Bangya Hacks! (Advice for Attending VK Lives)

[jaymee 405]

I figured it would be cool to have a thread like this for people just starting out going to lives, or maybe even some of you veterans out there that are always trying to make the most of your time and/or maximize efficiency getting in and out.

 

Hack #1: Getting Good Ticket Numbers
 

Spoiler

Buying through the FC or pre-sale will almost always guarantee better numbers, unless it's a huge band with a lottery system in place. Although ticket numbers are sometimes assigned randomly, generally the more tickets you reserve, the better luck you're going to have at getting good numbers. This is especially well-known for the eplus system. So if you want saizen (front row) or close to it, your chances are a lot better buying the max number of tickets at a time you can, and then selling the extras.

However, if it doesn’t seem like a live is popular enough to sell out and you’re willing to wait, often you can get pretty good numbers just by waiting for tickets to pop up on TicketCamp or through Twitter searches, often at cost or even cheaper than the original ticket price.

OR! If you have gya friends that have good ticket numbers, ask them hold you a spot until you can catch up with them later when your number is called. (Of course, that might mean standing closer to where there favorite member is instead of yours.)

In case you don’t know what good ticket numbers are, they are usually issued in order of A, B, and C with a number beside them. A numbers will be called in order first, then B numbers, and finally C numbers. If there are day of tickets, these will be called last.

Hack #2: Getting a Locker
 

Spoiler

At some venues, locker space is really limited, even at nearby stations. A popular gya hack (especially for girls bringing rolling suitcases) is to get a locker early (even if only leaving it empty), and then after you've bought your goods and/or changed into your live outfit/cosplay, open the locker up, put everything in, and then re-pay the locker rental fee.

Should you get a locker? That depends. I generally carry a small shoulder bag at lives and this doesn't really get in the way, even during harder/dive songs. I don't really recommend bringing anything much bigger than this (or anything with spikes and the like that could possibly hurt someone during dives, etc.) unless the venue is seated, you have a front-row/front-tier spot, or are standing furthest to the left/right where you have space to put your bag down out of everyone's way. Some fans don't care about medium/larger bags. Some fans really care.

 

An alternative to a locker, when available, is cloak service. This is often available at larger live houses or venues, for around 500 yen. You'll get a (trash-like) bag to fill up with your stuff, and the venue will hold it until the end of the show. I tend to go for cloak service when splitting it with friends is cheaper than getting separate/sharing lockers.

 

Hack #3: Have Everything Ready
 

Spoiler

Especially if you’ve good number or a number that is in/borders on saizen range, make sure you’re there on time for number call start, your stuff is already stowed away, you’ve already got your ticket out, ID (if it’s a fan club event), and 500 yen drink fee (in one coin form) ready. If possible, already have your drink ready, too. (I’ll go into more detail below.) Those few seconds it takes to whip out your ticket/ID, get change back for the drink fee, and/or get a drink can be the difference between 5-10 people getting in ahead of you, and even more if you need to make a bathroom or locker run after making it into the venue.

Hack #4: How to Bring Your Own Drink/Keep It Out of the Way

 

Spoiler

 

Although this isn’t possible for the rare venues that do a thorough bag search, if it’s just an open and glance search or there’s no search at all, it’s very easy to bring your own drink in and just save your drink ticket until after the live when you’re probably really going to want to use it.

 

1. Get whatever drink you want and put it in one of these 500 ml pet bottle holders that often come attached to drinks as freebies at the convenience store.

 

 

2. Hide the drink at the bottom of your purse and everything on top of it. Or, if you’re not carrying a purse, wrap it up in a band towel with nothing sticking out so it looks like a rolled towel. Tie the ends with rubber bands or scrunchies if needed.

 

3. Then, during the live, keep it in your purse if it’s not in the way, or use one of these bottle neck holders that you can clip onto a belt loop or somewhere else on you to keep your hands free. (Zepp often give them out attached to the drinks you get with your drink ticket, but you can probably find them at a 100 yen store, Amazon, etc. as well.)

 

 

 

Hack #5: Buying Goods

 

Spoiler

Most VK bands will announce what goods they’re selling and what time they go on sale in advance. (Although recently there might only be 1 or 2 days notice before hand. :/)  If it’s a decent-sized venue or the band is somewhat popular for a VK band, girls will generally start to line up 1-2 hours in advance. It's not uncommon for goods to start selling earlier than the announced time if the live house finishes setting up earlier or there's a long line. Unless noted that credit cards are accepted on the goods flyer/announcement, they probably aren’t, so have cash handy.

If there is a certain member’s goods you want and they’re being distributed random/lottery-style (like cheki, bracelets, pins, etc.), instead of trying to buy enough to get what you’re looking for, just buy a minimum number and trade. Unless your favorite member is like the only/most popular member in the band, it shouldn’t be that hard to get what you want this way. (Example: PLC often has six “mystery” bracelets (5 for each member + a special mystery one) per tour, so I just buy six and then trade until I have all of them.) Most of the trading will be done before of after the live (especially before if it’s something to be worn during the live), but also a lot of trading goes down on Twitter later.  If you have a decent grasp of Japanese, it should be too hard to figure out how to make a WTB or WTT post, but I’ll try to put up a tutorial for this in the future.

While Yahoo!Japan and mbok auctions used to be popular for buying/selling tickets, tour goods, etc, recently more girls (and ticket resellers, including scaplers) are using TicketCamp to sell/buy tickets and Mercari and Frill to sell/buy their items. All of these are available as apps and offer safe payment systems to avoid getting scammed. Like Twitter trading, these platforms will require a decent grasp of Japanese.

