Concert: Equal Live
Date of Recording: 15th January 1997
(During the concert Hayashi-san mentions that it's actually the Japanese Coming of Age Day (Seijin-No-Hi)

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Equal Live VHS : Front

Equal Live Lyric Sheet (Front)

Equal Live VHS: Back

Track Listing: Juudai Wa Paradaisu
                         Equal
                         EMU Medley (Boku-tachi no Kotae~Seishun Ni Riyuu Wa Iranai~Shounen A-Z~Boku-tachi no Kotae reprise)
                         Dear Friend  
                         Tsuitenai (Midorikawa/Ishikawa)     
                         Boku-tachi no Sedai Kara (Sakaguchi/Okiayu/Hayashi)
                         Namida Ga Oboete'ru (Midorikawa Solo)
                         Arittake No Jounetsu (Okiayu Solo)
                         Humming (Sakaguchi Solo)
                         Destination (Hayashi Solo)  
                         Aozora No You Ni (Ishikawa Solo)
                         Party
                         Namida Ga Niji Ni Kawaru Made ~Girl~
                         Equal (Encore)

General Review
There is a different feel to this concert from the First Live. Whereas in the First Live there was more emphasis on real instruments, the Equal Live is almost entirely vocal based, with choreography and artists providing back up vocals for one another's solos in a way they didn't in the First Live. There is also, for the first time, a duet and a trio song performance - and Equal also features some new music, including the song Dear Friend which was not released as a studio version until the Memorial Box was released (it was a new performance for this show, and generated much excitement!).
Though the feel is different, and there is no real Sotsugyou M connection this time, the concert still has a good feel to it. I find it hard to choose a favourite concert out of this and the First Live, honestly - because they are so differently put on.

Performer Review
~Midorikawa Hikaru
Kakkoyokatta! LOL :D
This guy has to be one of the cheekiest, most mischievous live performers in recent seiyuu history. He might even challenge Seki Tomokazu for random onstage craziness. There's the usual element of teasing, cheeky grins, joking remarks...but when it comes to the music, as ever, his performances are first class. Midorikawa-san's second solo song "Namida Ga Oboete'ru" is a really beautiful song, and a much more gentle, even sad song (he refers to it himself as difficult). It's a good piece of proof that despite his playing around, he's capable of pulling off a pensive song performance and he does a good job of it.
Probably the highlight of the concert from his perspective, however, is him using that cheekiness of his to its best effect. His duet with Ishikawa-san, "Tsuitenai" has to win special mention because it is so, so funny and so so well performed. It's not just a case of singing the song - fun though that is - but the banter and acting that also goes into the performance that makes it such a brilliant track.
Yes, as ever, I have no complaints to make about Midorikawa-san's performance :) Even if he does threaten to go home at one point, if the crowd don't hush and listen to him!

~Hayashi Nobutoshi
This guy is such a good singer that you could ask him to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and he'd give it flare. It's just too easy for him to open his mouth and produce, or so it seems. I'm not a hundred percent convinced he's so happy with the dance moves as his companions, mind you - he does seem to do a lot of counting (which I find cute, LOL). He's never out of step, but he does concentrate very hard.
His solo, Destination, is somehow the most relaxed, 'real' Hayashi-san performance of the concert, because he's free with the mic singing an up-tempo, rock-ish type song with all that energy he has. He and the guitarist also have a great stage chemistry which makes the performance stand out as one of the best solos of the concert. However, proving his flexibility as ever, his part in the reflective trio song "Boku-tachi no Sedai Kara" is also beautiful - and it's the one and only time we get to see his precious guitar on stage in this concert (I love Hayashi-san and his guitars, can you tell?? More guitars! More, I say!"). This time it's only as a vague strumming accompaniment, but it's still a nice touch and he does seem happier when he has the guitar in his hands. I love to watch him dance, but I think he'd rather not be doing it somehow...

~Okiayu Ryoutarou
Okiayu-san's solo this time around is more up-tempo, and I tend to believe that he sings at his best when he's singing a more slow, contemplative song. However in this instance the song is an exception. Arittake no Jounetsu is up-beat, bouncy (he's dancing along and having a great time performing it, LOL!) and it works really well. He seems much more comfortable up on stage singing this one than he did when he sang Uwasa No Rock Star in the first live and I wonder if it's because he has the other E.M.U guys in the background doing the backup vocals...maybe, maybe not.
Okiayu-san is first class in this live from start to finish. He remembers his name (yay!) and he also has a rather interesting English introduction to the Shounen A-Z segment of the Medley.

~Ishikawa Hideo
My respect for Ishikawa Hideo went up about six hundred percent after seeing this concert. I already knew he could sing - I've heard/seen him for RoST and I know he has a good voice when he chooses to use it. This concert was a chance for him to do just that. His solo, Aozora no You Ni is really beautiful and he sings it really well. I think this kind of song works well for his voice, because I've heard a similar level of quality from his slower song singing for RoST. Even though waiting till last to sing his solo must have been stressful, he didn't let it get to him. Great stuff.
I also have to mention Tsuitenai on his account. He and Midorikawa are a hilarious double-act and the song is brilliant. Nuff said, really.

~Sakaguchi Daisuke
The longer it goes on, the better a stage presence Sakaguchi-san has. He's a darling. A real sweetheart. He gives everything he has. I just am not a fan of his singing. But I can't criticise him for effort, commitment or any of those things. He gives a really strong performance of Humming and he sings his solo segments with real passion. It's just me, perhaps...

Song Review
Hayashi-san compared Tsuitenai to a Broadway Musical performance and I have to agree with him. Midorikawa and Ishikawa's "Didn't get the girl" song is as close as any of them get in this concert to role-playing their characters (at least I imagine they're role-playing as Yuusuke and Tougo, but I may be wrong, it may just be them being themselves, LOL!). The basic theme of the song is two guys on the pull, arguing over who the girl is going to like the best. And they are hilarious. Not only is the song really catchy and up-beat, but the two of them perform it in such a way that you can't help wanting to watch it over. And laughing. A lot. With them, not at them. Facial expressions, tone of voice, and Midorikawa-san's dirty laugh as he contemplates "tonight's activities"...its a scream. They steal the show...and it's a good show, so that's saying something!
In terms of the other songs, Boku-tachi no Sedai Kara is really beautiful, and Dear Friend is kinda choky and sad to listen to (even though it's just a song, if you listen to the lyrics and the way they sing it, it's really effective...sniff). It was a nice touch to have a song like that which was for the concert especially. Party also, I think, was a concert exclusive at the time -but don't quote me on it, I'm not 100% sure.
The solos were all great - well matched to the singers and they all pulled them off really well. Compacting the well known songs into a medley was also a really well-worked idea  - although they opened with Juudai wa Paradaisu which is one of those songs that I walk around humming/singing at the least excuse. (Thanks guys :P).

Particular Highlight: Tsuitenai."Hey look... cute girls!" "There are, there are!" "She's looking at me!" "You said you'd help me!" "I was only kidding..." "They're my type!" "No, my type!" (classic classic stuff).

Best Perfomances: Destination is a really awesome performance...possibly the best of the solos, although Namida Ga Oboete'ru comes close. Tsuitenai wins the day, however :) "tsuitenai...gakkari!"

Overall Remarks:
Different from the First Live but not in a bad way. Overall a really solid concert with some great performances. If you only ever see one song from it, however, let it be Tsuitenai. It's the funniest thing ever. I think, even if you don't understand a word of Japanese, you can still get a lot of the humour from their expressions and actions...it's class. :)