WhirlingBlack

Kisaki is the VK equivalent of those MH users who say they're gonna really quit for good this time and then end up coming back anyway like 2 days later
 

They have only performed one new song during this tour. Once I've gathered my notes and arrived back home in Sweden I'll try to write a more full description of it.

Yes. You don't exactly advertise that you're into vk if you're expected to socialise outside of the circles of the already initiated. And I can see why, the "mainstream vk scene" (bands that subscribe to the typical behaviour and sales tactics with cheki and whatnot) has a lot of questionable things going on in it as I'm sure you're aware. To be honest my aversion to these bands have only increased ever since I came to Japan and noticed just how little the music seem to matter to the vast majority of fans. And I guess people, even if they don't partake in this mitsu culture, don't want to risk being seen as such a person. 
 
That and the fact that Japanese mainstream culture is very conservative and narrow by default so a lot of people hide subculture interests either way in the broad public regardless to what area it might pertain. 

Yes. You don't exactly advertise that you're into vk if you're expected to socialise outside of the circles of the already initiated. And I can see why, the "mainstream vk scene" (bands that subscribe to the typical behaviour and sales tactics with cheki and whatnot) has a lot of questionable things going on in it as I'm sure you're aware. To be honest my aversion to these bands have only increased ever since I came to Japan and noticed just how little the music seem to matter to the vast majority of fans. And I guess people, even if they don't partake in this mitsu culture, don't want to risk being seen as such a person. 
 
That and the fact that Japanese mainstream culture is very conservative and narrow by default so a lot of people hide subculture interests either way in the broad public regardless to what area it might pertain. 

I saw these guys outside the venue at the Dir en grey gig today, handing out flyers. Not to me but to all the girls, of course. Pretty funny how that always happens.

I was diagnosed with Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT) at 18 months old.  CMT is a degenerative neuromuscular dirorder that effects the myelin sheath around the nerves.  Motor signals  don't get sent as well to the muscles,  it bt becomes harder to use them, and eventually you forget what it was ever like to use them.   CMT gets progressively worse and starts at the fingers and toes and works its way up over the years.  I still have some function in my shoulders, hips, neck, and torso, but I can't use any muscles in my legs or arms.
Things my specific type of CMT affects (We think it's all related)
My vocal chords are partially paralyzed, so my voice sounds like the bastard lovechild of Gollum and Darth Vader. My eyeballs are broke.  My vision without glasses is about 20/300 without glasses, 20/100 with.  I'm legally blind. My diaphragm is slightly weaken, so I can't breathe in or out as strongly and pretty bad stress, anxiety, and depression from all this and knowing it's going to get worse. The cool ways I adapt and cope
I use the tip of my nose to use phones/tablets/anything with a touchscreen.  It works really well (especially since I have to be that close to see the screen anyways), and I use a toothbrush in my mouth to type on a regular computer. Playing video games is fun, and I play Overwatch a lot with @Zeus  I sit on the floor in front of the monitor, use a mouse on the floor on my right (moving and clicking buttons with my palm), an xbox controller on the floor in front of me (using the left joystick to move/click in for an ability), and the toothbrush keyboard method to type/hit keys for abilities etc. I try to deal with all the anxiety and depression by throwing myself into working on RarezHut.  I know I must seem to a lot of people that I only use MH to mostly promote RarezHut, but constantly working is how I stat (mostly) sane. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for @Biopanda though.  He works as my caregiver, co-owner of RarezHut, and my best friend in the world.  We've been roommates and he's been helping me since 2008, and I'm surprised we haven't killed eachother yet since we see eachother every day all day.  Every day he helps me get dressed, eat meals, take a shower, even as simple as grabbing something from across the room.  Panda has been there at my darkest moments when the weight of everything and the knowledge that there is no light at the end of the tunnel causes me to just collapse into a quivering mess of tears.

Kyo started singing too early and got out of rythm, and since he couldn't find his way back smoothly he turned around to the other guys and started waving his arms at them signalling them to stop playing. Then he sort of laughed it off a bit with the rest of us and we gave him an applause for... being a good sport I guess? It's fun when something unexpected happens and Kyo says something out of the ordinary as well, just makes him a bit more human.
 
Either way, best show of the tour so far for me, Osaka always delivers and finally some standing shows so I can be in the middle of all the mayhem and bask in the glory of organized chaos. Setlist was great and the remaining songs will be played tomorrow. I doubt there will be any surprises at this stage of the tour but there really doesn't have to be any as far as I'm concerned. 