 

Hack #6: Trying to See Better if You’re Short

 

Spoiler

I don’t particularly have this problem because I’m taller than your average Japanese gya, but there are a couple of tricks gya use besides wearing tall, uncomfortable shoes to gain a few extra centimeters. If the live house is tiered/has raised levels, go for a front row spot in one of those tiers, or opting for seat on the second floor over first floor standing. If your ticket numbers aren't that great, being short is a benefit because you'll usually be able to sneak up to a better spot during harder/dive songs without notice.

 

But to see better no matter where they’re standing, some girls will wear thick heel inserts to add a few more centimeters or more to their height. They should fit in any roomier, closed toe shoe, and although they are usually pretty comfortable on their own, you can add even more comfort by pairing them with a full sole insert or something with arch support. You can generally find these inserts at a 100 yen shop or drugstore. If you absolutely cannot avoid wearing tall, uncomfortable shoes, pack some comfortable slip ons to wear before/after the live and a little pouch of bandages, tape, and sticky cushions to use to help avoid major discomfort and/or blisters.

 

Hack #7: Showing Your Spirit

 

Spoiler

Not sure if this is a hack per se, but just good info to have. Most established bands' fans have their own way of representing what member(s) they like or creating a fun or unique “atmosphere” for each show. For PLC, gya wear glow bracelets in their favorite member(s)’s color(s), for Lareine it was carrying a rose the color of your favorite member, and for Kagrra, girls would carrying folding fans used for dancing/song furi. If you go to bigger lives (especially in the non-VK realm) there may even be fans holding up homemade signs or plastic fans. All of these things can be purchased at DAISO or similar 100 yen shops.  Around Halloween time, you can also find a plethora of cool/gothic face tattoos and stickers, gothic/crazy fake eyelashes, and other accessories you can stock up to use at VK lives all around or special seasonal VK events.

If you need something in bulk, check Rakuten or Don Quijote.

 

Hack #8: Making gya friends

 

Spoiler

Also not really a hack per se, but I’ve found the best times to chat up gya is when you’re waiting in line for the goods to start going on sale, or that waiting time between getting into the venue after doors open and show start. I think sometimes it can be difficult to think of something to say, but topics that have worked well for me in that past are: “This is my first time seeing (band)… What are their sets/lives usually like?” (Or if it’s a taiban) “Do you know what order the bands are playing in today? I’m here to see (band).” Or honestly, just complementing someone on their outfit, cosplay, or bags/pouches/etc. (a lot of girls will adorn these with goods or cheki of their favorite member) is a good topic. In the very least, they will reply back to you, and maybe give you a little nod if they see you around later, and at best they show interest, keep the conversation going, and maybe you’ll have a new live friend.

 

Because Twitter trades are often arranged in person at the next event, this is another way to get to know some of the gya. The biggest traders are often the more well-known gya in that scene, and the more you trade/attend events, the more likely they'll acknowledge, chat up, or introduce you to other fans. There are 2-3 girls I always trade with at PLC lives, and often they will give me priority on trades for my fave member or introduce me to girls that may have something I'm looking for. (At the same time, you want to be careful not to burn or offend these gya, because they also have the power to make lives you attend miserable if you do.)

 

You can also win points with other gya by giving out little souvenirs or candies/snacks to girls waiting in the goods line or other fans who regularly attend that you recognize.

 

Hack #9: Saving Money on Transportation Costs

 

Spoiler

If you’re ensei-ing (traveling long distance) for a live, there are a few things you can do to save money. One is traveling by bus, especially night bus. Another, if you’ve got more time than money on your hands, is buying special train or subway tickets (sometimes seasonal) that allow unlimited travel within an area or day. Or, you can save on some regular train fare tickets or shinkansen tickets buy buying them from a ticket shop. (Often these shops only take cash.) If you absolutely must take the shinkansen, buying a round-trip ticket in advance will save you a little more, with a bigger discount the more expensive the ticket is. Another is checking out LCC airlines, as many offer one way or round trip fares for 10,000 yen or less during the off season.

 

Searching for cheap flights? Try SkyScanner, skyticket, or Hopper. I DON'T RECOMMEND using JTB, H.I.S.; you will generally pay through the nose.

Searching for buses? Try Bushikaku.net, Willer Travel, or Highwaybus.com

 

Those visiting Japan for a short stay have the advantage of being able to pick up a JR Rail Pass. If you plan on going to a lot of shows in different cities during a short span of time, this pass can often save you thousands to ten thousands of yen on the shinkansen. Unfortunately the pass can only be purchased in your home country before you arrive and is not replaceable if lost or stolen.

 

Hack #10: Finding Cheap/Close Accommodation

 

Spoiler

If you don’t have any friends to stay with, the next best thing is to find a cheap hotel. Many business and budget hotels like Toyoko Inn will offer pretty good discounts after midnight, and this also goes for love hotels. Some people find love hotels skeezy, but honestly many are much nicer, have more space, better amenities, and can be significantly cheaper than staying in a regular hotel. How nice the love hotel looks on the outside is a good indication of how nice it’ll be on the inside, so avoid places that look run down.

Because it’s usually free to cancel hotel and hostel reservations up to a couple of days to a week before, and there’s almost never a deposit to pay when reserving, I’ll usually reserve a hotel as soon that live/tour is announced. This is also because accommodation might fill up and/or prices may jump soon if you don't. I usually try to find something within walking distance to the live house or venue, because not only does that make it convenient to drop of my luggage before I go and line up for goods, but I can drop off my goods at the hotel, repack my small live purse, and avoid paying to use a locker before number call starts. (Although if you go the love hotel route, it's rare they take reservations or will hold your luggage.)

 

If you are trying to get the cost down as much as possible, staying in an internet/manga cafe or a dormitory-style hostel may be your best bet. Personally since I'm old and I need a good night's sleep or I'm miserable af the next day, I don't do very much of this anymore. When I do, I often stay at the DiCE cafe chain because their showers are free for a certain period and they provide great amenities. Additionally if you're using an overnight bus as transport, it will save you a night's hotel cost.

