togz
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Posts posted by togz
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Song is cute pv is uncomfortable
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Welcome to the forum!
I really like unite as well!
what other music do you like outside of those two?
You Killed Me First reacted to this -
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Of course death penalty is absurd, but as Zeus said... I'm curious as to why he went about it in such a way. It'd be one thing if he was just expressing himself with make-up, clothes, etc...
Maybe he knew he'd get caught but it was his way of being rebellious and making a point...???
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On 10/1/2016 at 10:10 AM, itsukoii said:where's the "i haven't seen them but i really want to" option??
i was supposed to go to the toronto concert this past april and couldn't make it, i was so upset omg
Oops, I don't know why i forgot to put that one on there... but thanks for posting about it!
What happened?! How come you couldn't make it?!
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On 9/29/2016 at 10:04 PM, SadMoomin said:YO I HAVE TOTALLY SEEN YOU AROUND BEFORE. I think you're friends with a few of my friends haha hi!
But anyway this is like the best selfie I can do. I dyed my hair gray/silver recently and I'm sort of in love with it.
Spoiler
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Actually I knew a lot of people who used this forum and constantly recommended me to join. However for the longest time I was unable to make an account. The page simply wouldn't load and it'd say an error occurred while trying to submit information. I tried again in 2013 and amazingly it let me make an account. Here I am. haha.
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gonna try and get my hands on this. Thanks again for showing me @DarkWater ~~~~
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41 minutes ago, Uraraka said:Everyone, thank you for the warm welcome!!
I really like the recent album. It took some time to get used to the change, but now I can't stop listening to it. But it feels a little... Americanised, if you know what I mean. As for the collaborations... I never really thought about that, yet I don't think of it as bad.
About girugamesh: I was so sad to see them disband, and sure I would love to hear more music of them but they had their reasons and I respect that.
I will try to follow the members' other activities... But I don't think they'll be joining new bands (or maybe I'm utterly misinformed).Same. I really like the newest, however the song with kellin is a no go for me even though i get it stuck in my head from time to time.
I think all the members of girugamesh are talented... Who knows whats in the future though. Some artists will retire but resurface years later.
At least Ryo is doing something idk... haha.
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11 minutes ago, Uglymouth said:Been single for pretty much exactly a year now. Was in a 4 year long relationship before that. I do miss being in a relationship but I don't want to get into one -just because- either. All the girls i've been with this past year just ends as friends/friends with benefits/regular hook-up. And while that's nice I do consider myself to be more of the relationship-kind of guy. I just wonder how long it will take until I really fall for someone again... (´-ω-`)
Hey 4 years is a long time. I've never been in a relationship that long but I would imagine it takes a lot of time to adjust and heal from that suddenly missing from your everyday life. Focus on you and what you want in life outside of a relationship and hopefully that will allow you to connect with people that positively gravitate towards you because you want similar things in life.
at least that's how I like to wish things worked.
Takadanobabaalien reacted to this -
I'm currently single.
I've dated or have had things that almost turned in to something more with great people, but I never had myself figured out to really make an effort to make sure those lasted. Commitment scares me... I know that sounds odd because if commitment scares me then maybe it's the wrong person. I literally get anxiety when deciding if I want to be with someone. I don't date for fun and I do believe that when you date someone it should be in hopes to last forever. Of course that doesn't always happen but you never know. It's just that. I like someone. They like me. Cute. But then they act on it and take it further before I'm ready. What if I do end up with this person forever??? And while I take my time to decide (I take too long I guess) the general window of interest comes to a close and things go back to how they were before I knew them. Then if I do say yes, I second guess myself... I become suspicious (which I've been suspicious with good reason 3 times) and it ends because I can't handle it. Earlier this year I met someone who I connected with immediately and did everything with. I had no hesitation being in a relationship with them because we had already been around each other so much and hand disagreements and things we strongly believe together but we also had an understanding. It was a nice... fake... month. Things were a little too good to be true. The break up was sudden and with out an answer as to why. I just got back from California (which he met me at the airport on his own to see me off before i left and I was only gone about a week) and he stayed over like he usually did. Nothing out of the ordinary happened but somehow I knew? Because I felt happy I knew it wasn't going to last. I drove him home and on the way he said he just wanted to be friends. I said "Ok." and he asked why I wasn't crying. I don't know why i didn't cry in that moment... maybe it was to keep him from feeling guilty for having to be the one to end it. He got out of the car, I gave him his bag, said bye with out even looking at each other... That was in May and I haven't seen him since. We only recently started talking again through fb and I'm doing my best to just be normal. I still don't really know what I did wrong...
