togz

This is so important.
 
People whine about other people. They whine about their relationships failing. They whine about not being able to find their "true love". But it seems most people today are already thinking about "when we break up" right after starting and no one is willing to last :/

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.

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-`)

Also still living the single life.  It's like the longer I'm single the more awkward I get and the less I know how to meet new people. Lol. Oh well~

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
Gone
 
TOGZ
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

My stance on this is that, as you get older...there should be age caps. 
 
I'm 25 but the youngest I'm willing to date (if it came to be) is someone 19 going into 20. Nothing below that. As I get older, the age cap grows. 

Age doesn't matter at all. What matters is maturity. If you and your partner are at the same level of maturity I think it's alright. I know people who are in their late 30's and are ridiculous while I know some young people in their 20's who act years above them.
 
I believe true selfless love is a wonderful thing, putting your spouse before yourself, and in those regards there is no limit or boundary in regards to age difference.

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
Gone
 
TOGZ
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

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
Gone
 
TOGZ
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

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
Gone
 
TOGZ
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

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
Gone
 
TOGZ
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

@fitear1590 i only vaguely know about kafuka so seeing theme here serves as a reminder for me to check more on them~ really liking that song too.
 
@Original Saku randomly clicked a video of casablanca on youtube once but didn't realize some of the members were from noodles and the pillows (i have not been following either of the bands at all). i suddenly have more interest in them now, haha.
 
@CAT5 so happy to see alt of the society on here! there are a number of good tracks from the album, but that track happens to be my favorite! ^^
you will be sure i clicked that vote button.
 
@togz glad to see that someone picked my favorite from the new novembers album.  
 
@emmny i'm loving xaa-xaa more and more, and i also have less problems with the vocals now? i think he's improved, but i also prefer his breathy vocals more. this month and the next will be awesome!
 
@chemicalpictures i also thought their mini was rather uninteresting, but kyozetsu is quite nice. great pick! ^^

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

@beni lovefilm sounds pretty cool, I like the mood of the song!
 
@emmny  that ggg song is good, I'm glad they have a full band now! I was a bit afraid to check the single since I didn't enjoy that MA&MA&MA thing, but I will check it now!
 
@togz nice pick from THE NOVEMBERS!
 
@CAT5 六月ノ雨ニ討タレテ is one of my favorites on alt of the society's album! and ZA FEEDO seems interesting~!

Welcome back to our monthly collection of songs we thought rocked this month! And boy, oh boy, is this month packed full of quality tunes! So please keep your arms and legs securely next to you until this ride comes to a full stop. We apologize some videos may not be available to view in all regions. And we'd like to thank our guest contributors @Ada Suilen and @chemicalpictures for joining us once again! 
 
 
Recommended Tracks: September 2016
 
 
@beni's Picks
 
"たぶんわたしがゆうれいだったら (Tabun watashi ga yuureidattara)" by Her Ghost Friend

I admit that I was a bit late to this party, but throughout the entire month, I mashed the repeat button YouTube to this tune. One of the best ways to describe Her Ghost Friend is probably comparing her to Izumi Makura and Bonjour Suzuki, mixed with Etsuko Yakushimaru's anime tunes, but even cuter! Hold your horses though, it's not rap at all!  The act is comprised of duo singer Shinobu Ono and DJ Obake. The synths over a relaxing, almost ambient but playful beat makes this such a joy to listen to. With a childish yet ethereal voice, Her Ghost Friend have certainly caught my fancy.
 
"Kiss" by lovefilm

Even though their first ever album was quite a flop to me, I at least took this with me for keeps. lovefilm was quite a new name to many, and probably even more to come. I only managed to discover them from following the label UKPROJECT, and I'm sure glad it was "Kiss" I stumbled upon. The band have the female and male duo vocals going on, which is always a treat to the ears -- especially when both are so similar. It's especially sweet when they harmonize, and while the tune is definitely simple, it's worth your attention at least once for the feel good vibes.
 
"Cruisin' Cruisin'" by bonobos

Many thanks to @CAT5 for showing this to me firstly. For someone like myself who doesn't know the first thing about groove, this is a great starter. Everything about "Cruisin' Cruisin'" is just... well, cruisin'! The smoothness of everything, from the seemingly effortless cool vocals to the - just as amazing - chill instrumentals makes this so serene. For a linear, five minute track, you'd be surprised with how quick it seems to end. You can't help but be sucked into the whole feel of the tune. As I've said before, there's only a handful of such musicians I know and enjoy, such as cero being the closest act to them, so being exposed to even more brilliance is a pleasure! And I know it goes the same for everyone else too. Don't miss this!
 
