Digimon World Tour
Digimon Adventure 02, Digimon Adventure, Digimon Data Squad, etc. 1999-2014 Toei Animation, Akiyoshi Hongo, Studiopolis, Saban Brands, etc.
Chapter 10: Mornings
Matt
We did a last minute rehearsal in a spare room before bed. Late that night, I got an e-mail from SME. Kazuki had released the "If You Could Only See" single just hours into the new year, and already it was in the top 40s across the globe, with Top Ten entries in Australia, most of Europe, and the United States. But something else caught my eye. Unbeknownst to me until now, Kazuki had asked T.K. to record a studio version of "Foolish Games", which the label released in all the major online music stores. Why didn't they tell me before!? I decided to sleep on it, and set an alarm for 5:45 AM. That would give us plenty of time to get to the Nine Network studios and set up. I had one heck of a dream, though.
["What Makes You Beautiful"
Written by Rami Yacoub, Carl Falk, and Savan Kotecha
Performed by WolfPack
Vocals: Michael Cunio [T.K.], Doug Erholtz [Greg], Quinton Flynn [Marcus], Crispin Freeman [Thomas], Louis Tomlinson [Izzy]]
As Matt's nightmare starts up, we see four select members of his band and Izzy become members of a spinoff boy band, WolfPack. It's led by his own brother, who has become the Heartthrob. Greg is the Older Brother, Marcus is the Rebel, Izzy is the Shy One, and Thomas is the Cute One. This video stylistically makes use of bright colors, out-of-focus elements, and transitions between shots other than the typical straight cut such as quick fades to and from black, cuts accompanied by a quick flash of white, and cutting as the shot goes out of focus or to a shot coming into focus As the song starts, we find the band participating in a photo shoot.
T.K.:
You're insecure
Don't know what for
You're turning heads when you walk through the door
Don't need make up
To cover up
Being the way that you are is enough.
Greg:
Everyone else in the room can see it
Everyone else but you
The scene then shifts to find the band in a dance routine seemingly choreographed by Darrin Dewitt Henson, dancing in a blue box with a fixed camera, making them appear as though they are on different planes of gravity.
All:
Baby you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell
You don't know (oh oh)
You don't know you're beautiful!
If only you saw what I can see
You'd understand why I want you so desperately
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know (oh oh)
You don't know you're beautiful!
(Oh oh oh)
That's what makes you beautiful!
The scene then shifts to an airport. As the band prepares to board their private jet, they are greeted by a crowd of screaming fans bearing signs and flowers. One of their fans is a grandmotherly figure who is screaming louder than all of them. So, they decide to stop and perform for their fans. Their moves are that of a generic boy band.
Marcus:
So come, come on,
You got it wrong
To prove I'm right I put it in a song
I don't why
You're being shy
And turn away when I look into your eye, eye, eyes
They get on their plane and take off. As the chorus starts, they sing while they live it up 40,000 feet up in the company jet.
Greg:
Everyone else in the room can see it
Everyone else but you
All:
Baby you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell
You don't know (oh oh)
You don't know you're beautiful!
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know (oh oh)
You don't know you're beautiful!
(Oh oh oh)
That's what makes you beautiful
During the bridge, the band is rehearsing their associated choreography on a stage.
All:
Na na na na na na naaaa na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na naaaa na na
Na na na na na na
We then cut back to T.K., who is outside sitting under an old Joshua tree with Patamon as a gust of wind picks up and the downpour starts.
T.K.:
Baby you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But you when smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell
(Others: You don't know (oh oh))
Marcus offers his hand and helps T.K. out of the rain as the two rush out to Bondi Beach, where the group is performing in front of a group of screaming fans. Some of them have their shirts unbuttoned.
All:
You don't know you're beautiful!
Baby you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell
You don't know (oh oh)
You don't know you're beautiful! (Marcus: Oh)
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately (Greg: Desperately)
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know (oh oh)
You don't know you're beautiful!
(Oh oh oh)
You don't know you're beautiful!
(Oh oh oh)
That's what makes you beautiful!
As the band strikes their final pose, Matt wakes up in a cold sweat as his alarm clock goes off.
Matt
I was glad my alarm clock went off when it did. That was perfect timing.