The first two shows I attended were both "seated" lives, I say seated because in Japan people always stand in their seat spot as soon as the live starts until it ends. Some quick notes:
 
The whole band is performing on top of their game, but Kyo especially seems to be so comfortable and happy, I've never quite seen him jump around and smile and dance and have fun with the other band members in this way. Before the last song today he unexpectedly forced Shinya to talk to the audience while he was doubling over laughing at Shinya trying to rile up the crowd for the last song, doing a understandably stiff impression compared to Kyos usual style. In the show yesterday he was poking Die from behind during either Jessica or umbrella as well.
 
Certain songs stand out more than other, the new track is very good, a heavy ballad with piano that runs throughout the song and some electronic influences here and there. Kigan and Pink Killer are absolute beasts, so much raw energy and power there, even more than their recent material despite it being ostensibly "heavier". FILTH and ZOMBOID have a lot of audience participation, such as making the audience sing the entire chorus of FILTH and similar. and despite that the lyrics during the verses are changed for ZOMBOID it doesn't feel out of place. 
 
To be honest, the only downside with this tour so far is the decision to have the shows seated, and the fact that they still feel the need to play Sustain the Untruth. I've seen it a billion times already, please stop. But that's nitpicking really, once the Hatch shows rolls around I'm sure things will reach perfection if the band keeps performing at this level.
 
 

"Accidentally" extended my Japan trip so I could attend the last two Shinkiba shows as well, so I'll do my best to report from the last half of the tour starting from Nagoya. Can't promise quality reviews but some kind of anecdotes at least will be provided.

The first two shows I attended were both "seated" lives, I say seated because in Japan people always stand in their seat spot as soon as the live starts until it ends. Some quick notes:
 
The whole band is performing on top of their game, but Kyo especially seems to be so comfortable and happy, I've never quite seen him jump around and smile and dance and have fun with the other band members in this way. Before the last song today he unexpectedly forced Shinya to talk to the audience while he was doubling over laughing at Shinya trying to rile up the crowd for the last song, doing a understandably stiff impression compared to Kyos usual style. In the show yesterday he was poking Die from behind during either Jessica or umbrella as well.
 
Certain songs stand out more than other, the new track is very good, a heavy ballad with piano that runs throughout the song and some electronic influences here and there. Kigan and Pink Killer are absolute beasts, so much raw energy and power there, even more than their recent material despite it being ostensibly "heavier". FILTH and ZOMBOID have a lot of audience participation, such as making the audience sing the entire chorus of FILTH and similar. and despite that the lyrics during the verses are changed for ZOMBOID it doesn't feel out of place. 
 
To be honest, the only downside with this tour so far is the decision to have the shows seated, and the fact that they still feel the need to play Sustain the Untruth. I've seen it a billion times already, please stop. But that's nitpicking really, once the Hatch shows rolls around I'm sure things will reach perfection if the band keeps performing at this level.
 
 

"Accidentally" extended my Japan trip so I could attend the last two Shinkiba shows as well, so I'll do my best to report from the last half of the tour starting from Nagoya. Can't promise quality reviews but some kind of anecdotes at least will be provided.

I support this idea and I propose that we take it one step further by imposing strict eugenics on all bands, since there might be members of not 100% pure Japanese descent who mask themselves as members of the purported master race.
 
It's time we start a fund to send one of the fine gentlemen who are an expert in this field to Japan in order to meticulously measure the skulls and ensure the racial purity of our Japanese musicians. Perhaps we can make various sub-forums for degrees of Japanese-ness in order to let people decide on their own tolerance for racial deviation? Maybe they're fine with bands who have members who show slightly Caucasoid/Negroid facial traits but not so much as it shows in their skin tone for example?
 
...Or we just don't care. I'm the last person to think swede-kei and the various other weeaboo scenes are anything to listen to, but honestly, if a band is based in Japan, sings in Japanese, has it's social circles in the Japanese Visual scene, the only thing separating them is race. Kind of silly to make a deal out of, in my opinion.

Kyo started singing too early and got out of rythm, and since he couldn't find his way back smoothly he turned around to the other guys and started waving his arms at them signalling them to stop playing. Then he sort of laughed it off a bit with the rest of us and we gave him an applause for... being a good sport I guess? It's fun when something unexpected happens and Kyo says something out of the ordinary as well, just makes him a bit more human.
 
Either way, best show of the tour so far for me, Osaka always delivers and finally some standing shows so I can be in the middle of all the mayhem and bask in the glory of organized chaos. Setlist was great and the remaining songs will be played tomorrow. I doubt there will be any surprises at this stage of the tour but there really doesn't have to be any as far as I'm concerned. 