 

Some popular sites for reserving hotels in Japan are Jalan and Rakuten Travel (they also have an English site, but I feel it's more limited in options). When AirBnB proves cheaper than booking a hotel, I tend to do that. Sometimes overseas booking sites can be just as competitive or cheaper than Japanese sites.

 

Hack #11: Buying Tickets

 

Spoiler

This isn't really a hack per-se, but some commenters were seeking information on this. 

 

Generally bigger bands will have more events decided ahead of time because they need to play at certain venues that may require reserving well in advance, and/or doing staggered ticket sales for fan club first, pre-reserve, general, etc. sales. Smaller bands may have a more “on the fly” schedule or only announce a month or two in advance.  If you aren’t currently in Japan, and the live may sell out before you get here, I would consider having a shopping service get the tickets in advance (TicketCamp, auction site, etc.)  and mail them to you or a friend in Japan.

 

@Duwang was kind enough to cover the basics:

On 12/14/2017 at 5:25 PM, Duwang said:

Re: buying tickets, depends on the band and the live. Check the OHP of the band you're seeing and they'll have it listed in their live schedule.

Most of the time tickets are on eplus though, so it might just be easiest to get them off eplus.
If you or your friend know some Japanese and the tickets are already on sale you can also look around on Twitter. Just search "[band name] お譲り". Many times people want money transferred to their bank account and then they'll send you the ticket via post but sometimes they might be ok with handing you the ticket on the day of of the live (当日手渡し toujitsu tewatashi) if they're also attending.
You can also check auction sites like mbok if the tickets are already on sale.  
If you're going to a smaller show sometimes there's バンド予約 (band yoyaku), where you email the band your name, the date of the live, and how many tickets you want and on the day of the live you can tell the livehouse staff your name and pay at the door. You will be going in after people who already have tickets, though. If being stuck in the back is an issue for you I don't really recommend it, but if you're thinking about attending a live and won't decide until the day of it's great. Band yoyaku tickets usually cost the same as a ticket obtained in advance.

You can also get a day of ticket (当日券 toujitsuken) at the door. They're usually 500 yen or so more expensive than buying a ticket in advance. However, like band yoyaku, you go in after all the people who already have tickets, and if there's band yoyaku, you will go in after those who did band yoyaku. If a live is sold out, however, you might not be able to buy a day of ticket so be sure to check Twitter/the bands website before heading to the venue.

 

As for when lives are announced, it depends on the band. Some of the bands I follow have their schedule up to February, some have it until March with one live in April. Sometimes bands announce lives 2-3 months in advance, sometimes they announce it 1 month or even a couple of weeks in advance. Just keep an eye out on the band's Twitter/OHP.

 

Note: Since this post was first written, TicketCamp, the ticket reselling site, has been shut down permanently. Besides the other methods listed above, you may find luck trying Yahoo!Auctions and MerCari, although like Twitter you will likely need a decent grasp of Japanese and/or a shopping service to help you out.

 

Hack #12: Bringing/Giving a Gift

 

Spoiler

The best gifts are often a letter or something small and/or edible. For edibles, make sure it's something package sealed (nothing homemade) that does not require any kind of refrigerator or smells from the outside. I don't give gifts nowadays, but in the past I've given booze, souvenirs/edibles from abroad, and joke/gag gifts I thought the band would find amusing. I wouldn't recommend giving money to the band for a number of reasons. If you want to further support the band monetarily, do so by purchasing their goods or cheki.

 

If you are giving flowers, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND you let a Japanese florist arrange the bouquet. Flowers often have different meanings in Japan than in the West and you could unknowingly be committing a faux pas by including flowers usually used for funeral arrangements or the like if you do the bouquet yourself. If the arrangement is  large, I recommend letting the florist deliver and set up the arrangement. Sometimes fans will chip in to buy large arrangements for members or bands during birthday, special event, or tour final shows. This might be easier to contribute to than buying and having an arrangement delivered yourself.

Once you've decided on a gift, it's considered polite etiquette to put your (wrapped gift) in a bag. Place a card or note inside to denote who the gift is going to, or neatly write it on/decorate the outside of the bag. Smaller flower arrangements and gifts can be given to the band by placing them in the present boxes for the band/member(s) provided. If the band is smaller and mans their own merch booth after they play, you'll likely be able to hand it directly to them. In instances where no present boxes are available or they were picked up before you had a chance to put your present in, ask a staff member at the venue to deliver your gift. (If you are friends with someone who knows the manager or you know the manager, it may be possible to give it to them to pass along as well.) I wouldn't recommend sending presents through the fan club or their managing agency unless you are trying to send something while the band is not touring or performing, as it will take longer to reach them.

 

If you know of more tricks, please add to the list by replying! 

 

EDITED 5/23/2018 with suggestions from the replies  Also, thanks mod @platyfor the sticky!

Edited May 24, 2018 by jaymee

[hotcocoa 36]

It's a cool idea to start a thread like this!😊

Few comments from me:

 

#1. I've never felt like buying more tickets at once gives you better numbers. People who get saizen that I know usualy make multiple applications (one or two tickets) and keep the best ticket and sell the rest. Very often gya actually organize and they do 'hoken kakering' - insurance applications for each other. If it's a rare event then often people get their family members to help too.

 

#2. some bands/venues might have a 'cloak service' - which means you will get a big clear plastic bag (often they use rubbish bags for this 😁) and you can leave your things in this bag with the venue staff. Bags have numbers (or number ticket) or/and staff will ask your name and phone number which you must tell the staff to pick up your bag. Usually it's possible to use the service before the door time, but it might take some time to be able to get your bag if it's a big show. So don't use this option if you're in a rush to catch last train. The cost is usually 500 yen.