It only took me 15 minutes to take a shower and get dressed in my summer outfit, a black button-up shortsleeve shirt and jeans. After I locked up my room, I walked over to T.K.'s room, where Kari was waiting and knocking on the door. She was wearing a different outfit, a pink sleeveless top with three red lozenges in the chest, a yellow bandana, her Digivice on her left wrist, a black and red wristband on her other wrist, purple shorts held by a brown belt with a metallic buckle and a pocket for her camera, white socks, and white and yellow sneakers. "T.K! It's time to get up," she called sweetly through the door. "Step aside," I said. She did, and I started kicking on the door. "All right, Takeru! Rise and shine, you little snake!" I angrily shouted. Kari gasped. "Matt! Why would you say something like that? What's gotten into you?" she sternly demanded to know. "I'll tell you what's gotten into me. Apparently Sony decided my little brother's stunt sounded great, and now it's available for download everywhere." "You're jealous over that? Enough is enough. You're blowing this way out of proportion." "I'll tell you when it goes out of proportion," I snarled.
Just then, another door opened and a girl who wasn't part of our group recognized us. "Oh my gosh, you're Matt and Kari from The Teenage Wolves. Oi, lookit! Matt's having a blue with Kari!" She knocked on everyone's door and started spreading the news. Suddenly, we were mobbed by screaming fangirls. Just at that point, T.K. opened up his door, wearing his summer outfit and looking tired. "Hello, ladies," he sleepily yawned. That just caused the girls to scream even louder. "Oh man, I love this country. But could you keep it down, please? I'm not fully awake yet." 15 fangirls let out one gigantic "awwww" and "No worries, mate". I quickly learned the Australian people are very friendly. We had an impromptu autograph session right there in the hall. That was enough to calm me down.
The Westin Sydney continued to give us five-star treatment, probably because SME said so. I ordered the Eggs Royale, which were soft poached eggs on an English muffin with smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce. It was amazing. Greg decided to get one as well. As for T.K., I got him the hot oatmeal and banana brulee. It was one of those Superfoods they advertised on the menu. "Same old lumpy oatmeal," he drowsily mused as he ate it.
Thomas
We rode in an executive limo to Willoughby, a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney where we'd be taping. T.K. got himself inside, then settled right back to sleep. "What's gotten into T.K.?" Marcus asked. "He seemed just fine last night," Kari answered. I developed a theory. "This is just a conjecture, but I'm guessing he's recharging from the fight we had yesterday, where he healed Pegasusmon," I said. That raised a large "Hmmm?" from the others. "It's quite simple, actually. One of the laws of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be made or destroyed, only turned from one type to another. So our bucket hat-clad friend here must have used enough of his own energy to succumb to exhaustion, with him only realizing the effects now," I explained. "Well, we've got to find some way to wake him up. One of the songs he leads on is in our setlist," Greg said.
I nudged the younger blonde awake. "Huh? Oh, uh, hey. I heard what you were saying about me, and I think Thomas has something with that theory of his. I'm sorry to worry you like that," T.K. apologized. Kari just squeezed his hand in hers. "That's OK," she reassured him.
We arrived at the studio, where thousands of screaming fans were waiting outside. Some were holding signs reading "Marry Me, T.K." and "I'd Howl For You". I could spot one sign that read "I (Heart) You, Matt". We trudged our way through the crowd and into the front office. T.K. took it in stride as he carried Kari's arm on his elbow.
We got everything set up at Studio Two and did a sound check. The producers were very friendly and willing to help, and by the time our segment rolled at 9:45, we were ready. The Stage Manager counted us down as we came out of the break. "In five... four... three... two... "
The Mornings logo fades in and out as hosts David Campbell and Sonia Kruger are on one couch, and the band is on two couches on the other side. David leads things off. "And we have with us the new rock and pop sensation from Tokyo, The Teenage Wolves. They'll be at the Sydney Entertainment Centre for five nights on their 'I Turn Around' Tour. We have Matt, T.K., Greg, Thomas, Marcus, Rika, and Kari. Good morning." The band adlibs their greetings. "Now, how did this band begin?" Sonia asks. Matt snaps up the question, before giving the others the chance to speak. "Well, it started off as just a little side gig. You know, something to keep me busy. After the original band split up last year, I brought my brother and some of my friends in, and that's how we got started." "Yeah, it's kinda funny, Sonia. I never thought that I'd have, you know, any musical talent. In fact, I was just selected to join the Varsity basketball team at school, and, uh... Matt called me up and asked whether I wanted to be in his band," T.K. chimes in.
