Kana Koike Electone & Piano Live (Sunday, February 4, 2024, at Musica Salon Foresta)

On Sunday, February 4, 2024, "Kana Koike Electone & Piano Live" (organized by Bass On Top) was held at Musica Salon Foresta (Shakujii, Tokyo).

This live performance featured Electone and piano playing by keyboardist and composer Kana Koike (hereinafter referred to as Kana), who has uploaded numerous Electone performance videos to YouTube and has recently appeared in many live concert events.

The venue was "Musica Salon Foresta," located in a quiet residential area in Shakujii, Tokyo. It is a music studio equipped with a Steinway B-211 grand piano and a Yamaha Electone STAGEA ELS-02C.

According to online information, the studio uses quince wood, creating a space that allows the tones to resonate beautifully. The ceiling is also said to be inspired by the moon reflecting on the pond at Shakujii Park.

The following is a report and personal impressions from attending the venue (and watching the streaming archive later).

■ First Half

Many people gathered at the venue to hear Kana's performance, including those who seem to be learning Electone or piano, those who specialize in listening to performances, and those who came with their spouses or friends (the male-to-female ratio was about 3:2), all eagerly awaiting the start of the show.

Also, since a live stream for TwitCasting was being held simultaneously today, many cameras were on standby.

When the start time arrived, I was watching near the waiting room? at the front left of the venue, when unexpectedly?! Kana appeared from the back door, wearing a star-patterned and black-and-white checkered outfit!

The first song of the first live performance of the new year was an Electone medley of "The Phantom of the Opera." It ranged from the terrifying melody that everyone knows to a quiet, flowing melody. It is a popular song among Kana's performances. Personally, "Angel of Music" is my favorite.

This time, although I was in the back, I sat in a seat where I could clearly see the performance, and I was able to confirm that she was playing fine melodic parts that I hadn't noticed before, which felt a bit fresh.

I could also see the foot switches on the right foot being switched frequently, and at the same time, I could see that Kana's legs were shaking with nervousness ((((;ﾟДﾟ))))))) ...

Following "African Symphony," there was a greeting. She thanked everyone for coming, talked about the beautiful tone of the Steinway grand piano installed in the studio, and mentioned the "shaking legs" situation from earlier, before continuing with the piano performance.

The original song "stella." This song, which means "star" in Italian, is a piece that evokes the light twinkling in the night sky. It is famous as the "standard song for ending live streams" on Kana's Pococha live streams, but it has tended to be played early in recent live shows and concerts.

"Hamabe no Uta" (Song of the Seashore). She added that this song, which she arranged herself, was performed at a concert held in the Umekita area of JR Osaka Station, and although the season is different, it is a timely song.

Next was the original song "Shizuku" (Droplet). She explained it as "a song that likens emotions to droplets." (I see...)

Moving to the Electone, Kana performed "It Don't Mean a Thing," a song that was a first for her, high in difficulty, and in a rare genre, while encouraging the audience to clap along. The first half then concluded with her performance of the cheerful and fun "Disco Kid," which was just uploaded to YouTube the other day.

■ Second Half

After a 10-minute break, we in the audience didn't realize it yet, but from here, a 5-song continuous, intense performance by Kana was about to begin 😱

She performed the popular song "RYDEEN" on the Electone, which features a mix of various sounds. Then, the exotic "Theme from The Last Emperor." Moving to the piano, she played "Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki" and "Haru yo, Koi," which are perfect for the current season. Returning to the Electone, she played her signature original song, "Dance of the Red Dragon"...

The performance was so amazing that I was a bit stunned afterward (^^;, but there were others who were watching the performance (such as her fingertips) with rapt attention. That is how powerful the performance was.

During the MC, she mentioned, "I like Asian-flavored music that makes me feel Japan and China, so I connected them and performed them."

Especially in the performances of "Theme from The Last Emperor" and "Dance of the Red Dragon," the resonance of traditional Asian instruments left a very strong impression.

Even after the 5-song streak, after some talk about how (though the nuance might be slightly different) "T-SQUARE songs are like set pieces for Electone YouTubers," she performed T-SQUARE's "CLIMAX" from the Japanese dubbed version of the movie "Gran Turismo"! It was a high-energy performance arranged by Kana, and her feet were moving like crazy!!!

And all too soon, we reached the end of this live concert. Moving to the piano, she played her original song "Mirror Land," which she said was "imagined as having the courage to take on new challenges."

It was a moving song fitting for a finale, and personally, it reminded me of the activities of the past few years, where Kana began taking on YouTube in earnest in 2020, captivating many people with high-quality performance videos and live streams, and having those musical activities recognized, leading to her appearing in numerous concerts, live shows, and events.

After the performance, a huge round of applause was given to Kana, and the live concert was brought to a close.

[Encore & Afterword]

After the audience clapped for an encore, Kana reappeared. After announcing that still photography was permitted, she performed the magnificent orchestral sound of "Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1" on the Electone. Then, "Tabidachi no Hi ni" on the piano. Once again, a huge round of applause was given to Kana, who played her heart out today, and the live concert ended.

It was a fleeting 2 hours with a total of 16 songs performed. After the show, despite being tired, she also politely saw off each and every member of the audience.

Thank you very much for the fun time, including the wide range of genres that fit the season, the delicate and moving performances, the intense 5-song continuous performance, and the interesting talk while checking the audience's reactions!

I was especially happy to hear "The Last Emperor," T-SQUARE's "CLIMAX," and "Mirror Land"!

That concludes the live report and my impressions.

■ From Kana's X (formerly Twitter)

■ From Kana's Instagram (includes setlist & commentary)

　⇒ https://www.instagram.com/p/C29r4rhvXkK/

■ Live Stream Archive

The live performance can be viewed in the archive on TwitCasting until 23:59 on Sunday, February 18. I believe you can purchase streaming tickets until the day of or the day before the viewing deadline (note: payment methods may be limited to credit cards, etc., as the deadline approaches).

　⇒ https://ja.twitcasting.tv/c:hazeatbot/shopcart/272852

(Photos of the performance and MC are from the encore onwards.)
(Text and photography by Electone Performance Video Lover)

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[Live Report Back Issues]

I have listed the reports of Kana's live performances (piano and Electone) that I have written over the past few times.

(That concludes the live report.)