"supercell" by Cö shu Nie

I had known this name for quite a while thanks to @CAT5, who had brought them up to me once again since their music change with this. And now I can't stop digging them! The now rocking pop duo do not let up their energy with this super number. The chaotic yet gorgeous tune is certainly energetic, and with the strong and lush female vocals of Mirai Nakamura, it really stands out and makes an impression. It's a move from their indie/math sound, and a change I've seen no one disagree with. I can safely say they have a least one more fan after this genre switch! I'm sure they'll quickly start to garner attention.
 
"She won't forget" by Someday's Gone

Telling the story of remembering fond yet bitter memories in the corner of a coffee shop, "She won't forget" is an instantly catchy number, relatable, genuine and real. The balance of sweetness with the vocalization "dood, dood, do do do" from pleasant, youthful male voice with the clearly bitter lyrics makes for an emotional and impactful listen. I can't blame anyone to be turned off at the rather amateurish Engrish delivery, but if you can overlook that and enjoy his voice, then you've sure got a nice little gem here. Also, any music video recorded in a coffee shop is the definition of cute, so how about adding "She won't forget" to your memory?

"CRAZY" by I don't like Mondays.

Everything about these guys is so infectious with each and every piece they put out! I have no idea how they do it. How they manage to make a great mixture of Japanese and English, while making it sound as good as it does is beyond me. The effortless Western feel and sound these guys can put out is so very impressive, and deserving of much more attention. From the incredibly... questionable music video style, to just how god damn gorgeous everyone looks, you'll be 'CRAZY' if you don't end up feeling like grooving to this! Be sure to check them out sooner or later while they're on fire with all their recent output!
 
 
@fitear1590's Picks
 
"Ice Candy" by カフカ (KAFUKA)

Last year, pop rockers KAFUKA put out Tokyo 9 Stories, a commendable album. Less than twelve months later, they're already back with another one, AINKSKI (あいなきせかい / ai naki sekai). While I haven't heard the full release yet, "Ice Candy" puts the album off to great start. It's a jaunty romp, punctuated with some surprisingly fuzzy guitar riffs. Frankly, I didn't know the boys had it in 'em to go in an even moderately shoegaze direction. Color me intrigued. The PV matches the aesthetic with some icy Super 8-style film footage. Let's hope the rest of the album has some nice surprises too!
 
"美しい火 (Beautiful Fire)" by THE NOVEMBERS

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of NOVEMBERS ~dream ver.~, so when they gave us a second taste of their new album (Hallelujah) via Soundcloud, it was love at first listen. "Beautiful Fire" is gorgeous and the polar opposite of the shoegrunge grittiness of July's "黒い虹 (Black Rainbow)," which was also stellar. This track has more conviction than the dreamy, yet wispy work on last year's Elegance and it also marks a glorious return to those warm horn arrangements, a nod to 2012's stunning GIFT EP. They add a nostalgic touch here, as well as on album-closer "いこうよ (ikou yo)." There's plenty to chew on with Hallelujah, so be sure to check it out if you haven't already!
 
"ポイズンベリー (poison berry)" by トキノキト (tokinokito)

 
Tokinokito seem to be slipping under people's radars, but if you're a neo-VK fan, what's not to like? They come bearing surprisingly slick visuals for a super indies band and with "poison berry," they introduce a quirky take on the graveyard circus sound so dear to their heavier contemporaries GRIMOIRE. The track opens with spooky chimes and accordion, just in time for Halloween! Then, whimsical synths and noodling guitar riffs lead us into the meat of the song. The verses are an unconventional mesh of time signatures that take some getting used to, but it's kind of brilliant. Tokinokito continue to grab my attention, so I think I'll be in it with them for the long haul. Hope you'll join me!
 
