Concert at SkeCon

This is the video of the concert by Synthesized reality Productions (SRP) at the recent SkeCon event in Sweden. It's a single fixed camera, which could have benefited from being zoomed in a little, but it will do. It isn't shaky, unfocused, distorted or any of the other audience-recorded efforts' failings, and is of high video quality.

The event starts off with SRP's Yume introducing the show, in English, followed by Miku and 'Viva Happy'. Later, Gumi, Rin and Len appear – all three at once for one item – also Luka for 'Just Be Friends'; and near the end we also have Miku's now famous 'Senbonzakura' in her correct outfit for this song. The show is rounded out with Yume re-appearing to dance with SkeCon's own mascot Rosu to dance to 'Happy Synthesizer'. Plenty of goodness is in there for just about any fan!

The whole video is almost an hour long, but I found it better to view in three or four 'chunks', simply because of that fixed, slightly distant viewpoint from which I needed to take an occasional break...

Miku Expo Documentary

It has been some time since we have had a new and sufficiently interesting video from this instantly-recognizable source that I could justify posting – but now we can see why it has been a while!

This narration-free documentary lasts nearly 35 minutes, but is thoroughly engrossing – and obviously took a lot of time and effort to put together, as did the event itself for that matter. It tells the literally amazing story of how the first Miku Expo was put together and how it all went in Jakarta, Indonesia, a month or so ago. I say 'amazing' for good reason: even I was amazed at some of what came out in this, such as the audience's passion and that they made the floor shake!

Reserve half an hour in your day and have a go through this. I doubt you'll be disappointed...

How to 'Panda' to a Need

In China, when the Changa Benni car maker needed a mascot, they chose vocaloid Luo Tianyi. Back on  25 March this year, Tianyi's first concert was held in Chengdu province, where there is a Panda centre.

Below is a seven-minute video touching on the Panda Centre, and featuring the opening number from that concert which launched this new status as mascot. The video was uploaded only this month, and discovered (via one of my sources) just today, which is why I didn't post it before now.

Although I don't think the model on stage looks right, overall it was quite a good production from what we see here (and I am looking beyond the snazzy effects for this, without ignoring them), and it is pleasing that the whole concept is becoming a more widespread kind of event nowadays.

It seems to me that the market suddenly 'grew up' in regard to projected stage performances and virtual divas, as the last year has shown – most recently with THE END opera and the Lady Gaga tour.

The cosplayer featured so much in this video seems to have been a good choice as well...

Miku in San Diego

This is a good quality, closer-in video of Miku's opening set for the Lady Gaga artRave tour, this time from the San Diego event. Both the sound and the visuals are good, and I think this is perhaps the best such recording from the tour to appear online to date.

I recommend switching to full screen and a decent resolution (it does go to full HD but there is no apparent advantage over 720px)...

Catwalk Envy

Continuing from my previous post... Also at Matsuri Da Diva 2014 were some familiar numbers, and this relatively new one, Catwalk Envy. It's one of those that has so much in it that one cannot help but wonder how it all fitted in to just four minutes straight.

Old hands here will probably recognise the Miku model and even more fluid motion than previously that we first encountered at Magical Mirai 2013, and it just keeps getting better by adding to the repertoire of such high-quality stage performances that is building up thanks to events such as this...

Diva Desu

The latest event was, of course, on Miku Day, held in Tokyodome City Hall, and was essentially a concert called Matsuri Da Diva 2014, that had not only the Crypton Vocaloids on stage but their voice providers too. Although this meant that each part was shorter than would have been the case with just one or the other, it was still a good event, I hear from trusted sources.

Not all of those sources were present, as it was being live-streamed to NicoNico users who had paid a modest amount for the privilege. I didn't, as I never know if I am even going to be awake at the appointed hour (because of my medication) so it could easily have been a waste. Because f its nature, and I didn't know whether any of it might appear in public, I didn't mention this before.

Anyway, the opening 'summoning to the stage' item is now up on YouTube, lasting exactly three minutes, and it is called Diva Desu...