"And so, you're all from Japan, and yet, you speak very fluent English. How'd that happen?" Sonia inquires. Thomas offers his own explaniation. "Japan, as you may know, has no official language. Most Japanese under 40 have studied English for at least 6 years, but the instruction tends to focus on formal grammar and writing rather than actual conversation. Of course, I'm quite fluent in over 170 languages." Matt playfully shoves Thomas. "Showoff!" he teases as the others laugh. "And I was born in the U.S.," Greg starts. Everyone quiets down. "And I was born in the United States, so I'm more fluent in English than Japanese," he finishes. "Can you say something in Japanese?" David requests. Matt hums a bit, trying to think straight, then says, "Kyō kono bangumi de watashitachi wa koko o motsu tame ni, dabide to sonia o itadaki, arigatōgozaimasu." "Which means?" Sonia inquires. Matt translates, "Thank you, David and Sonia, for having us here on this show today." David and Sonia applaud, and the leader looks very pleased with himself.
Sonia presents another question. "I've got a question for the girls, now. The ladies, rather. Rika and Kari, how are you two getting along with the blokes?" Kari's first as she giggles. "I'm doing great, Sonia. T.K. and I are best friends, although there could be something more, and I made sure everyone else knows that I'm off limits." Sonia raises her eyebrows in surprise. "Well... now this is interesting. So are you committing yourself to young T.K.?" Kari's answer is an unquestionable "Yes".
"Totally called it," Marcus jumps in. "You be quiet, Marcus, the lady's talking," Rika reprimands him. "Oh yeah? Well she talks too much. It's my turn." He starts a playful shoving match with Rika. "Oooh, the band likes to get physical," Sonia points out to the audience. David clearly takes a side. "Come on, Rika! Put him in his place!" he cheers. The two eventually settle down.
Sonia then turns to Matt. "Now, Matt, one of the songs you're about to play for us in a few minutes is 'I Turn Around', the title track from your latest album, currently at Number Five on ARIA. What's the story behind that song?" "It's largely autobiographical. It started off as just a poem I wrote during detention, but I later added music to it. I'll admit, I listened to a lot of Third Eye Blind on the radio while writing this song, so that influence... is in there. It's got a number of different layers about it, but it touches on my divorced parents. You know how brutal that is." "I should know, I've been through one of those." She laughs, and Matt chuckles a bit. "Well, that's what part of the song's about. It's also about friendship and living life for today, that kind of thing."
As the interview progresses, everyone gets a word in edgewise. The topics vary from T.K.'s hat to the influences in the album to why Rika never wears anything other than jeans. Sure enough, one of the songs the band plays later on in the show is "I Turn Around". However, the second song is the one T.K. has lead on. It's "Break Me Shake Me", a cover of a song by Australian group Savage Garden. Matt decides to call an audible and screws his little brother out of the lead vocal spot.
["Break Me Shake Me"
Written by Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones
Performed by The Teenage Wolves
Lead Singer: Yamato "Matt" Ishida (Michael Reisz)]
It starts with Kari and Rika snapping their fingers, replicating the sound at the beginning. Matt starts up with the bass and comes in closer to the mic, shifting T.K. to backing vocal with Kari.
Matt:
I never thought
I'd change my opinion again
But you moved me in a way
That I've never known
But you moved me in a way
That I've never known
But straight away
You just moved into position again
You abused me in a way
That I've never known
You abused me in a way
That I've never known
And now, the song really kicks in.
Matt:
So break me, shake me
Hate me, take me over
When the madness stops
Then you will be alone
Just break me, shake me
Hate me, take me over
When the madness stops
Then you will be alone no no
T.K.:
No no no
Wow ohh
Ohh
Wow wo
We go back to the simple finger snapping. Sonia and David seem to enjoy it, while Matt is filled with glee at his act. We get various shots of Marcus drumming, Thomas and Rika playing point and counterpoint on the keyboards, and Greg's guitar playing.
Matt:
So you're the kind
Who deals with the games in the mind
Well you confuse me in a way
That I've never known
You confuse me in a way
That I've never known
So break me, shake me
Hate me, take me over
When the madness stops
Then you will be alone
So won't you break me, shake me
Hate me, take me over
When the madness stops
Then you will be alone no no
No no
She said, "I can help you
But what do you say?"
Because it's not free baby
You'll have to pay
You just keep me contemplatin'
That your soul is slowly fading
Yea no no no no no
Going into the instrumental part, we see Sonia and David enjoying themselves, and T.K. getting a guitar solo.