I guess the moral of the story is that I learned not to trust my instinct and that chemistry can change at any given time no matter how well you work together.
Nothing is permanent and the only thing that's for sure is that we all die. Some of us alone. Some of us not.
I'll probably be alone.
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Yo! Welcome to MH!
I can dig One Ok Rock for sure. Girugamesh is also awesome, sad to see them go D:
What do you think of One Ok Rock's musical change with their most recent album and collaborations with people outside of japan?
Do you feel Girugamesh could have kept going? Are you excited to see where they end up?
If you have any questions or just need someone to chat with I'm usually around lately haha.
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My last boyfriend was 6 years younger even though I told myself I'd never date anyone more than 3 years younger than myself. But really I prefer to date older people .___.
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DOOMBOX
ST. PETERSBURG, FL + ORLANDO, FL
7/1-7/2
coldrain have been putting in a lot of hard work touring America lately and I have to say how grateful I am. I was able to attend their tour late last year supporting Volumes and Northlane, but unable to see them on tour with Silverstein this past spring. So when they announced they were coming back with Vans Warped Tour in the same year I was beside myself. I've been attending Vans Warped Tour for almost 15 years now, so to start seeing bands from all over the world join in during the last few years has been a joy. And the fact that they are bands I previously supported means Kevin Lyman and his team absolutely know who their demographic is and what is coming on the horizon. The line up this year was already wonderful but the addition of coldrain made an easy choice even easier.
VINOY PARK - ST. PETERSBURG, FL - 7/1
Vinoy Park is one of my favorite outdoor venues in the country, and it happens to be a thirty minute drive from my house. It's waterfront, well shaded, and generally a lot more temperate than farther inland. But that doesn't mean it's immune to the horrible Florida humidity and heat. And if you aren't used to that heat it can really be a buzzkill. By 2:00pm when coldrain hit the stage, you could tell some of the band members were not quite acclimated to the temperature spike, and they had the privilege of playing at the absolute hottest time of the entire day. The thermometer may have only read 95℉, but it felt like much more packed inside of a crowd of warm bodies, that's for sure.
On both days I attended coldrain were slighted a bit in the schedule, they were set to play just after two southern region native bands with insanely loyal fanbases. Both were also amazing, high energy, and completely wore out their crowds. Today it was Whitechapel, deathcore favorites from Knoxville, Tennessee that dominated the Monster North stage. So moments after that on the adjacent Monster South stage when coldrain started their first song -the opening staple for the last year or so, "The Revelation"- only a handful of us were there to see it. It took a few minutes for the others in attendance to re-hydrate and make their way back, or hear them in passing and join the crowd to investigate. But by their second and third songs the crowd was starting to look lively again. It was hard not to. coldrain may not have been the heaviest band there, or the flashiest, but they play insanely catchy, hook-heavy, hard rock and everyone who even looked in their direction once they began playing had no choice but to nod along.
coldrain took the stage in the tried and true Warped Tour band 'uniform' clad in all black with some ripped jeans, save vocalist Masato's patched-up, sleeveless denim vest that harkened back to the tour's punk rock grassroots. Masato kept things jovial as he could between songs as he introduced them as a band all the way from Japan. "Yes, I said Japan," he teased at what I assume were a few confused looks from the crowd. They attacked their set and gave it a hundred and ten percent of their efforts. Both guitarists Y.K.C and Sugi kept up insane levels of energy, headbanging, kicking, and spinning along to a nearly flawless musical performance. RxYxO was probably the most interactive with the crowd during songs, as he yelled out for us to jump, scream, and clap along. Katsuma pounded on his drums in near mechanically precise meter. coldrain are a well oiled machine and anyone who sees them live can testify to it.
