L'Arc~en~Ciel 20th L'Anniversary World Tour 2012 London & Marvel The Avengers World Premiere
Attended my first ever L'Arc~en~Ciel concert on the 11th! Which also happens to be the 3rd artiste concert I've ever been to in my life. The 2nd one ever was only a couple of weeks ago. Anyway, ticket prices for the London concert were the same for both seated and standing - unless you got the VIP package - so when I bought my ticket, I made the decision to get a standing one.
BEST. DECISION. EVAR.
Despite an aching left knee by the end of the concert, and the fact that I got pushed around and jostled far more in that 3 hours than any other 3 hours of my life. ^^"
While I wasn't at the front row (I use "row" rather loosely since it was free standing so there wasn't really anything definite), I was probably around 4th or 5th which was a good mix of close enough but yet no need to overly crane my neck upwards to look at them. I would've appreciated the view better if not for the people in front of me generally waving glowsticks around. But meh, it's the concert experience too I guess. I had considered getting a glowstick myself but it was 4 pounds and imo, not worth it. Besides, it doesn't mean that when you have no glowstick in your hand, you can't wave your hand in the air. xD
Also in the file of "concert experiences", before the concert started, I thought the, well I guess it's like a mosh pit kinda thing, but the entire first floor was standing so I don't know. But mosh is easiest to describe it I guess. So yeah, mosh pit was okay before the concert started. A little tight for space, but still okay. Then when they opened, it's like HOLYSHIT! EVERYONE JUST SURGED FORWARD! And I was just kinda like dragged along for the ride. I hadn't really intended to move so far forward such that I was smushed up against the people in front of me, but with the back rows surging front, it just kinda happened. ^^" Then the first few song were the more fast-paced, rock songs, so everyone was pretty much like bouncing/jumping/on tip toes, and you also kind of get dragged along because you're all so pressed up against each other and when everyone around you is jumping, your body gets dragged along as well.
I now have aching calf muscles, along with a still aching left knee, and I don't believe my calf muscles have ached like this since... running 2.4km for PFT lol. I think even hiking up Snowdon in Wales in October last year wasn't so bad. Still. NO REGRETS.
GUH. THEY WERE SO CLOSE. *FLAILS* I tried to sneak in a few photos but soon gave up because 1) so much jostling about and jumping up and down made it difficult to get a steady shot, 2) glowsticks blocking my camera, 3) camera was just not good enough even during the slow songs - i.e. less glowsticks & jostling - to be able to take a shot of them without the lights whiting out everything on my camera sensor, and 4) I much preferred starring dreamily at Hyde and watching him move his hips.
*coughs*
But yes, I did very much enjoy seeing Hyde do that LIVE. *.* He's so gorgeous - even if his hairstyle this time was long dreadlocks/braids, which is not a style I really like on him but he still looked good. And Tetsuya (though I still think of him as "Tetsu" in my head haha) was being adorable in that his outermost layer of clothing was a coat with the right side in the design of the United Kingdom flag and the left in that of the England flag. I'm quite sure I giggled "kawaii!" to myself a couple of times when I first noticed that. xD" Mostly though, I spent my time looking at Hyde (ending up on my toes a lot more than was good for my muscles which are so unused lol, and craning my neck a bit too much to look through glowsticks and hands and people taller than me - good thing some of them left for some reason or another - no complaints there from me) as he sang and moved across the stage. I swear I was probably smiling dreamily the entire time I was looking at him. *squees*
The set list. Well, I'm pretty sure I don't remember all of the songs... and I think I might not have recognised all of them. ^^" I'm only most familiar with their KISS album, some songs from their latest album BUTTERFLY, and a bunch of others scattered around from their earlier repetoire - although I did go and re-listen to some of the songs before the concert. Also I probably forgot some of them haha, but here's the list of songs that I can remember, but in no particular order of appearance, though I try to keep it as close to the actual order as I can.
