This year again I went to Tokyo, this time March 7th until March 28, I went almost everyday to a live... if not I went to a bandman bar except for one day....
I'm not really good in writing live reports, but here is a list with small comments to bands I watched.
March 7th, the day of arrival.
On this day I went to Ikebukuro Chop to this event:
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Actually not a visual kei event, but still an event with visual kei legend roots.
ARESZ
Played first, female power on the front. a really great enjoying and powerful live.
NEO ATOMIC MOTOR
Male power on the front, maybe a little bit soft, but very enjoying.
NEiN
Going wild to the maximum, we moshed, we run, we went wild. I was out of power after NEiN.
Their fans are super kind, we all cheer NEiN together, everyone is equal, we even share the front row during their set. NEiN also has a bunch of male fans, so it's much more wild than regular visual kei gigs. But that makes it much more fun!
A snap out of the live of March 7th. But its not the most wild song. We go even more crazy.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DV0mcuFEUq6/
I can't wait until the next time I can play with everyone again ^^
絶叫！カーン
Legendary Ojisan band... well one of them. Shun-san brother on drums. It was less wild than NEiN, while I did stand more in the back to watch and getting my air back. the front was happy going wild on this band as well.
After all, a real wonderful event to kick off an otaku bangya life!
March 8th
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this time I went again not to a visual kei gig, yet with visual kei roots. Rama Amoeba. The band of the vocalist of MARCHOSIAS VAMP. Tsuneo Akima. It was a more rocknroll type of live. calm yet very really enjoying. I watched it from the back, because I didn't had an e+ ticket, just a door reserved ticket. After the live I was invited to stay and I could talk with everyone a little bit. Akima later did take me for a cheap but delicious dinner at a family restaurant and drove me back to my hotel.
March 9th
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I went to Shinjuku Zirco Tokyo, to see Tenebrae and Gertena.
The last time I saw RURUNONE I wasn't really amazed about their performance, this time their live was really fun and I joined the fun! I was out of power afterwards, I had to recharge until Tenebrae and Gertena went on fire.
Tenebrae, really plays with an amazing spirit on stage. their songs are easy to move on and just good for the ears as well. I like going wild on their songs.
Gertena is an old class band yet battle against the younger generation. powerful as always, it's fun to go crazy on their music.
But even for this whole event, the fun I had at ikebukuro chop, you don't feel at such events, its still different.
I also took 2shots together with the Tenebrae guys and I felt even more in love with Godzilla. Fun and nice guy.
March 10th
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To my happiness I also saw 2 bandman I might wouldn't meet, both do work at the venue. So I happy talked with both also. sweet guys.
I saw all bands performing, but I don't want to talk about this event that much.
After this event, I went to Shinjuku, first to my friends bar in Goldengai after that I went to Fukuro bar and Tsukishiro(ex-zetsumei, Akumu) and Yuhta (ex-Karasu) totally ripped me off and even stole my money from my wallet. Do, setsu(dr. of Souka) and hinachi (torikabuto/akumu) also were present and didn't do anything against it, just let it happen. My feelings against visual kei totally changed after this happening at the bar. Kanaha from Torikabuto ignored it even off when I told him later in a DM, and so did Ryo from Karasu. So I'm pretty much done with the bands who performed that day and bandman related to them. But no dislike towards Dokubari, I saw a few songs, but it's really not my type of music, but I think since Inori joined the band still improved a lot, but still not my taste.
(Even if Do is related to Tenebrae, Reito and Godzilla didn't laughed it off, both responded to it very kind and nicely.)
March 11th
I didn't went to a live, just had a nice rest day with dear friends.
March 12th
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Sometimes you have luck that lives are postponed. I still had to skip another ONEMAN I wanted to see. I'm sorry Rubito that I couldn't see TABOO (ToT) But I couldn't skip this visual kei roots band.
Kenichi vocal is absolute the killer each songs totally hits your heart and gives you so much joy. After they finished I didn't know that you could greet the members, so I ended up to only greet guitarist Hideki for a little bit. I didn't dare to ask him to call Kenichi. I left soon after with a smile on my face and went straight back to my hotel.
