2011 Tours: Part 5
LOL. I knew this would be the longest blog entry I've ever written, but I didn't expect I'd max out the number of characters. LJ just rejected my my edited entry when I saved it. T__T Been working on this post since May and I added a lot today. This part will only cover the venues and particular things I remembered from it. The next one will cover the setlist and the band.
I had carefully planned to ensure a lot of chances to see flumpool. Despite the rough start it started to go very smoothly, that even then, I thought it was TOO good to be true. Indeed, it was. It was just not meant to be. Fighting that, with the knowledge I would lose to fate as usual, was taking a toll on me. The disappointments were too unbearable at times that I even came to a point of seriously considering scrapping the whole trip. After some self-reflection and multiple advices, I had come to terms with reality and tried to look at the brighter side of the situation. I had to remind myself that I managed to secure tickets for all four of my top favorites in one trip, my very first jrock pilgrimage. I think I might have focused too much of my time/energy and invested too much of my emotions on those flumpool shows. I almost forgot that 1) I've been listening to NICO the most in the past few months, 2) I love LOVE "PASSENGER", obviously more than "Fantasia of Life Stripe" *gasps* 3) I already have 2 NICO tickets and 4) it was still possible to get one more NICO ticket to make up for the lack of flumpool. Fortunately, as it turned out, they weren't just a consolation.... Noooooooooo~~ no no no no. They were much more than that. They turned out to be the highlight of my three weeks in Japan. flumpool may have mostly inspired the trip, but no doubt, NICO completed it.
Fate, why toy with me? Thanks anyway.
Concert Days 1, 3, 5 and 7. At Hamamatsu, Kanazawa, Fukuoka and Okayama for NICO Touches the Walls.
City-hopping for NICO.
Red: To and from Hamamatsu (~218km), with stop at Nagoya
Green: To Kanazawa( ~256km)
Purple: To Fukuoka(~638km), with stops at Takayama (~148km) and Osaka (~371km)
Blue: To and from Okayama(~322km), with stops at Nagoya (~808km) and Hiroshima (~528km)It seems quite a lot huh? At first, I thought 2 times were more than enough. Also, the idea of city hopping was not only intimidating, but it would significantly increase my transportation expenses. After much deliberation, I had to submit to getting the expensive but great-value-for-your-money JR rail pass.
During my first Shinkansen ride I was so excited,
I almost ended up in Niigata instead of Nikko.
From there on, my itinerary took a more definite shape, which allowed me to add Okayama (and RADWIMPS) ticket(s) just a week or so before I left for Japan. Then Fukuoka ticket was bought just a few days before the live. After experiencing their live once, I was craving for more. Had I gone to Takamatsu, I probably still wouldn't be satisfied. Each time was just as exciting as the first time. I still got the chills/goosebumps, I still got nervous, I could connect with EVERY song they played , and I still cried...They're so addicting that, since Hamamatsu, I couldn't help but obsessively think about NICO. I cried as the plane for home finally took off. It was really painful to leave Japan, and that was unexpected. I had a blast with the lives, with Laura and her friends, with the beauty of the country, and the goodness of the people I met... but I just felt so depressed about leaving. I thought, what if this was my only chance to see them? How can someone who gave you so much joy the past three weeks suddenly cause you great pain? Then I realized that I've just fallen deeper into this fangirling business. Guess I'm in trouble now. :/
Hamamatsu
2011.05.06 (Friday)
LIVE HOUSE Hamamatsu Madowaku
A quaint little town. Spent the afternoon checking out the reconstructed castle which Tokugawa Ieyasu used as a base before he ruled the country. I also went to check out the Musical Instruments museum. Nothing really amazing, but it was nice to see and listen to different traditional instruments. Right after getting my NICO goods, I went for dinner. The one I wanted to go to was a train ride and 20-min walk away, and they only open for lunch and dinner. My second choice was closed due to Golden Week. So I just picked among the recommendations by the tourism office, and chose a place closest to the venue. They didn't have an English menu... even the prices were in Kanji. A tad pricy, but oh well it was yummy... my favorite was the green tea and the clear broth soup.
