Cute & S/milage Premium Live 2011 Spring - C&S Collaboration Daisakusen -

C-ute is one of the two best performing units in Hello! Project (along with Berryz). S/mileage is still comparatively new. I tend to prefer S/mileage in small doses, but I like them here because C-ute brings out the best in them. The groups' performing styles complement each other well, with C-ute (after almost nine years performing together) showing the more polished and mature style, while S/mileage is still in "girly" mode. C-ute is outfitted in sexier and more provocative costumes, while S/mileage wears their usual party dresses, which creates some interesting contrasts on stage. Saki Ogawa, S/mileage's departing member, comes off the best of her group, as always, but I was quite impressed this time with Yuuka Maeda, who showed a vigor and confidence I hadn't noticed before. There is some age overlap between the two groups. All of S/mileage is younger than the four oldest members of C-ute, although the two oldest in S/mileage were born the same year as three members of C-ute, while C-ute's youngest member, Mai Hagiwara, is younger than three members of S/mileage. (Saki O. is the youngest of the nine.) However, Mai, who's been performing for more than half her life, comes off as a much more seasoned and poised performer than any member of S/mileage. The highlight of the concert is the "Dance Battle Medley," which occurs a little over an hour into the show. It's quite a cute segment and a brilliant concept for a concert like this. And it's as elaborate a piece of concert choreography as we've seen since, oh, the C-ute/Berryz joint concert from four years ago. It opens with each of the nine girls doing a solo, one at a time (starting with the two Sakis), and then the two groups competing in a "dance-off." This is the first time I've seen C-ute do "Midnight Temptation" from their "Cho Wonderful!" CD. It's a catchy, rousing song and a great concert dance number, another highlight here and one of the best things I've seen C-ute do in a long time. I really don't have a lot more to say about this concert, other than that it's just a fun, light, bouncy piece of H!P entertainment without a single slow moment. And isn't that good enough? Saki Ogawa was the real draw in S/mileage for me. I'm reluctant to follow S/mileage without her, although people on MM-BBS are telling me I really should give the new girls a chance. I'll wait for their first video.