Ringo News 2015

[tsukigimehime]

I wonder about this a lot with Japanese industry stuff. (I also wonder stuff like do artists have to pay for their own goods, like the tshirts they might wear during encores etc.) Is it customary to give famous guests their seats for free at shows in other countries?

I think most of the recognizable celebrities would have enough money to pay for their own seat anyway, but I'd also be interested in knowing. I wonder if Hata would say anything if asked, since he tends to talk to fans on twitter...

[zeroryouko]

I'm not sure the situation in Japan, but for artists that play here, generally they have a guest list and/or a certain number of "comp" tickets that the artist can give out. Usually this is specified as part of the contract between the artist and the venue. Generally it would be the responsibility of the attendee to either procure tickets or get themselves onto the guest list in advance. That's not to say that if someone famous just showed up, they couldn't ask whoever was at the gate to tell the artist that so-and-so was here and they'd probably get in.

The flip side of this is that it's not uncommon for people who want to support the artist to forego this and make a show of paying for the ticket, even if they probably could get in free.

[zeroryouko]

Originally Posted by tsukigimehime

And... I can? Though since I'm a millennial and all, it will just be the track name followed by a different gif of someone crying :,(

Since you are going to her birthday show, I would expect it to be extra-special. They might be taping it for eventual DVD release...you've got a good chance of her previewing a new song...she might make some sort of announcement...it might be the best show of the whole tour. I am extremely envious, and wish to live vicariously through your experience.

[tsukigimehime]

Originally Posted by zeroryouko

Since you are going to her birthday show, I would expect it to be extra-special. They might be taping it for eventual DVD release...you've got a good chance of her previewing a new song...she might make some sort of announcement...it might be the best show of the whole tour. I am extremely envious, and wish to live vicariously through your experience.

I went to the birthday show for Toutaikai as well, but nothing special happened except no one expected her to put the mic toward the audience during MaruSa so the voices were very sparse and she just kind of laughed but kept the song going (think a spottier response than happens in the actual DVD)

I think quite a few people from here are going to the same show (gekokujou and some others, if I recall) so I look forward to their thoughts as well, but I'll try to do my part despite work fighting to keep me and Ringo apart I hope you have an opportunity to see her live someday!!

And thank you for the insight into how comp tickets work! I'm sure the system here is similar as well.

[deadgrandma]

You never know, Kou Shibasaki's single comes out that day too, maybe she'll make a guest appearance or some shit.

[zeroryouko]

Originally Posted by deadgrandma

You never know, Kou Shibasaki's single comes out that day too, maybe she'll make a guest appearance or some shit.

I'm thinking that maybe Ringo performs it live.

[zeroryouko]

Originally Posted by tsukigimehime

And thank you for the insight into how comp tickets work! I'm sure the system here is similar as well.

If you would like to read more about it, here is a good place to start: The Smoking Gun - Backstage. A few of these documents describe the comped tickets/guest lists. There also appears to be a practice wherein various entities in the music industry try to reserve blocks of tickets directly with the venue (presumably to give to their own VIPs); see the Katy Perry rider for one such example (where she explicitly attempts to prohibit this practice, since it would basically take money out of her hands).

I'd love to see Ringo's backstage rider, but I've searched for it off and on over the years and have so far struck out.

[mrnarse]

Originally Posted by zeroryouko

I know, it's a mock-up that Toyota is showing off to hype their recent announcement of an initiative to phase out gasoline engines by 2050 in favor of fuel cells. (We'll see.) That fact makes their choice to use Ringo for the voice over even more puzzling, IMO.

Maybe it's some sort of oblique reference to the Tsumi to Batsu PV.

If you remember a few months ago she was on a committee discussing what Tokyo should be like in 2050, so this future technology stuff fits into that.

[zeroryouko]

Originally Posted by mrnarse

If you remember a few months ago she was on a committee discussing what Tokyo should be like in 2050, so this future technology stuff fits into that.

That's a good point. Although now I am imagining her as the voice of The System, the central network to which every car, computer, and electronic gadget in Neo-Tokyo is connected. Dystopia...or utopia?

[deadgrandma]

I'd much rather Jun Togawa's voice in my car tbh... far more interesting and nuanced.

Listen to her spoken word work in the Shijin no Ie or Histoire du Soldat releases if you don't believe me.