Walking into The Independent on Friday night, I was greeted by a huge white screen stretching from ceiling to floor, effectively and purposefully blocking the entire stage. As DJ Roscoe 2000 set the mood with tunes blending seamlessly into one another, a long white strip of tape on the ground politely requested we stand behind it, helpful arrows drawn to indicate the direction. The screen held a projected animation of a large white circle on a black background. As I watched, parts of the circle’s lines began to glow brighter, light expanding and pushing the boundaries of the circle until particles of light began to escape their linear confines. More and more areas started to glow, particles of the light escaping faster and in greater numbers, swirling outward, creating their own patterns, connections, and collective energy, until eventually returning to the circle, only to start the entire process again. As the lights started to dim, the DJ’s set faded to an end, and the projection began to alter its loop.
A hushed excitement passed through the sold-out crowd, and there was a moment of stillness. A series of ovals and corresponding soundwaves exploded onto the screen, the waves matching perfectly with the live drumbeat, and the audience let out excited cheers. It felt like we were watching a spectacular fireworks show – oohs and ahhs escaping our mouths as we could actually see the sound artfully come to life in the animation. At times, lights would illuminate the stage, and shadows of the performers began to mix with the art, hinting at the shapes of the live musicians working behind the huge curtain.
The music began to intensify, and a beautifully sweet welcome message appeared before the whole screen came down, revealing the four musicians arranged linearly across the stage. Cornelius (a.k.a. Keigo Oyamada, the creator behind the music) stood just to the right of centerstage, and no single performer was positioned in front of, or behind, another.
As they played, there were so many visual components happening – projections to accompany each song, large boards of round lights, a wide line of blindingly bright strobes, a small army of circular LEDs on stands of varying heights sprinkled around the performers – everything pulsing with the beat, changing colors or brightness constantly to match the songs as they evolved.
The overall production quality was truly unlike anything I’ve seen. In the hands of anyone else, all of the stimulating elements could have been disastrously chaotic, but instead they were elegantly curated and masterfully orchestrated to really enhance the experience. Not a single moment or artistic decision felt heavy-handed, out of place, or without purpose.
The visual sorcery, though incredibly stunning, was only one small piece of the night’s brilliance. The real magic came from the musical performance. Each insanely talented multi-instrumentalist demonstrated a true expertise in their craft – playing with such ease, control, and comfort while still somehow managing to appear effortlessly cool. These are musicians of such a high caliber and artists in the truest sense of the word.
Like the particles of light in the opening projection, each performer took opportunities to shine brighter at times, breaking out to express their individuality before returning to the structure of the group, moving the music forward and allowing another artist to repeat the process in their own way. Whether through an impassioned electric guitar solo, a trumpet moment while the disco ball glittered, an energetic bass breakout section, or Yuko Araki’s absolutely mind-blowing drumming, the musicians of Cornelius skillfully articulated the songs of Mellow Waves – showing versatility in their individuality while still producing a cohesive sound.
As synchronized circles and lines danced to the music before curving into the symbol for infinity behind the performers, I realized that this energetic and creative experience wasn’t magic, but rather alchemy – methodically and painstakingly working to transform years of practice, technique, and expertise into something new, exciting, and moving. I had noticed a lot of circular and linear imagery used throughout, and I think it was fitting to repeatedly use shapes that are so common, but powerful enough to symbolize perfection and continuity.
The group’s final song for the night started with each members’ technical precision working together, highlighting and building upon their collective skills and cohesion. Then at turns, each performer took their opportunity to build their own energy from the group, exploding outward with the strongest parts of their individual talents. The result was a face-meltingly awesome rock energy that completely blew me away.
The show overall served as an amazing reminder that technical perfection and inspirational artistry can benefit greatly from one another, each side infusing the other with new energy – a new creative possibility to become something more, something worth remembering. As the musicians took their bows, we all erupted in booming appreciation, loudly thanking the performers for using their talents and unique vision to create a truly memorable musical experience.
Great show. My 2nd Cornelius show. A pleasure meeting you Natalia. Great pics. I had posted a few on my FB page including an identical shot of the motion art on the screen