 

#4. In 6 years I've only been to a live that didn't allow bringing drinks twice. Most of the time you can bring your own drink in, but you will have to pay the drink ticket fee anyway. Also, at the shows of some bands gya leave their bags on the floor to 'reserve their spot' and go to get their drink before the live starts or between bands after gya of different bands swap places. But if it's your first live of the band don't risk this unless you know that's what fans do.

 

#10. I do the same - book my hotels as soon as I know tour dates. Recently the number of tourists keeps increasing and if you don't book a hotel early it might be hard to find something affordable/convenient. If my plans change I can always cancel the reservation. I sometimes travel with friends and we stay in the same room, but compared to Europe I think many Japanese are not so comfortable with that.

 

[WhirlingBlack 1043]

I've actually never had a to hide a drink at a venue. I wonder if it's a being a tall gaijin male perk or something but as long as it's water, no one has ever complained about me bringing drinks from outside despite signs that say otherwise. I just assumed they referred to alcoholic beverages and the likes. Just bring water and don't drink it in the face of the staff and you should be perfectly fine.

 

Also, for anyone not living in Japan, if you want to attend a decently compact tour, nothing beats buying a Japan Rail Pass. Unlimited travelling with all JR routes is what's enabled me to travel from Sapporo to Fukuoka and back to see Dir en grey tours in the past, and all in pretty great comfort onboard the Shinkansen I might add.

 

The "bangya culture" is actually pretty unsavory to me as a whole, and when I first came to Japan I was a bit disappointed that the lives weren't the glorious punky chaos I expected, but once you get used to it you sort of just adapt to it just enough to not cause friction while still enjoying the shows on your own terms. That's my tip to any other guys (or girls) who also feel a bit disappointed at times with the atmosphere at the lives, haha. A good advice would be to stand in the back for the first show for a band and watch and see what the fans do, and then decide what you feel good about, and what you don't. I never participate in furi but I'm always game for headbanging and fistbumping and various other things, and since my main band is Dir en grey, that's perfect since there's no furi at their shows, haha.

 

 

 

[BrenGun 2261]

I decided to never befriend a "bangya" anymore, who fan the same "member". Whenever you are female or a guy. It's simply not smart. As a Gaijin fans get very fast jealous, if their favorite bandman or band talks to you a lot more. 

Of course it is fun to have Japanese fan to be your friend, however never share your feelings with any Japanese fangirl! 

 

Also the "furi", participate some things. However also be crazy and handbang, fistbumping how you always would do. Because bands also love if someone says "F*CK" to some furi's.

 

  

[qotka 433]

Great thread idea!

 

I haven't got much to add, maybe something that's not a hack but a general piece of taiband/festival etiquette - when you go to an event with more than one band, let fans of the other band(s) take the front rows when your band is done/until your band starts. Of course it's mostly relevant to events where the timetable is announced in advance.  Don't worry - other-band gya will usually respect this etiquette and switch places with you when their band's performance is over.

 

And watch out for shit crowd-surfers. I'm not sure how many bands this is relevant to (MUCC granny here), but while most of the girls know how to do it and are pretty light, some of them just sorta awkwardly spread their arms and legs in four different directions and might kick you in the face if you don't watch out (I'm talking from experience). If you feel something heavy on your head/shoulder, it's probably a gya - just help her keep rolling as best as you can and try not to drop her!

 

 

[jaymee 405]

2 hours ago, hotcocoa said:

It's a cool idea to start a thread like this!😊

Few comments from me:

 

#1. I've never felt like buying more tickets at once gives you better numbers. People who get saizen that I know usualy make multiple applications (one or two tickets) and keep the best ticket and sell the rest. Very often gya actually organize and they do 'hoken kakering' - insurance applications for each other. If it's a rare event then often people get their family members to help too...

 

The consensus (at least for PLC) seems to be that this system really works well for reserving fan club tix through eplus, but Loppi can be either first come (pay), first served (best number), or completely randomized. No idea how Pia does theirs... I only did a lot of reserving through the band way back in the day, Loppi, or fan club. If you reserve for multiple dates at one time from the fan club, they will try to switch up what ticket numbers you get. A lot bands don't actually like seeing the same girls get first row every time unless they have some interest in those girls. Horrible jouren in saizen can often make or break a band just starting out/small, too. (Make it hard for other interested parties to enjoy the live and get new fans.)

But yeah, the girls who almost always end up in saizen will either all apply for as many tix as possible, pay one reservation at a time until they hit good numbers, and then they'll abandon the remaining reservations and/or sell off the tickets they already bought but don't need.

 

Thanks for mentioning the cloak service! I forgot about that because I hardly ever use it. I know Toyosu Pit and bigger venues do it, but not all do. The few times I've done it, it's cost me 1,000 yen so I guess cost varies.

 

Yeah, most live houses have a no BYOD rule, but whether they enforce it is a different story. I have had to throw mine out a number of times in the past, so I generally just hide it now. Better safe than sorry. I'm the kind of person that goes through two bottles per live, so I like having one during the show and then the drink ticket one after, and I don't want to spend 1,000 yen on bottled water at the venue lol.

Yessss hotels can be horrible, especially in places like Osaka. (Tho if you are going to a show in/near Umeda they have a lot of cheaper options of varying quality.)

 

[jaymee 405]

1 hour ago, WhirlingBlack said:

Also, for anyone not living in Japan, if you want to attend a decently compact tour, nothing beats buying a Japan Rail Pass. Unlimited travelling with all JR routes is what's enabled me to travel from Sapporo to Fukuoka and back to see Dir en grey tours in the past, and all in pretty great comfort onboard the Shinkansen I might add.

 

The "bangya culture" is actually pretty unsavory to me as a whole, and when I first came to Japan I was a bit disappointed that the lives weren't the glorious punky chaos I expected, but once you get used to it you sort of just adapt to it just enough to not cause friction while still enjoying the shows on your own terms. That's my tip to any other guys (or girls) who also feel a bit disappointed at times with the atmosphere at the lives, haha. A good advice would be to stand in the back for the first show for a band and watch and see what the fans do, and then decide what you feel good about, and what you don't. I never participate in furi but I'm always game for headbanging and fistbumping and various other things, and since my main band is Dir en grey, that's perfect since there's no furi at their shows, haha.