Ibara no Namida
CHASE
XXX
Good Luck My Way
Drink It Down
Daybreak's Bell
Seventh Heaven
My Heart Draws A Dream
wild flower
Driver's High
Ready Steady Go
encore
Anata
winter fall
Niji
There was also a bunch of slow songs somewhere in the middle which I just couldn't place. I hope they release the set list somewhere. ^^"
I had sort of hoped that they would do something from P'UNK EN CIEL, and I would've killed to hear Hyde sing Jyoujyoushi live. UNF. Or My Dear ~L'Acoustic Ver.~, because daa~m his voice really shows in the slower songs. Regardless, his voice is just so awesome live. Although I've already heard him "live" in a sense, since I've seen the videos of some of the live concerts, it's still lovely to actually hear him live live. *.*
Hyde, Ken and Tetsuya talked to the crowd in English. I would really have preferred them speaking in Japanese, esp. Hyde because I love Hyde's speaking voice and they always sound so much better speaking their native language. Not that I didn't appreciate them speaking English since they were in London and all. Makes me wonder if they're going to speak French in their Paris concert. xD"
There were adorable moments when Ken was reading off a piece of paper in English. Probably what he wanted to say in Japanese and then got it translated. He was saying he's been to London a few times, and usually, without fail, ended up in the London Dungeons - which I just found out is a horror attraction site kinda thing with rides and shows and stuff. LOL. Though he said this time, he didn't go to the Dungeons and he wish that they could build one in Tokyo. Tokyo Dungeons. HAHA oh Ken. He instead went shopping for Tetsuya apparently.
He bought a neck air pillow in the design of the Union Jack, leggings ALSO in the design of the Union Jack and.... boxers with the Tube map on it, "so that (Tetsuya) will not get lost". xDDDDD" Guh adorables~!
I also very much enjoyed the fire effects for... some of the songs. Which I cannot remember at the moment. But it was lovely. xD There were also streamers bursting out at one point in red and blue. Too bad I wasn't able to get my hands on them. But right near the end, during Niji, the scattered out white feathers from each side of the stage. I managed to catch two of them! xD *is proud*
I still can't quite get over the fact that I was so close! xD" This was really kind of a dream-come-true! I would, if given the chance, go for another of their concerts again. Though honestly, I would much prefer to hear them speak in Japanese. People speaking in their native language always sounds so much lovelier... and sexier. xD
By the end of the concert, my voice was also almost gone and I was dying of thirst. Too much singing along at the top of my voice-ish for MY HEART DRAWS A DREAM and Anata and just general cheering. ^^" Before trying to see if I could find a place that sold water though, I went to check out the merchandise store... and gave in and bought the poster and the wristband. Teehee~
Now, I have to find some way to attend a Gackt concert. The fact that L'Arc~en~Ciel is going to have a Singapore leg in their current world tour (28th April... and I kind of really wish I could split myself and teleport so I can watch them all over again~) makes me very hopeful for Gackt to do the same... or I shall just pray that within the next 2 years that I am still in London, Gackt will come back again. ^^
And because part of the above was typed while waiting for Marvel The Avengers World Premiere to air live, have some quotes from the premiere as well as my main takeaways from the couple of interviews the official Marvel team did. Fair warning: They are fangirly and shippy and I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO REGRETS.
1) Interview with Chris Evans / Steve Rogers - Captain America
Q: You have a really neat relationship with Tony Stark in this movie. Tell me what it was like to work with someone like that.
A: It was a good relationship with the character. The better relationship was off-set. Downey's such a, he's such a great guy. He's so experienced, so educated. He had a lot of information to offer and it was a great opportunity to kinda keep your mouth shut and keep your ears open and learn something.
HOLYSHEEZE! Thank you for being adorably fanboying RDJ, Chris! :D And I love how you say Steve and Tony have a "good relationship" in the movie~! Guess all that UST developed into something, huh? ~.^
2) Tony Stark, I mean Robert Downey Jr. arriving with an entourage of S.H.I.E.L.D vehicles, with himself driving a convertible.
GUH HE IS SO TONY STARK I CANNOT. RDJ, WHYYYYYYYYY? *flails* And he's also so sweet, going all the way back to meet the fans and sign autographs and GUH SO SWEET.
3) Interview with Robert Downey Jr. / Tony Stark - Iron Man
Q: Tell me also a little bit about the relationship with Captain America. Cause he's another leader, and Tony Stark's kinda used to being in charge.
A: Yeah, I actually thought a lot about that and Chris and I talked about it a fair amount. To me, it's his central relationship in the movie because it's a connection to his dad and all that stuff. So we had to make sure that resonated, and I sure remembered feeling that way in the comic books. So hopefully we made it as realistic as the comic books.
