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LIVE REPORT 20 January 2008

Bunshinsaba

先輩
27 Dec 2007
125
2
28

Place: AREA (Takadanobaba station in Tokyo)
Date: January 20, 2008
Bands list: Auncia, Rugia(g)GRam, Matenrou Opera, VelBet, Metis Gretel, DIO, Secilia Runa​

The evening kicked off with a low-end visual act by the name of Auncia. Judging from their "what I found in my closet" VK fashion sense they are definitely running on a fashion budget. As such the fashion co-ordination from member to member was more than a little out of whack. Nevertheless, they performed as expected for a band of their young caliber; delivering loud riffs, Karaoke-level vocal ability, and stage work that saw them bump into each other just once too often. They did, however, earn points for their gung-ho attitude that was spurred on by a section of fans at the front.

The second band out of the gate was Rugia (g) Gram, a heavily glammed and costumed quartet. Unlike Auncia, the members of Rugia (g) gram took their appearance to the next level. Each had a red and black dyed job going on the hair, and had basically matching rock Goth outfits designed with faux gloss black leather, studs, chains, and strategically sewn in chunks of red to give it dimension.

The bass player snagged the best-dressed award, with most of his face shrouded in red dreads, and I think some sort of nylon meshing, though I couldn't be sure from where I was standing at the back of the club. He looked kinda like a red version of that guy from Unsraw with the alien face hugger on his face.

So everything looked basically okay with Rugia (g) gram until this short guy named Kouran came out and I said to myself... Damn.. they've got a pygmy for a singer. And worse yet the design and cut of his outfit were at odds with his size. On his left shoulder he has this triangular black and red faux leather shoulder pad jutting out. It made him look nearly as wide as he was tall. Okay, it wasn't that bad, but it did look out of place. Lucky for him though, most people may not have even noticed the design faux pa, seeing how his vocal range was so limited and out of whack that one got temporary paralysis on one side of their face from cringing too much. But at least some of the metal rhythms the guys cranked out during their three-song set had drive and signature to them. The bassist – who played the strings with fingers and not a pick – served up some really nice grind. Nevertheless the music failed to really impress the masses. And to dig the hole even deeper, the vocalist tried to engage the obviously disengaged audience in a round repeat after me fun games during a song break. Predictable results followed and he eventually gave up. I felt kinda bad for the little dude as he was giving it his all... but that's what happens when you think you are more than you are.

At the show Rugia (g) Gram was hocking two different maxi singles, which I would have bought except for the fact that they were CD-Rs, and their signed photosets were out-of-focus.

Having been in Tokyo and on the VK live scene for more than 8 years and witnessing more than 450 different bands (live), I have damn near seen and heard it all. When I go to a live these days, there are few surprises. Don't get me wrong... the fun and energy is still there but it is only on the rarest of occasions does a new band actually turn my head. And there are three things that never fail to do it.
  1. 1. Great hair, make-up and cosplay. We're taking drag queen.
  2. 2. A truly great drummer – seen only three of those in eight years.
  3. 3. A great vocalist, and by great vocalist I do not mean some dude in a band you already love. I mean, a vocalist you have never heard before; a guy who comes on stage, starts singing, and suddenly your eyes and ears are glued to him and you don't even realize your mouth is hanging open until your buddy nudges you and says.. Hey dude, are you okay?

Tonight I heard such a vocalist, and it came as no surprise when I found the band calls itself Matenrou Opera.

This band was formulaic in their entry level Harajuku fashion and generic VK rock and metal tunes. Their stage work was fair, and presentation par for the course. What separated them from every other band this evening was one song in particular, a rock opera ballad that clearly showed their vocalist Sono has had some pipe training. The audience similarly watched and listened attentively, and when the song was over they offered a solid round of much deserved applause. The band the broke back in to VK rock mode which was sort of a shame as the vocalist is capable of so much more. Overall, we have a very talented singer in a very average band.

Velbet was the first heavy hitter of the evening. And by heavy hitter I mean, their visual was in top form (cadence and effort applied to their outfits), their hair looked great, and every member strutted the stage with confidence and purpose. In addition, the music was loud, brash, in your face and delivered with great moxy by a manic vocalist Riuka whose persona is wedged between VK and punk, judging from the plethora of metal studs on his leather-ish outfit. Of course, like many bands of their ilk, distinguishing one tune from the next is all a matter of knowing their music before you walk into the club; and knowing it well. But even if you don't, these guys deliver with more than enough volume, drive, and stage panache to keep you tuned in. The music ranges from heavy rock to pure adrenaline death metal ruckus. Overall, a good act that serves a great dose of VK death metal sans much in the way of catchy rhythms.

