PINK LADY: UNFORGETTABLE FINAL OVATION Greetings, fellow Pink Lady Fans. This Trooper is happy to provide youz with a personal review of the UFO concerts from start to finish. Concert 1: 26-May-2005 Southpaw was the first song on the Ladies’ agenda. They come out wearing red spangly dresses – looking elegant as always. This was a rather shortened version of the song; I’m guessing they shortened it a bit to make room for all their hit songs. Next song: Wanted! Although shortened yet again, it was another great performance by two great ladies. Then they introduce themselves and go into a few announcements. Although I speak almost no Japanese, I can only guess that they needed a drink or two before they could go on with the rest of the show. Then they talk some more. Oh how I wish I knew Japanese so I could fully understand what they were saying! Then it’s song time once again. This time, they go into 3 English-language songs: I Want To Give You My Everything, Strangers When We Kiss…and their most popular English-language song: Kiss In The Dark! Another break! They start talking some more, but I don’t know what the hell they’re saying. Nonetheless, I love Pink Lady enough to keep the DVD going. Then there’s a musical interlude that allows a costume change. Then we go into the next song: Carmen ’77! In this song, they are dressed in sparkly black dresses. And don’t hyperventilate or anything like that… otherwise I’ll have to send out an SOS to Mie and Kei! Now is not the time for a disappearing act! (song performed: Tomei Ningen [Invisible Man]) Time for another costume change!!! Ten-hut! The Chameleon Army wants you as a new recruit! Uh-oh! Better stay indoors! A Monster is running loose in the streets of Japan! Another break! It looks as if MIE is getting tired and wants to call it a night, but KEI pulls her back and insists that she can’t finish the show without MIE. Forget Jeff Altman; Pink Lady is funny enough – although I still don’t understand a word they are saying! Next, they rock it out with World Hero History! They rock it out at their absolute best in this UFO Concert! The next song is a decent rendition of Do Your Best; two male dancers help add some excitement to the performance. Next, they go into Zipangu; the first part is live, and the second is a sort-of music video finisher. Time for another costume change as the backup dancers entertain the crowd for a little bit. Then it’s another English-Language classic: Show Me The Way To Love. For this performance, they are dressed almost like “twin beauty queens”. Then again, they are always the greatest Japanese beauty queens that this Trooper has had the privilege to see. After Show Me The Way To Love is another slow song (Editor's Note: that song is called The Milan Rose). Although I have never heard this song before, it is still beautiful. Next up is a very well known classic ballad: OH! This song had me in tears during the final riffs. Obviously there was an intermission, because the scenery went into a rather upbeat segment that started out with Dancing in the Halls of Love. And not only did the mood pick up – but MIE & KEI just popped up out of nowhere! WOW! What a way to start a new segment! Next, they dazzled the crowd with some fancy gestures… which led to Love Countdown! Then they introduce the dancers – who then go into some equally dazzling mini-solos! Next, I hope you got your best dancing shoes in gear if you wish to join the Monday Mona Lisa Club! Another break! This time, they point out that some audience members (mostly pairs – and even some guys [yuk!]) are wearing some of the best Pink Lady outfits. After that little segment, they go into Nagisa No Sindbad (Sindbad at the Beach)… and somehow, their outfits went from blue to red! What – did they suddenly pull off a layer between the opening riffs and the first verse? Next, they went into a rocking rendition of Nami Nori (Surf Riding) Pirates. Next is an all-time PL favorite: Pink Typhoon! Another break! Time for MIE & KEI to converse with audience again… before going into another awesome rendition of Sergeant Pepper (Pepper Keibu)! Next… it would seem as if they are ending the show… or are they? I mean – they took their bows and said their thank-yous… but the cameras are still rolling! Then some other stage stuff comes in… followed by a bright light… IT’S THEM! It turns out they’re not done after all; they go right into a stellar rendition of UFO! And now… on to a rather emotional interlude leading to Two From The Star (Hoshikarakitafutari). After they finished speaking, the music started – bringing tears to my eyes almost instantly. I even sang along with them at the very end when they went acapella. After each bow they took, I gave them a thumbs-up. After each time they said “Arigato”, I thanked them back. After they came together in the middle, there was a crazy-ass light show, and then they just disappeared. Then the scene cut to them walking away, merging with the stars before becoming stars themselves. Then the two new stars, MIE and KEI, merged with the universe – going far up into the sky, there was this small message in Japanese that scrolled across the screen (Damn, I wish I knew Japanese so I knew what was written there!). Thus closing out part 1 of the UFO Concert Series. =========================
Concert 2: 27-May-2005 Here we go. Just before the show begins, we see an audience full of Pink Lady fans all decked out and ready to sing along with the guests of honor. Then comes the announcement: “Ladies and Gentlemen, appearing here tonight for their last performance together… please welcome PINK LADY!” Now LET THE SHOW BEGIN! The first song they perform on the 27th of May 2005 is Your Toast Girl. Then they go into a rather past-paced Lady-X. For their next song… oh no! Don’t tell me you need mouth-to-mouth resuscitation again! Send out an SOS! Then it’s introduction time! I’ll give you a general idea on what they might have said: “Welcome to our final concert!” “Mie here!” “Kei here!” After that, I have no idea what they are saying… but I keep the DVD going. They keep talking until…We are now blessed with another classic performance. Song performed: Pink Apple (Pinku No Ringo). After that, the Ladies sing about the Mystery Man With A Pipe. Oh no! Lock your doors and stay off the streets! The Monster has returned! Next come two more classic B-side songs: Papaya Corps and Run Away Lady! Then it’s another dialogue segment. In this, they introduce the band – and the backup singers. And then… just when you thought only women knew how to play hard-to-get, Pink Lady prove us all wrong when they sing about a man who plays hard-to-get in Wanted. Next is another PL classic that has grown on me: Agiri Giri. I was especially touched by MIE’s adlibs at the end. After that, Carmen ’77. And after that is Invisible Man (Tomei Ningen). Oh – here is where they made the song interesting: MIE & KEI disappear… and in their place, eight little girls are dancing on stage along with the music! How cute! Next up… oh here we go again. Ten-hut! The Chameleon Army wants you as a new recruit! Next up… there must have been an intermission because there was a brief moment of silence before we see MIE & KEI in their fancy pink mini-dresses and singing three songs from their beginning days before the Pink Lady craze began… one of which being Heya Wo Dete Kudasai, their famous audition song on “Birth of a Star” (Star Tanjo). Next up, they go into their regular set with Strangers When We Kiss (Utakata) and Fame before changing clothes yet again for…A little something for all the baseball fans: Southpaw! And then, they get the whole crew on stage with them for Pink Typhoon! After that, they once again go into my absolute favorite PL song of all time: Sergeant Pepper (Pepper Keibu). And to end the show, they sing my favorite emotional ballad: OH! During the final riffs of the song, this Trooper was in tears. Not to downplay the first farewell concert they did in 1981, but the ending of this concert was a real tear-jerker for me. Each time they bowed to the audience, I said “I love you Pink Lady!” And each time they thanked the audience, I thanked them back. To all my fellow Pink Lady fans, I hope you enjoyed reading this review as I enjoyed watching these legendary ladies perform together. Once again, I thank my fellow Chicagoan Joshua Parris for bringing Pink Lady back to my attention back in 2009, I thank Jeffrey Branch for creating the “Pink Lady America” website, and I thank Mitsuyo Nemoto & Keiko Masuda for bringing Pink Lady to this world. And most of all, I thank all of you for loving Pink Lady as much as I do. See ya next time, Think Pink, and God Bless. |
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