SO. There you have it, Tony's most central/important relationship is WITH STEVE ROGERS. And RDJ says he remembers that he felt that way about comic!Steve and comic!Tony. My/Fangirls' interpretation: STEVE/TONY FTW. 8D
Also, Tom Hiddleston has a very nice accent in his normal voice! Idk, his Loki!voice doesn't sound as nice. Or maybe it's just me. I shall go review some of him in Thor I guess. xD And some advice from the hosts who watched the movie already (JEALOUS): Stay until after the credits roll for The Avengers!
Also, I have now found a set list for the concert on larcenciel. Guess I should've checked lol. For those that I do remember, I was actually mostly right. Though some of them were probably just my mind trying to fit song titles to familiar-ish sounds and might have ended up all wrong in the end. ^^"
いばらの涙 (Ibara no Namida)
CHASE
HONEY
DRINK IT DOWN
REVELATION
瞳の住人 (Hitomi no Juunin)
XXX
DAYBREAK'S BELL
forbidden lover
MY HEART DRAWS A DREAM
SEVENTH HEAVEN
Driver's High
STAY AWAY
READY STEADY GO
encore
あなた (Anata)
winter fall
Link
虹 (Niji)
I figure I shall have to go listen to "REVELATION", "Hitomi no Juunin" and "forbidden lover". *nods* Also from browsing other posts on their earlier concerts, I realised that they did "The Fourth Avenue Cafe" in a couple of them, and I think the New York one even had "Jyoujyoushi". *IS JEALOUS* Especially for the people who got to hear "Jyoujyoushi" live. *flails*
BUT. I STILL GOT TO ATTEND THEIR CONCERT SO NO REGRETS. 8D
[EDIT: 13/04/2012, 10:51PM]
SO I MAY JUST BE GOING TO ATTEND THE AVENGERS EUROPEAN PREMIERE ON 19TH APRIL BECAUSE IT'S IN LONDON, UK.
Chris Evans doesn't seem to be in attendance, but it's still okay, I will go for Robert Downey Jr. Not to mention the rest of the cast seem so adorable from the World Premiere, especially Tom Hiddleston.
HOLYSHIT WHAT IS MY LIFE THESE DAYS?! THE CELEB INFLUX! NOT COMPLAINING. TOTALLY NOT COMPLAINING.
[/EDIT]
BEST. DECISION. EVAR.
Despite an aching left knee by the end of the concert, and the fact that I got pushed around and jostled far more in that 3 hours than any other 3 hours of my life. ^^"
While I wasn't at the front row (I use "row" rather loosely since it was free standing so there wasn't really anything definite), I was probably around 4th or 5th which was a good mix of close enough but yet no need to overly crane my neck upwards to look at them. I would've appreciated the view better if not for the people in front of me generally waving glowsticks around. But meh, it's the concert experience too I guess. I had considered getting a glowstick myself but it was 4 pounds and imo, not worth it. Besides, it doesn't mean that when you have no glowstick in your hand, you can't wave your hand in the air. xD
Also in the file of "concert experiences", before the concert started, I thought the, well I guess it's like a mosh pit kinda thing, but the entire first floor was standing so I don't know. But mosh is easiest to describe it I guess. So yeah, mosh pit was okay before the concert started. A little tight for space, but still okay. Then when they opened, it's like HOLYSHIT! EVERYONE JUST SURGED FORWARD! And I was just kinda like dragged along for the ride. I hadn't really intended to move so far forward such that I was smushed up against the people in front of me, but with the back rows surging front, it just kinda happened. ^^" Then the first few song were the more fast-paced, rock songs, so everyone was pretty much like bouncing/jumping/on tip toes, and you also kind of get dragged along because you're all so pressed up against each other and when everyone around you is jumping, your body gets dragged along as well.
I now have aching calf muscles, along with a still aching left knee, and I don't believe my calf muscles have ached like this since... running 2.4km for PFT lol. I think even hiking up Snowdon in Wales in October last year wasn't so bad. Still. NO REGRETS.