Following Velbet's lead, was Metis Gretel. To me the band looked dowdy tonight, especially their hair that didn't have the volume and cut it usually has. With the exception of Sui who has dyed his hair blonde, the rest of the boys are coasting one last year's trip to the salon. I suspect that their "new image" is being saved for their March 3rd one-man at Shinjuku Holiday. This was also apparent with their photos sets at the souvenir table. The sets were old and mostly sold out.

As always Metis Gretel delivered a good set of cheesecake VK Goth noise, highlighted by a track off their new twin mini album releases. For this song Sui has put together some para-para moves, which resemble Riku's para para for the Phantasmagoria song, Never Rebellion. Cleverly, however, Sui has chucked in a few arm moves of his own to placate notions of theft. The fan attendance for Metis Gretel was good but not so packed in the pit that I couldn't squeeze myself in. (This was the only band got close for).

One glitch in the event came when Sui's long curly black hairpiece on the right side got entangled in one member's guitar screws. Rather than make a fuss about it, Sui just tore the whole thing from his head and carried on as if nothing had happened. Songs breaks gave them time to promote their upcoming 3rd one-man and to plug a Best Of album, which will no doubt see yet another release of the song Fairy Tale Gothic. That makes it what, the fourth time in just six releases?? I've lost count.

If one had to pick the breadwinner this evening, one probably would have selected DIO. They came out tonight sans much in the way of visual, aside from their bombastic hairdos. Perhaps their high glitz outfits were at the cleaners. One thing they didn't come without was their nuclear arsenal of noise; a play list of heavy duty death metal which like that of Velbets, would have been indistinguishable from one song to the next had the vocalist not stopped to recite the band's upcoming schedule.

Nevertheless, DIO has their stage game down pat, and worked the crowd like veterans. Their front man Mikaru is especially savvy and polished in his skills with great body talk and visually magnetism. The audience attendance and participation was solid throughout, though nothing at a VK live is quite as annoying as having 60 jovial girls bouncing up'n down like Mexican jumping beans and moving in unison from one side of the club to the next.

The last act was Secilia Runa which I found to be more like an opening act than a closing one. I mean, they were okay but nothing at all memorable. Simple Harajuku fashion, self-styled hair, and music that was standard issue VK rock'n roll. Nevertheless a fairly large number of people stuck around for them and at one point this group of girls presented the singer with a big birthday card. His band mates likewise gave him a gift, a Winnie the Pooh costume. And can't you just hear all the girls shouting "Kawaiiiiiiii !!!" It was enough to send me to the exit early.

Next LIVE: January 30 at AREA for Dari, Chariots, Kaya, DIO, Sel'm, and more.

I'll be in touch.

 
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Thanks for reviewing. I've only heard of Metis Gretel, Mantenrou Opera and DIO. I like how you talk about the visuals as well as the music.
Hm you've made me want to check out Velbet, will do right away👍
Feel sorry for the R(g)G vocalist, man you're harsh.

So you've seen so many lives huh? Any performances that stick out that really impressed you?
 
Thanks for reviewing. I've only heard of Metis Gretel, Mantenrou Opera and DIO. I like how you talk about the visuals as well as the music.
Hm you've made me want to check out Velbet, will do right away👍
Feel sorry for the R(g)G vocalist, man you're harsh.
So you've seen so many lives huh? Any performances that stick out that really impressed you?

Yeah, Velbet is worth checking out if you like the "DIO" style of visual.

R(g)G vocalist... harsh.... sorry! Two types of VK vocalists grind my gears: short vocalists and female vocalists of which I can only remember one or two anyway. Come to think of it... I don't like females in VK period... except in the audience. VK is for boys and for boys who look like girls. Too harsh?

Best moments? I've seen over 450 bands live... let me think.
 
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VK is for boys and for boys who look like girls.

Your age is coming out, dude. I'm a lurker here but that comment's pretty wild. That's really offensive not just to the female VK bands, but to all the aspiring girls out there.
 
Your age is coming out, dude. I'm a lurker here but that comment's pretty wild. That's really offensive not just to the female VK bands, but to all the aspiring girls out there.

Your age is coming out? What does that mean? I'm old... I'm young... I'm still a fetus?

