MORRIE ONE-MAN SHOW “SOLITUDE” Season 3 Episode 16 at YOKOHAMA O-SITE

MORRIE held his third one-man tour SOLITUDE Season 3 from May 21st through July 9th. Episode 16 bore the name Princess-Form without Shadow. SOLITUDE consisted of two consecutive shows in the afternoon and evening. Fans gathered in the intimate all-seater YOKOHAMA O-SITE venue on the afternoon of June 18th.

MORRIE appeared on the stage clad all in white, surprising fans with his choice of colour as he usually dresses in black. First, he set the atmosphere of the show by playing the opening song Kage. The gentle sounds of his acoustic guitar and rich voice drew fans into his reverie. MORRIE’s alluring high tones flew out from the stage while his right hand strummed the guitar strings. The fans’ clapping filled the venue as the reverberations of his guitar ceased. MORRIE’s guitar reflected the stage lights as he started with Sign. He played the song HARD CORE REVERIE from his latest album slower than the recorded version. The beauty of his falsetto voice with its undertones of menace hypnotized the fans.

MORRIE switched to an electric guitar for the third song Panic no Me. This melodious song conveyed his existential strength beyond absence of hope and salvation. The musical presentation of his solo career continued with Riding the Night. MORRIE switched to a white electric guitar, the sounds of his kicking a guitar effector briefly interrupting before the song. MORRIE relentlessly stroked his guitar and the man in white sang at centre stage. His voice drew an image of a voyage through the dark night with Princess-Form without Shadow.

“My throat’s condition is very good thanks to this elder honey water. Could I have another one?” MORRIE asked one of the staff to bring a glass from the dressing room. “I like sweets and Japanese confectionery,” he said while relaxing with a drink of elder honey water. “You may not know about the next song Lilac Wine, which was covered by Jeff Buckley and Nina Simone. It’s a song about seeing an illusion of a lover under a lilac tree,” he said as he started the song. MORRIE sang of heady and hazy lilac wine in his calming voice. SOLITUDE Season 3’s set list featured a selection of cover songs. Later, MORRIE played his cover of PRINCE’s Nothing Compares 2 U in tribute to the artist.

“My father loved watching movies. He took me to movie theatres with him back in 1970s. This is the song featured in 007 series Casino Royale,” he said, introducing the next song The Look of Love. His haunting, glamorous voice fascinated fans during his performance of Dusty Springfield’s timeless classic. “I did not choose the cover songs by their lyrics, but I am a person of love,” he said after the song. However, he also delighted his fans by playing his new song Ma no Koi. Later, he played the last cover song of the day, Joni Mitchell’s Woodstock.

MORRIE performed his band’s songs towards the end of the show. He impressed the fans with his masterful guitar skills as he played Creature Creature’s songs Vanishing and Ataraxia. “I intend my afternoon show to be pleasant. Let me melt you guys into slumber,” he said to his fans before he played the last song, DEAD END’s Heaven. His musical expression of descent into luscious rapture was addictive. MORRIE utilized a loop effect pedal during the climax of the song. The sublime harmony of multiple guitar sounds and his celestial falsetto took the fans’ breath away.

“There will be a new season of SOLITUDE on next year so please look forward for it” MORRIE announced to the crowd during the encore. He closed the show by playing one of his solo songs Kokodehanai dokoka.

Set List

01.　Kage/Shadow
02.　Sign
03.　Panic no Me/Bud of Panic
04.　Riding the Night
05.　Sleep in the Sky
06.　Chinmoku no himitsu/Secret of Silence
07.　Disquieting Muse
08.　Lilac Wine
09.　Nothing Compares 2 U
10.　The Look of Love
11.　Ma no koi/Evil Love
12.　Woodstock
13.　Vanishing
14.　Ataraxia
15.　Heaven

Encore

16.　Kokodehanai dokoka/Somewhere but Here