GUH. THEY WERE SO CLOSE. *FLAILS* I tried to sneak in a few photos but soon gave up because 1) so much jostling about and jumping up and down made it difficult to get a steady shot, 2) glowsticks blocking my camera, 3) camera was just not good enough even during the slow songs - i.e. less glowsticks & jostling - to be able to take a shot of them without the lights whiting out everything on my camera sensor, and 4) I much preferred starring dreamily at Hyde and watching him move his hips.
*coughs*
But yes, I did very much enjoy seeing Hyde do that LIVE. *.* He's so gorgeous - even if his hairstyle this time was long dreadlocks/braids, which is not a style I really like on him but he still looked good. And Tetsuya (though I still think of him as "Tetsu" in my head haha) was being adorable in that his outermost layer of clothing was a coat with the right side in the design of the United Kingdom flag and the left in that of the England flag. I'm quite sure I giggled "kawaii!" to myself a couple of times when I first noticed that. xD" Mostly though, I spent my time looking at Hyde (ending up on my toes a lot more than was good for my muscles which are so unused lol, and craning my neck a bit too much to look through glowsticks and hands and people taller than me - good thing some of them left for some reason or another - no complaints there from me) as he sang and moved across the stage. I swear I was probably smiling dreamily the entire time I was looking at him. *squees*
The set list. Well, I'm pretty sure I don't remember all of the songs... and I think I might not have recognised all of them. ^^" I'm only most familiar with their KISS album, some songs from their latest album BUTTERFLY, and a bunch of others scattered around from their earlier repetoire - although I did go and re-listen to some of the songs before the concert. Also I probably forgot some of them haha, but here's the list of songs that I can remember, but in no particular order of appearance, though I try to keep it as close to the actual order as I can.
Ibara no Namida
CHASE
XXX
Good Luck My Way
Drink It Down
Daybreak's Bell
Seventh Heaven
My Heart Draws A Dream
wild flower
Driver's High
Ready Steady Go
encore
Anata
winter fall
Niji
There was also a bunch of slow songs somewhere in the middle which I just couldn't place. I hope they release the set list somewhere. ^^"
I had sort of hoped that they would do something from P'UNK EN CIEL, and I would've killed to hear Hyde sing Jyoujyoushi live. UNF. Or My Dear ~L'Acoustic Ver.~, because daa~m his voice really shows in the slower songs. Regardless, his voice is just so awesome live. Although I've already heard him "live" in a sense, since I've seen the videos of some of the live concerts, it's still lovely to actually hear him live live. *.*
Hyde, Ken and Tetsuya talked to the crowd in English. I would really have preferred them speaking in Japanese, esp. Hyde because I love Hyde's speaking voice and they always sound so much better speaking their native language. Not that I didn't appreciate them speaking English since they were in London and all. Makes me wonder if they're going to speak French in their Paris concert. xD"
There were adorable moments when Ken was reading off a piece of paper in English. Probably what he wanted to say in Japanese and then got it translated. He was saying he's been to London a few times, and usually, without fail, ended up in the London Dungeons - which I just found out is a horror attraction site kinda thing with rides and shows and stuff. LOL. Though he said this time, he didn't go to the Dungeons and he wish that they could build one in Tokyo. Tokyo Dungeons. HAHA oh Ken. He instead went shopping for Tetsuya apparently.
He bought a neck air pillow in the design of the Union Jack, leggings ALSO in the design of the Union Jack and.... boxers with the Tube map on it, "so that (Tetsuya) will not get lost". xDDDDD" Guh adorables~!
I also very much enjoyed the fire effects for... some of the songs. Which I cannot remember at the moment. But it was lovely. xD There were also streamers bursting out at one point in red and blue. Too bad I wasn't able to get my hands on them. But right near the end, during Niji, the scattered out white feathers from each side of the stage. I managed to catch two of them! xD *is proud*
I still can't quite get over the fact that I was so close! xD" This was really kind of a dream-come-true! I would, if given the chance, go for another of their concerts again. Though honestly, I would much prefer to hear them speak in Japanese. People speaking in their native language always sounds so much lovelier... and sexier. xD
By the end of the concert, my voice was also almost gone and I was dying of thirst. Too much singing along at the top of my voice-ish for MY HEART DRAWS A DREAM and Anata and just general cheering. ^^" Before trying to see if I could find a place that sold water though, I went to check out the merchandise store... and gave in and bought the poster and the wristband. Teehee~
Now, I have to find some way to attend a Gackt concert. The fact that L'Arc~en~Ciel is going to have a Singapore leg in their current world tour (28th April... and I kind of really wish I could split myself and teleport so I can watch them all over again~) makes me very hopeful for Gackt to do the same... or I shall just pray that within the next 2 years that I am still in London, Gackt will come back again. ^^
And because part of the above was typed while waiting for Marvel The Avengers World Premiere to air live, have some quotes from the premiere as well as my main takeaways from the couple of interviews the official Marvel team did. Fair warning: They are fangirly and shippy and I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO REGRETS.