But, even despite their almost ten years of experience playing concerts, effects from the heat are still unpredictable and can sneak up on you at any moment. The set list was designed to keep bumping up the energy with every song, and it did exactly as intended, but that also seemed to take a toll on Masato as nearing the end of "The Words of the Youth" when his face became so pale that everyone in the front row looked at each other in concern. The others seemed sweaty and tired, but Masato alone looked as if he'd faint at any moment. Though, that didn't stop him from screaming with everything he had. Maybe it looked worse than it felt to him at the time, but he did make a comment about the heat being ridiculous in the quiet moments before "The War is On" started up. That small break seemed to be just enough to give him whatever he needed to fight through the rest of the set and by the time they wrapped up the final song "Gone" it was almost all but forgotten.
That was until the meet and greet half an hour afterwards at their merch tent. coldrain were patient and kind to their fans, as they usually are. We did have a small exchange about the heat and there were a few curse words strewn along to describe it jokingly on both sides. They smiled for every picture and were happy to sign as many items as anyone asked for. Their level of professionalism isn't left on stage and they make an effort to make every fan feel appreciated. Their merch salesperson had a tip jar offering to teach how to "curse in Japanese", and we spoke with her a while as we purchased our coldrain swag (t-shirts, bandanas, and extra copies of VENA and The Revelation to get autographed). Needless to say we helped teach her a few more curse words that day as well. She also deserves a small shout out for being equally awesome and helpful.
TINKER FIELD - ORLANDO, FL - 7/2
As the main problem for the Vinoy Park show had only been the heat, the problems for Tinker Field were just about everything else. coldainposted their set time was 7:00pm, with a 3:00pm meet and greet/autograph session. Our travel time to Orlando was only just over an hour, but there was no way we would agree to wait in the heat all day and have any kind of energy to dedicate to coldrain's set. Maybe I'm just getting old. But in any case, we decided to forego the meet and greet and enter the venue around 5:00pm. This was also compounded by the onslaught of rain that began right around 3:30. And by some miracle, we marched our way up to the entrance in the downpour only to have it stop just as they scanned our tickets. The J-Rock gods had blessed us and changed our luck. We were not going to take it for granted!
As previously mentioned the schedule was none-too-kind, the band slotted just before coldrain were actual Florida boys this time, Wage War. And if you add to that the fact that it's been a while since they last played in their home state then you end up with a ton of concert-goers who followed Wage War directly to their merch tent the minute their set was over. The rest of us left were mostly soaked, sunburned, hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. Well, except my group, of course. But if we hadn't been lucky enough to attend two days in a row, that would have certainly been us right along side of everyone else.
As we hit early evening, the sun began to skim the horizon and coldrain took to the stage. They had opted to play the same set list for a second day in a row --not that anyone was complaining. The later set time and cool breeze after the rain had the band energized and ready to kick some ass, at least. Masato apologized for having "the most annoying band name of the day" but everyone did their best to keep the mood up. Masato smiled at everyone between songs, while Sugi sent out plenty of smiles and winks to anyone who watched him long enough as well. The rest of the band were totally into it and in their element as they played through the set. The crowd got hyped enough to keep the muddied mosh pit going through most of "Runaway" and "Words of the Youth". It was actually kind of amazing if you could see how dead everyone seemed between bands to how much energy coldrain managed to pull from the crowd. Hearing "Gone" at the end of the set was even more bittersweet since it may be a while before I get to see them again. But Masato's soaring vocals and the absolutely monstrous, anthemic drumming from Katsuma in this song just took it to another emotional level live that you can't find on the recording. Although, I highly recommend you get your hands on their most recent album VENA because it is still worth every penny.
Both days I was able to attend ended up being quite exciting and I'm happy to learn as the tour progressed coldrain's crowd grew day by day. I did get to enjoy a few other bands during the two days, namely some pop-punk favorites in New Found Glory and Sum 41 (who brought on all of the school yard nostalgia), and my emo not-so-guilty pleasures Emarosa and Too Close To Touch. Also worth mentioning is Volumes, who toured with coldrain previously and put on an equally intense show. It was a great year for fans of the tour and I hope they continue to bring in more foreign acts from Japan and other countries to broaden the musical palette of the predominantly young audience. 'Best day ever'? Pretty damn close.
