Comments on: Utada @ The Fillmore at Irving Plaza http://www.theaquarian.com/2010/03/03/utada-the-fillmore-at-irving-plaza/ New Jersey's Oldest Music Alt-Weekly Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:42:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: [meta-jacked] The Aquarian Weekly – Utada @ Irving Plaza NYC « purple SKY – A Japanese Music Collaborative http://www.theaquarian.com/2010/03/03/utada-the-fillmore-at-irving-plaza/#comment-4566 [meta-jacked] The Aquarian Weekly – Utada @ Irving Plaza NYC « purple SKY – A Japanese Music Collaborative Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:23:16 +0000 http://www.theaquarian.com/?p=19417#comment-4566 [...] the rest of the article at The Aquarian Weekly – NJ’s Oldest Alt-Weekly. This SimpleViewer gallery requires Macromedia Flash. Please open this post in your browser or get [...] [...] the rest of the article at The Aquarian Weekly – NJ’s Oldest Alt-Weekly. This SimpleViewer gallery requires Macromedia Flash. Please open this post in your browser or get [...]

]]> By: Daniel http://www.theaquarian.com/2010/03/03/utada-the-fillmore-at-irving-plaza/#comment-3695 Daniel Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:06:08 +0000 http://www.theaquarian.com/?p=19417#comment-3695 "She retained the animatronic stage presence of her stadium performances, which is passable when it’s buttressed by pop spectacle" - What are you talking about? In all of her concerts, the main focus is just her and her music. Her ballads usually create the intimacy you think is lacking and she's really energetic during her more upbeat songs. Her stage presence has always been great and like people already said, she's not your normal type of popstar. That's what makes her unique in a good way of course. “Though Utada has pitch and breathing difficulties” - Since when does she have this? I admit that during Utada United in the few last songs her voice sounded quite tired/ a little raw but that concert had a huge setlist. And most people still enjoyed those songs, I don't know about you though.... In all other concerts she always sounded great. The remixes sound great in this concert. She never got to do a concert for exodus, so she did them here. Isn't it normal to choose a few songs of your previous albums? I don't see how wrong that is. After all it said "in the flesh", that's Utada in the flesh with all her music, what more do you need? This review seems very biased. So on a song the background voices where a little too loud, does it instantly makes it karaoke? And how about reviewing the great parts of the concert? Seems like you skipped on everything positive and just noted everything you SAW as negative. And the review about the Workout was totally out of place. She didn't even perform the song. The fact that her concert tickets sold out in just a few hours and seeing the crowd's reaction during the concert should tell you enough. “She retained the animatronic stage presence of her stadium performances, which is passable when it’s buttressed by pop spectacle” – What are you talking about? In all of her concerts, the main focus is just her and her music. Her ballads usually create the intimacy you think is lacking and she’s really energetic during her more upbeat songs. Her stage presence has always been great and like people already said, she’s not your normal type of popstar. That’s what makes her unique in a good way of course.

“Though Utada has pitch and breathing difficulties” – Since when does she have this? I admit that during Utada United in the few last songs her voice sounded quite tired/ a little raw but that concert had a huge setlist. And most people still enjoyed those songs, I don’t know about you though…. In all other concerts she always sounded great.

The remixes sound great in this concert. She never got to do a concert for exodus, so she did them here. Isn’t it normal to choose a few songs of your previous albums? I don’t see how wrong that is. After all it said “in the flesh”, that’s Utada in the flesh with all her music, what more do you need?

This review seems very biased. So on a song the background voices where a little too loud, does it instantly makes it karaoke? And how about reviewing the great parts of the concert? Seems like you skipped on everything positive and just noted everything you SAW as negative.

And the review about the Workout was totally out of place. She didn’t even perform the song.

The fact that her concert tickets sold out in just a few hours and seeing the crowd’s reaction during the concert should tell you enough.

