Libera on Japan TV

While 9 Libera boys were signing autographs and meeting fans at 2 record stores yesterday, 13 Libera boys appeared on a TV show in Osaka. They sang "Angel" with Isaac singing the solo as on the CD. The interviewer then spoke to Taichi in Japanese. I can't understand a word of it, but it was so cute because Taichi is cute. :D



This is the video of it. It is a little blurry from recording the actual TV. Thank you to tomobarbie for posting it!

Libera at Universal Studios Japan

Libera performed at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka today. It was magical!!! 

You can see Libera performing Song of Life and Angel in the video above. I love the flying and dancing angels! You can also see the entire concert by watching on this link -

https://www.periscope.tv/w/1lPKqQgomDmKb

Libera sang 5 songs - 

1. Joy to the World
2. Carol of the Bells - high notes by ? and Alex Gula
3. Sanctus - last "Sanctus" by Merlin
4. Song of Life - solo by Ciaran
5. Angel - solo by Isaac (this is USJ's theme song for Christmas)

Speeches were done by Alessandro and Ciaran with Taichi interpreting into Japanese. They mentioned how impressed they all were with Japan's performance in the World Cup.

During the concert there were beautiful images projected on the wall behind the boys, and during "Angel" there were dancing angels on the stage above them! Fantastic!

Universal Studios Japan Concert

Universal Studios Japan in Osaka

Universal Studios map

Libera is in Osaka, Japan for a very special concert at Universal Studios Japan and so is our friend Patrick from France. He took all of the pictures to share with fans. Thank you, Patrick.

The concert was at Stage 33 in the Hollywood section of the park (#22 on the map). Only 400 people got to attend, and the tickets sold out in 10 minutes! What a special concert.

Universal Studios Stage 33

Friendly employee at the entrance

Line waiting to get into concert

It was a "Christmas in Summer" concert with lots of great surprises. There are 20 boys here along with the staff. 

1.   Marc Alvares
2.   Shay Balsekar
3.   Ciaran Bradbury-Hickey
4.   Merlin Brouwer
5.   Gabriel Collins
6.   Kavana Crossley
7.   Thomas Delgado-Little
8.   Alex Gula
9.   Matthew Jansen
10. Timothy Lee
11. Isaac London
12. Alessandro MacKinnon-Botti
13. Micael Menezes
14. Alex Montoro
15. Oliver Mycka
16. Cassius O'Connell-White
17. Taichi Shinokubo
18. Camden Stewart
19. Sam Wiggin
20. Lucas Wood

Stage with Robert Prizeman's seat in front center

Piano and musicians seats

Musicians seats

Interior

Audience filling up the seats

There were so many cameras. Some looked like television station cameras and some fans were interviewed by the press, so watch for Libera to be on tonight's news. There was also a camera on an overhead boom, so maybe the concert is being filmed for a mini-DVD or a special feature DVD in a new CD. Japan is great about producing those!

Large boom camera - filming for a DVD?! :D

Many cameras for television news!

 
An extra special surprise was that Mr. Takatsugu Muramatsu, the composer of "Song of Life" which Libera sang and recorded, actually played "Song of Life" while Libera sang it on stage! How thrilling!

Here is a video of part of "Song of Life." Isaac is singing the solo, and you can see Mr. Muramatsu playing the piano at the beginning.

Photo by Osaka The Page JP

Ciaran and Taichi gave the first speech. Taichi's part was so long that he had it written on a paper that he kept folded up in his sleeve. Both boys are wonderful speakers and do such a good job. This is the video of parts of the first 5 songs and Taichi and Ciaran speaking.