And my opinion is hardly offensive, much less really offensive. Take a chill pill sister. It's a messageboard. As a "lurker" should know well what gets written on them. There's stuff a ga-jillion times worse than the throw away opinion I gave.

Puuuuuulease!!!!
 
Did he really????? No way! Do you have a recent picture of Metis?

No I don't. Sorry. The guys didn't have any new photo sets available and as picture taking at lives has stopped - for whatever reason - I didn't even take my camera.

But he looks good, and the side hanging black curls are cool too. I just hope he keeps wearing wedding dresses; I really like that image. When Metis first began, they weren't really all that Gothy. I think I saw one live where he wore Pippi Longstocking leggings! Yikes!! Don't go there!


Note*
When I first got into visual, people were allowed to take pictures depending on the band. Some said no, others didn't care. I have a huge box of live photos - like... members of Gazette BEFORE they were in Gazette!! - from those days. But somewhere around 2004 it all just STOPPED!!! Even at club Narciss, the lowest end club where many real low low newbie indies VK bands play it doesn't happen. I don't know why it all just ended. Darn!
 
I'll have to see them when they come out with pictures, though it will probably drive me crazy because I'm used to his hot pink hair. Patience is not my virtue. Never was.
Black curls? Nice! I love curls.
Now I really want to see a picture of them. How were they at the live?
 
I'll have to see them when they come out with pictures, though it will probably drive me crazy because I'm used to his hot pink hair. Patience is not my virtue. Never was.
Black curls? Nice! I love curls.
Now I really want to see a picture of them. How were they at the live?

I enjoy Metis Gretel more now than I did when they released the CD Scream Guiltily. At the time I thought they were just horrible, and by that I mean musically. I have always loved their fashion and make-up. And as fashion, make-up, and hair are MAJOR MUST HAVES for me to like a band... well... put 1 and 1 together for Metis. Sadly... there has been some bad hair cutting with the bass player, who used to have some of the longest locks in VK. Now he has shortened sides, while it is still long in the back like a tail, and some reasonable hair length around the front temple area. WHY he cut the sides so friggin' short I will never know.

The one thing about MG is that they have a strong grow-on-you factor in a live atmosphere. Even a friend of mine who loves Lareine / Versailles / Kamijo never thought anything of MG... but they play so many Artist Society lives that even now she admits to kinda liking them.

The show last week was standard - nothing special for MG. They came out, did the tunes, Sui worked the crowd and away they went after three songs. Four songs? The highlight was the new song. Sui's para-para is decent and the girls seemed to pick it up easily and followed him. I am often alone in my opinions on para-para... but the MORE the better. That's why I loved Phantasmagoria... Kami Uta... did you ever get sick of doing that??
 
Ooooh, thanks for the live report! I really enjoy reading this kind of stuff...

Wahh! I love Dio... <3

Hmm, I'll wait for the next report. More Dio and chariots!!!

I heard chariots is really good live. ^_^
 
I heard chariots is really good live. ^_^

I am SO looking forward to it. I have been so busy that this will be my first Chariots live - and I am so glad it is at the AREA!! A great live house!!

I am also excited to see Kaya I hope that they have new photo sets with him in the red goth dress et el. I LOVE that image... and so glad he ditched the kimono look. I'm also wondering if he's changed the show at all. I've seen him twice and both time he's had these scantily clad guys dancing around like it was a production of The Lion King. It was really gay... and I mean gay as in "gay", not "gay" as in stupid. In fact.. it's almost not even visual kei... it seemed like more of a drag queen show... which is cool but I could do without the bare-chested dudes stretching and dancing around jumping leg spread in the air. Uhhhh....
 
Setsuna cut his hair???
First Sui dyed his black and blonde and now Setsuna cuts his... His hair was gorgeous! I love Setsuna's hair. His visual style is what made him my favorite. Sui has an amazing and gorgeous voice but Setsuna is always my favorite.

I watched Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift last night and I was watching Cast Cam in the special features and they showed the Para Para dance, and I totally want to learn it even more now.

This is the first picture of Metis I saw, and I instantly wanted to check them out. I've loved their music from the start. Unfortunately, I don't have any myself.
l_f1fda6377cc621e34f19e32a4866b68f-1.jpg

This ONE picture of Setsuna caught my eye.
The first time I saw Sui in this picture, I was like, 'Is his hair PINK??? o_O O...kay then.' Now, when I see it, I instantly say, That's Sui, the lead singer of Metis. It's grown on me. I love Sui. He's so pretty and has such an amazing voice.
 
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