The first two shows I attended were both "seated" lives, I say seated because in Japan people always stand in their seat spot as soon as the live starts until it ends. Some quick notes:
 
The whole band is performing on top of their game, but Kyo especially seems to be so comfortable and happy, I've never quite seen him jump around and smile and dance and have fun with the other band members in this way. Before the last song today he unexpectedly forced Shinya to talk to the audience while he was doubling over laughing at Shinya trying to rile up the crowd for the last song, doing a understandably stiff impression compared to Kyos usual style. In the show yesterday he was poking Die from behind during either Jessica or umbrella as well.
 
Certain songs stand out more than other, the new track is very good, a heavy ballad with piano that runs throughout the song and some electronic influences here and there. Kigan and Pink Killer are absolute beasts, so much raw energy and power there, even more than their recent material despite it being ostensibly "heavier". FILTH and ZOMBOID have a lot of audience participation, such as making the audience sing the entire chorus of FILTH and similar. and despite that the lyrics during the verses are changed for ZOMBOID it doesn't feel out of place. 
 
To be honest, the only downside with this tour so far is the decision to have the shows seated, and the fact that they still feel the need to play Sustain the Untruth. I've seen it a billion times already, please stop. But that's nitpicking really, once the Hatch shows rolls around I'm sure things will reach perfection if the band keeps performing at this level.
 
 

Every year there's always that post around this time lamenting the state of the scene, and then shortly after someone comes along and says everything is just fine. But if you were to hypothetically be "that guy", for once I would say you have a good argument. There's almost nothing enticing that I listen to or follow anymore...

Kyo started singing too early and got out of rythm, and since he couldn't find his way back smoothly he turned around to the other guys and started waving his arms at them signalling them to stop playing. Then he sort of laughed it off a bit with the rest of us and we gave him an applause for... being a good sport I guess? It's fun when something unexpected happens and Kyo says something out of the ordinary as well, just makes him a bit more human.
 
Either way, best show of the tour so far for me, Osaka always delivers and finally some standing shows so I can be in the middle of all the mayhem and bask in the glory of organized chaos. Setlist was great and the remaining songs will be played tomorrow. I doubt there will be any surprises at this stage of the tour but there really doesn't have to be any as far as I'm concerned. 

The first two shows I attended were both "seated" lives, I say seated because in Japan people always stand in their seat spot as soon as the live starts until it ends. Some quick notes:
 
The whole band is performing on top of their game, but Kyo especially seems to be so comfortable and happy, I've never quite seen him jump around and smile and dance and have fun with the other band members in this way. Before the last song today he unexpectedly forced Shinya to talk to the audience while he was doubling over laughing at Shinya trying to rile up the crowd for the last song, doing a understandably stiff impression compared to Kyos usual style. In the show yesterday he was poking Die from behind during either Jessica or umbrella as well.
 
Certain songs stand out more than other, the new track is very good, a heavy ballad with piano that runs throughout the song and some electronic influences here and there. Kigan and Pink Killer are absolute beasts, so much raw energy and power there, even more than their recent material despite it being ostensibly "heavier". FILTH and ZOMBOID have a lot of audience participation, such as making the audience sing the entire chorus of FILTH and similar. and despite that the lyrics during the verses are changed for ZOMBOID it doesn't feel out of place. 
 
To be honest, the only downside with this tour so far is the decision to have the shows seated, and the fact that they still feel the need to play Sustain the Untruth. I've seen it a billion times already, please stop. But that's nitpicking really, once the Hatch shows rolls around I'm sure things will reach perfection if the band keeps performing at this level.
 
 

The first two shows I attended were both "seated" lives, I say seated because in Japan people always stand in their seat spot as soon as the live starts until it ends. Some quick notes:
 
The whole band is performing on top of their game, but Kyo especially seems to be so comfortable and happy, I've never quite seen him jump around and smile and dance and have fun with the other band members in this way. Before the last song today he unexpectedly forced Shinya to talk to the audience while he was doubling over laughing at Shinya trying to rile up the crowd for the last song, doing a understandably stiff impression compared to Kyos usual style. In the show yesterday he was poking Die from behind during either Jessica or umbrella as well.
 