SET LIST
The Revelation
Wrong
Runaway
The Words of the Youth
The War Is On
GoneTOGZ
Auburn, WA + Portland, OR
8/12 - 8/13
I had the pleasure of experiencing coldrain live for the first time this past March. Prior to this show I hadn't really listened to them much. Their energy completely turned me around as they were arguably one of the best bands I have seen live, and if you're not already familiar with them you're definitely missing out. I remember asking Masato if they'd be back and all he mentioned was possibly summer. Immediately I thought of Vans Warped Tour since they're known for bringing bands like Crossfaith and One ok rock. A month or two later it was announced that they'd be joining the line-up for all dates. I planned to attend two different dates of Warped Tour once I realized how many bands I wanted to see.
WHITE RIVER AMPHITHEATER - AUBURN, WA - 8/12
Because of morning traffic we arrived at the Whiteriver Amphitheater at 10:00am. We must have beat the rush because parking was a blessing and we got settled fairly quickly. Thanks to twitter, we already knew what time coldrain would be playing and what stage so we decided to hang out in the car until 11:30am getting a pre-buzz. (Don't do drugs stay in school.) After downing some drinks and eating some snacks, we headed in and secured a spot at the front of the stage. At this time it wasn't too hot just yet and the sun was still low so the stage actually provided us a nice shaded area.
We patiently waited at Monster Stage South was the stage and yet 12:30 felt so far away. We managed to warm up to the band that played before coldrain, which I can't quite recall what band it was but they were pretty rad. After they finished their set, the Monster Energy North stage blasted as coldrain began to set up their equipment. It was in that moment that I realized the band playing next to them was a band I wanted to see for some time, The Word Alive. I decided to watch them from afar since I didn't want to give up my spot so close to the stage. As soon as the other act was finished, coldrain's entrance music began. Soon enough, the members came out one by one to the stage and the fans shouted their names. "The Revelation" was their opening track which was a great burst of energy to get the crowd moving. Despite it's heavier guitar work and really intense screaming, when the chorus hit the crowd was chanting it loudly as a whole. The shouting and chanting of lyrics didn't end there. The guys continued to spew out their most popular pieces such as "WRONG", "No Escape", and "Runaway".
During their set, Masato gave a short MC to really encourage the crowd to get involved. Some people may have known this already, but Masato has family in Seattle. As he spoke the the crowd, we all learned that his niece and nephew were watching him perform for the very first time. He asked all of us for our help to sing the title that they'd play next to help him look like the "Coolest uncle he should be." Naturally all the fans yelled and shouted in agreement to help him in such a task. After that, "The War is On" began. I personally thought that was cute request and I'm sure the fans efforts really showed his niece and nephew just how cool he really was.
"Gone" was the last track and before it even started, fans were already clapping to the beat of the intro. This song is upbeat and has a great bass and percussion flow to it, but people were more focused on singing their hearts out to this song to really go wild. It was amazing hearing so many people sing the words to this song. And here I thought not too many people knew about them when crowding the stage. I'd be surprised if the band wasn't impressed by the vocal efforts of the crowd. As their set ended, they thanked us and threw out a few picks and drumsticks and then fans scurried off to the merch booth for the signing/meet and greet that was scheduled shortly after.
I decided to buy all the merch that I wanted on this day so I wouldn't have to carry so much around the next day. I ended up buying the white tank top and the black and white marble tie-dye shirt. But of course I had to get something signed, and I wanted to be able to wash my shirts so that was out of the question. I bought VENA and The Revelation for $15 combined which was really a great deal. The only problem is now I have 3 copies of VENA!! All the more to share with friends. Anyway, with each purchase you got a pair of chopsticks with a little paper holder that had the bands logo. The booths tip box also had the phrase, "Leave a tip and I'll teach you some dirty words in Japanese." I felt disappointed because when I left a tip all I got was, "Arigatou!" I would have tipped anyway. It was cute and laughable but it was clear the band was very prideful and made it known where their home was.