Hamamatsu Castle, Musical Instruments Museum, Dinner at MurakoshiIf not for the people lining up in front of the building, I wouldn't have known where the live house was. There wasn't really a clear sign. I totally made an idiot out of myself here. First, I wore open toe dress sandals. It was between that or the boots, but I picked it because it made me just as tall and it was more comfy. Big mistake, which anyone can easily guess why. Second, I brought my purse inside. It's medium sized but big enough to store away my flats, bottled water, and all of my other crap. With all the moshing, it's quite inconvenient, especially when I'm trying to reposition it or making sure I didn't drop anything, especially my passport. Third, I don't speak/understand much Japanese so it was hard to figure out the staff's directions as they were lining us up to go in. Later, I confirmed they did it differently from the other venues I went to. Fourth, newbie me didn't know it was compulsory to buy a drink ticket at the entrance. I tried to dash right in then the old man suddenly stopped me.
Hamamatsu Madowaku Livehouse is a cozy and comfortable livehouse. I could hardly see Tsushima-kun but then, it's always hard to see the drummer. Micchan never failed to ask if we can see Tsushima, and the audience always reply they can see him. *confused* Well, the stage here seemed higher so I could see the rest of the members. I guess most of the people who attended were shorter than I am (with my heels), which helped me a lot. I initially situated at the center, but just a bit to the right. For some reason, I was expecting the mosh would eventually push me towards the right, smack in front of Daisuke. I was fearing that if the audience from all directions, esp the back, were going towards Micchan, and I was already on the far right, I would end up against the wall. But I ended up closer to Micchan than Daisuke. No problem, I love Micchan just as much. With Daisuke, I just get more fangirl-y than usual. Anyway, their live was sold out for this venue. One blog mentioned that the capacity was like 450 but I distinctly remembered Micchan saying that including NICO, there were "go-hyaku yon-nin" in that room. The place just seemed smaller. I thought I was near the front since I was only a couple meters away from the members. But when I looked right behind me, there was a moat (empty space) that extended to the middle barrier with the elevated floor and ramp. Probably all thanks to the two or three people body slamming (or is it slam dancing?) during the live. I can understand accidental shoving/pushing due to excitement and limited space. However, these people were really serious in seriously injuring others. And dancing? Really? What was that dance anyway? Well, everyone else around them had two choices: move to the back or squeeze to the front. Obviously, I sucked it up and did the latter. Someone did land on my toes to the point it chipped off my big toenail's nail polish. For awhile, the pain was excruciating that I really thought I lost a nail there. I was checking for any sign of blood, but luckily, there wasn't any. Still, it was painful enough that I was sure it would leave a dark mark permanently, aka dead toenail? I felt kinda sad about that, but overall, I thought NICO was well worth it all. Pain and delusion aside, the nice thing about the place was they're not stingy when it comes to a/c. It's really hot when you're moving a lot.... but I could feel some cold air blasting into my face when I'm standing still. Also, there were more audience-band interaction during the MCs. The audience would ask the band stuffs other than "Are you okay?" The MC with Daisuke/Tsushima got a little bit longer, when it was Micchan's turn to do his piece, he sorta forgot what he was going to talk about. Then a guy asked if it's something about "anime." Micchan said "anime ja neyo!" and something more that made the audience laugh... I laughed along cause the way he said it sounded funny. He ended up getting that guy's name. Also, Tsushima-san visited Hamamatsu-jo. Probably not that afternoon, as I was there hoping I'd bumped into one of them. He said it was teeny, which was true. XD Micchan asked who were first-timers at NICO's live. I enthusiastically jumped and raised my hand. I think I yelled out "Me! Me! Me!" but sadly it just wasn't loud enough. Then he asked who are residents of the city, he got barely any hands up in response. He asked who traveled to Hamamatsu, everyone raised their hands. WOW! I was actually really touched.