Definitely this if you are only here temporarily and can make the most out of the pass.

Agreed just taking the atmosphere of a band/their fans the first time is good if you don't know what general VK live manners are yet. I have mixed feelings on furi. Sometimes it's really lame, sometimes it's simple/non-obtrusive enough to tolerate, sometimes it's crazy fun, and sometimes it just makes no sense and gets in the way.

I like headbanging/fist pumping if the song is actually worth head banging or pumping to. Nothing worse than a band trying to get you to headbang to some crap pop rock lol. But if the shows are head banging/gyaku dai/etc. heavy, I think fans should have some general manners about it. Dir fans (especially a lot of the gyao) at the Androgynos shows were too aggressive and had no idea how to headbang without bumping into me/other fans and were bad about trying to push up front at times when it wasn't really appropriate. Push up during gyakudai and stuff, sure, but like using your fist to punch forward and make the other person move out of the way to avoid your fist so you can take that spot between them or just aggressively pushing people during jumping songs is kinda rude. Then again, gya who take too much space in the front and try to elbow people trying to fill in the space gaps out are also pretty rude. It's a fine balance, lol.

 

1 hour ago, BrenGun said:

I decided to never befriend a "bangya" anymore, who fan the same "member". Whenever you are female or a guy. It's simply not smart. As a Gaijin fans get very fast jealous, if their favorite bandman or band talks to you a lot more. 

Of course it is fun to have Japanese fan to be your friend, however never share your feelings with any Japanese fangirl! 

 

Also the "furi", participate some things. However also be crazy and handbang, fistbumping how you always would do. Because bands also love if someone says "F*CK" to some furi's.

Yeah, every band has their crazies who are obsessive/actually "in love" with their favorite member and will try to do everything they can not to have to share. It's dumb and immature. Rest easy knowing that if the girl is a jouren, her favorite member probably hates her guts tbh lol. A good band will watch closely what the girls/guys in the front are doing, and it's not uncommon for them to frown on or subtly discourage inappropriate behavior. More than once I've noticed a member making eye contact to check up on me or other fans in the front when girls or the occasional guy rudely tries to push themselves forward. Or someone will "out" that person on Tanuki and/or through gossip among fans to nip it in the bud. If there is an especially bad fan, sometimes it's common knowledge that a certain song was written especially with them in mind, and not in a flattering way lol.

 

31 minutes ago, qotka said:

I haven't got much to add, maybe something that's not a hack but a general piece of taiband/festival etiquette - when you go to an event with more than one band, let fans of the other band(s) take the front rows when your band is done/until your band starts. Of course it's mostly relevant to events where the timetable is announced in advance.  Don't worry - other-band gya will usually respect this etiquette and switch places with you when their band's performance is over.

 

And watch out for shit crowd-surfers. I'm not sure how many bands this is relevant to (MUCC granny here), but while most of the girls know how to do it and are pretty light, some of them just sorta awkwardly spread their arms and legs in four different directions and might kick you in the face if you don't watch out (I'm talking from experience). If you feel something heavy on your head/shoulder, it's probably a gya - just help her keep rolling as best as you can and try not to drop her!

Yep, definitely switch out! And dear god, if you are a newb (especially a gaijin newb), the fastest way to become unpopular is to push your way from a distance to the front in an inappropriate manner.

LOL the shit crowd surfers. At The ROMEO lives, the nice ones would at least take their shoes off or wear "soft" shoes. I feel like being kicked in the face by a crowd surfing casual lolita in platforms or otherwise is some kind of bangya right of passage lol. But like... the crappy bandmen from new/no1curr bands diving can be just as bad or worse lol. 

[BrenGun 2261]

5 hours ago, jaymee said:

Yeah, every band has their crazies who are obsessive/actually "in love" with their favorite member and will try to do everything they can not to have to share. It's dumb and immature. Rest easy knowing that if the girl is a jouren, her favorite member probably hates her guts tbh lol. A good band will watch closely what the girls/guys in the front are doing, and it's not uncommon for them to frown on or subtly discourage inappropriate behavior. More than once I've noticed a member making eye contact to check up on me or other fans in the front when girls or the occasional guy rudely tries to push themselves forward. Or someone will "out" that person on Tanuki and/or through gossip among fans to nip it in the bud. If there is an especially bad fan, sometimes it's common knowledge that a certain song was written especially with them in mind, and not in a flattering way lol.

 

Well, as a fan not living in Japan, band members will dis your ass if a Japanese fan make a problem with you.  Because they never would tell the Japanese fan to shut up. because well, they Japanese fan is more important than you living 100000 of kilometers away, because the Japanese fan will support them by going to the lives and buying band shit.  They even could tell you "I love your support, but because to not having trouble you will be banned from our gig". Even tho they actually have to "ban" that Japanese fan. They only ban "Japanese" fan if they also make trouble to other "Japanese" fan. But they wouldn't protect a gaijin that fast. 
So I highly recommend to never ever be a friend with any fan of the band you want to support. If those "bitches" complain, it's almost impossible to win.
After all it's about money.

 

Just stay away from any female "visual kei" fan. male fans are okay. Just don't befriend the female fans. and I mean NEVER. even if a girl looks so nice. Even if she doesn't support the same "guy".  

Of course there are fans who never would be "jealous" and really would love if a band would be kind to gaijin.  But in my life I only did meet 2 so far. But I still need to "watch out" what I say. 

 

I even have deleted my personal twitter, because I got crazy because of those stupid woman, who always get jealous about everything. 

