SCANDAL performs 27 songs at their first solo outdoor live in commemoration of their 10th anniversary; 「If it's the four of us, it feels like we can go anywhere」

SCANDAL, an all-girl band representing Japan, celebrated their tenth anniversary this year. On 8/21, the day of their formation, they held their first solo outdoor live in Osaka, the stage of the band's formation. They played lengthy total of 27 songs in about 2 1/2 hours. We will be reporting on their memorial live.

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Under the summer sun with the highest temperature in Osaka that came close to 37°C/98.6°F, people wearing SCANDAL t-shirts entered right after another from when the first gate opened at 11 am, the venue already filling up with love for SCANDAL. Audience members from overseas standing out is proof that the quartet has made an impression in foreign countries.

As for the time until the main performance's start time of 4:30 pm, many things were prepared for the fans' enjoyment. Food booths and a booth where one could take pictures while holding the same model instruments that the members use were set up, and 『Deren no!? SCA FES!?』 was also held on a special truck stage. 「Style」, 「lip tone」, 「R-glay」, and 「Alisan」 were four groups who were chosen in the competition to perform. 「Namamugi Otome Band」, the winners of the 『6th SCANDAL Copy Band・Vocalist Contest』 held last November, made for a total of five groups, and each of them unrolled SCANDAL cover songs. The bands with slightly different compositions than their originators with keyboards and dual vocals as well as bands that appeared in school uniforms reminiscent of when SCANDAL first started out made for quite a spectacular sight. There were people who sat down on the lawn and enjoyed relaxing, and there were also people who were spinning towels and getting excited. It thoroughly increased the expectations for the main performance.

Then, at 16:30, “SCANDAL 10th ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL『2006-2016』” finally began.

When the quartet appeared on stage enveloped in loud cheers, they first stood in the center and waved. Then, with HARUNA's yell of 「Let's goー!」, they swiftly began with 「LOVE SURVIVE」. As they continued with the pop number 「BEAUTeen!!」 and got the venue quickly excited, HARUNA said, 「Welcome to our 10th birthday! Today is also RINA's birthday. How about we celebrate together?」 and led into 「Happy Birthday」. The call of 「Yeah!」 from the venue united everyone, and a party mood was at full throttle. Moreover, when HARUNA said 「Water's coming～」 as they began 「Taiyou Scandalous」, water was sprayed at the crowd. The overlapping choruses of the quartet elevated the excitement and instantly brought the mood to a crescendo.

When HARUNA then said, 「We brought along the strongest set list of our 10 years. Let's make this the best day ever!」, the refreshing and sentimental 「Yoake no Ryuuseigun」 that's just like the girls had the venue swaying from left to right and created a sense of unity. Furthermore, with the summer tune 「Uchiagehanabi」 with drums and vocals in unison as well as a ＜Kimi ga daisuki da yo＞ lyric that sticks in your head coupled with the sea breeze blowing into the venue, the summer scenery was imprinted into everyone's mind's, exactly like what HARUNA said: 「Let's make great memories together」.

What flowed out to change that sentimental atmosphere was the drum intro to 「DOLL」. The buzz of 「Oh～」's sounded from the venue and an "advance notice" of 「Do you have your towels?」 from HARUNA. A sharp guitar sounded out. When they broke into the chorus, the spray of water reappeared and towels were spun around. The excitement along with the changing tune accelerated things up. As if dealing the final blow, the speedy 「Shunkan Sentimental」 had the venue clapping and calling out 「Oi! Oi!」. The audience, stirred up by HARUNA's 「Sing!」, raised their voices, and it was conveyed that not only the members but everyone there was enjoying the same moment with full force.

Not just the fans but the members too were heated up by the same thing. Cooling down for a moment for an MC, TOMOMI put a towel on her head to "discharge." Seeing that, MAMI prodded, 「Are you okay? (laughs)」, showing everyone a heartwarming scene. Divulging an inside story about how their manager was the one spraying water, HARUNA conveyed her feelings and said, 「We really do help each other out as good friends」. With 「Now for a cooling down song...」, the live moved into the latter half.

「Switch」 is unique to this all-girl band, and when they had everyone listening to rock that's supple and has a strong core, they continued with 「Aitai」 with a beat and melody where you feel their footsteps of ten years. When HARUNA switched to an acoustic guitar, she said, 「This is a song that I'd like everyone to sing together with me」. She began playing 「Sayonara My Friend」 solo, raising the sadness up to 200%. Playing 「Sisters」 next bounced the venue back to feeling good and returned the uplifting mood. When HARUNA said, 「The sun is setting; you're thinking how it's going to end soon? There's still much more to come today! (laughs)」, TOMOMI said, 「It's pretty long～? (laughs)」, delighting the audience.