I sweat a lot. A whole lot. The worst part is I could smell everyone's sweat. It was tolerable though. I've come to a conclusion that the Japanese have very good hygiene. Had this been in the US, I probably would've passed out from the stench. *remembers guys' smell BEFORE Wonder Girls live began* Was I lucky? During all 5 livehouse shows? After the live, my drink ticket was also drenched in sweat... I know it's mine but, ewwww. Still exchanged it since I was dying from thirst. At the exit, some staff were handing out bags filled with fliers and a questionnaire. Kids were just squatting/sitting on the sidewalk with their little pencils. Hmm... well, the ground there does look much cleaner than the ground here. I wanted to join in but not before changing back to my flats. My feet were killing me that I was actually limping as I walked. I feared I would see a hematoma on the part where the polish chipped off, but there wasn't. Hallelujah! No dead toe nail!!! YAY~~ Questionnaire time!! Took one look and realized ZERO English. Even after the live, I couldn't shake off my stupidity and complete lack of common sense. I could probably guess some parts but I didn't want the band to know, IF they chanced to read my paper, I'm that stupid. So I headed back to the station. While waiting for my train, I was dying~~ I wanted to spazz so bad as I was still on NICO high. Soon enough a pretty lady sat next to me WITH a bag of fliers from the venue. Even with both her earphones on AND my non-existent Japanese, I attempted to strike a conversation. XD Fortunately she spoke some English, so we managed to talk till our train for Nagoya arrived. It was her second time attending NICO's PASSENGER tour, first was in Nagoya. WOW! Now that's dedication. I totally understand her. After that live, I couldn't wait two more nights to see them in Kanazawa. Thank goodness I had RADWIMPS the following day to keep me preoccupied . The feelings were mutual though. She was also quite impressed I was going to Kanazawa and Okayama, all by myself, during my first-ever Japan trip. She was a bit envious I was seeing them three times. Fukuoka wasn't in the plan at this point btw.
Surprisingly, no one was giving me stares. I swear I was the only foreigner there.... and a very obvious one at that too! Darn, I wanted to stand out.... just hoping for a chance to catch their attention. Then they'd be surprised and happy someone traveled all the way there to see them. Was I dreaming for too much? Probably delusional? Maybe I should've worn my rodeo getup complete with a cowboy hat... then fake a thick Texan accent. Okay, I can't do the second part. *sigh*
Kanazawa
2011.05.08 (Sunday)
Kanazawa EIGHT HALL
I was really excited about Kanazawa for the mere fact that this used to be the center of the Kaga domain. Toshiie to Matsu is probably my favorite Taiga. The storekeeper was quite surprised when I could identify Toshiie and Matsu Hello Kitty (/-ies?). Same reaction I got when I went to view a Maeda retirement house, more like mansion. XD The city was very pretty. I felt close to nature as the city was surrounded by mountains and abundant colorful trees. Still, I get that old Edo feeling when I explored Higashi Chaya district and Nagamachi. The town had the modern feel with all the tall buildings and department stores complete with international designer brands. I thought it was going to a teeny town, but it was rather huge. I wish I had more time to explore the city.
Kanazawa Castle Park, Higashi Chaya, KenrokuenBased on previous experience and my condition after sight-seeing all day, I decided to use flats. I also ditched the purse, took Emm's advice and went with a security neck wallet to hold my passport/credit card/cash. My cellphone case has a hook so I can just place it securely in my pocket. Apparently, I can't shake off my stupidity. This time, I failed to ask the Kanazawa Tourism office for directions to the venue. I only knew one way, and that was through the loop bus, which would take forever. Cab was my only option, but since Kanazawa EIGHT HALL was a hole in a wall, the driver didn't even know where it was. And because I'm stupid, I forgot to bring my paper map, I even forgot to upload it to my phone. So had to give up the cab which took me forever to find, and headed back to my room for the map. Got on a cab again, but when I opened the map, it was in English. *facepalm* I also didn't have the venue's address on hand. I had to ask the driver to drop me at the hotel nearest the venue. The venue was in the downtown area, along the main shopping district street. Thank goodness it was rush hour so I started spotting for possible concert goers to follow. Well, fortunately, it did work. I found some targets and they helped me find my way.... to the line. The line was looping around the block. Fortunately, the staff was very helpful in helping us find our exact spot. While waiting in line, I started asking people around me the way to the station. My luck ran out this time. None of the people around me could speak English. I was left to rely on my compass and overly simplified map to go back to the station. That failed. After walking for 30 minutes and still not finding Omicho market, I gave up and took a cab. It cost just as much as my previous cab ride to the venue.