[frayed 404]

I'm sorry for people who have had bad experiences with bangya. However, like any people, there's as many good as there are bad. It really depends on the band and the fans that they attract. Personally speaking, while I've had some bad experiences, overall I made a lot of wonderful friends and memories when I was living in Japan. Didn't matter if we liked the same band guy or not, and if anything it just gave us something to talk about. I've gone to eat with them, they've made me gifts, I helped to buy those flowers you see outside the lives sometimes - everyone's mileage will vary, but not all bangya are awful. Give it a try, and if the interaction isn't worth pursuing, then drop it. Simple as that. (I've honestly had more trouble with foreign fans than Japanese fan in this respect tbh.)

[jaymee 405]

8 hours ago, BrenGun said:

 

Well, as a fan not living in Japan, band members will dis your ass if a Japanese fan make a problem with you.  Because they never would tell the Japanese fan to shut up. because well, they Japanese fan is more important than you living 100000 of kilometers away, because the Japanese fan will support them by going to the lives and buying band shit.  They even could tell you "I love your support, but because to not having trouble you will be banned from our gig". Even tho they actually have to "ban" that Japanese fan. They only ban "Japanese" fan if they also make trouble to other "Japanese" fan. But they wouldn't protect a gaijin that fast. 

 

I even have deleted my personal twitter, because I got crazy because of those stupid woman, who always get jealous about everything. 

 

Just out of curiosity, how are you having issues with Japanese bangya outside of Japan? Is this like with the gya who follow bands overseas? Because as you can probably tell by their willingness to drop everything and follow a band to Europe or whatever, they probably are pretty obsessed/may be crazy lol.

When a (Japanese or foreign) gya slights me, I usually don't do anything back. Often they are just ignorant or they often do the same to other people, so they start off with or already have a crappy reputation with the members, other gya, or both. Once some newb fan (I say newb because she didn't seem old enough to have been following the band extensively) tried to run up and push me and another girl out of saizen and Tanuki was real quick to shit on this person the next day. Since then, I haven't noticed this girl trying to aggressively push her way up, or really sticking to the front much, since she got burnt.

 

As a foreigner/minority, unfortunately you will also come out looking like the aggressor if you escalate the situation or actively try to pull other gya in to mediate. This goes for work relationships and stuff here as well. Also, I feel like bands who give a ton of visibly unnecessary attention to foreigner (girls) are kind of shitty themselves. They should know better that this behavior will pit you against the crazier types. Guys tend to get a free pass because they're not seen as "competition", but not always. Also, fan cattiness gets worse the younger/more immature the fanbase is.

 

6 hours ago, frayed said:

I'm sorry for people who have had bad experiences with bangya. However, like any people, there's as many good as there are bad. It really depends on the band and the fans that they attract... Give it a try, and if the interaction isn't worth pursuing, then drop it. Simple as that. (I've honestly had more trouble with foreign fans than Japanese fan in this respect tbh.)

 

All of this! And yeah sometimes some of the worst gossip in the scene back in the day was perpetuated by foreign gya themselves.

[BrenGun 2261]

4 hours ago, jaymee said:

 

Just out of curiosity, how are you having issues with Japanese bangya outside of Japan? Is this like with the gya who follow bands overseas? Because as you can probably tell by their willingness to drop everything and follow a band to Europe or whatever, they probably are pretty obsessed/may be crazy lol.
 

 

easy, if you get too much attention on Social media from their favo band  or bandman. They will also be jealous. They even can complain to their bandman about it. and of course the fan will block you everywhere. 

you don't need to be crazy.

But just never flash out any "real" feeling.  (jokes are also not smart. Japanese often understand them wrong) . also to say that you don't like a CD or whatever not really hurt thing already can piss a gya off. 

But it only happened to me with visual kei bands with max 50～100 fans.

 

but yet, be carefull. 

Even if a woman looks so nice, even if she doesn't like the same bandman.  Never tell that person any thing which can make her jealous or pissed off.

Maybe then she be your friend and if lucky she will send you rare stuff. 

 

also it doesn't need to be a gya who follows the band everywhere. It are mosly the gyas who don't have many other gyas as their friend.  

and it can be a young fan but even (much) older fans. age doesn't really that matter.

 

I am not a crazy fan, I always follow the rules if I attent any live in Japan. never had a problem over there.  I have met kind fans, but I never tried to be a friend. gyas always contacted me first.

 

But a bunch of gyas always got jealous because bandman loved to interact on twitter, thats also a reason why some bands do not chat (anymore) on twitter. because of fan jealousy.

 

Also when I attent a live, I only get angry eyes from a few. And I simply ignore them. but thats all.

 

I don't care if a bandman gives someone more attention. I really won't hate him or the fan for such thing. But sadly fans do, and sadly you cannot enjoy a band with all fans as a big family. 

 

Also its wonderful if a band also gives overseas fans attention. they cannot attent every live, they cannot buy every shit. So a bit more online talking...?

only shit thing is most bandman don't have that twitter DM option. which only leaves you to twitter in public.

 

I just want to say.

be carefull who you befriend.

be carefull what you share on twitter.

gyas can go crazy even if you didn't do anything wrong.

 

I myself didn't befriend any gya  from any vkei band for a couple of years.

Also I don't use twitter anymore. I still have it, but I share 0. I don't even retweet or like tweets.  it gave too much trouble in the past.

 

well maybe I like the bands with the crazy fans? lol

 

[hotcocoa 36]

I have to agree with @jaymee that when you have a problem with a specific person at the live you shouldn't confront them directly. If you don't know anyone there talk to the staff if the problem is really bad, or at least relocate. It's better to enjoy the band from the other place than spend time fuming being close to the stage.

 

Personally I had more good than bad experiences with other gya. My Japanese friends sometimes joke about me getting more attention, but never in a bad way.

Nice thing to do is also to remember about the whole give and take rule. For many gyas exchanging small gifts at lives is part of the culture, so you can have some small sweets for the time in the line (especially if you can bring something from your home country), if your band was ever abroad and you have some pictures from that time many girls would love to see them. 

