"Everyone! Are you happy?! You're happy because you're jumping!!!!"
I immersed myself in the concert of a famous solo singer named Psy, who had crossed over from Korea—Japan's neighbor across the sea—to take the Billboard charts by storm.
Despite having only recently entered the American market, he was sparking a full-blown syndrome. His flamboyant movements and stage presence, perfectly optimized for large-scale concerts, were already becoming legendary.
"(Champion) You, who screams!!"
The man, who had been dancing with a troupe of performers, suddenly sprinted up a flight of stairs integrated into the stage.
As he reached the top, the structure shifted, and an immense volume of water began to cascade over the crowd like a waterfall. To someone like me, who primarily utilized light for visual impact, a stage that weaponized water was a fresh, visceral shock.
Following that, he looked down upon the mass of people like a DJ, conducting the audience while he belted out the lyrics. Every gesture of this 'Star,' every choreographed performance, sent the crowd's adrenaline into a fever pitch.
"Damn, this is it."
It was electrifying. While our focus was on choral harmonies and ensemble playing, this man was communicating with his audience on a far more relentless level.
Wouldn't that style work for us too? He modified the lyrics on the fly and rearranged the tracks on the spot to match the tempo of the fans.
Mastering his music with total freedom, he suddenly charged out onto the protruding runway like a tank.
Seeing him dominate that secondary stage alongside his dancers, I found myself performing a vulgar dance quite unbecoming of a 'Rock Star.'
The very same 'courting dance' I had once performed for my girlfriend.
Regardless, he continued through several more songs, maintaining that unbroken line of communication with the spectators.
I want to build a stage like that, too.
As I let my body surrender to the exhilaration of the performance, I etched every detail of his stage methodology into my mind.
"I hope you all have a happy day!!"
"Where are you going?! Encore! Encore! Encore!"
"Bullshit. Have you started doing drugs like Hide?"
Miyazaki Makoto.
The man serving as both producer and manager for Enfants Terribles immediately voiced his opposition to the bizarre stage concept brought forward by Tanaka Shuji, the bassist.
"Wait, why?! Isn't it great to just play with the crowd??! I even wrote a song that fits perfectly with it!!"
"You idiot. You're a band, not a group of dance idols. Connecting with the audience? Sure, that's important. But looking into that singer you mentioned, he's been performing that way since his debut. It's his identity, and that's why it gets a reaction. But you guys?"
Miyazaki Makoto calmly reasoned with Shuji, who was agonizing over how to make the Knebworth stage the greatest show on earth.
"Our strengths are the ensemble play and the massive sing-alongs. Other performances are just secondary fluff. You're going to throw that away? I was a broadcast PD once, so I can see that singer's concert is killer, but his characteristics are fundamentally different from ours."
"Ugh... damn it!!! My 'We Will Rock You' concept!!!! To think it would be buried like this...!"
Shuji began to vigorously rub his shiny, bald head. Before arriving in the UK, the members of Enfants Terribles were deep in discussion regarding the Knebworth performance.
Aside from Hide, the members were racked with anxiety over how to craft the most world-shaking stage possible.
Designing a stage was just as grueling as producing an entire album. While delegating it to an agency or an event planning firm would have been much easier, Enfants Terribles refused.
A solo concert is a space where artists carve their existence into the hearts of the audience. Leaving such a crucial task to a third party was simply not something a 'Rock Star' would do.
And above all, Enfants Terribles never knew the meaning of complacency. Were they not a collection of troublemakers who craved more even after seizing the world?
Damn it... if only Hide were in his right mind, this would be so much easier...
Miyazaki Makoto glanced at Hide, who was standing further back, smoking a cigarette. Historically, Hide held the initiative within Enfants Terribles because he was the most pioneering and creative figure regarding both songwriting and live direction.
Of course, Hide was thinking about the stage in his own way, matching the effort the others were putting in.
"Before you worry about the gimmicks, you need to structure the stage itself. Shuji, there are several types of protruding runways. Think about those first. The foundation of any stage design starts with determining its basic shape."
"Oh... As expected of the leader!!! Even if his head is a bit fried, the leader is still the leader!"
Shuji, the band's bald bassist, kept scribbling furiously in a sketchbook. Leveraging his experience and knowledge from his past life, Hide continued to pour inspiration into him.
Because there isn't much time left for us to be together.
"The most versatile shape is likely the circle. It provides plenty of space for all of us to run toward, and it gives the impression of a second stage. If you're considering a runway, it's best to use this as your baseline. It's the most effective for a band."
"Oooooh.... are there others??!"
"Cross-shapes and baseball stadium layouts. Idol groups use those a lot. They're perfect for spreading out across the venue. If the harmony of the sound isn't the absolute priority, nothing beats them. The stadium layout is great for interacting with as many fans as you want, like you mentioned, but it's difficult for us to pull off properly. And remember, you don't have to stick to just one. You can blend two styles or try something else entirely. Whatever you do, with your skills, it'll be a success."
"Aren't you going to do it, Leader?"
"I think it's about time I passed the torch."
As Hide took a pull from his beer with an expression of one who had let go of everything, Shuji began to chant a single word repeatedly.
"Disassemble!! Combine!! Assemble!!! This is art!!! Art is an explosion!!!!"
He'll do just fine without me now.
Watching Shuji, Hide let a faint smile play across his lips.
Shuji possessed an incredible talent. Specifically, when it came to deconstructing and reconfiguring things, he showed a startling genius that defied comparison.
Knowing this, Hide was content to wait patiently.
Like someone preparing to depart for a place far away, he was readying the world for the time after his disappearance.
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