Another year old. Another stamp in my passport. More memories to cherish.
I did it! I did it! I've seen Tsuyoshi AND Shingo in a play! And then I saw GLAY! And then Da-iCE!
Honestly, I know I went for my birthday and all, but it still hasn't really hit me that I'm officially a year older. Or maybe it did hit me, because I randomly woke up at midnight on my birthday and was like, 'oh, it's my birthday' then I had birthday pudding. (Actually, I meant to eat the pudding for dinner, but had forgotten about it, so it became birthday pudding!)
I keep waiting for the birthday where I have a breakdown and fit of ~omg I'm getting so old~. Probably won't happen because 1) I already had my breakdown at age 17 and 2) I have enough what-am-I-doing-with-my-life!? breakdowns throughout the year. Or maybe the big 30 will do it in a couple years? Naaaah. Still young. ^_~
But trip! I spent way too much money overall, but no regrets about anything at all.
burst! - Okay, as a play... A lot of the humor was laaaaame. I'm not a big comedy fan, so I can't say I was super in love with the script of the play itself.
But the Japanese was pretty easy to understand and the guys were enjoying themselves so much and I'm never getting closer to either of them unless I'm actually on Bistro SMAP.... <3
Shingo is insanely handsome. Tsuyoshi is insanely adorable.
Honestly, when the curtain opened and Shingo came out.... My jaw was ready to drop. I didn't let that happen because trying to stay ~calm~ and ~collected~. But I clearly remember Shingo standing right in front of me, being super handsome in PJs and bathrobe then me looking at the other side of the stage to see if Tsuyoshi caused the same reaction in me.
He didn't.
Pause. Pause. Pause.
Oh well. That meant I could spend equal time looking back and forth between Shingo and Tsuyoshi and not be obviously into only one member.
Until Tsuyoshi changed into his PJ costume and was in front of me.
I found it difficult to keep looking back at Shingo because, well... Tsuyoshi's adorableness was in overdrive in the 2nd role. Even though Shingo got hotter in his suit with hair slicked back... But, I guess adorable Tsuyoshi beats handsome Shingo for me. XD
Oh man, this play experience is going to be hard to top. XD
I'm insanely lucky that I was able to go. I can't imagine a similar opportunity happening in the future.
I'm still working on a super long write-up of the play. :x probably need to finish that this weekend before I forget everything!
GLAY -
I'll just come out and say it. This was a slightly disappointing experience.
Not that it wasn't awesome. But it could've been better.
GLAY is the group I've loved and followed the longest. While I've never been hardcore obsessed with them, I have at least checked in on them for the last... 15 years. :o
I mean, I listened to them a TON back in 1999-2002. They were second to Arashi back then to me. But unlike Arashi, even when I got out of Japanese music, I'd still check in on their new stuff each year.
That being said, I haven't been the biggest fan of their last two albums. So going for a Arena tour... Their newest album has grown on me a lot, and they did a lot of their classics, but the experience honestly made me want to go to a not-album live. (LIKE THE ONE IN JULY, UGHHHHH.)
So I guess the experience could've been not as disappointing with a different setlist. But aside from that and the fact that the girl in front of me was tall and stocky to the point where even though it was staggered seating I couldn't see past her......... The performance the guys put on was AWESOME.
I was always a Teru fan way back when. But some of the newer concert lives caused me to switch to Takuro. XD But with how Teru plays to the audience... I wish I would've been in the front row so he could've sung to me. *_*
And when he'd smiiiile at the crowd. *_*
And the main take away was - they're celebrating their 20th anniversary, they're following their dreams - we can't give up on our dreams! Now I just need to find my dream to not give up on!! XD
Ugh, I want to go see them again. :x July is too soon to return to Japan for another concert, isn't it? XD
Da-iCE-
This was in the smallest venue I've ever been in. http://www.bottomline.co.jp/
Me and my friend were pretty much in the back - but OMG, venue was so tiny, the guys were still SO CLOSE.
I honestly don't even know all the names of the guys in the group. My friend introduced me, but I didn't get into them besides really enjoying their music. I'm not sure if it's because they are my age or younger and I'm used to sexy 40 year olds, or if it's because I don't trust myself with getting obsessed with another group...
That being said. I REALLY want to see these guys again. Mostly because I couldn't see much of the performance. xD I could see one guy at a time, which... really didn't help considering one of their main strengths is their dancing... BUT, what I could see, they were awesome!
I thought the crowd would be a little more energetic. They were probably the youngest crowd I've attended a concert with and... When the guys up stage were jumping and doing the classic hand-up-in-air-to-beat move, I thought we were supposed to also jump and do the move?