The wait wasn't too long and off in the distance you could see the bands' heads over the line of people as they made their way over. The signing and meet and greet wasn't rushed in any way and everyone got to spend a reasonable amount of time with them. A few fans took quite a few pictures and even brought gifts. I myself asked for a selfie with each of them because I'm a selfish bastard. It worked out great because I took pictures while waiting for them to sign my CD anyway. That day i had worn a Her Name in Blood shirt and immediately their drummer Katsuma pointed it out (just as he did when I saw them the first time) with enthusiasm that he knew what I was wearing. The only difference from the first time I met them was the rest of the band noticed too. I was also surprised by how friendly they were and instead of offering a handshake or a fist bump, they welcomed me with open arms and smiles. After the hugs, autographs, chopsticks, and photos, I told them I'd see them the next day and Y.K.C. excitedly replied with, "YEAH?! You know it's last show!" I replied with, "It's gonna be so crazy!" and bid my farewells and continued the rest of the day.
The rest of the day was extremely hot and we spent most of our time standing under the water stations they had to drench people in. We did however manage to see a few other acts like Cane Hill, Veil of Maya, Wage War, and Issues. There were other acts I stopped for but they didn't exactly stick. We left around 6:30pm so we could get enough rest to make the 3 hour drive to Portland the next day.
PORTLAND EXPO CENTER - PORTLAND, OR - 8/13
Man, oh man. Portland Expo Center is a nightmare. I swear I was tired before I even got through the gates. Even though we left at 6:30am, we were not parked and in to the venue until 12:30pm. That's 6 hours! Personally, I have been to this location for the same tour before and I remember it being the exact same nightmare. The space allowed for parking was so small near the actual site and even though we waited nearly 40 minutes in a huge line of cars we still ended up being redirected 10-15 minutes away. Of course from this location they offered shuttles... in school buses. Nothing better than being surrounded by a bunch of teenagers on a school bus making your way over to Warped Tour. We decided to walk and got there before the shuttle did.
Getting to the venue after doors opened wasn't useful at all. The lines were still long and having the show the day before to compare to, I wasn't pleased. FINALLY! We got in and I didn't even bother looking at the schedule and I stormed past people to the Monster Energy South stage. It was slam packed as Veil of Maya was in the middle of their set. Thankfully, Veil of Maya is one of my favorites so I pushed my way past the pit and by the end of their set I was one person/row back. This made it easier for me to grab the railing as the Veil of Maya fans scurried off to their next band of choice.
You know, for not moving around much, my face was already drenched in sweat. Since it was later in the day the stage didn't provide any shade, and I could feel my skin frying. With the heat the wait just seemed so long, but I was able to converse with other coldrain fans who came specifically to see them. Two girls had driven all the way up from California and told me they'd seen them during earlier dates of the tour. This tour surprised me with how many people came just for coldrain, but it was clear a lot of people had just discovered them that day.
The set was pretty much the same only the crowd was way more energetic about each song than the previous show. It was the last day after all. This show had crowd surfers, moshing, and water bottles flying everywhere. Even the security guards got involved and threw water on to the crowd. After the set was over, they bid their farewells and thanked the crowd. Katsuma came by and threw some drumsticks. I couldn't jump high enough to catch them, but I still managed to get my hands on one, thanks to my friend who received it from a staff member that handed out the remainder laying around. Due to the heat and how crazy the crowd was that day, I literally felt like I was going to pass out. We found a nice shaded area near the band's booth while we waited.
This meet and greet was even more personal than Washington was and I was able to pass by and say hello to the guys several times even after the signing session had ended. I received a hug from each member and told them how great they did and that they should be proud. Masato was extremely genuine and I got the chance to really just chat with the guy.
Overall, coldrain was fantastic and I'm definitely looking forward to their return whenever that may be. The stage set up and sound quality were the same for both venues, but I still prefer Auburn over Portland simply due to the heat and the poor staffing at the Portland Expo Center. In order to make both of these days just one flawless show, I would have it at the White River Amphitheater with the crowd from the Portland Expo Center.
SET LIST
The Revelation
WRONG
The War is on
No Escape
Runaway
Gone
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37 minutes ago, plastic_rainbow said:Oh man. I'm surprised this song isn't talked about more. It's emotionally heavy and eerie. And the vocal melody is so solid. Not that the Novembers is never solid tho...