They talked about reminiscent stories of when they first formed. When RINA talked about how, before the members first met, they exchanged e-mail addresses and MAMI sent a lengthy e-mail to her but nothing came from HARUNA, HARUNA said, 「That! RINA was scared of me.....(laughs)」, expanding their stories about looking back on their ten years. Continuing, HARUNA conveyed her feelings: 「Ten years have passed since the four of us met. We played lives to an audience of zero when we began playing street lives, so we feel extremely happy that we get to play in front of many people today」 as they headed into 「LOVE ME DO」. After the carefree falsetto spread out an exhilarating feeling across the spacious venue, HARUNA said, 「Boom boom clap! Move your body」, the powerful rhythm of 「Stamp!」 and the broad band sound of their latest single 「Take Me Out」 that was written for this live captivated the audience with their expressiveness. Above all, the sight of TOMOMI, HARUNA, and MAMI playing closely together was ridicuously cute.

When MAMI said, 「Is it okay if I sing the next song? Please kick up a storm!」 and 「Koe」, with lead vocals by MAMI, resounded, exceptionally loud cheers erupted. Keeping the excitement going, the audience danced and raised their fists in the air for 「Awanai Tsumori no, Genki de ne」 and entrusted their bodies to the rock beat of 「EVERYBODY SAY YEAH!」. The excitement remained even as night fell. The live headed into its climax. 「Image」 began from HARUNA's shout of 「Last songー!」. As the upbeat tune with a positive message was delivered by SCANDAL, who has been running for ten years, and captivated everyone, the main performance came to a close.

The calls for an encore never ceased, and in reply the quartet reappeared on stage as if saying "We're not done yet!" They once more started their act at full force from 「Rock'n Roll」. The venue was once again set ablaze with the punchy number as lights that illuminated the venue spread out in the back as night fell.

Furthermore, they successively announced two happy surprises! HARUNA said, 「Since everyone came out to Osaka today,we'll be going to see you in your cities next!」 and they announced their 47 prefecture tour that will be held next spring. Then, they announced a release: 「Before the tour we'll be releasing a best album! It might be out around next February」. Additionally, because the songs on this work will be selected from votes online, a thunderous applause naturally erupted. Continuing from there, as HARUNA finished saying 「Looking back on these ten years, it feels like it's gone by fast. Every time 8/21 would pass each year, we thought of how the four of us spent another year together...... We would be excited every year, wondering what the next year would turn out to be like. Celebrating our tenth year, it's still the same now. But, the happiest thing is that the four of us have celebrated our tenth anniversary together. For the four of us to have been able to continue together is close to a miracle, but if it's the four of us, it feels like we can go anywhere. We've put in those kinds of thoughts......」, they began playing 「Hachigatsu」. Each word and sound of the song that was written while remembering the summer ten years ago when the four of them met touched everyone's hearts.

The celebratory mood is the current SCANDAL! As if to say that, they jumped and danced to the live anthem 「SCANDAL BABY」. On stage, TOMOMI and MAMI gathered around HARUNA's mic and a happy aura was emitted with huge smiles on their faces. Along with the member introductions, each of the members delivered a message. 「This turned out to be a wonderful anniversary. Thank you!」 (Cheers of 「Happy birthday!」 came from the audience) 「I'll do my best as a 25-year-old. Best regards!」 (RINA) / 「This was seriously the best! It was so much fun! I'm so happy we got to celebrate our tenth anniversary with everyone」 (MAMI) / 「This band is the first thing in my life that I've continued for ten years. Today is such a special day for SCANDAL, and it's become a very important day for me」 (TOMOMI) / 「Thank you so much for today. There's still much more to come for SCANDAL. We'll see each other again!」 (HARUNA)

The final song, the exciting rap call-and-response 「SCANDAL IN THE HOUSE」, began. All of the members performed with their entire bodies, holding handheld mics and running around from one end of the stage to the other. The venue too was excited and shouted up a storm. The curtain didn't close on tears of happiness; they brought it to a close in a SCANDAL-like way, with smiles on their faces and with a boundless feeling of happiness.

After that, the quartet turned their backs to the venue and took a commemorative picture. They then took their leave by lengthly waving to the crowd. The fans' passion didn't cool down as 「SCANDAL BABY」 played on the speakers and a resounding chorus continued, and the band showed astonishment as if responding to those singing voices. As expected from a tenth anniversary memorial live, skyrocket fireworks were launched from the shore opposite to the seaside venue and a number of large flowers bloomed in the night sky. Those there gazed up at them instinctively, making them just as vivid as the memories of today.