Aqours first live NYC showing trip report

Theater was pretty much full. I got a seat way at the top right in a corner so I'd have standing room. I'd say majority of people had kingblades, but there wasn't a shortage of normal glowsticks either. Some even had UOs! One of the more amusing things were the people that had chaperones with them - reminded me of the "dads at Justin Bieber concerts" photos. Poor parents double not understanding between the hype and the fact that the showing was all in Japanese with no subs!

The first few group songs weren't much special (you can see the full setlist here: http://love-live.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:LuciaHunter/Aqours_First_Love_Live!_~Step!_ZERO_to_ONE~_Day_1_Report), the audience got the introduction call outs all right. I didn't like the intermission animation with the chibis but probably because I couldn't understand it.

Sub-unit songs were next, and you could tell what the favorite was very easily *coughGUILTYKISScough* but AZALEA got a lot of cheers too. Overall actually it seemed like Mari and Yohane were the crowd favorite characters.

Lots of cheering during the anime recap intermission, but...most of the cheering was for when µ's was on screen! Complete with appropriate KB color changes! We really don't wanna let them go lol

Mijuku DREAMER wasn't anything special, but then it was time for Omoi yo Hitotsu ni Nare. The entire theater changed their KBs to pink and chanted "Rikako!" and did huge cheers whenever the camera cuts to her (some of those shots were amazing, like that goddamn glissando at the start). I think everyone really got their feelings of support across, having known what happened on Day 2. I think everyone cheered harder because of that - I wonder if the other viewings did the same? Kinda sucked that the Day 1 setlist had Todokanai Hoshi da to Shitemo next because Mattete Ai no Uta is 1) a better song and 2) has better matching feels.

The rest of the songs were pretty normal, but everyone was super hype during the encore (yes there was an "en-co-re!" chant).

I'm not a HUGE Aqours fan by far, but I do really enjoy the seiyuu themselves. Shukashuu's energy especially - there's a part in one song where she dances during an instrumental and I actually went "GODDAMN". I should watch more of the translated niconamas and such sometime.

Overall it was really awesome to be able to go to a live viewing, even if it was a week later. Being around likeminded people really helps the experience of watching! Hopefully next time we get a simultaneous broadcast! (and I can always hope for an actual live performance someday...)