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I just saw this mv and I'm crying it's so beautiful
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The GazettE is a band that I feel everyone here has liked or at least listened to once with in their J-rock craze, and in many cases they are even the reason people found an interest in Japanese music to begin with. This is the case for me. Since they heavily influenced me during my younger years, I jumped on the chance to see them live in my own country. Originally I was set to see them for three dates that included Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vancouver. Due to certain circumstances, I only made it to two dates which were more than enough to quench the gaze-thirst in my sixteen-year-old self.
San Francisco
The first show I attended was in San Francisco at the Regency Ballroom. I traveled with one friend and met up with many I hadn't seen in a long time. Most of us had VIP tickets. Despite already having early entry, many fans with VIP lined up at the venue much earlier than general admission attendees. Around 3pm I made my way over to the line with a few friends. It was a good time since the line for VIP grew rapidly after that. The general admission line was wrapped down an alley and around the building at this point. The wait from that point on wasn't so bad and considering their reputation the fans seemed tolerable for the most part. Aside from a few glares, everyone was generally kind and glad to share the excitement. I even made a few friends who traveled all the way from Japan just to experience the GazettE in this new environment. Though they didn't seem to speak English very well, they were still ecstatic to show me different furitsuke* that they use in Japan and were even kind enough to hold a few of my things during the show. After passing the time with social interactions, it was time to start heading inside.
The staff came down the VIP line to inform everyone how everything would work and what to expect. This is where things went downhill. VIP included early entry, first priority to the goods line, a VIP shirt, and a handshake with the band. With only an hour left before doors opened, staff had their hands full. They lined us up and filed us in to the venue in groups of ten with the plan of directing us back outside in the order we entered. That lasted about halfway down the line. I was at the half way mark for the VIP line and while I was lined up to buy merch, staff started to direct us to the actual standing area. I found it odd as not all VIP had been let in yet to purchase merch. Turns out the venue was running behind and had to sacrifice their organization to speed up the process. This left the people who had waited since 5am with the short end of the stick. Many disappointed VIP holders filed in behind two to three rows of people who had shown up one hour before doors opened.
Another disappointing factor was that they didn't have a section dedicated to just VIP members. Word of mouth had passed on that previous shows had such accommodations, but the Regency Ballroom had one huge open standing floor. Because of this, and the poor organization in letting VIP enter first, many general admission holders were able to get closer to the stage with ease. Many snobby fans pushed forward and upset VIP holders, which resulted in direct threats to prevent anyone from getting in the way of them and the stage. Everyone shut up once the background music went silent. The stage was decently sized and while it didn't spread the members out too much there was definitely enough room for them to be interactive. After waiting nearly an hour and watching staff set up last minute equipment things got cheesy real fast. Instead of the typical dimming of the lights and sudden intro music playing, an announcer spoke over the microphone, "Hello. Welcome to the show." The announcer said a few more things which may have been about no video or photography, but I don't quite recall. The short speech ended with, "And now... the GazettE!" That's when everything went dark.
Cheering and screaming filled the venue and everyone got real friendly with each other as the crowd was pushed forward. Just when I thought it couldn't get any louder, the members start to file out on to the stage. First it was Kai, Reita, Aoi & Uruha, and finally Ruki. Fans went crazy and people were already trying to inch their way in front of me. I was about two rows from the stage between Reita and Ruki, so despite being as short as I am (5'3")I did have a good view. Now I haven't been an active listener of the GazettE in recent years, so most of their music during this set was unfamiliar to me. I still found my groove with songs I didn't recognize, but the crowd didn't seem to move much aside from the girls in the very front row. Fans were excited to see and interact with their favorite members which caused a bit of a personality clash within the crowds as people pushed closer to the front. There were a lot of threats and an overall disrespect for the other fans around them. I'm not saying every person at this venue had such a mentality, but this behavior certainly dominated over kindness.