 
@Original Saku's Picks
 
"鬼 (Oni)" by クリープハイプ (CreepHyp)

This month kicks off with one of my most anticipated albums - Sekaikan from CreepHyp - and it does not disappoint. "Oni" is like a crazy train ride with a dose of peculiar sounds and grooves, it includes all the quirky aspects from this band that I love. From the wacky backing vocals to the unorthodox instrumental sounds to the eccentric vocal style of Ozaki. It's all there in a little package waiting to be unwrapped, I love it. One of my favorite albums of the year from one of my favorite bands, check it out. I will however forewarn any new listeners that Ozaki's vocals can be an acquired taste. Sometimes he sings in such a high pitch that it can be hard on the ears, but his eccentricity is very lovable once you've warmed up to it.
 
"twoface" by Aimer

I'm by no means a stranger to Aimer. I've been listening to her output for years in anime openings/endings and soundtracks, but lately I've noticed a slight shift in motivation or direction. That brings us to her new album daydream, and in particular the song "twoface", with music produced by Uchisawa Takahito from androp. This track has a lot of power behind it, which I don't often hear from Aimer songs, and it has caught my attention because of that. She performs wonderfully here and is in top form. That, combined with the interesting instrumentals and direction, makes this one of my favorite songs from her. I can't exactly put my finger on what has changed, but I feel that we have only just begun to see what she can do.
 
"Groovy Cony" by Casablanca

This is a  sleeper pick from last month that I wasn't able to get to since it came out so close to the deadline. Casablanca a newly formed band comprised of Yoko (noodles), Sawao Yamanaka (the pillows), and Shinya Kusube (Radio Caroline) - a veritable super group if you will. With such talent coming together, there was no doubt in my mind that their first album Another Story would be quality tunes, but nothing prepared me for the instant gratification that I received upon listening to this record. "Groovy Cony" is just one of the amazing tracks from this debut release that has a particular sound that I can only describe as nostalgia in a bottle. With Sawao's guitar work, backing vocals, and composition, and Kusube's loud and proud drumming, we have a instrumental style that harkens back to the sounds of old. You then add in Yoko as the lead vocalist and we have a distinct sound that feels nostalgic and fresh at the same time.
 
 
@togz' Picks
 
"Redemption" by Her Name in Blood 

I became a little concerned for the direction of this album with the release of the "Bakemono" music video. However, the majority of the tracks on this release really caught me by surprise. "Redemption" was the composition that grasped my interest the most. The guitar work in the beginning serves as a great hook for the entire track regardless of the repetition. Although the guitar riffs aren't very complex and we get a lot of palm-muted chugga-chugs, I found myself subconsciously bobbing my head along. The strongest aspect of this song is the catchy chorus. Ikepy's vocals really show growth with the range, depth, and stamina of his cleans. I can only hope to enjoy this song live some day. This is a must listen!
 
"海の静寂 (Umi no Seijaku)" by downy

I'm fairly new to the world of downy, but I have this song along with a few others to thank for getting me hooked. I'm not sure if this song is a great representation of all of their past work, but I can vouch that it's a great easy-listening track. I admire the flow of this song because of it's slow jazzy mood with silky-slick vocal phrases.  It's a rather sluggish song, but it's not muddy and it's tasteful. It works as great thinking music, inspirational music, or just something to sit back and relax to. 
 
"愛はなけなし (What Little Love)" by THE NOVEMBERS

THE NOVEMBERS never seem to disappoint, but this song in specific really resonates with me from their new album Hallelujah. The intro is a beautiful and emotionally dark combination of beautiful acoustics and muted guitar strums. Kobayashi's voice enters in a lullaby-esque melody, which fits his voice flawlessly given that his tone can range from a whispering chant to raw shouting. The middle section of the song is an interesting direction change and really jumps back to their dream-pop sound, but remains able to melt back into the solemn vibe of the song overall. While I would highly recommend the whole album, this track is where I'd start.
 
"ぴゅーぱ。( Pyupa/Pupa)" by PIGLOW in GLOOMY

I feel like visual kei has become a realm filled with cookie-cutter bands and finding gems is a chore. I listened to PIGLOW in GLOOMY on a whim, and while I wasn't amazed, I wasn't disappointed either. This track is off of their first mini-album むくあ(mukua) which was released August 31st. I like this track because it has hints of what visual kei sounded like when it was at it's peak for me, which was the obscurely mellow intros that lead into heavy guitar riffs and gave off a psychedelic sort of vibe.  The composition itself isn't too complex, but it shows potential to head in a very interesting direction. The vocal style also reminds me a bit of Karma from AvelCain, so if you're in to that I'd say they're worth a listen!
 