Matt:
God, don't you know
Well I live with a ton of regret
'Cause I used to move you in a way
That you've never known
But then I accused you in a way
That you've never known
But you've hurt me in a way
That I've never known
Break me, shake me
Hate me, take me over
When the madness stops
Then you will be alone
So won't you break me, shake me
Hate me, take me over
When the madness stops
Then you will be alone
(T.K.: Listen, baby)
Break me, shake me
Hate me, take me over
When the madness stops
(T.K.: You will be, you will be alone)
Then you will be alone
Break me, shake me, hate me
Take me, make me
Fake me, break me, shake me
Hate me, take me
Break me
Sonia and David cheer as the group bows.
Matt
After the show, Sonia had some good news for us. "Well, guys, you did great this morning. In fact, you did so well, that I'd like to invite you to play at a special party I'm throwing in the Big Brother House." "Huh?" we asked. Marcus scratched his head. "Big Brother House? Never heard of it." Thomas had to explain it to him. "Marcus, Big Brother is a reality show franchise that runs around the world. Basically, a group of different people live in a house filled with cameras and microphones until they get evicted by the public. The last person standing wins." "Huh, that sounds like a dumb idea."
Sonia laughed at that. "Actually, it's quite entertaining. I ought to let you watch last season, I'm sure you'd like it. Anyway, our country's House is located in Dreamworld, and I host the Evictions and Nominations shows in the studios where you'll be playing your concerts. We're shooting some online promos for the tenth series, and since you're the flavor of the week music-wise, I thought it would be nice to have you there. You'd get to meet everyone and get a tour of the House. So, what do you say?"
Kazuki walked in and made our decision for us. "Sounds like a groove, daddy-o. We'll be there and tuned in."
Greg
How could you say "no" to a face like Sonia Kruger's?
After we said our goodbyes, we ate lunch at Kam Fook Seafood Restaurant in Chatswood. Then, we went to the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre to check out their water slide and other attractions for a few hours. We had a blast on the water slide, and even Matt seemed to lighten up. Rika and Marcus challenged each other on the Skywall, the world's only motorized climbing wall. Plus, we got to take pictures with fans, which is a very nice thing to do whenever you get a chance.
After that, at about 3 PM, we were taken to the Sydney Entertainment Centre where we'd do some sound checks and rehearsals. The first thing I noticed was how big the stage was, and how many people could fit. We'd go for 10,000 seats in the circle and upper seating bowl and up to 3,000 standing guests. It was hard to believe that some people would actually stand to see us. We played our full set, then listened to the playback. We ordered McDonald's so we could rehearse more, and we finished by 10 PM.
By the time I returned to my room, I was dead beat and tired. "Whew... now that was a hard day's night," I said to myself. Just as I was preparing to take a shower, my Digivice beeped. I switched it to its regular mode and answered it. "This is Greg, come in." "Hi, Greg! This is Lily!" a cheerful voice came over the speaker. "Oh hi, Lily. I didn't see you at the arena today. Did you already do some sound checks?" "Yep, we did them this morning. Anyway, I've got some good news and some bad news." "What's the good news?" "Well... I better give you the bad news first. A group of Bullmon are turning the Sydney Cricket Ground into their own bullring." "Oh-kayyyyy, what's the good news?" "Well, we're over there! Yay! And we're waiting for you, so you better hur-ry!" There was something about the way she said that. Just then, Sadie's voice came over the speaker. "Yeah, that'd be right. We're at the Sydney Cricket Ground." "OK, we'll be there." I hung up, then quickly used my laptop to Mapquest a route to the cricket ground. The only question was, how were we going to get out of the hotel?
Author's Notes:
Well, I've been lucky (or blessed) to not have the power go out just yet. I didn't think that I'd be finishing this chapter so soon, but it just seemed to come.
I'm stopping the chapter here because I'll be doing some research on the Pure Spirits. If you'd like to get a jump ahead of me, go read Digital Adventure 03: Kiseki O Shinjiru.
I took into account some of the comments you've been giving me in your reviews and messages, such as the law of thermodynamics. If you see any inaccuracies or mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.
David Campbell is an Australian singer, stage performer and television presenter. David's father is Australian singer Jimmy Barnes (best known for the song "Working Class Man"), but he was raised by his maternal grandmother, to whom he has attributed his love of swing music.
If the name of Izzy's singing voice looks familiar, it should be. Louis Tomlinson is a founding member of the pop band One Direction.