Certain songs stand out more than other, the new track is very good, a heavy ballad with piano that runs throughout the song and some electronic influences here and there. Kigan and Pink Killer are absolute beasts, so much raw energy and power there, even more than their recent material despite it being ostensibly "heavier". FILTH and ZOMBOID have a lot of audience participation, such as making the audience sing the entire chorus of FILTH and similar. and despite that the lyrics during the verses are changed for ZOMBOID it doesn't feel out of place. 
 
To be honest, the only downside with this tour so far is the decision to have the shows seated, and the fact that they still feel the need to play Sustain the Untruth. I've seen it a billion times already, please stop. But that's nitpicking really, once the Hatch shows rolls around I'm sure things will reach perfection if the band keeps performing at this level.
 
 

Kyo started singing too early and got out of rythm, and since he couldn't find his way back smoothly he turned around to the other guys and started waving his arms at them signalling them to stop playing. Then he sort of laughed it off a bit with the rest of us and we gave him an applause for... being a good sport I guess? It's fun when something unexpected happens and Kyo says something out of the ordinary as well, just makes him a bit more human.
 
Either way, best show of the tour so far for me, Osaka always delivers and finally some standing shows so I can be in the middle of all the mayhem and bask in the glory of organized chaos. Setlist was great and the remaining songs will be played tomorrow. I doubt there will be any surprises at this stage of the tour but there really doesn't have to be any as far as I'm concerned. 

Reminds me of the one time that bandman got arrested for "inhumane acts". I hope we will get some clarity this time around.

Quite a long read, but it's pretty shocking stuff and a good place to start if the South Korean presidency scandals are new to you. There's so much juicy stuff I'll end up reposting the whole article if I don't cut myself off. I just copied context & some juicy bits.
 
http://askakorean.blogspot.nl/2016/10/the-irrational-downfall-of-park-geun-hye.html
 
 
 
 
 
 
There's so much to this I can't even...

The first two shows I attended were both "seated" lives, I say seated because in Japan people always stand in their seat spot as soon as the live starts until it ends. Some quick notes:
 
The whole band is performing on top of their game, but Kyo especially seems to be so comfortable and happy, I've never quite seen him jump around and smile and dance and have fun with the other band members in this way. Before the last song today he unexpectedly forced Shinya to talk to the audience while he was doubling over laughing at Shinya trying to rile up the crowd for the last song, doing a understandably stiff impression compared to Kyos usual style. In the show yesterday he was poking Die from behind during either Jessica or umbrella as well.
 
Certain songs stand out more than other, the new track is very good, a heavy ballad with piano that runs throughout the song and some electronic influences here and there. Kigan and Pink Killer are absolute beasts, so much raw energy and power there, even more than their recent material despite it being ostensibly "heavier". FILTH and ZOMBOID have a lot of audience participation, such as making the audience sing the entire chorus of FILTH and similar. and despite that the lyrics during the verses are changed for ZOMBOID it doesn't feel out of place. 
 
To be honest, the only downside with this tour so far is the decision to have the shows seated, and the fact that they still feel the need to play Sustain the Untruth. I've seen it a billion times already, please stop. But that's nitpicking really, once the Hatch shows rolls around I'm sure things will reach perfection if the band keeps performing at this level.
 
 

The first two shows I attended were both "seated" lives, I say seated because in Japan people always stand in their seat spot as soon as the live starts until it ends. Some quick notes:
 
The whole band is performing on top of their game, but Kyo especially seems to be so comfortable and happy, I've never quite seen him jump around and smile and dance and have fun with the other band members in this way. Before the last song today he unexpectedly forced Shinya to talk to the audience while he was doubling over laughing at Shinya trying to rile up the crowd for the last song, doing a understandably stiff impression compared to Kyos usual style. In the show yesterday he was poking Die from behind during either Jessica or umbrella as well.
 
Certain songs stand out more than other, the new track is very good, a heavy ballad with piano that runs throughout the song and some electronic influences here and there. Kigan and Pink Killer are absolute beasts, so much raw energy and power there, even more than their recent material despite it being ostensibly "heavier". FILTH and ZOMBOID have a lot of audience participation, such as making the audience sing the entire chorus of FILTH and similar. and despite that the lyrics during the verses are changed for ZOMBOID it doesn't feel out of place. 
 
To be honest, the only downside with this tour so far is the decision to have the shows seated, and the fact that they still feel the need to play Sustain the Untruth. I've seen it a billion times already, please stop. But that's nitpicking really, once the Hatch shows rolls around I'm sure things will reach perfection if the band keeps performing at this level.
 
 

I'll make sure to hold a joke flag up high for you next time.

Cheap wine at conbini is an oxymoron.