This one almost slipped by me yesterday, which is funny considering that I’ve been trying to watch BiS/H/EMPiRE like a hawk over the past week for things that I think are inevitable but suddenly seem kind of evitable. Anyway, December 8:
【WACKのフェス。開催決定!!】12/8(金) ZEPP ダイバーシティにてWACK所属のアーティストが一堂に会してライブすることが決定!!
出演 BiS BiSH GANG PARADE EMPiRE and more!!
詳細⏩https://t.co/cEFYeLYIoa— 渡辺”ジュンジュン”淳之介 (@JxSxK) September 9, 2017
The last time there was a WACK event of quite the type, it gave us The Trade, The Idol Eventually to Be Named EMPiRE and wasted a bunch of time from an audition process that actually changed very little for the company but probably sold Niconico a bunch of temporary subscriptions. Well, also, there was the family reunion:
SCRAMBLES WACK 3rd ANNiVERSARY ありがとうございました！！
これからも松隈ケンタと渡辺淳之介をよろしくお願いします！！
出てくれたWACKメンバー、BILLIE IDLE®︎ GOD ありがとうございました！！ pic.twitter.com/5NS0JWnYfI— 渡辺”ジュンジュン”淳之介 (@JxSxK) September 9, 2017
Now that looks like it was probably pretty cool. BILLIE IDLE was included because it was a SCRAMBLES event too (though where are the rest of the projects that use a lot of Kentacore?); I feel like BILLIE IDLE being part of the festivities somehow is about the tamest possible “and more” promised in the announcement*.
But what are the actual limits to possibility here? Another ex-BiS reunion? Another new group? An existing group gets poached? They hold half of the event in a wrestling ring while THE Natsu no Mamono happens? I really don’t know. And what kind of shenanigans are planned for before? How many tears will be shed by the time everything is over (and how many shed by people like us in the days to follow)?
If Watanabe has taught me anything, it’s to grit my teeth any time something potentially remarkable comes along. His gifts all carry the threat of actually having a viper in the box.
Between that Scrambles/WACK family picnic and now Natsu no Mamono, the selfies that came out of this weekend have been nothing short of magnificent. Too much nepotism so far, though. I want Shidare or Kechon to join their fun. Surely the BiSH girls aren’t the only ones who are still amused by selfie camera filters in 2017 😛
Is EMPiRE actually represented by Avex? If so, I bet they’re untouchable in terms of trades and song-stealing… It might not play as well on a talkshow, but an inter-group collaboration would be way more exciting than any new “stunt” they come up with.
fwiw EMPiRE and BiSH are allegedly labelmates … GUMi_EMPiRE has a certain ring to it
Well, now Lui is out, I’m expecting her dramatic return!
Or EMPiRE is actually another SiS scenario
MOVE ALL OF EMPiRE INTO BiS!