Miku Day 2014

Although little if anything official happens on this day, the 9th March is considered, in Japan, to be Miku Day, after the '39' convention I have explained before, and as some countries inexplicably place the month before the day (it's like measuring in feet, inches and yards).

Grey Otaku has kindly assembled a list of his favourite tracks on video at this Facebook page, and as a separate visual treat here is a nice free-to-use/share (Creative Commons licence) Kitty Miku image from this page...

Snow Miku 2014 Sculpture

Not just that, but a good (though not outstanding) light show on it, featuring two songs including the new Mitchie-M one that I showcased here last week. This happened in Sapporo just hours ago.

The video clip is just over five minutes altogether, including a short announcement at the start...

The Lonely Shepherd

I check early each year to find out whether the definitive performance by Gheorghe Zamfir with James Last, performing the latter's composition The Lonely Shepherd, has come back onto YouTube somewhere. This was the live performance with James Last's orchestra in London way back in 1978.

As it turns out, this video was uploaded nine months or so ago, after my previous check, so I missed it until now.

Those who know the version of this on albums and at other live performances will, I am sure, be freshly moved by this performance, which is really special – and which lodged itself firmly in my memory when that concert was broadcast on television all those years ago...

Sonic Mania 2013 Concert

I have just discovered this excerpt from an event of which I had been completely unaware. It really is very good, and the Miku base model works so well with this kind of lighting – absolutely enchanting, as one might expect ever since Miku and the others raised the bar in this regard, by several notches.

The three songs are familiar enough, but easily warrant a re-visit: Tell Your World (kz/Livetune), Torinoko City (40mP), and Yellow (kz/Livetune again). I am hoping that the rest of this concert will appear on-line one day soon...

London New Year Fireworks 2013–2014

Especially for those who missed it at the time: this was last night's fireworks display in central London as midnight struck and for ten minutes thereafter, courtesy of the BBC...

Trans City

This event in a place in Japan called Beppo (which I recently checked out parts of in Google Maps and Street View) recently hosted the Trans City event featuring Miku and Miku/Vocaloid-related activities, goods and all sorts.

Here is a report from that event, including a video of the event's theme song Asterism that features a nice Tda Miku model. There  is also a video of Light Song (by kz/livetune, no less) that has a Miku model with a slightly odd face: perhaps it's just an unfortunate effect of the close-up shot that shows this.

Overall, it looks to have been an interesting and innovative event – especially the 360-degree 'skylight theatre' in the dome...

The PMX 2013 Concert

As better quality video has been promised, I had hesitated to put up the interim (lower quality) videos here; but it is getting a little long for me to not post anything substantial from the Synthesized Reality Productions (SRP) Vocaloid Concert at PMX 2013 earlier this month.

Therefore I have relented, and here is the first part of the concert (starting at 2 minutes 50 seconds in), with the four other parts easy to follow on to from the end of this clip.

The first part of this six-part suite of clips was all pre-concert, so I have gone straight to part 2. It does give a fair idea of what happened.

As it starts with GUMI, and the first song is by Mitchie M (Freely Tomorrow), and Miku's first song is Neutrino, I strongly suspect a neutrinoP influence at work, though I could be wrong and it's all just coincidence that it's his favourite performer and favourite producer right at the start.

For some reason, Rin sounds especially nice in her opening duet with Len, Remote Control.  I felt quite 'awww' toward her, yet again!

If you don't mind your jaw dropping, just wait until you get the Wonderful Nippon trio, including CUL and Lily (I didn't recognise the amazing lady in the middle, but probably should have). I doubt anyone in the audience was expecting anything quite like that!

It was great that Miku was in her Senbonzakura outfit for that closing song – though I don't envy the person who had to sweep up all those cherry blossoms afterward(!)