 
@emmny's Picks
 
"頭蓋、紛い (zugai, magai)" by gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy

Grandpa-kei' icons ggg return with a new single for September, hilarious titled I LOVE YOU. Considering how dark their sound is, a simple 'I love you' is an ironic declaration more so than a love letter. While the title track of the single has a stutter-y groove and an old-school merry go round vibe, "Zugai, Magai" chooses instead to brood and melt in its own darkness, giving a nod to later-era merry go. Kazuma's yelling has been a love-hate affair on their past material, as i enjoy his clean vocals more than his dragged-out-vibrato-whimper-yell, but it sounds perfect haunted on this track. I don't think anyone would have predicted ggg's success (or existence) 10 years ago, but this oddly random project has flourished into one hell of a beast. They exist on a creative plane far from their contemporaries, yet with an incredibly familiar sound that grows in magnitude with each release, it's incredibly thrilling to watch.
 
"EVIDENCE" by lynch.

Gang vocals? Yes. Delayed and reverberated clean guitar intro? Hell yeah. Compression for the gods? You know it. Thumping metalcore break down? Duh. Fist pumping chorus? Absolutely. lynch. basically rehashing what they've been doing for the past 3 years but still managing to blow our ears in with some surprises here and there? Thank god!
 
"カミソリ (Kamisori)" by ザアザア (Xaa-xaa)

Osaka it-band Xaa-Xaa are once again spamming us with music, this time in the form of a 3-month consecutive release around the theme of 'despair'. "Kamisori" is the first incarnation of this project, and Xaa-Xaa handle the questionably triggering concept with fury and also grace. "Kamisori" features a thrashy guitar riff at its centre with this oddly cute wonky tone that keeps it from coming across too 'metal'. Kazuki's vocals are at times breathy, other times strained, increasing the tension behind the words (special shout out to that howl at the end). The song flows incredibly well, outside of repeating the main riff a few times too many. The progression from the breakdown to the solo is particularly awesome. Next month is looking to be great too...see y'all here in October?
 
"撲殺サマンサ (Bokusatsu Samantha)" by DAMY

I'm gonna be real honest with y'all (as you can always expect): there's little merit to the new DAMY record outside of DEZERT's obvious influence. I knew it was an enjoyable record, but I didn't find any new tracks were interesting enough on their own for a feature. It works better as a whole... except for "Bokusatsu Samantha". This is straight up catchy metal-kei that stands amazingly on its own--so we'll forgive the fact that this technically came out in 2015. There's not much to rave on about this track, it's not that complex, or original, or all that interesting--but it's so fucking fun. You'll be screaming along to the gang refrain in no time, not knowing the band's detailing whacking a girl over the head to death. Intellectual music has it's place, but sometimes you just wanna whip your hair to some depravity--thank god DAMY make music for that.
 
 
@Zeus' Picks
 
"The Love From a Dead Orchestra" by Versailles

Versailles' return and announcement of new material is the greatest gift they could have given to their fans. There's been a dearth of good symphonic visual kei acts to fill Versailles' flowery rococo heels, but they didn't go out on the best note, so their Greatest Hits release feels less like a cash-in and more of an attempt to convince us there's enough magic to keep going. The tracks they chose were among the best of the best, but one in particular caught my eye almost instantly. I prayed and fantasized about what an updated rendition of "The Love From a Dead Orchestra" would sound like for years as it's always been a bold song held back by constrained production choices and a vocalist who had not yet adapted to his range. The re-recording exceeded my expectations. Some rough transitions were smoothed over with the inclusion of new instruments, everything was redone from scratch, and new lyrics were added to cover up sparse interludes. In terms of low-hanging optimizations to the melody the band plucked them all and then some. What's harder to communicate with words - and what Versailles did successfully - is play like a band. There's the perfect mix of old Versailles and new Versailles here to both restore my faith and keep my interest for what's to come.
 