The band members showed a lot of energy during the entire show and were surprisingly interactive. I heard from many of the girls up front that they felt singled out by the members and that they really took the time to make their fans feel excited and special during the performance. The effort and money that went in to the visuals must have been fair for it being their first tour in the United States. The most beautiful of the visual performances was when Ruki suddenly pulled a lantern out of nowhere and dance and swayed around with the prop like it was his child that needed love and protection. Maybe that sounds odd to first time viewers or listeners of visual kei, but overall is really gave a darker vibe. But of course it wouldn't be a genuine show if Ruki didn't sway and roll his hips. Reita was quite enthusiastic and often times came up tot he edge of the stage to play. He playfully stuck his tongue out a lot at fans too. A real call-back was the break down of Filth in the Beauty where everyone does the windmill head-bang. I never thought I'd see that in person.
Though encores shouldn't be expected, fans crazily stomping and screaming for one should be. I was a little disappointed with this crowd though. They came together and cheered as one voice a few times, but never once did they sound hungry or demanding enough for the the band to really come back on stage. Even so, they got the encore they asked for, though I feel like the crowd really didn't give it their all even during the encore. "Tomorrow never dies" ended and the members began to throws their drumsticks, picks, water bottles, and even a towel. I managed to find Uruha's pick on the ground and gave it to another fan who looked like they'd appreciate it much more. Aoi was aiming to throw his picks to specific clusters of people but his poor throws just weren't making it.
Immediately after the show was over, staff cleared out the floor and lined people up with VIP to meet the band. It would have been so easy for anyone to just slip into the line. Anyone could have met them at this show if they were casual enough about it and I believe I saw a few people take advantage of the situation. Aside from that, the handshake was extremely fast-paced. It was almost so quick that I didn't have time to even really read their faces. The entire band was extremely polite. They even shared a few laughs and exchanged words with a few fans. Ruki was my main focus and even if he didn't understand what I said, it was nice to just say it in his direction. He acknowledged it and held onto my hand and replied with a "Thank you." Uruha had a very firm handshake.
The songs that resonated with me the most, and many of their long following fans, was "The Suicide Circus", "Filth in the Beauty", "Leech", and "Headache Man". But I really enjoyed "UGLY" and "Derangement" live. I didn't care for the venue at all. Other than the three girls I met in line and the people I already knew, the fans seemed like a mix all around. Sound quality and projection in the venue was a little iffy, but the band really gave a lot of energy and put on an enjoyable performance.
set list
opening track: NIHIL
01. Dogma
02. Rage
03. Vortex
04. Fadeless
05. Derangement
06. Bizarre
07. Wasteland
08. Ominous
09. The Suicide Circus
10. Ugly
11. Blemish
12. Undying
13. Filth in the Beauty
-encore-
14. Leech
15. Headache man
16. Tomorrow never dies
Los Angeles
The Los Angeles concert was held at the Wiltern. I'm very familiar and biased with this venue and I have a lot of great memories attached to it. I did not have VIP for this show and I was quite alright with getting a view from afar this time, so I arrived after collecting some of my long time friends to join me. Once we arrived, the line had yet to get anywhere near the Denny's entrance for general admission and the VIP line was longer by far. For those who haven't seen this venue, Denny's and the Wiltern sit on the same block and share the same parking garage so they're practically next door neighbors. Because of how close Denny's is to the entrance I found it odd that people decided to roam around a bit more before lining up.
Once I finally got in line around 3-4pm, band staff checked the line for people who were in HERESY*. I had planned ahead when there was a leaked rumor going around that the GazettE might come here so I signed up for it. Now if you were a HERESY member and could provide your confirmation e-mail or badge, they provided you with a colored bracelet. These bracelets varied in color depending on the date and allowed early entrance to general admission attendees. Since I only had VIP in San Francisco, I was delighted to discover that I could enter after VIP simply because I had the bracelet. I'm not sure if it's because I've been to this venue so many times, I know more people in this area, or if the staff and organization was all around better but Los Angeles was an amazing experience. The staff started handing out the VIP shirts about an hour and a half before doors were set to open, and let the group in to the goods line and then straight in to the venue. After VIP was let in, HERESY was next. I'd like to believe everyone was moved in to the venue in a very organized and timely fashion which meant happier fans.
The way the Wiltern is set up is completely different than The Regency Ballroom. Unlike San Francisco's show which had one huge open un-barricaded floor, the Wiltern was set up in three to four sections, with each one at a level higher the further back it went. This set up also allowed staff the ability to secure a spot specifically for VIP holders. While I was only general admission, I did appreciate the seriousness and value of the VIP pass at this venue. This of course meant that I couldn't go in to the front section despite there being plenty of room. I chose a spot right in the middle a few sections back and had the perfect view the entire time.