 

22 hours ago, jaymee said:

 

 Horrible jouren in saizen can often make or break a band just starting out/small, too. (Make it hard for other interested parties to enjoy the live and get new fans.)

But yeah, the girls who almost always end up in saizen will either all apply for as many tix as possible, pay one reservation at a time until they hit good numbers, and then they'll abandon the remaining reservations and/or sell off the tickets they already bought but don't need.

 

Wouldn't not paying for a reserved ticket make that account not worth keeping? I think some sites have penalties (as in getting a worse number or less chances of winning the lottery) if you don't pay for the ticket?

 

And also agree about jouren - when 9GBO was still around no matter in which city I went to see them I always saw the same few women in saizen...

The other thing I really disliked about their concerts was that the first few rows would have so much space when the fans in the back would be absolutely squeezed. No matter how many times venue staff might ask for fans to move the first few rows would never do that. I know gya want to look all pretty and pull their awesome moves, but it's counterproductive for getting their favorite band new fans and is very inconsiderate towards other gya. I guess this is similar for many other bands as well.

[AwesomeNyappy 98]

From what I've seen from live DVDs, I always felt like the atmosphere at japanese concerts was in a way similar to those of a football stadium in Europe...haha! Everyone is doing the same movements, chanting together. On the one hand, it's pretty cool because japanese fans seem to support their bands and are great at dancing or chanting along, taking the cues from the band members. On the other hand, however, I always felt that this concert culture restricts fans in a certain way. Why not dance or headbang  however and whenever you I want? Going with the crowd can be electrifying, but at the same time I feel like experiencing music in your own way is freeing af.

 

What do you think? I mean, I cannot speak from experience, so I'd like to know what you guys prefer/leaning towards to.

[jaymee 405]

@BrenGunI see. I guess your experience would differ from mine since I mainly use Twitter for updates/trading and not for tweeting bands/members themselves. There's a stereotype in the idol/VK scene that girls who actively/always tweet to members and reply to their tweets are usually the more obsessed kind or gachikoi (fans who are "in love"), so I can see how that would be a breeding round for jealousy and pettiness if these girls with their sights set on some band dude felt they were being "overlooked". It's possible you like bands with crazy fans, too lol. Sometimes the smaller the band, the more crazy the regular fans are, because they believe there is a bigger chance of them hooking up with whatever member they like someday.

 

On 8/31/2017 at 7:51 PM, hotcocoa said:

Wouldn't not paying for a reserved ticket make that account not worth keeping? I think some sites have penalties (as in getting a worse number or less chances of winning the lottery) if you don't pay for the ticket?

 

And also agree about jouren - when 9GBO was still around no matter in which city I went to see them I always saw the same few women in saizen...

The other thing I really disliked about their concerts was that the first few rows would have so much space when the fans in the back would be absolutely squeezed. No matter how many times venue staff might ask for fans to move the first few rows would never do that. I know gya want to look all pretty and pull their awesome moves, but it's counterproductive for getting their favorite band new fans and is very inconsiderate towards other gya. I guess this is similar for many other bands as well.

 

I dunno, I've refused a lot of Lawson ticket reservations in my day and my account has never been suspended or warned or anything... I imagine there are some penalties if you cancel multiple times in a row or something, though? (Or depending on the ticketing site?) But I think on average I cancel once for every 4 lives I reserve because of people backing out or I end up not being able to go myself. This is especially true for the lotteries, since those often have a longer waiting period. You can't cancel once the tickets have been printed and paid for, though. I know in the past if you reserved with a band and you blew off your reservations, they'd stop taking them for you.

Yup, gya like that never realize they are doing everyone a disservice, including themselves... I mean you can't stand in saizen anymore if there is no band to see lol. Also, even if a band guy did happen to be into on of them, why would they want to hook up with someone costing them fans/money?

On 9/1/2017 at 3:10 AM, AwesomeNyappy said:

From what I've seen from live DVDs, I always felt like the atmosphere at japanese concerts was in a way similar to those of a football stadium in Europe...haha! Everyone is doing the same movements, chanting together. On the one hand, it's pretty cool because japanese fans seem to support their bands and are great at dancing or chanting along, taking the cues from the band members. On the other hand, however, I always felt that this concert culture restricts fans in a certain way. Why not dance or headbang  however and whenever you I want? Going with the crowd can be electrifying, but at the same time I feel like experiencing music in your own way is freeing af.

 

What do you think? I mean, I cannot speak from experience, so I'd like to know what you guys prefer/leaning towards to.

 

Of course bands are responsible getting new fans and keeping new and old fans interested, but I feel like in the VK scene (and idol and other indie band scenes in Japan) the fans are supposed to feel some responsibility for supporting the band as well... This can be monetarily (you go to all/most of the shows on tour, including any side projects your favorite member is involved in, buy all/most of their tour goods), publicity-wise (you try to bring new people to shows, and are active on sharing band content on social media), and/or at helping create an enjoyable atmosphere that other people will see and want to be a part of at events. When a band goes major or eventually makes it to Budokan (or a similar-sized arena), there's this overwhelming feeling that both the band and their fans have made it possible. It's not uncommon for bands to cry during their last indie live or playing Budokan for the first time.

Anyways, one way of creating this enjoyable atmosphere is with furitsuke. Everyone is doing the same thing together, and by doing that, you feel part of a group. Sometimes regulars will come up with the furitsuke in a band's early career, and sometimes it will be furitsuke the band has come up with themselves and taught the fans. The furitsuke is also a way of showing your affection to the band.

I think if it were left up to complete randomness, a lot of Japanese people wouldn't do anything while they watch, afraid of standing out or what other people might think. I agree that experiencing music in your own way allows for a better experience sometimes. At the same time, I have been to other concerts in the West where audiences have looked dead af, which obviously doesn't make for the most fun experience (for the artist or concertgoers).

