Over 80 people on stage! The true final form of "Linked Horizon Live Tour "Tracks of Progress"": "Sojin Gathering Triumphant Performance"!

On January 13 and 14, 2018, the finale of the "Tracks of Progress" tour, "All Members Convene in Triumph," was held at Yokohama Arena. All the members who participated in the 34 concerts of the tour were invited, and the vocalists who appeared in the "Revo Linked BRAVELY DEFAULT Concert" held by Linked Horizon (hereinafter LH) in 2012 also appeared as guests, making the event look like a celebration unleashed by LH. I would like to look back on the second day, the final day of the final event.

The "Tracks of the Marching Giants" tour was not only a live performance by LH, but also an opportunity to convey the appeal of the work "Shinkage no Kyojin" (The Titan of the Marching Giants). The re-edited images of the anime, which revolved around the characters, combined with Revo's live music filled with love for "Shingeki," made us look at the characters of "Shingeki" with a new heart. To allow the audience to immerse themselves in the world of "Shinkage," not only on stage, but also on this night, the Yokohama Arena was renamed the "Linked Horizon ARENA," and even the male and female markers in the restrooms were dedicated to the hearts.

Meanwhile, inside the arena, people were waiting in front of the towering "First Wall. The moment when the "leader" of the audience, the leader of the Chain Terrestrial Group, would appear.

The moment finally arrived, the wall opened, and Revo was in the center of the five divas spread out on either side. Singing "To You in Two Months," he climbed the stairs and held out his hands against the sunset sea.

Photo: Yusuke Sato

The horns that thrilled Tokyo, the brass that uplifted Sagamihara, the percussion that made Nagoya dance, the harp that enchanted Fukuoka, the woodwind ensemble that shook Sendai, and the quire that intoxicated people in Kawasaki all came together to attack the audience with tremendous pressure. In addition to the animated images projected behind the stage, dancers with visual poi in their hands jumped in at the end of the interlude, and flames stood up at various points, creating a spectacular scene in front of the audience.

As the song came to a close, the leader of the group, who had finished the song by walking to the end of the aisle with the divas, said, "Yo, , 5:00 pm, 5:00 pm, 5:00 pm, 5:00 pm.

Yo ......, it's been five years."

The reason he borrowed Eren's pose and words as he faced the Colossal Titan on the wall is that this was the final concert for LH since November 25, 2012. But if you explore his thoughts on naming this performance as a "triumphant return," it is profound.

If the main part of the tour is a live concert, this performance is a parade. The band had come to "make you listen" to the music, whether it be with more or less orchestral elements for each song, such as "14-character Message" without brass, and "Wings of Freedom" with rock solos by the regular members (Gt.x2 + Ba. + Dr. + Key) that set the audience's hearts aflame.

Photo: Reishi Eguma

The long journey, which was also Revo's first experience, was a great success, but its success was only possible with the help of the main group, including Takeshi Nishiyama and Ittoru Gengen, who went on the entire tour, the elites who were called in at each location, and all the members who followed in the band's footsteps. The final performance of the tour was the last one. On the final stage, the main group and the elite sang, played, and danced with all their might, and in their performance, one could sense their gratitude and appreciation for all those involved. It was truly a "triumphant return," a mutual praise of their achievements, regardless of whether they were on or off the stage.

Photo: Reishi Eguma

But Revo did not stop there. This concert was divided into two parts. What unfolded in the second wall (the second part), which was prepared for the audience who had broken through the first wall (the first part), was a time to invite those who had been exposed to glimpses of "Trajectory" further into the world of LH and the depths of Sound Horizon (hereinafter referred to as SH). It was a time to advance LH and SH songs as if they were a "Horizon set," and after the performance, a careful explanation of the changes from the original songs was given.

For example, "Whereabouts of the Wind" was covered by MANAMI during the "Tracks of Progress" tour, but Ceui, who sang the original song, took over during the triumphant return performance, while MANAMI sang the SH song "Beautiful Things" and played the harmonica, creating a "baton pass" of the Horizon songs.

In the original version of " Kimi ga natteiru sekai (The world where you are born)," the djembe was in charge of the rhythm, but it was changed to a band format for the live performance, but on this night, the djembe returned and played along with the drums. He also explained that such a strange arrangement was hidden in the song, which was probably a gentle way to open the door to LH and SH.

Revo also incorporated the presence of SH fans (i.e., Laurent) into the show. The reason for the waving of the group flags at the top and bottom of the stage during the "Triumphant Return of [Linked Horizon ARENA]" was to indicate that while they were waving, it was the audience's turn to sing, but many of the newcomers would not have noticed this. However, many of the newcomers were shocked to see the senior members of the troupe being led by the leader and invading each other with songs without any explanation, and at the same time, those who had been trained in group behavior by the "Acts of God" on the first wall must have felt how to enjoy the SH world.

Photo: Kaoru Abe

At the end of the second wall, all the members gathered at the front of the stage, hung their heads to the audience, and then the leader of the group said, "Give your heart! and the entire audience responded with "Jaeger" together. Afterwards, only the leader remained and began to sum up the event, but his words made us feel that he himself was hoping for a reunion with those who had gathered and the next festival to be held.

Revo frankly said, "I'm going to miss it. He said frankly, "I'm sad." Although there were some things he could not have done better in his first long trip to the festival, looking back, it was an enjoyable time. Hence, "behind the smile, there is a sense of loneliness," he said. But Revo continued, "It reminds me of what Yvail (a character from the 2006 SH album "Roman") sings in the song "Tale of Morning and Night,"" "That loneliness is our 'jewel. He also said, "That loneliness is our 'jewel'." He added, "This is not the end of the story, but we are moving forward through repeated encounters and partings, and we will be happy if this becomes a single trajectory, and if everyone who shares this loneliness can hold it dear to their hearts as they walk together into the future.

Revo himself expressed his determination, "I will carry the loneliness with me and move on to the next step.

Something next awaits us, something in the future, where loneliness will turn into joy.

Until then, I hope you are all doing well. I know there will be times when you will have a hard time and feel as if you are about to give up. I want you to feel my music and go home.

I will be there in the future."

Photo: Reishi Eguma

Season 3 of the anime has been announced, and the original serialization of "Shinkage no Kyojin" continues to this day. If so, it is possible that Revo will create more hymns to the members of the group (such as a song focusing on Führer Zachary), and we will be able to return to the journey of the march.

Give me your heart! I was thinking about this as I sang "Give me your heart!" with the entire Yokohama Arena crowd, when the stage closed and the words "Third Wall" appeared on the wall, followed by "Look forward to our next attack! By that time, the loneliness will turn into a jewel.

(Reporting and writing by Koji Shimizu)

■"Linked Horizon Live Tour 'Shinkaku no Kiseki' Sojin Gathering Triumphant Return Performance" January 14, 2018 (Sun.) @ Yokohama Arena Set List

[Wall No.1

1. To You in Two Months

(MC)

2. If inside this wall is a house

Kouren no Yumiya (TV anime "Shinkage no Kyojin" Season 1 opening theme song)

4. 14-character message

5. Kouren no Chordinate (theme song for the movie "Shinkoku no Kyojin" Part 1 - Kouren no Yumiya)

6. Saishin no Senshitsu

(MC)

7.The Work of God