HEAVENESE takes Hamamatsu by a storm!! First show ever outside of the central Tokyo area, the Heavenese show called "Yamatodamashii", sold out all the advance tickets. The venue this time around was at the public welfare and cultural exchange center owned by the city of Hamamatsu.  Those present totaled more than 600 people. There was such an overwhelming crowd that there were those that were not able to enter the venue simply because there were no space for them.  We are truly sorry for the inconvenience and the missed opportunity.   Yamatodamashii is a spiritual entertainment mixing the gospel music with Japanese traditional instruments such as the Taiko drums and the Shamisen.   One rumor led to another and many turned out for the show.  The volunteers at "The Telephone of Life of Hamamatsu" enabled such a great turn out.   The stage was filled with high expectation and excitement even before the show began.

The Yamatodamashii in Hamamatsu started with a dynamic sound of the mammoth taiko-drums that seemed to resound throughout the Tokai-area, the industrial, central Japan, extending along the Tokaido Line (railway) between Tokyo and Nagoya. The same as that of the previous shows done in Shibuya was replicated. What was overwhelming was the Hallelujah chorus that was sung by the attendance.  With both of their hands high in the air, the Heavenese, even, were not prepared for such exuberant participation; one that was surely hard to replicate even with the most excited crowd in the US.    This night, from the get-go, was not just another concert.     1. Opening Taiko Ryomen Nidan Uchi 2. The code of the Samurai 3. All of me 4. Ue o muite arukou (Let us walk looking up) 5. Greeting (Hallelujah) 6. To the place before I was born 7. Tsugaru Jongarabushi (Shamisen Solo) 8. It's so easy 9. ３N１（Taiko performance) - It's so easy (refrain) 10. Silk Road 11. Let us cling together 12. Lift Encore 13. Tell everybody

	The greatest appeal of the Yamatodamashii shows is the taiko-drums.   Young and old alike, the Japanese are fond of the instrument that has echoed through generations past, and tonight, the heart of the Japanese could not hold the excitement felt in their blood.   The HEAVENESE had gone into strict training to play the drums, which enabled this genealogical excitement to take place.

On the stage in this show were, the main vocalist, Marre, Kumiko, whose popularity in the Hamamatsu area was conspicuously increasing according to the staff, Taiko-Shonin-Medetai, the taiko-drumists Makoto Sekine and Ruwa Egami, in addition to the regular members.  Mari Ishida, who had been on tour with Namie Amuro, one of the most acclaimed female artists in Japan,  for most of last year, was also able to participate. Her experience in the US adds another dimension to the HEAVENESE grove. She will most likely be heavily involved with HEAVENESE this year.

This show was superb in many aspects and the members and the audience all felt fate played out with Yamatodamashii in Hamamatsu.   
This was actually the venue that Marre and Kumiko played their first Gospel Fest 16 years ago.  
Back then the show was a charity concert for the devastating Hanashin-Awaji earthquake, in which many artists from the US were invited for the charity cause, and through this show, the unit HEAVENESE was formed.  This place was where HEAVENESE originated.  
"Back then (16 years ago), when the charity event was over, everyone went back to the States and we were left by ourselves (Marre and Kumiko).
I remember feeling lonely after everyone left.  But now we have the rest of the members, the staff, as well as many fans and supporters here in Hamamatsu."
Marre, reminiscent of 16 years ago, reflected back as he watched the stage of the public welfare and cultural exchange center of the city of Matsu.  

The fact that the Heavenese were playing on the same stage after the recent East Japan earthquake and tsunami, as that of the Hanashin-Awaji earthquake, and the fact that it was hosted by the "Telephone of Life Hamamatsu", a volunteer group that has prevented suicides in the area for a quarter of a century, has much significance to the future of HEAVENESE.  

The Heavenese, after receiving much gratitude from Hamamatsu will now prepare for its concert tour in the US.   

The Heavenese team would like to take this opportunity to thank the Hamamatsu Life Telephone service, a social welfare entity, and the Total Care Center, a non-profit organization, who wonderfully contributed to such a great show.
We also must thank the stage production company, Stage Loop, who physically enabled the show, the local media entities, who expressed their sincere support to us.   
We thank you very much for your love, support and contributions 
Through all of this, the Heavenese were able to write another memorable chapter in its history and, again, we would like to express our deepest gratitude for all those who contributed.   
Above all, we would like to thank those who came and enjoyed our show!!
We will be back...soon!