Photo by Osaka The Page JP

Then an even bigger thrill, the encore song was the world premiere of Takatsugu Muramatsu's new song "Angel." Isaac sang the solo and Mr. Muramatsu played the piano. Patrick said that at the beginning and end of the song, Matthew Jansen stood to the side and played 3 slow notes on a tubular bell with a hammer. Just wow! The single is scheduled for release this Fall. Please let the video be on a new CD/DVD!!! :D

Here is the song list - 

1.  Joy to the World
2.  Carol of the Bells
3.  Sanctus
4.  Exultate
Speech - Ciaran & Taichi
5.  Song of Life - composer Takatsugu Muramatsu on piano

~ Intermission ~ 

6.  Orinoco Flow
7.  Amazing Grace
8.  The Prayer
9.  Wonderful World
10. Wayfaring Stranger
11. Stay With Me
12. Nearer to God
13. Joyful, Joyful

Encore - Angel  (world premier) - solo by Isaac, composer Takatsugu Muramatsu on piano

Just look at the beautiful stained glass projected onto the screen behind Libera! Gorgeous!

Libera waving goodbye!

Libera pictured with Mr. Takatsugu Muramatsu, composer of "Song of Life" and the new song "Angel."

Photo by CinemaCafe.net

Then many fans gathered to wave good-bye to Libera as they boarded their bus.

Alessandro

Oliver

Alex G

Taichi

Congratulations to Libera on a great concert, and congratulations to the 400 fans who got to be there! Thank you again to Patrick for sharing his experience and pictures with us!

Billboard Japan Nomination

Congratulations to Libera!!! They have been nominated for the Billboard Japan Music Awards 2012 in the Classic Artist of the Year section!! You can read about it here and here. 

The awards will be broadcast on December 15 at 16:00 on Terebihokkaido, TV Tokyo, TV Aichi, TV Osaka, Terebisetouchi and Kyushu Broadcasting TVQ.

Hope Libera wins!!!! :D Thank you to Hagy for the information!

Song of Life in Universal Studios Japan Commercial

Congratulations to Libera! "Song of Life" is the music for a new commercial for Universal Studios Japan! They are advertising their special Universal Wonder Christmas celebration which will take place from November 16, 2012 to January 7, 2013. :D

Libera In Japan 2005 ~ 2007 Book

Cover

Here's an awesome surprise! Back in 2008, EMI Classics published a special photo book of Libera's many trips to Japan from 2005 - 2007. There were 1000 copies made in Japan only, so it's a pretty rare book. Fan de LoK bought one of these books from Japan and scanned the pages to share with everyone! This thing is loaded with awesome pictures!

In April 2005, Libera had their first concerts in Japan - April 7 in Tokyo and April 8 in Yokohama.

Look how little they all were! :D

I love the picture on the left of Callum hugging little Zach!

And that alligator is bigger than Jonathan! Back then anyway!

 

Back row: Raoul Neumann, Jake Shortall, Ben Crawley, Conor O'Donnell, Joe Platt, Joe Sanders-Wilde, Sam Abouelfaid

Middle row: James Vereycken, Callum Payne, Jonathan Barrington, Josh Madine, Tom Cully, Sam Leggett

Front row: Liam Connery, Michael Horncastle, Michael Vereycken, Zach Lockett, Ed Day

Not pictured: Anthony Chadney, Sam Coates, Steven Geraghty, Simon Lewis, Chris Robson 

Libera went back to Japan just 6 months later for concerts in Nagoya October 27, Yokohama October 28 and Tokyo October 30.

Having fun at the airport and on the bus.

At a Meet & Greet

Asakusa is an historic area of Tokyo that contains the famous Senso-ji Temple.

I love all of these pictures!

I love them trying to use chopsticks!

February 14-19, 2006, 7 Libera boys went to Tokyo to do a promotional tour for a Japanese TV series called "Ice Wall" that used "Far Away" as its theme song. Libera was interviewed on TV, radio and at a press conference with actor Tamaki Hiroshi. The boys that got to go were Tom Cully, Ed Day, Michael Horncastle, Josh Madine, Conor O'Donnell, Callum Payne and Michael Vereycken. Steven Geraghty also went along but didn't sing.