 "孤独旋回 (kodoku senkai)" by downy

It's no secret that I'm all about downy's latest LP, 第六作品集『無題』 (Mudai), but it's hard to describe in words the emotions I feel when listening. If I had to choose one track that captures the entire feel of 『無題』, it would be "孤独旋回" (kodoku senkai). If 『無題』 were a story, "孤独旋回" would be the tense rising action before the climax. The rhythm is as tortuous as it is both uplifting and oddly distressing, beckoning the listener this way and then another with the variations in tempo and theme. I can feel the members of downy flexing their knowledge of musical theory on me with this one. Fans of post-rock and mathy melodies still new to downy just might fall in love. Moments of tranquility are upended into a whirlwind of emotion, painted with the melancholy tones of vocalist Robin Aoki. Such a description is fitting for a track named "Revolving Loneliness". One of the best tracks of September for sure!  
 
 
@CAT5's Picks
 
"2772" by ZA FEEDO

Initially appearing on a Yasei Collective feature back in 2014, ZA FEEDO have finally come forth with their debut album  2772, sporting what they describe as a 'Futurist Polyrhythmic Tropical Bad Ass FUJIYAMA Sound '. While they site acts like Aphex Twin, Little Dragon, Miles Davis, and bjork as influences, on their latest PV for the title track "2772", ZA FEEDO's off-kilter grooves and soulful vocals land them closer to the realm of Spangle call Lilli Line. The song has a great balance of experimental ingenuity and accessible, pop charisma. Let's hope the album is just as good!
 
"星雲ヒッチハイク (seiun hitch-hike)" by TAMTAM

TAMTAM originally made a name for themselves by creating a delectable fusion of Jpop and dub. They tried a few new things in 2014 - most of which seemed like a direct appeal to the Anime industry - but thankfully, they've returned to form on their new album NEWPOESY, even stating in their promo campaign, "Back to the Riddim"! The album is full of sweet, soulful jams that, while enjoyable, are best appreciated as a whole. "星雲ヒッチハイク" stands out completely on its own, though! It's an epic, expansive groove and the most pristinely gorgeous track of not only the album, but of TAMTAM's career thus far!
 
"白薔薇のララバイ (shirobara no lullaby)" by 手嶌葵 (Aoi Teshima)

When it comes to Jpop songstress Aoi Teshima, her music is just as classy, elegant, and beautiful as she is! She just released a new album titled 青い図書室 (Blue library) in celebration of her 10th anniversary and it's expectedly lovely. "白薔薇のララバイ" is particularly extravagant, with its somber, psychedelic-folk sound that harkens back to 70's kayōkyoku ballads, and even brings to mind the likes of Douji Morita. Absolutely stunning!
 
"Falling Alone" by Aimer

Hot on the heels of her recent single "insane dream" (produced by ONE OK ROCK's Taka), Aimer has finally dropped her new album daydream this month, which features three additional tracks penned by Taka as well. Of the three, "Falling Alone" serves us the kind of riveting pop-rock we've come to love from Aimer - even towering above "ninelie", which was produced by 'Mr. epic' himself, Hiroyuki Sawano. Taka and Aimer have proven to be a potent combination. The chorus of this song is EVERYTHING!
 
"Sunshine Freeway" by I love you Orchestra

I love you Orchestra is one of those bands that look brilliant on paper, but unfortunately, have yet to deliver anything truly substantial. With two drummers and three guitarists, one would expect some level of brilliance, but so far, their releases have consisted of songs too spastic to really get into, and songs too short to offer anything memorable. Thankfully, their sound finally seems to be coming together on their third and newest album Crack. "Sunshine Freeway" reflects this by perfectly balancing out the band's spastic tendencies with more accessible melodies and a coherent structure. The song feels more like an actual experience now, as opposed to just passing sounds. Japan's instrumental scene has been lacking lately, but these guys may just put a 'Crack' in the monotony!  
 
"see through sway in you" by 別野加奈 (Kana Wakareno)

Kana Wakareno is a young singer, pianist and cinematographer, who just recently released her third album forget me not, and it's absolutely exquisite! Her music is based on her own, imaginary/fictional landscapes, and through each track, you get a clear sense of her cinematic visions. The minimalistic melancholy of "see through sway in you" congers up a particularly visceral scene, with its mournful, yet gorgeous melodies and subtle background noises that sound to be the crackling of a fire - you get a sense that there's warmth nearby, but at the moment, there's something comforting about how numbing the cold is. Amazing.
 
