The 1st Livehouse attended in Japan?

[Rika 2]

Just wondering for those people who have travelled to Japan to attend their first Visual Kei/Jpop etc live, which live house is it? for me, it is Ebisu LiquidRoom for Versailles with other bands in June 2007 

[platy 3018]

Ruido K4 last year. Mainly went for dadaroma but ended up enjoying most of the bands who played that day.

[CloudyTree 158]

Kyoto FanJ for A9 last year

[Shmilly 519]

I think either AREA or O-WEST  (back before TSUTAYA bought all the O-series live houses). Was also lucky enough to go to Shibuya-AX before it closed down. I think at that time it was the largest live house in the metropolitan area, larger venues being classed as concert halls or stadiums/arenas.

Edited January 29, 2017 by Shmilly

[r... 720]

豊洲PIT.

[TODORA 18]

duo Music Exchange for MoNoLith in 2013
It was all so confusing because I didn´t know anything about lives with multible bands and the fact that I couldn´t speak japanese AT ALL was anything but helpful xD

Still, up to this day I am wondering how japanese fans know so well which band will be next on stage, without any anouncement whatsoever..

[xriko 165]

went to the awoi last live at Osaka BIG CAT.

[Biopanda 2675]

Mine was a weird one... 四ツ谷 SOUND CREEK Doppo. Some tiny little bar that just happened to be where a Jikkendai Marmot two-man was taking place the day after I got there. It was a super chill venue with a couple of tables and maybe housed like 20-30 people max.

[Takadanobabaalien 3607]

Shibuya REX was the first live house I attended a gig in.

[-Tetsu- 379]

Mine was Takadanobaba AREA in 2013.

I went there to see SaTaN and I was surprised that there were only about 30 people although some quite interesting bands were playing back then.

the bands were:

• メルヴェル
• 君は鋭く。
• Calmando Qual
• SaTaN
• LAZAROUS
• 激情と自由
• MURASAKI

the sound quality wasn't that good btw...

[Biopanda 2675]

11 minutes ago, -Tetsu- said:

Mine was Takadanobaba AREA in 2013.

I went there to see SaTaN and I was surprised that there were only about 30 people although some quite interesting bands were playing back then.

the bands were:

• メルヴェル
• 君は鋭く。
• Calmando Qual
• SaTaN
• LAZAROUS
• 激情と自由
• MURASAKI

the sound quality wasn't that good btw...

Way more than my first time going to AREA and there were only like 5 other people there. Granted, that was the same day as Versailles' last live, so I guess VK fans were busy... I was just being an indiefag and going to the no1curr band's live.

[Euthanasia 333]

Akasaka Blitz! 

[platy 3018]

6 hours ago, TODORA said:

Still, up to this day I am wondering how japanese fans know so well which band will be next on stage, without any anouncement whatsoever..

I wonder the same. I think it's probably some fan who has closer contact with the band or something gets access to this information.

Edited January 30, 2017 by Platy

[echo 547]

my first live house was Meguro Rockmaykan back in like 2010/2011 before they redid it.  Took me and my friend FOREVER to find cos we didn't realize live houses were usually underground lol Rackmaykan used to look like an old theater, puffy seats and everything. It was the most awkward and strange experience ever haha The first band was just a solo guy prancing around on stage. I forget what other bands played that day, but they must have been good enough to cancel out that experience of that guy haha I think his name was Hiro?? I honestly can't remember haha. It was super awkward though cos there weren't many people and the people who were there were just sitting in the chairs chillin unless their band was up then like 1-2 rows of girls would go stand in the little space between the stage and the front row of seats lol

 

Also a random old guy gave my friend and I a ring from off his hand cos I guess we were probably the first people to ever talk to him at a live LOL <3

 

10 hours ago, TODORA said:

Still, up to this day I am wondering how japanese fans know so well which band will be next on stage, without any anouncement whatsoever..

Sometimes the bands will announce on twitter when they go up. I've seen some tweets like "we're on next!" and some bands will tweet beforehand if they are towards the beginning/middle/end. But I think usually the shikiri and/or other saizen find out from the live house staff or the bands themselves. Last time I was saizen, the shikiri told me that our band would the 3rd band to perform. Not sure how she knew though lol

Also, depending on the live, I've seen some bands tweet the actual schedule of who will be on at what time, but that's kind of rare I think.

[anakuro 847]

Osaka MUSE to see kannivalism in 2010

 

but since I came back and became ~bangya~ (and then quit being bangya lol...) was Zepp Tokyo for baroque but others played too (vistlip/Girugamesh/Sadie/DaizyStriper/Nightmare/wyse)

 

 

As for how people know when to go up it's a lot of random things

• really small bands you can legit DM/message the guys and they will tell you 
• There's someone who has a contact in some band playing there
• Peaking under the freaking curtain*
• based on BGM and/or the sound of their sound check
• bandmen hinting about it on twitter about playing late or "hurry up" etc etc

As long as there is one contact then they can usually get the schedule. If that's the case then once one girl knows you just have to ask the right people and you know the order too. Sometimes it's guess work "we know Lycaon is torimae and everyone else has played so that means Souiumono must be tori" (actual experience)

 

*One time when I was in charge because the shikiri was dippin out before the end she told me they didn't know the order at all today and that was what we had to do to check. Thank goodness it was Shibuya REX tbh. Not all curtains are easy to look under.