There was no jumping. Just the move hand to the beat.... Which we'd be doing the entire concert already. I jumped a little. But it's Japan, you have to fit in so I stopped...
:| My friend said it was because people wanted to concentrate on watching the performance. Eh, I say BS to that! You can see more if you do JUMP because then you can see above people's heads. That's what I learned at sakanaction concert... that was the only way I could see the stage, by jumping out of sync with the person in front of me. XD
That being said, the crowd was cute right before the encore. A section of girls starting singing the chorus from TOKI, instead of calling for an encore. There was a guy that kept going もういっかい！ at the end of the chorus and it'd start all over again.
I really really loved that. A lot. It went on a long long time, but it was super cute. When the guys came back out, they said normally the audience would just shout 'Da-iCE! Da-iCE!', this was the first time anyone sang. I actually think that was one of my favorite moments of the night. ^^'
I'm def going to try to catch them again. I want to be closer to see... Probably should learn more about them first though. XD
Oh, and I almost forgot! We were heading back to the station the same time as the guys were exiting the venue. It was funny, because as we were walking back from eating, we were passing by the venue (on opposite side of the street) and there was a group of girls standing outside waiting for the guys by the front door.
I commented that I doubted they'd come out the front door. But just watch they walk out as soon as we got to the station entrance.
Well. Guess what? They didn't walk out the front door, but behind all the girls. We were on the opposite side of the street, so... kept walking to the next station entrance.
Then they were literally going to cross in front of us, my friend ran into a 7-11 on the corner and I was like... uh... and followed.
Okay, I do regret this. We totally should've walked back to the hotel, it was in the exact same direction as the guys were walking.
I can understand my friend wanting to respect their privacy and all... But I think we get gaijin traveling over 10000km points and could've at least walked on the same sidewalk while we speak happily in English about how much we are enjoying our vacation.
Or maybe she saved me from embarrassment, because if we did at all exchange words with them, I only know 2 of the member's names... ^^'
But great memory at the very least. :) Though I think walking into the 7-11 and just standing around was more awkward than it would've been to stand waiting for the crosswalk light to change. :x
So 4th Japan trip is done.
I've now seen 5 different Japanese artists live.
I spoil myself so much.
I had no life during high school or college and I guess this is me making up for that. :)
No regrets!!
Honestly, I know I went for my birthday and all, but it still hasn't really hit me that I'm officially a year older. Or maybe it did hit me, because I randomly woke up at midnight on my birthday and was like, 'oh, it's my birthday' then I had birthday pudding. (Actually, I meant to eat the pudding for dinner, but had forgotten about it, so it became birthday pudding!)
I keep waiting for the birthday where I have a breakdown and fit of ~omg I'm getting so old~. Probably won't happen because 1) I already had my breakdown at age 17 and 2) I have enough what-am-I-doing-with-my-life!? breakdowns throughout the year. Or maybe the big 30 will do it in a couple years? Naaaah. Still young. ^_~
But trip! I spent way too much money overall, but no regrets about anything at all.
burst! - Okay, as a play... A lot of the humor was laaaaame. I'm not a big comedy fan, so I can't say I was super in love with the script of the play itself.
But the Japanese was pretty easy to understand and the guys were enjoying themselves so much and I'm never getting closer to either of them unless I'm actually on Bistro SMAP.... <3
Shingo is insanely handsome. Tsuyoshi is insanely adorable.
Honestly, when the curtain opened and Shingo came out.... My jaw was ready to drop. I didn't let that happen because trying to stay ~calm~ and ~collected~. But I clearly remember Shingo standing right in front of me, being super handsome in PJs and bathrobe then me looking at the other side of the stage to see if Tsuyoshi caused the same reaction in me.
He didn't.
Pause. Pause. Pause.
Oh well. That meant I could spend equal time looking back and forth between Shingo and Tsuyoshi and not be obviously into only one member.
Until Tsuyoshi changed into his PJ costume and was in front of me.
I found it difficult to keep looking back at Shingo because, well... Tsuyoshi's adorableness was in overdrive in the 2nd role. Even though Shingo got hotter in his suit with hair slicked back... But, I guess adorable Tsuyoshi beats handsome Shingo for me. XD
Oh man, this play experience is going to be hard to top. XD
I'm insanely lucky that I was able to go. I can't imagine a similar opportunity happening in the future.
I'm still working on a super long write-up of the play. :x probably need to finish that this weekend before I forget everything!