One oddity is that Yukari seems somewhat anorexic, and is also mirror-imaged, as is Gumi (note which side the former's hair adornments are on, and the latter's garter, also Miku and the others' waist straps). Saddo that I am, I notice these things. Hopefully it is only this video that is (apparently) back to front, and the concert was presented the right way around...

A Flavour of Magic

Here is a video of a couple of very short snippets from each of the songs performed at the recent Magical Mirai 2013 concert, featuring all six Crypton Vocaloids in solos, duets and one trio.

It gives an idea of what the event was like, a lot more broadly than just one song – even though the one I featured here a few weeks ago was the jaw-dropping staging of Ryo's Odds and Ends. Here we have the lot, sampled, and topped & tailed with the aid of some nifty graphics.

It comes as no surprise that the range of models, costumes and some new (to me at least) songs raised the bar yet again, along with the extra-wide screen (just how wide is that thing?) and some completely new motions even for established songs.

On top of that, we once again get to realise, however briefly, just how good the Vocaloid composer/producers are, their material easily up there with the best in the conventional music arena, more often than not. Remember: it hasn't been tampered with by publishing agents, session musicians (though the live band here won't be quite the same as the original released version), recording engineer, studio acoustics and effects, or a human lead performer (or two, or three).

These works are essentially straight from the composer's thoughts and intentions for his or her creation to the audience – which is perhaps the single strongest reason why the fan community is so dedicated without (except in a few cases!) too 'fannish'. Here we go...

Miku and Friends at Gateshead

This is all but the first few songs of the Gateshead concert put on by MikuUK (or 'UK39' as they now prefer to be called), video-ed from within the (somewhat chatty at times) audience. Yes, the focus drifts from time to time, but it gives a good idea of how it went.

Actually, for a fan-based vocaloid concert, it's quite good, and some is really good. Rin and Len at the start are rendered extremely clearly, brightly, and do have a three-dimensional appearance that is getting on for as good as one gets at the official events.

The motion is generally good quality, if a little unambitious much of the time (these aren't the 'official' motions for these songs) and in a couple of numbers Miku appears to be rollerblading (that 'sliding feet syndrome' I have discussed before), but overall it's a good effort. More motion capture would make a world of difference, rather than trying to create motions by bone manipulation(!)

The live band is welcome, and are quite good, though unsurprisingly not in the league of the now-legendary 39s who performed at several of the big concerts in Japan in 2011 and (I think) early 2012. The sound mix is nearly always excellent, unusually well done, I'd say. It is clear that the whole team has put a lot of hard and dedicated work into their events, in fact, breaking new ground for us here in the UK.

Anyway, here's 35 minutes of the Gateshead event, which I hope you'll enjoy despite the technical issues of focus and audience chat in places...

GUMI Reception Mini-Concert

Just appeared at YouTube today! A few weeks ago, the ASEAN Conference had its dinner party, and Gumi performed (with live musicians) a short concert lasting just twenty minutes. Here it is, in full. It's actually very good and even features some English (Gumi is bilingual) and a couple of costume changes.

Although the projected image isn't quite as realistic as the SEGA/Crypton events achieve, it is certainly good enough. I think many visitors here should enjoy this.

There was an earlier version of the event on video, with just one camera position, which really wasn't good enough for posting here;but this is the multi-camera edited version and it's genuinely very good, with interesting accompaniment including Japanese traditional drums, unusually. The English songs are particularly well done. Tick ti-ti tick...

UPDATE: Here are the song titles...

1. Setsuna trip
2. Miraculous Encounter
3. Country Road
4. Maigo no boku ni (I've been lost)
5. Yume Chizu 

Boris at Conference 2013

Now uploaded in an embeddable form, though a bit late to insert into the previous post, so here it is, where it deserves to be – on its own, where it stands quite happily...

Conservative Party Autumn Conference 2013

This was an interesting event. It lacked the sheer fire of some they've held in recent years, but was solid if a little plodding at times.

The biggest issue is, of course, that the sheer cost of attending (including travel, accommodation, the event itself and any incidental expenditure) is nowadays so high that few ordinary members are in a realistic position to attend. Consequently, the emphasis has changed to suit the primary audience, which tends to be lobbyists and party hacks.