 

I remember one time they got the order wrong and my friend had to run from saizen and was missing a shoe for an entire set because her other boot was left at the rail lollllllll

Edited January 31, 2017 by anakuro

[-Tetsu- 379]

19 hours ago, Biopanda said:

Way more than my first time going to AREA and there were only like 5 other people there. Granted, that was the same day as Versailles' last live, so I guess VK fans were busy... I was just being an indiefag and going to the no1curr band's live.

 

aah, possibly there was another big concert that day, I don't remember anything haha. But still, it was really confusing, I thought there would be a lot of people (similar to the concerts in europe) and I was even more confused when the fans changed their places for the band they came for. ( it was kind of sad that there was only one girl in front of the stage during Melvels performance lol)

It also was an awesome experience because the bands that weren't playing joined the crowd and talked to their fans.

I remember that Mr.SaTaN was so freaking happy to see an oversea fan haha

[haido 13]

SHIBUYA-AX for D's live in August 2012. Oh the memories!

[qotka 433]

Akasaka Blitz to see Kisida Kyoudan & The Akeboshi Rockets and two other acts I don't remember, but it was a cute live. It was in 2014.

 

In the past couple of months I started going to v-kei livehouses because the vibe is fun (and MUCC were playing, and I'm hooked and didn't mind getting to know more bands).

 

 

[patientZERO 1066]

Namba Hatch to see Dir en grey, but my first real VK livehouse was Amemura DROP.

[anakuro 847]

53 minutes ago, patientZERO said:

Namba Hatch to see Dir en grey, but my first real VK livehouse was Amemura DROP.

man i love DROP..partially because of the benches on the sides. mostly because i feel like i kind of live there at this point.

but it's not really a VK but more like an all around venue that's sometimes used for vk, right?  i go there for metal shows more than anything.

 

btw who did you see at drop??

Edited February 3, 2017 by anakuro

[patientZERO 1066]

4 hours ago, anakuro said:

man i love DROP..partially because of the benches on the sides. mostly because i feel like i kind of live there at this point.

but it's not really a VK but more like an all around venue that's sometimes used for vk, right?  i go there for metal shows more than anything.

 

btw who did you see at drop??

 

I didn't mean that Amemura DROP was only for VK, but more that Dir en grey wasn't a VK show. Haha

 

I saw Deviloof there at their oneman in October. I planned on going to a lot more shows before I had to go home, but unfortunately money got tight. Those benches on the side came in handy when I wanted to store my bag without finding a coin locker. I wish I could be there this month to see HONE YOUR SENSE and INCEPTION OF GENOCIDE together.

[anakuro 847]

5 hours ago, patientZERO said:

 

I didn't mean that Amemura DROP was only for VK, but more that Dir en grey wasn't a VK show. Haha

 

I saw Deviloof there at their oneman in October. I planned on going to a lot more shows before I had to go home, but unfortunately money got tight. Those benches on the side came in handy when I wanted to store my bag without finding a coin locker. I wish I could be there this month to see HONE YOUR SENSE and INCEPTION OF GENOCIDE together.

ahh i see that makes sense

 

Yeah the benches are great for storing stuff or just plain chillin

 

Ahh, I see. Not really a fan of Deviloof but they seem like nice guys. Oh man it's a shame you cant come since it'll be both Kenta's last tour with HONE YOUR SENSE and Aran's last day with Last Day Dream. i think the first time i saw HYS and LDD was at drop and IOG played too lol

[patientZERO 1066]

11 minutes ago, anakuro said:

ahh i see that makes sense

 

Yeah the benches are great for storing stuff or just plain chillin

 

Ahh, I see. Not really a fan of Deviloof but they seem like nice guys. Oh man it's a shame you cant come since it'll be both Kenta's last tour with HONE YOUR SENSE and Aran's last day with Last Day Dream. i think the first time i saw HYS and LDD was at drop and IOG played too lol

 

If you go, have a blast and throw some 'bows for me. I haven't moshed in ages! haha

[anakuro 847]

Just now, patientZERO said:

 

If you go, have a blast and throw some 'bows for me. I haven't moshed in ages! haha

There's no way I'm not going \m/

Normally I'm one of the girls headbanging on rail though haha I cant ハーコー even if i wanted to. i do want to start two stepping like the guys in the metal scene and not like for vk...

[patientZERO 1066]

3 minutes ago, anakuro said:

There's no way I'm not going \m/

Normally I'm one of the girls headbanging on rail though haha I cant ハーコー even if i wanted to. i do want to start two stepping like the guys in the metal scene and not like for vk...

 

When Deadman Walking opened for Deviloof, a real pit broke out, which was dope! I hadn't moshed in forever, so I had to get in on that! Regardless, have fun for me!