GLAY -
I'll just come out and say it. This was a slightly disappointing experience.
Not that it wasn't awesome. But it could've been better.
GLAY is the group I've loved and followed the longest. While I've never been hardcore obsessed with them, I have at least checked in on them for the last... 15 years. :o
I mean, I listened to them a TON back in 1999-2002. They were second to Arashi back then to me. But unlike Arashi, even when I got out of Japanese music, I'd still check in on their new stuff each year.
That being said, I haven't been the biggest fan of their last two albums. So going for a Arena tour... Their newest album has grown on me a lot, and they did a lot of their classics, but the experience honestly made me want to go to a not-album live. (LIKE THE ONE IN JULY, UGHHHHH.)
So I guess the experience could've been not as disappointing with a different setlist. But aside from that and the fact that the girl in front of me was tall and stocky to the point where even though it was staggered seating I couldn't see past her......... The performance the guys put on was AWESOME.
I was always a Teru fan way back when. But some of the newer concert lives caused me to switch to Takuro. XD But with how Teru plays to the audience... I wish I would've been in the front row so he could've sung to me. *_*
And when he'd smiiiile at the crowd. *_*
And the main take away was - they're celebrating their 20th anniversary, they're following their dreams - we can't give up on our dreams! Now I just need to find my dream to not give up on!! XD
Ugh, I want to go see them again. :x July is too soon to return to Japan for another concert, isn't it? XD
Da-iCE-
This was in the smallest venue I've ever been in. http://www.bottomline.co.jp/
Me and my friend were pretty much in the back - but OMG, venue was so tiny, the guys were still SO CLOSE.
I honestly don't even know all the names of the guys in the group. My friend introduced me, but I didn't get into them besides really enjoying their music. I'm not sure if it's because they are my age or younger and I'm used to sexy 40 year olds, or if it's because I don't trust myself with getting obsessed with another group...
That being said. I REALLY want to see these guys again. Mostly because I couldn't see much of the performance. xD I could see one guy at a time, which... really didn't help considering one of their main strengths is their dancing... BUT, what I could see, they were awesome!
I thought the crowd would be a little more energetic. They were probably the youngest crowd I've attended a concert with and... When the guys up stage were jumping and doing the classic hand-up-in-air-to-beat move, I thought we were supposed to also jump and do the move?
There was no jumping. Just the move hand to the beat.... Which we'd be doing the entire concert already. I jumped a little. But it's Japan, you have to fit in so I stopped...
:| My friend said it was because people wanted to concentrate on watching the performance. Eh, I say BS to that! You can see more if you do JUMP because then you can see above people's heads. That's what I learned at sakanaction concert... that was the only way I could see the stage, by jumping out of sync with the person in front of me. XD
That being said, the crowd was cute right before the encore. A section of girls starting singing the chorus from TOKI, instead of calling for an encore. There was a guy that kept going もういっかい！ at the end of the chorus and it'd start all over again.
I really really loved that. A lot. It went on a long long time, but it was super cute. When the guys came back out, they said normally the audience would just shout 'Da-iCE! Da-iCE!', this was the first time anyone sang. I actually think that was one of my favorite moments of the night. ^^'
I'm def going to try to catch them again. I want to be closer to see... Probably should learn more about them first though. XD
Oh, and I almost forgot! We were heading back to the station the same time as the guys were exiting the venue. It was funny, because as we were walking back from eating, we were passing by the venue (on opposite side of the street) and there was a group of girls standing outside waiting for the guys by the front door.
I commented that I doubted they'd come out the front door. But just watch they walk out as soon as we got to the station entrance.
Well. Guess what? They didn't walk out the front door, but behind all the girls. We were on the opposite side of the street, so... kept walking to the next station entrance.
Then they were literally going to cross in front of us, my friend ran into a 7-11 on the corner and I was like... uh... and followed.
Okay, I do regret this. We totally should've walked back to the hotel, it was in the exact same direction as the guys were walking.
I can understand my friend wanting to respect their privacy and all... But I think we get gaijin traveling over 10000km points and could've at least walked on the same sidewalk while we speak happily in English about how much we are enjoying our vacation.
Or maybe she saved me from embarrassment, because if we did at all exchange words with them, I only know 2 of the member's names... ^^'
But great memory at the very least. :) Though I think walking into the 7-11 and just standing around was more awkward than it would've been to stand waiting for the crosswalk light to change. :x
So 4th Japan trip is done.
I've now seen 5 different Japanese artists live.
I spoil myself so much.
I had no life during high school or college and I guess this is me making up for that. :)
No regrets!!