This applies to all the other parties as well, of course; but usually the Conservative conference is head and shoulders above  all the others, and has been for nearly a decade at least (2005 marked a real sea change that even the press pack recognised at the time).

Even Boris Johnson yesterday was less jokey than usual and more serious than he is inclined to be at these annual events. What he did was good but not outstanding. Interestingly, that seems to have been the theme for this year's conference in general: it's all good stuff, solid and at least factual (though I am sure there are hairs to be split by those determined to do so), but not a great deal for the headline writers to use with any degree of power behind them.

Even the Prime Minister's speech, good though it was, fell noticeably behind his best of recent years. His podium-tapping moments and others intended to induce applause, were just that little bit too obviously pre-planned. Not that the points he made weren't valid, but this could have been handled better I think.

Although as a businesslike mid-term party conference it would have been fine, with just eighteen months or so to the General Election is was a little too tame, I think.

One highlight from this morning was young Zantain, a twelve-year-old going to a free school and so obviously very proud of that fact. The lady was actually brilliant, and rightly received a standing ovation for her contribution. Michael Gove was almost on the edge of his seat throughout, seeing the realisation of his dreams for the free schools scheme speaking directly to him and us.

If that goes up on-line (it hasn't yet: I have checked several ways, to be sure) I shall, if possible, embed it here: otherwise I'll post the link to it if it can't be embedded. Meanwhile, just uploaded, here's David Cameron's conference-closing speech in full...


Overall, this has as usual been the best quality and most trustworthy of all the party conferences so far this autumn, but not the most memorable. I have a feeling it's a building block toward next year's pre-election conference, which ought to be a real blockbuster of an event, referencing this year's foundation stones laid in advance of what looks like it could even be an election-winning campaign.

This is a good thing: present generations now know what a coalition government is like, its pluses and its minuses. I don't think all that many feel the need to continue in the same vein after this term, so I feel a shift in the political will of the nation at large.

They could well vote in a Conservative majority government in 2015, and this week's event in Manchester has laid some of the foundation for such an outcome. It might not have been the most exciting of events, but in the grand scheme of things it might turn out to have been one of the most significant.

Excitement at Conservative Conference

A 'save our NHS' demonstration was happening outside the Manchester conference centre where the Conservative Conference is being held, earlier today. It was of a decent size, but nothing like the one tweeted by Labour's Andrew Gwynne MP and Angela Eagle MP, which was of an obviously completely different demonstration. It looks like an anti-war protest that was held during the Labour years (it was an anti-Iraq war demo!)

There was also some heckling during Philip Hammond's speech livened up what was a somewhat so-so first day at the Conservative Autumn Conference. I couldn't make out what the beef was; but Philip handled it very well, I thought, as did the security staff.

What a contrast to the Walter Wolfgang incident at a Labour conference a few years ago! Yjis was managed and dealt with in a vastly better way.

Here's today's incident, courtesy of ITN News via Telegraph TV...



For comparison, this is a BBC item on the Walter Wolfgang incident, from which most of the unpleasantness has (conveniently?) been edited out....

Miku's Sixth Birthday at Yokohama

Yes, Miku was back in Yokohama for her birthday, as last year, but not in water mist in the bay this time. Instead there was an indoor performance in one of those typical packed-with-thousands auditoriums that we have come to accept as the norm with Miku concerts. On this occasion there were some fifteen thousand in the audience. This was the Magical Mirai 2013 event I mentioned here recently.

For this song we have what seems to be a completely new staging of the Ryo (of Supercell) classic Odds & Ends, of which I am not a hundred percent in favour over the original – but there it is, and it certainly very lifelike in terms of Miku's movements. There are no English words this time, but we don't really need them and I have pointed to sources before. Note that there are actually six musicians performing over Miku's head: usually at such events there are four or five.

This video has just today been uploaded, some two weeks (and a day) on...