]]> By: Liz http://www.theaquarian.com/2010/03/03/utada-the-fillmore-at-irving-plaza/#comment-3680 Liz Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:06:11 +0000 http://www.theaquarian.com/?p=19417#comment-3680 “Though Utada has pitch and breathing difficulties” I agree. I went to the concert expecting pitch and breathing problems. This is her main problem and has been since she started. I don't know why people are too delusional into believing she is a great singer or that she never struggled hitting notes. As a singer myself and a fan, it pains me that she hasn't fixed her pitch and breathing when she has the finances to. She has a beautiful, natural tone to her voice that she should learn how to use properly. "But the mixes were plain awful. The drums and prerecorded background vocals were too loud, giving the concert a karaoke feel. During “You Make Me Want To Be A Man,” they drowned out the singer herself." I agree with this. I don't know, the concert itself was okay for my first time. “Though Utada has pitch and breathing difficulties”

I agree. I went to the concert expecting pitch and breathing problems. This is her main problem and has been since she started. I don’t know why people are too delusional into believing she is a great singer or that she never struggled hitting notes. As a singer myself and a fan, it pains me that she hasn’t fixed her pitch and breathing when she has the finances to. She has a beautiful, natural tone to her voice that she should learn how to use properly.

“But the mixes were plain awful. The drums and prerecorded background vocals were too loud, giving the concert a karaoke feel. During “You Make Me Want To Be A Man,” they drowned out the singer herself.”

I agree with this.

I don’t know, the concert itself was okay for my first time.

]]> By: Ta http://www.theaquarian.com/2010/03/03/utada-the-fillmore-at-irving-plaza/#comment-3672 Ta Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:01:21 +0000 http://www.theaquarian.com/?p=19417#comment-3672 YEAH THATS RIGHT!!!!! utada fans UNITE!!!!XD YEAH THATS RIGHT!!!!! utada fans UNITE!!!!XD

]]> By: Pancetta Croccante http://www.theaquarian.com/2010/03/03/utada-the-fillmore-at-irving-plaza/#comment-3666 Pancetta Croccante Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:30:26 +0000 http://www.theaquarian.com/?p=19417#comment-3666 It's refreshing to know that I'm not the only one who feels this way about the extremely esteemed Utada Hikaru. Honestly, I was a fan of hers once, a long time a go when she was something of a true pop star whereby she produced quality songs and had a presence in the Japanese mainstream public via media outside her music alone. In terms of being a pop star, I believe that title certainly doesn't befit Ms. Utada, considering she doesn't seem to enjoy doing live shows/performances (when was the last time she was on MUSIC STATION, etc.?), magazine interviews (when was the last time she shot a cover for any magazine?), etc. Pop stars encompass that overarching star quality, and to say that Hikaru lacks that would be a gross understatement. She's an artist, and she's got a creative mind, I'll give her that, but I think your review of her performance was spot on and is highly reflective of her attitude as an artist both in the U.S. and Japanese markets. I appreciate that you addressed her voice, since I've found that she is incapable of performing setlists longer than four before her vocal "prowess" starts to wane (pick a tour, you name it, she was pitchy, to put it nicely, by the tenth song). As for her lack of commitment to the audience during the performance...well, I think that speaks to her work ethic reflected in her latest releases. ULTRA BLUE and HEART STATION, while entirely produced by her, sounded as if they had been finalized in Garageband. While she may still hold the record for the best-selling Japanese record of all time, it's a shame to see that her once-appropriate title of Japanese pop sensation has gone to waste. Honestly, we all know that a million people would go out to buy a record of hers that was entitled "UTADA HIKARU," had twelve tracks comprised of silence, with a white, textless packaging frame to boot. Such a shame. It’s refreshing to know that I’m not the only one who feels this way about the extremely esteemed Utada Hikaru. Honestly, I was a fan of hers once, a long time a go when she was something of a true pop star whereby she produced quality songs and had a presence in the Japanese mainstream public via media outside her music alone. In terms of being a pop star, I believe that title certainly doesn’t befit Ms. Utada, considering she doesn’t seem to enjoy doing live shows/performances (when was the last time she was on MUSIC STATION, etc.?), magazine interviews (when was the last time she shot a cover for any magazine?), etc. Pop stars encompass that overarching star quality, and to say that Hikaru lacks that would be a gross understatement. She’s an artist, and she’s got a creative mind, I’ll give her that, but I think your review of her performance was spot on and is highly reflective of her attitude as an artist both in the U.S. and Japanese markets. I appreciate that you addressed her voice, since I’ve found that she is incapable of performing setlists longer than four before her vocal “prowess” starts to wane (pick a tour, you name it, she was pitchy, to put it nicely, by the tenth song). As for her lack of commitment to the audience during the performance…well, I think that speaks to her work ethic reflected in her latest releases. ULTRA BLUE and HEART STATION, while entirely produced by her, sounded as if they had been finalized in Garageband. While she may still hold the record for the best-selling Japanese record of all time, it’s a shame to see that her once-appropriate title of Japanese pop sensation has gone to waste. Honestly, we all know that a million people would go out to buy a record of hers that was entitled “UTADA HIKARU,” had twelve tracks comprised of silence, with a white, textless packaging frame to boot. Such a shame.