March 13th
Shiu and I decided to greet each other after a long while again.
We had a good business talk. I'll look forward to work with him again.
https://fxtwitter.com/ephem_shiu/status/2032342088751448465/photo/1
And in the evening I went again to Ikebukuro chop.
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All 3 bands were amazing. All 3 are kind of calmer bands. So it was an evening which I could enjoy calmly. I think I saw 101A for the very first time... but they are more a band with lots of tracks with "less" vocal parts.
For Silence I was really happy to greet drummer Kiri again after years and I was also happy to see them again, It has been too long. And since 逆しまな歯車を仮面が嗤う。played as well Chaos of glamscure was staff for that night. I talked a lot with him. If you like glamscure, please be sure to share your love everywhere to have them to Europe next year!
March 14th
Again an off day, which I enjoyed with friends, BUT I went to starcafe afterwards to greet KENZI-san. Kenzi-san doesn't know English, still you can talk with him via translation apps. Works fine! and his bar is safe and cheap. However his bar is still surrounded by danger, so be still careful on your way, avoid the touts!
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I received flyer!
Also Kenzi asked me to join birthday party on March 25th, and yes I went.
March 15th
Actually I wanted to go to 2 lives this day, but the first one ended for me too late. so I sadly couldn't made it anymore to the second, but.. the one I went to was DIAMOND YUKAI, I doubt many of you know him, I even only saw his name somewhere... but he is even loved by KENZI and friends and also a respected senpai. I receive so much information, that I forgot how exactly. But after all I went to see DIAMOND YUKAI... but how? Well I was invited by Akima. the live was a kind of musical, well not really but between some songs there was a story play. AI took over the world, people were not allowed to speak, because AI could hear you. later YUKAI destroyed AI with his ROCK'N'ROLL music. Somehow it remembered me a little bit of Macross, because music safes the world. After the live I greeted Akima backstage and also YUKAI again. And I left soon after, but since I had to wait for sometime, it was too late to go to kichijoji for another live... so I went back to my hotel...to gain power for the next live.
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March 16th
I didn't went to a live at all, however Nagasawa invited me to interview LAY ABOUT WORLD together. I totally forgot to take photos. I felt totally nervous. But only the vocalist KYO and bassist Mayu were present. guitarist Izana didn't join us. After the interview, the members stayed to have dinner together. So it was a fun evening. Nagasawa also really enjoyed it. So please look forward to the interview. Nagasawa will prepare everything.
March 17th
Because my plans for the day, didn't went as actually planned, I went to Shinjuku to see my friend band 不明界隈 and I also could see リジェーヌ. I enjoyed both of them and after リジェーヌ played I greeted my friend thanked him and went to Shibuya.
Non-visual kei as well,, but no again with visual kei roots.
I went to see SINRI. His guitarist SEN is also a former visual kei bandman and still helps out vkei bands with creating music.
SINRI live was also very fun. totally different vibe from visual kei, but so much more cheerful maybe. They play metal core. type of style many visual kei bands also play nowadays, if you are into the current active visual kei bands you will love SINRI as well.
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March 18th
Another full day.
First HONMONO instore, the last with Maka (T_T) Even if it's not announced they still played 3 songs acoustic. I almost cried, because I felt sad that Maka left. i bought 6 download card of the latest single. I still have 4 left, which I will gave away soon.
After the instore ended, I didn't went straight to Shinjuku holiday, I first had Lunch and some relax time. I entered when XAVAK still played... The venue wasn't that full at all. I only watched honmono and glamscure. After glamscure played I left and went to Koenji to greet a totally other kind of vibe bands. I went for Sally & reward and bascode. Bascoda is new band of drummer TELL. He somehow still remembered me, he was happy to see me.
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Bascoda event hightlight video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxjhGW6K4Ww
March 19th
I wanted to go to a live but I skipped to go to LINDA GARAGE bar just to relax and drink.
Also owned by a bandman.
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March 20th
Ikebukuro CHOP again. not a visual kei event, still roots of visual kei! Super fun event. I watched all bands.
The power of all bands are amazing. fans are kind. bandman are kind. Everyone is kind of equal during the live.
