MIKU EXPO 2024 North America at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles

This year, Crypton Future Media and Crunchyroll launched the tenth anniversary tour for Japanese Vocaloid, Miku Hatsune. The North American tour covered 21 stops, with LA’s Shrine Auditorium added as an additional city only two months before the show. In addition, the virtual idol performed at Coachella for both weeks, leaving the setup and teardown crew with their work cut out for them. However, for unexplained reasons, MIKU EXPO 2024 switched out the awaited holograms for an LED screen.

Typically, Vocaloid concerts use the Pepper's ghost trick to simulate the illusion of a holographic onstage performance. Miku Hatsune’s debut at Anime Expo 2011 and MIKU EXPO 2014 both utilized the traditional technique, but the tenth anniversary swapped out the projections. Although dissatisfied fans flooded social media with complaints about the lack of a hologram experience, the LED screen made sense considering the stage setup. The caged metal bars that housed the band were lined with lights and created an illusion of a flat 2D city full of nightlife. If the screen had been transparent, the suspension of belief would’ve been broken as the crowd would be able to see their own reflection as well as the reflection of the stage lights rather than the Vocaloids.

Also, one of the biggest criticisms of previous holographic concerts was the disappearance of the holograms if they stepped left or right. Only a small fraction of the audience would be in an optimal viewing position, whereas an LED screen can maintain a detailed image of the performer at any angle. Despite all the trials and tribulations, fans of the digital diva were happy to be in attendance, armed with their light sticks and ready to wota their hearts out.

Starting off with an introduction video with the night’s featured Vocaloids, the diva transitioned onstage to Anamanaguchi’s Miku. Dissatisfaction was nowhere to be found once the band played the live arrangements of the songs alongside the Vocaloid’s rendering. Transitioning to wowaka’s emotional tune Unknown Mother-Goose, Miku’s motions paralleled wowaka’s live guitar movements and mannerisms in order to pay tribute to him after his passing.

Two sets of homonyms—創造 (creation) and 想像 (imagination), which are both pronounced as “souzou” in Japanese—flashed prominently on both sides of the stage to remind audiences of the tremendous amount of work that goes into creating a Vocaloid song. The atmosphere turned up to double the excitement as Rin Kagamine took to the stage for Ryousuke Mitsudome’s eclectic Tensai Rock. Matching the crowd’s energy, the four band members beside Rin would give it their all, playing their instruments at breakneck speed. Joining his twin sister on stage, Len hopped into action for their exciting rendition of Giga-P’s Okochama Sensou. The Crypton team took careful consideration to change elements that may be considered offensive in overseas performances, and subtly edited portions of the song where Rin is shown marching with her arm at a 45-degree angle.

Switching to a lower gear, MEIKO and KAITO gently served a refreshing change with OSTER project’s jazzy hit, on the rocks. Of course, the mood quickly ramped right back up with a set of electronic songs, including the winner of Miku Expo 2015’s song contest, CircusP’s Ten Thousand Stars. Compared to the Miku Expo 2016 performance of the track, the 2024 version on the LED screen made it easier to see the special effects tracked on Miku’s model as well as the details in her costume changes.

Fans screamed as the long-awaited appearance of Luka Megurine finally came to fruition during Heavenz’s ballad, Sore ga Anata no Shiawase to Shite mo. Specially animated lyrics appeared along the pink-haired Vocaloid’s model, fading and reappearing like letters written and erased on a chalkboard.

The show then took a moment to introduce the band members and give fans an opportunity to cheer for them. Bassist Leanne Bowes, keyboardist Tobias Witt, guitarist Vixen’s Diary, and drummer Dylan Wood each had their own solo moment to show off their instrumental prowess. Without them, the MIKU EXPO experience would not be nearly as exciting. The final portion of the concert was dedicated to the oldies but goodies in Miku Hatsune’s discography. Who could resist headbanging to Utsu-P’s Hyper Reality Show? Or hold back from screaming the introduction to ryo’s legendary World is Mine? But to truly signal the concert was reaching the end, silver streamers explosively popped at the climatic bridge of kz’s Tell Your World.

“I’m happy we were able to spend this time together today,” said Miku. “I hope you had as much fun as I did! I want to sing one last song to make this a night to remember. Please sing along with me. Here we go, Intergalactic Bound!” In the song, Miku changes the lyrics to sing the name of the city she’s performing in, and she cheerfully winked to the LA crowd. As a small side note, she mistakenly said “New York” during both weeks of her performance at Coachella.

The celebratory night with other Vocaloid fans crawled to a slow finish as the main portion of the set ended. In response to the crowd’s endless calls for Miku, the diva came back for two last encore songs. She started off with Synthion’s poppy imaginary love song, and it was clear the audience didn’t want their time with her to end.

“Thank you all so much,” echoed Miku. “Before we say goodbye, I have one final song left. Let’s give it everything we got!”

The show closed with KIRA’s Highlight, and the crowd would take to heart the emotional lyrics found in the bridge: “Go and make history, baby.”

Set list

01. Miku
02. Vampire
03. Unknown Mother-Goose
04. Tensai Rock
05. GEDO
06. Okochama Sensou
07. Literacy
08. Fräulein=Biblioteca
09. on the rocks
10. M@GICAL☆CURE! LOVE ♥ SHOT!
11. Blue Star
12. Ten Thousand Stars
13. Plaything
14. Sore ga Anata no Shiawase to Shite mo
15. vivid
16. Gimme×Gimme
17. Band Introduction
18. Hyper Reality Show
19. World is Mine
20. Lucky☆Orb
21. Tell Your World
22. Intergalactic Bound

Encore

01. imaginary love story
02. Highlight

The European leg of MIKU EXPO 2024 will be kicking off in London on October 26th. Tickets are available for purchase here.