1) Interview with Chris Evans / Steve Rogers - Captain America
Q: You have a really neat relationship with Tony Stark in this movie. Tell me what it was like to work with someone like that.
A: It was a good relationship with the character. The better relationship was off-set. Downey's such a, he's such a great guy. He's so experienced, so educated. He had a lot of information to offer and it was a great opportunity to kinda keep your mouth shut and keep your ears open and learn something.
HOLYSHEEZE! Thank you for being adorably fanboying RDJ, Chris! :D And I love how you say Steve and Tony have a "good relationship" in the movie~! Guess all that UST developed into something, huh? ~.^
2) Tony Stark, I mean Robert Downey Jr. arriving with an entourage of S.H.I.E.L.D vehicles, with himself driving a convertible.
GUH HE IS SO TONY STARK I CANNOT. RDJ, WHYYYYYYYYY? *flails* And he's also so sweet, going all the way back to meet the fans and sign autographs and GUH SO SWEET.
3) Interview with Robert Downey Jr. / Tony Stark - Iron Man
Q: Tell me also a little bit about the relationship with Captain America. Cause he's another leader, and Tony Stark's kinda used to being in charge.
A: Yeah, I actually thought a lot about that and Chris and I talked about it a fair amount. To me, it's his central relationship in the movie because it's a connection to his dad and all that stuff. So we had to make sure that resonated, and I sure remembered feeling that way in the comic books. So hopefully we made it as realistic as the comic books.
SO. There you have it, Tony's most central/important relationship is WITH STEVE ROGERS. And RDJ says he remembers that he felt that way about comic!Steve and comic!Tony. My/Fangirls' interpretation: STEVE/TONY FTW. 8D
Also, Tom Hiddleston has a very nice accent in his normal voice! Idk, his Loki!voice doesn't sound as nice. Or maybe it's just me. I shall go review some of him in Thor I guess. xD And some advice from the hosts who watched the movie already (JEALOUS): Stay until after the credits roll for The Avengers!
Also, I have now found a set list for the concert on larcenciel. Guess I should've checked lol. For those that I do remember, I was actually mostly right. Though some of them were probably just my mind trying to fit song titles to familiar-ish sounds and might have ended up all wrong in the end. ^^"
いばらの涙 (Ibara no Namida)
CHASE
HONEY
DRINK IT DOWN
REVELATION
瞳の住人 (Hitomi no Juunin)
XXX
DAYBREAK'S BELL
forbidden lover
MY HEART DRAWS A DREAM
SEVENTH HEAVEN
Driver's High
STAY AWAY
READY STEADY GO
encore
あなた (Anata)
winter fall
Link
虹 (Niji)
I figure I shall have to go listen to "REVELATION", "Hitomi no Juunin" and "forbidden lover". *nods* Also from browsing other posts on their earlier concerts, I realised that they did "The Fourth Avenue Cafe" in a couple of them, and I think the New York one even had "Jyoujyoushi". *IS JEALOUS* Especially for the people who got to hear "Jyoujyoushi" live. *flails*
BUT. I STILL GOT TO ATTEND THEIR CONCERT SO NO REGRETS. 8D
[EDIT: 13/04/2012, 10:51PM]
SO I MAY JUST BE GOING TO ATTEND THE AVENGERS EUROPEAN PREMIERE ON 19TH APRIL BECAUSE IT'S IN LONDON, UK.
Chris Evans doesn't seem to be in attendance, but it's still okay, I will go for Robert Downey Jr. Not to mention the rest of the cast seem so adorable from the World Premiere, especially Tom Hiddleston.
HOLYSHIT WHAT IS MY LIFE THESE DAYS?! THE CELEB INFLUX! NOT COMPLAINING. TOTALLY NOT COMPLAINING.
[/EDIT]