 

Whether you do furi or not is up to you. If you're concentrating too hard on furi it can be easy to miss some of the more memorable moments, and there were always be girls that just straight up spend the whole live transfixed on their favorite member.

Edited May 23, 2018 by jaymee

[BrenGun 2261]

@jaymeeI never really supported bigger bands, so can't speak for it.  But if you like small bands it's simply better to not talk with band members in public. otherwise at least one of them will turn jealous. Or the atmosphere really should be amazing, but I guess you only can know that if you live in Japan an go to a bands live more than once. Japanese fans can be a pain in the ass. As for myself I love to promote a band, I like to get a band a few new fans. But well, if a band loves that that you are doing that it also makes some fans jealous. (-_-)// Don't know but it really feels as if I supported the wrong bands. well maybe good bands, just with the "wrong fans"

However it only kinda happens to vkei bands. if I go to a punk gig or something like that, everyone is one big family, jealousy doesn't even exist.

 

 

Furi's can be fun. But sometimes I just wanna headbang and fist in the air only. Also furi's are the most fun if a band has more than 30 fans? because then it also really start looks cool.

 

However, sometimes I go to a live event, which a bunch of bands or sessions are played.
It really feels awkward if nobody in the front row move his/her ass.  So sometimes I just jump in the front row and move on with the music they make. whenever I like them or not. 
Band just wanna see you to enjoy the gig.

 

[cvltic 1482]

On 8/30/2017 at 1:47 AM, jaymee said:

If you go to bigger lives (especially in the non-VK realm) there may even be fans holding up homemade signs or plastic fans.

lmao someone tried this at a (fairly large) lynch. show and she got told to put it away by Reo and dragged on twitter/tanuki for it. i'm sure OP knows already but definitely try to follow the crowd on this one or you'll stick out in a bad way....

for ensei hotels i highly recommend jalan.net, it requires a basic understanding of japanese but i've managed to stay in hotels that are cheaper than hostel dormitories and much better, on top of being private. even better if you have a travel partner. i'm too paranoid to sleep in net cafes...

[jaymee 405]

4 hours ago, cvltic said:

lmao someone tried this at a (fairly large) lynch. show and she got told to put it away by Reo and dragged on twitter/tanuki for it. i'm sure OP knows already but definitely try to follow the crowd on this one or you'll stick out in a bad way....

for ensei hotels i highly recommend jalan.net, it requires a basic understanding of japanese but i've managed to stay in hotels that are cheaper than hostel dormitories and much better, on top of being private. even better if you have a travel partner. i'm too paranoid to sleep in net cafes...

 

omg lollllll

If it was a foreign gya I would feel kind of bad (because she probably didn't know better), but if it was a Japanese gya then her attention-seeking ass got what it deserved lolol.

I feel like acceptable places to hold handmade fans would be: L'Arc, GLAY, Golden Bomber, maaaaybe X Japan (or Janne Da Arc if they were still together). Basically a place that is not a live house and is seated (tiered seating). Anything at live house would be distracting and block everyone's view, lol.

[BrenGun 2261]

aren't handmade shizzels cute? XD

But yeah you better can make a bunch for more fans and stand together in the rows with the fanmade stuff to cheer a band, then just being the only one.

 

I usually grab those light sticks at cheap store and cheer the band with it!

Always also give some fans some sticks so that we can cheer together.

 

yet visual kei, I did notice it is  not really for me anymore. I grew up to be a metal/punk/underground rock supporter.  (mostly bands with members 40+) 

 

[Sparrow 83]

14 hours ago, BrenGun said:

aren't handmade shizzels cute? XD

But yeah you better can make a bunch for more fans and stand together in the rows with the fanmade stuff to cheer a band, then just being the only one.

 

This reminds me! I recently found these pictures on my old photobucket account of my hand sewn Merry shirts. It was impossible for me to get legit merch in America back then (around 2007) so I finally decided to just make my own.

 

Attempt 1 Front and back design:  

 

Yeah, not great f(^^;) I do really like how the umbrella came out though! I am much more pleased with the second one, which is cross stitch (I am way more confident with cross stitch than embroidery) and I drafted the pattern by hand over the course of a month. The long blood drip in the logo has gotten a little crooked over the years so I think I'll redo that part when I go back to the US next week.

 

[BrenGun 2261]

@Sparrow

Oh that looks nice. Well such things I don't even see as a "stupid" thing to do.
Also when a band will travel overseas they are always happy to see such things.  (^_^)/ 

[jaymee 405]

I agree, I don't think it's dumb at all! Sometimes I see girls that make their own shirts and/or do casual cosplay or costume-themed outfits, which they can then wear every time they go to that band's live (instead of spending lots of money on tour merch or rock/goth/etc. style clothes) to not look out of place, especially if they don't normally wear those kinds of clothes.

Edited October 9, 2017 by jaymee

[desertflower304 4]

--

Edited December 24, 2017 by desertflower304

[BrenGun 2261]

the best gift you can give is food and drinks. or stuff they can use.

but never give expensive gifts.

 

flowers often do reach bands as long they are not too big. most bands love flowers but they are very expensive in Japan. crazy price! 

 

 

the question is, to who you wanna give a gift? if a band has more than 300+ fans each live. then just forget about it. 

[desertflower304 4]

--

Edited December 24, 2017 by desertflower304

[cvltic 1482]

2 hours ago, desertflower304 said:

Would I have more luck with them actually receiving it if i placed it in a staff member's hand over leaving it in one of those boxes they apparently have in the lobby for gifts?

This is the recommended procedure for gifts so it's the best choice unless the band is so small your dude is gonna be working his own merch table. Not sure about flowers, though. Usually the big stands get delivered to the livehouse and the livehouse presumably displays and then disposes of them.