When the lights went out and the show started the crowd roared. This crowd seemed way more united than the show in San Francisco, but that's because Los Angeles has a small community of its own when it comes to visual kei. Everyone knows everyone and that may have been a determining factor. This concert brought so many people out of hiding that I hadn't seen in years. the GazettE are no fools and I'm sure were very aware of the stronger demand for them in Southern California, and they chose so many good songs that shook our past selves right out of us. I know I wasn't alone in feeling like I had traveled back in time. the GazettE shook the venue, slamming down one good song after another. I was also glad I got to see the whole lantern performance again and there was something about the distance back this time that really allowed for me to see things in a completely different light. They ran around a lot at this show and teased each other a lot on stage. They looked like they were having a blast putting on their performance.
The crowd really came together for the encore, and let me tell you it was worth all the shouting and screaming because the band came back on stage and blew our faces away. There was literally a moment of silence while people registered what song was playing and if it was real life. "Agony" started and, after a ten second delay, screams filled the room and hair flew. The intensity of the crowd was recognized by the band and they all ran around to visit each side of the stage. Aoi even rolled up his sleeves and stood at the edge of the stage to show off and Reita joined in beside him. "Agony" was enough to rock the boat, but "Cockroach" created a tsunami of chaos within the crowd. The pure shock alone of such a nostalgic song being played may have put a few people in to a coma. After Cockroach, they closed with Tomorrow never dies which was a great song to end with in a celebratory way. The crowd even sang along and it rang through the venue.
The band exited the stage after the typical toss of stage goods and the lights came back on. I immediately headed outside and tried to find all of my friends so I missed the set up of the VIP meet and greet. From what I heard, it was a lot more strict and easier to direct considering the VIP holders were already in a designated section.
set list
opening track: NIHIL
01. Dogma
02. Rage
03. Derangement
04. Venomous Spiders Web
05. Sludgy Cult
06. Bizarre
07. Dripping insanity
08. Ominous
09. The Suicide Circus
10. Vortex
11. Ugly
12. Undying
13. Filth in the Beauty
-encore-
14. Agony
15. Cockroach
16. Tomorrow never dies
To sum this up, San Francisco was a nice place to visit, but the venue was very unorganized. Had staff been more prepared, maybe the fans would have seemed nicer like they did in line. Los Angeles spoke to me on a different level, but that's prominently because everything was so familiar and it was like reliving the past. I wish the meet and greets were a little longer though. I understand they want to get as many as they can into VIP, but I spoke to a staff member at the Wiltern and VIP maxed out at 250 people. If they had made VIP a smaller group, maybe they could have allowed more time to get an autograph or a photo. But it's PSC we're talking about here, so scratch that whole concept.
*furitsuke - Synchronized hand movements commonly used in Japan at (not limited to) visual kei concerts.
*HERESY - the GazettE official Fan Club
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It seems a lot of bands learn the hard way when selling themselves to PSC.
I mean... they're all basically pocket change compared to the GazettE.
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Dang
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Yeah I agree... even outside of VK. Magazines in general have kind of taken a plummet because everything is going digital. I also feel that since the artists have so many social media outlets now... They're more accessible to learn about. Not saying that it means a good interview isn't worth paying for... but maybe some people feel like nah I don't need to buy that... I'm friends with the guy on facebook, or I follow him on twitter.
I mean both of these social media outlets are freakishly great ways for fans to feel like they're really following the artists life style. Unfortunately many fans care more about that than what inspired them to pick up a guitar, what brand of instrument they prefer, or what their thought process is about release xyz that's coming out.
But before all this social media fb instagram twitter stuff... it wasn't as easy to learn about your fav person amirite?
That's just a small theory of a small portion of why this is going under... but... yeah.
猟牙(ryouga) new band "RAZOR" has formed & new mini album "RED INVISIBLE" release
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Omg tetsuya!!!! Thank goodness!!! And tsurugi!!! Ffffffdffxfjsjjdjdj