]]> By: Dex http://www.theaquarian.com/2010/03/03/utada-the-fillmore-at-irving-plaza/#comment-3641 Dex Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:52:36 +0000 http://www.theaquarian.com/?p=19417#comment-3641 You guys never bothered to review any of her her albums or feature her in any interview but you go to her concert and rip it to shreds not knowing anything about her. And then you wonder why her fans are so upset? You should be happy someone is at least visiting your crappy website. You guys never bothered to review any of her her albums or feature her in any interview but you go to her concert and rip it to shreds not knowing anything about her.

And then you wonder why her fans are so upset?
You should be happy someone is at least visiting your crappy website.

]]> By: Patrick Slevin http://www.theaquarian.com/2010/03/03/utada-the-fillmore-at-irving-plaza/#comment-3631 Patrick Slevin Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:05:27 +0000 http://www.theaquarian.com/?p=19417#comment-3631 Okay Utada forum readers. We get it. You don't like the review. But if you're going to comment, keep it clean. Thanks. Okay Utada forum readers. We get it. You don’t like the review. But if you’re going to comment, keep it clean. Thanks.

]]> By: Animatronic http://www.theaquarian.com/2010/03/03/utada-the-fillmore-at-irving-plaza/#comment-3627 Animatronic Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:02:56 +0000 http://www.theaquarian.com/?p=19417#comment-3627 Yes, I was ironic ;) But now at least everyone can judge for themselves. Yes, I was ironic ;) But now at least everyone can judge for themselves.

]]> By: Animatronic http://www.theaquarian.com/2010/03/03/utada-the-fillmore-at-irving-plaza/#comment-3626 Animatronic Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:01:14 +0000 http://www.theaquarian.com/?p=19417#comment-3626 Here is Utada MC form NYC, see how animatronic she is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6jVBBL47Dw Here is Utada MC form NYC, see how animatronic she is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6jVBBL47Dw

]]> By: Kristine Sanchez http://www.theaquarian.com/2010/03/03/utada-the-fillmore-at-irving-plaza/#comment-3620 Kristine Sanchez Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:57:28 +0000 http://www.theaquarian.com/?p=19417#comment-3620 Ms. Goldenberg: I was one of the fans you interviewed for this article and I really feel like you twisted my words to frame your negative review for Utada's show. Yes, I said that I was there to support her American career. Yes, I love her Japanese work and that is how I got into her music but that is mainly because that was the first of her work I got to listen to. That doesn't mean that I FAVOR her Japanese music more than her English music! I'm sure I am speaking for MANY fans of hers. I really enjoy her overall as a true singer/songwriter because she is extremely unique. If I listened to her English work first, I would STILL be a fan of hers. And truly, I want Utada to break big in the United States through her English music and not lean on her Japanese work. I think Island Def Jam markets her TERRIBLY in all honesty because if she had better support, there is no reason why she couldn't cross channels similarly to what Shakira did in the early 2000s. So unfortunately, yes, some of her concert catered to the fans who found her through her Japanese music first. However, it doesn't mean that her English music sucks and her Japanese music is holding up her career here. Kristine Ms. Goldenberg:

I was one of the fans you interviewed for this article and I really feel like you twisted my words to frame your negative review for Utada’s show.

Yes, I said that I was there to support her American career.

Yes, I love her Japanese work and that is how I got into her music but that is mainly because that was the first of her work I got to listen to.

That doesn’t mean that I FAVOR her Japanese music more than her English music! I’m sure I am speaking for MANY fans of hers. I really enjoy her overall as a true singer/songwriter because she is extremely unique. If I listened to her English work first, I would STILL be a fan of hers.

And truly, I want Utada to break big in the United States through her English music and not lean on her Japanese work.

I think Island Def Jam markets her TERRIBLY in all honesty because if she had better support, there is no reason why she couldn’t cross channels similarly to what Shakira did in the early 2000s. So unfortunately, yes, some of her concert catered to the fans who found her through her Japanese music first. However, it doesn’t mean that her English music sucks and her Japanese music is holding up her career here.

Kristine

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