"六月ノ雨ニ討タレテ (rokugatsu no ame ni utarete)" by alt of the society

Real Japanese emo is a bit of a scarcity. The scene is relatively small, and there aren't an abundance of fans in or outside of Japan, so I was pretty delighted when I finally got my hands on alt of the society's new album 追憶の風景 (tsuioku no fuukei), which was released all the way back in March! Not only was my need for this style of music sated, but the album also provided a few gems as well - "六月ノ雨ニ討タレテ" being one of them. It's a track with a traditional kind of post-rock build, starting relatively calm and then climaxing into a swell of emotion. Easily one of the most compelling tracks of the album!
 
 
"滅菌、消毒、絆創膏。(mekkin, shoudoku, bansoukou.)" by Chanty

Chanty are undeniably a VK band, yet they've continuously proven that their appeal extends beyond the scene. They're just as at home being on the same bill as VK bands like Grieva and Kuroyuri to Kage as they are sharing the stage with "non-vk" acts like indie-rockers aquarifa. On their latest album 不完全な音楽 (fukanzen na ongaku), they continue to straddle that line between unabashed "vk-ism" and indie appeal - they're almost like a VK version of cinema staff in that regard. "滅菌、消毒、絆創膏。" takes that archetypal, circus-y VK rock sound and amps it up a bit with the spastic recklessness of a 9mm parabellum bullet or Arukara track. This song is a helluva lot of fun!
 
"灰よ (hai yo)" by 平沢進 (Susumu Hirasawa)

The musical wizard of everything wondrous, the one and only, the legend himself, Susumu Hirasawa has just released Ash Crow, a compilation of songs he's composed for the Berserk franchise over a span of 20 years. The compilation features songs from the Berserk movies, games, and even some of the new insert songs from the Berserk 2016 anime - most notably "Hai yo"! The song is suitably dark and epic, evoking the grim nature of the show while providing the perfect backdrop for the demonic warfare of the series. It's a song that's both uniquely Hirasawa, and uniquely Berserk. It's a shame that the Berserk 2016 anime wasn't worthy of such a great piece!
 
Guest Recommendations
 
@Ada Suilen's Picks
 
"1000 Years" by THE NOVEMBERS

After the dark and dreamy Elegance EP, The Novembers have come back with their sixth album Hallelujah. A product which doesn't disappoint for a single note. But if you isolate it carefully, you can see the single vibes that are inside it: nostalgic rock sound, with even a passionate soul full of adrenaline and astonishing themes, which I liked most. "1000 Years" represents perfectly the most rebellious and out-of-scheme style that this band could ever do (those grungy vocals!).
 
"Trigger" by MUCC

In my opinion, MUCC is one of the few bands which always opted to stupefy and to entertain in unusual ways (think about the genres they've showed off); in their latest single this happened once again. With an energetic A-side and a curious first track on the B-side, here we are in front of something which smells unexpected and incredible. "Trigger" appears as one of the 'black-sheep' of MUCC's discography, where a warm guitar intertwines with sublime vocals and the structure twists around itself each second for a whirling musical experience.
 
 
@chemicalpictures' Picks
 
"拒絶 (kyosetzu)" by SCAPEGOAT

SCAPEGOAT was always a hit-and-miss band for me. While I loved "告白＿時々、雨 (kokuhaku ___ tokidoki, ame)", I couldn't care less for the other five songs on the mini. What made me love it so much is that the guys have a concept of trying to tell a story through their songs. They got it right that time, and got it right on the spot again! The Nagoya-y vocal lines set the tone and create a heavy atmosphere full of visual kei tropes like whispers, moaning and slow paced singing. The lead guitar nicely defines the tempo, starting slow and exploding into a catchy, dark and powerful chorus that provides some nice headbanging moments. You can feel that they are trying to express that emotional burst through the chorus, and that's an interesting little quirk. Music-wise there is nothing really innovative to be seen here, but it's a nice banger on a slow vkei month.
 
"Jellyfish" by ZON

With their third single, ZON is showing how consistently good they are. All the songs are great on this single, but "Jellyfish" stood out mainly because of 834. I'd like to get everyone's attention on how good that guy is. The song already starts packing a punch: 834's drums all over your face, dueling with Mii's melodic guitar lines, while Azu does his thing. Everything is just fine, but it all goes wild in the chorus, with 834's drums again in the spotlight, urging you to stand up and dance. It's IMPOSSIBLE to stand still. They really let him go full crazy mode... It's interesting how he subverts the regular progressive rock beat infusing a high octane funky-afrobeat, making it so energetic and vibrant (lol, sorry I got a little carried away here, but he is THAT good!). Another nice touch is the transition on the three-minute mark from the classic vk slow bridge into fast chorus transition. Smooth AF. This is EDR with a capital R, guys. These guys can be HUGE in no time.
 
