escalated, with the entire hall hopping from one direction to the next in unison with the girls on stage.
After "Kata Omoi Wazurai", "Hakuchuumu", and "HANNARI", the girls dispersed for a brief interlude while a special video was played. The video showed various behind the scenes clips from their recent Okinawa excursion, including shopping at the local convenience store, at the CY8ER barbeque event, and at the Okinawa concert itself. The final segment featured a short interview with each of the members, in which they candidly shared their thoughts on the progress and success of the group so far, and their own personal goals and aspirations as idols. This provided a rare glimpse at the camaraderie the girls shared within the group and their own personal situations, much to the delight of the fans.
As the video winded down, the girls reappeared clad in yet another set of new costumes, a coordinating silver skirt and cape number, something between a sailor and super hero. They jumped right into another new song titled "BYE BYE", a bittersweet, soothing tune coupled with powerful, precise dance motions. The beat picked up in between the slower paced verses, yielding a complex, sentimental experience as the song progressed. Following "BYE BYE", the girls performed pre-CY8ER favorite "Gooshuu", a wildly upbeat track with each member having a respective part in each verse, exploding into the frantic high energy chorus with the crowd calling in unison "Gooshuu 1, 2, 3!" and pumping penlights full force. The group then threw a curveball and repeated the song not once, but TWICE, with each repitition increasing the fever pitch higher each time. After the 3X Gooshuu loop, the setlist entered a rollercoaster of contrasting song types, from the emotional and moderate "Te to Te", to the hard hitting, driving pace of "GOOD LUCK", back down to the slower melancholy "Yubikiri", and finally lifting up to a positive beat with "Guru Guru Continue." The last two songs performed by the group in the main part of the concert were the recently debuted "Remix Start" and "Hello New Generation", both well-loved songs that hyped the crowd back up to a climax which was cut short as the girls departed the stage immediately thereafter.
Following a few minutes of calls for encore, the group reappeared in outfits consisting of altered tour T-shirts; immediately after reappearing, a full venue commemorative photo with the crowd was taken. Each member then had another short MC wherein they addressed each of their fans and appreciated them for the continued support. Following Rinahamu's final speech, they broke into the final new song of the night, the powerfully sentimental "Yakusoku", which perfectly complemented the honest feelings the members had expressed just moments earlier. This led into a final spurt building up in excitement with "Engine On", "Doki Doki Parirarura", and finally a second performance of "Hakuchuumu" to conclude the night, leaving fans completely breathless and elated.
Amongst one of the surprises revealed during the live was the announcement of CY8ER'S 4th Concert, to be held in Shinkiba Studio Coast on August 2nd. This echoed sentiments of the group's desire to perform in Yokohama Arena, with many agreeing that there was definite progress towards reaching this house. One final treat at the end of the night was the sudden display of a QR code on stage, which linked to an already active purchase page for advance special tickets to the August concert. The "Kami" ticket, which offered benefits such as participating in a launch meeting, a visit to the dressing room, and limited goods, was sold out immediately despite the ticket price of 100,000 JPY (app 917 USD). With a previous track record of surprising benefits and special events, fans should expect the unexpected in what looks like a busy and productive upcoming year for the rising new group. Congratulations on a successful tour!