Then Libera went to Japan in 2007 for concerts in Osaka April 11, Nagoya April 12 and Tokyo April 14.

Bottom left: Josh making a speech!

I love this!

So much candy to choose from!

Top right: Michael hugging Zach.

Middle left: Thumbs up Ed!

This one's great! Steven Geraghty, Zach Lockett, Alex Leggett,

Jakob De Menezes-Wood, Thomas Cole, Tom Cully, Sam Leggett,

Michael Horncastle, Josh Madine, Liam Connery, Jonathan Barrington,

Callum Payne, Ben Philipp, Tiarnan Branson, Ed Day, Michael

Vereycken, Oliver Cole, Joe Snelling, Robert Prizeman

Fiona Pears on violin

I wonder who the other 999 lucky people are who own this book? Thank you to Fan de LoK for sharing his! :D

Libera "Sanctus" on Japanese TV

Libera appeared on Japanese TV today! Thanks to Yuki's friend, Sunflower, we can see the video of it! :D

Cute beginning scene with Kavana, Eoghan, and Carlos handing out the robes to the younger boys. They're so old and responsible now! They all get their robes on, and it's so cute to see them bumping into each other as they all walk around like ghosts.

And could Isaac ham it up more putting his robe on the wrong way?! He is SUCH a goofball! :)

Some of the older boys who are "experts" sit and read while they wait for the younger ones to get ready. And then they go to sing.

Kavana making a funny face.

Eoghan making a funny face that cracks Kav up.

Michael's sooo cute! And Kuba just can't watch any more! :)

Isaac and Michael laughing.

 

Of course they goof off for a bit, and that's ALWAYS hilarious to watch. And oh, by the way, guess who's the director? I noticed him earlier but I wasn't sure exactly what he was there for...yes! Josh!!! He's very professional, and they seem to follow his orders very well.

First Josh says, "OK, positions, guys." And they line up.

"Right to the back of the church." Meaning sing to make your voice hit the back wall. :)

Here I think he says, "Stand up." Or something. :)

They perform a very lovely version of "Sanctus." I think it's live cause you can hear cars driving by outside! I want to know who's singing the high notes! :D

The 14 boys are Michael M, Kuba, Cassius, Eoghan, Matthew R-A, Kavana, Carlos, Luke, Henry, Matthew M, Jude, Dylan, Isaac and Michael U-R. I hope some of the missing boys were just busy studying for exams and that we'll see them at the concerts. :)

And it's like almost immediately after the song is over that the stage is a flurry of activity again. Ah well, I guess that's the joy of working with boys! :)

And hey! Matthew Madine wears glasses! Looking good! :D

Then we get some more cute goofing off stuff. One of my favorite parts was watching Kavana stand there all responsibly and answer questions so calmly while Isaac bounced around behind him begging for the camera's attention. Isaac is just so cute, how could you not pay attention to him?!

Kavana - "Ah, most of our hobbies actually. A lot of us play sport. A lot of us do music of our own like play instruments. Like I play the clarinet and the guitar and stuff. And just other things like that."

At this point Isaac comes from behind and makes bunny ears above Kavana's head. Hahahaha!!

Kavana - "Enjoy myself?" (Isaac still waving to camera) "I don't know. I probably listen to music. A lot of us like music, cause this sets you in the path of music."

Kavana notices Isaac, grabs him, spins him around and says, "He's cheeky. He's very cheeky. His smile. He's very cheeky." Yes, he is! :D

But I could just see Kav all those years ago bouncing around just like that while all the bigger boys answered questions. And then (Mini) Ben before that, and Josh and Tom before that, and you can just keep going back! Ah well...they grow up I suppose. :') lol.

Finally Eoghan just pulls Isaac's hood over his face. So now we know those backwards hoods aren't JUST for keeping food off their robes! It was a great video! And a great advertisement for them in Japan!