Afterwards there was still after party at chop, I could stay because of RAPES bassist Tsuyoshi. i talked a lot to Apologist drummer I believe. He liked to learn a lot about my country. Was fun talking to him. Rapes vocalist I didn't greet that day, but I met him again on March 25th.
I even helped to clean up Chop a little bit afterwards.
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March 21th
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I won't show my own face here, but I met KEITH of ARB for lunch together with a friend. I received this wristband. It says "仁義" and yes it's exactly what it means. KEITH isn't just a drummer, but a real legend. meeting him is a blessing of protection as well.
After my lunch with KEITH I rested a bit and went to Urawa Narciss.
I skipped the first 3 bands. When I arrived I encountered the vocalist of Catswylde, I was happy to greet again, finally I could see them again.
Sunemegamafy was also fun to see again! Last year they didn't play so I was happy to see them again! Kenka ex-calmando qual is still the bassist. and Tomo on vocal is just gold. Someday I really hope to see a oneman.
Velvet Eclipse was also great! Also really recommend if you like female vocalist. The power was amazing!
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March 22th
I wasn't in the mood going to any live this day. I spent it with some friends and went to sleep early. my fav bars were closed.
March 23th
Actually I went years ago to see VARIE and MiNO at Shinjuku holiday as a guest, but that day I didn't greet Ituki, because I didn't felt well.
however years passed and king zeebra isn't visual kei anymore but focus on Idol band.
Buzzer01&. is around for a while already and also had some member changes in the meanwhile.
But I finally was able to go to their live!
I was the only "female" fan so to say. I really enjoyed with all male fans. They first played a kind of session, then was buzzer and then 82 and encore was again together. It was so much fun. My left foot is still recovering from going wild that evening. It totally cheered me up!
Since this is a sponsored own event Ituki was too busy to really talk with me etc. But we talked a bit and I also greeted each member by waiting in line to have talk time. One member speaks fluent English. I hope to meet again when there is more time to talk. And of course including a live! I wanna go wild with male fans again!
https://fxtwitter.com/Buzzer01_offi
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March 24th
Another idol band like event!
I went to see ASH FRAST but also saw コバラヘル. The other bands I skipped.
ASH FRAST and コバラヘル were really fun! also going crazy wild. everyone is cool and nice. I also was pushed into the front row. fans are simply nice.
And after ASH FRAST one of NEiN male fans saw me and was like "Oh, you here too". He is also a ASH FRAST fan. ^^ So hopefully we can enjoy ASH FRAST lives together in the future! and with bit luck NEiN vs ASH FRAST.
https://fxtwitter.com/ayaka_aizawa
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March 25th
On this day I also wasn't in the mood for a liveshow. so I went to Starcafe at the evening around 21:00~22:00
As I promised KENZI the other day. I felt really tired, so the time went so slow, even if I really enjoyed being there. it was birthday party for kentarou & 秀斗 . however only kentarou stayed until the very end. I saw him perform some years ago in a different band. but this was the first time I actually talked to him.
March 26th
I went to see SINRI again. I also watched all bands but SINRI was far the best one out of all.
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I didn't mention it earlier but this is how SINRI sound like, their first MV was released a few weeks ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3wZn-AXP6A
March 27th
I actually wanted to go to a live in Shibuya REX, but since it has AKUMU I decided not to go. Not even for a different band I wanted to see.
That night I went to Nakano Ochio.
I totally forgot to take some more photos. I also got a kind of chips bar, which tasted spicy but still good.
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March 28th
Last day, I closed with going to LINDA GARAGE again this time to meet up Shinichi and Kiaki performing.
Everyone who performed including the guy who made food. I skipped the first 2, because I had other plans. but I was happy to see some people after years again as well.
A real good closure of my trip.
It's more a kind of acoustic bar, so I think you can imagine how it sounds.
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if I counted right I went to 17 different live events.
For next year, I hope to see a lot of bands again, I don't mind if it isn't visual kei, as long it sounds good and the atmosphere is right it doesn't really matter. I'm back home for a week now, but I hope I be back within a year again. we'll see!
For now I'm going to focus on jrocknroll again, I have new things to prepare!