Thanks for hanging out with us for another month of songs and we hope you enjoyed them as much as we did! Please comment below if you had any special songs this month you didn't see listed above that deserve some attention! We'd love to hear about them, or any of the songs we've listed above. Please let us know what you thought.  If you'd like to become a guest contributor for Recommended Tracks next month please contact @doombox!
 
Until next time~

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

Nice report! You must've taken some good notes.
 
I went to the NYC show and from my perspective near the rear the energy of the crowd was really good. No idea if there was any cattiness up front jostling for position before the show. I thought the Gazette's new stuff translated to the stage pretty well.
 
I don't regret not splurging on VIP tickets. Both because a.) I brought someone who doesn't care about VK at all and I'm sure he wouldn't have been down for arriving so early and b.) I'm tall so it didn't really matter how late I got to the venue, I could see fine from any spot on the floor
 
 
Shouldn't they though? I don't know if I've ever seen a headlining band not come back out for an encore whether the fans really demanded one or not. It's just what you do. If a band/bands actually had the balls to not come back out if the enthusiasm wasn't there then maybe there'd be more incentive to cheer loudly... as it is now the band performing an encore is perfunctory so why bother with loud cheers/applause?
 
(kind of an aside I know but I've thought about the dynamics of encores at many shows.... I seriously would laugh out loud if a band just turned on the house lights and stayed backstage if a couple minutes after their show ended no one was excited for an encore)

great review! i found my live experience at gazette to be good, but it made me realize gazette are kind of a...boring band to follow. my spot in the audience was awkward, i was close to the front but everyone beside me was dead. i had a lot of people cutting me off and stuff, and im not much of a person to fight back, so i found that annoying. at the end of the show, i was just focused on getting home--maybe it was a bad day for me. that said, im someone who tends to focus on negatives after concerts, so bad interactions really stick with me, lol.
speaking from my other friends, the fan atmosphere was mostly friendly, just drama with girls pushing into first row (as expected). apparently there was a fist fight on aoi's side during the toronto show, so LMFAO gazette girls go off.
musically, they played too much of dogma, disproportional compared to all the other shows. I love dogma and it was good live but it was just -meh-, so i'd definitely see them next time they come to toronto but i wouldn't go out of my way to follow them in japan or even in NA.
dir en grey however.....
 

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

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

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

Uhm excuse me.... but uhm... well.... yes. This sounds like magic so far and I'm interested. 
Looking forward to hearing full versions of this!

@plastic_rainbow, @togz, @doombox, @saishuu, @Pho
 
you guys might dig this? Maybe? ^^;
 
I think this sounds great so far, personally. That guest musician list looks awesome, and I'm happy to hear her finally sing in Japanese!!!

SOSO BREAK THE WALL will release their first mini album on October 26th, 2016! This is the new project from the brown's vocalist.
 

 
  1. Voice
  2. Black wave
  3. Five nostalgic
  4. Happy wedding
  5. Growly
  6. Let it die~君と僕の章~
 
■参加ゲスト 
M-1 Dr,松本誠治 (FINAL FRASH/Migimimi sleep tight/We Come One) 
M-2,4,6 Dr,KO"JUNGLE"Sugimoto (Liaroid Cinema / OREGA / Vampillia) 
M-3 Vo,4ho(ANYO) Dr,GOTO(DALLJUB STEP CLUB/あらかじめ決められた恋人たちへ) 
M-4 Vo,向 達郎(kamomekamome) 
M-5 E.pf,CHIEKO(KAGERO/SaraGrace’s Onehotnight) Dr,HAGI(KAGERO/SaraGrace’s Onehotnight) 
M-6 Vn,たまがわ(ロマンティックブラザーズ/CROW DRAGON TEA/ studio GREENGREEN/たこ焼きてらや)
ALL Gu,ATARI.K(the brown/ 瞼-mabuta-) Bass,YASU(the brown)
 
 

http://sosobreakthewall.net/
https://www.facebook.com/SOSO-BREAK-THE-WALL-123468151406089/
https://twitter.com/sosobtw

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