At Kanazawa EIGHT HALL, it was so hot that there was steam coming from the audience. My glasses fogged up several times. XD At first I could hardly see the members on the stage. Maybe the stage wasn't as high as the one at Hamamatsu. To add to my disadvantage, I wore flats plus there were more guys near me who were taller. Maybe there were some at Hamamatsu, but these guys were right in the front center, where I was. After all the jumping (and getting pushed) through Rodeo and THE BUNGY, I somehow managed to get into the 5th row or so. I barely got any view of the stage during THE BUNGY. A little later, it got better and I can see everyone, even Tsushima every now and then. I just can't see Sakakura easily because again, I was smack right in front of Micchan, but with a convenient view of Furu-kun. My calculations seem to be a bit off. My goal is always to be nearer Daisuke. However, I seem to stick to the same initial position and end up closer to Micchan instead. That really wouldn't be a problem IF Daisuke doesn't have the tendency of jumping/falling into the crowd. Oh what would I give to have him fall ON me.. then again, the issue of going to the hospital/clinic and all the insurance stuff will make my head burst, so it was all good...I guess. If I got to a couple meters close to them at Hamamatsu, I got as close as a couple feet, maybe less, away from them when they really reach out. I was always close enough to notice that Micchan failed to shave. But then, he never had it cleanly shaved at the other lives either. I wonder if he shaves in the morning, and it immediately grow back by the evening? Near the end of the live, someone right in front of me was about to faint. So her tall guy friends helped her out. It was really sweet of them since there didn't seem to be any staff at the front to pull out people from the audience. That definitely freed up a LOT of space and I ended up in the 3rd row. YAY! At first, we were kinda shy to take up that space, so it took awhile for us to move forward. The girls in front were not too tall, so I got a a very clear view of the stage, I can even see the stage floor. And this is where I found out that Furu-kun was really wearing shorts with black tights. XDDD WTH really? At Hamamatsu, I saw Daisuke wearing a plain red t-shirt, and that simplicity made me happy. XD But the shorts+tights+sneakers? Okay, I admit it was a bit cute on him..or maybe that's just my bias talking. Just like in Hamamatsu, Daisuke talked a lot during the MC. I can't pick up anything he said. But the way he talks wasn't as lively as the way he plays. It was kinda monotoned? The band really let him shine, not only during his solos, but also during the talks. I complained to Laura how tight it was, and I mentioned I always stand between Micchan and Furu-kun. She mentioned that it always is because Daisuke is the most popular member, so she hangs out in front of Sakakura who stands in the opposite side of the stage. XD I really should have done that as I like Sakakura too... but I just can't miss a chance to see Daisuke up close.
Oh did I mention how happy I was to come to the venue already wearing my NICO goods? I wasn't alone though, a good number of them were arriving to the venue wearing theirs too, many wearing NICO's tshirts/towels from previous tours. I'm more thick-skinned in a foreign land. Gotta survive you know! With no train to catch, I started asking people if they can speak English. One sweet girl translated the questions for me. YAY! So with smirnoff in hand (while wishing I had a stronger option) I sat on the ground in the little alley ready to answer my questionnaire. YAY! Then I realized I cannot write my favorite songs in Kanji. *facepalm* It's very simple, but having not practiced writing any Chinese character for years, of course it would look like a grade-schooler wrote it. So I bugged the sweet girl squatting next to me. I showed her my favorite songs, and she wrote it. YAY! That's what I did for the next lives, and I had Laura write the Kanji on my Hamamatsu questionnaire.
May 10 to 11 were supposed to be flumpool lives in Tokyo, which I actually had tickets to....rather, someone hit tickets for me. So not only was I bummed out that from May 9 to 12, there was no concert, I had to wait a week to see NICO again. I think Laura got an earful of how I badly I want to see NICO again. soon.
Fukuoka
2011.05.14 (Saturday)
Fukuoka DRUM LOGOS
Livehouse DRUM LOGOS Fukuoka is by far my most favorite live. This wasn't even part of my plan because originally I was dead set on getting a 5/14 flumpool ticket at Nagoya. That's the sensible thing to do considering I already had a ticket for the 5/15 Nagoya live. Yeah, instead of relaxing, I was in the midst of bidding wars, going through multiple auctions over a week since my arrival in the country. My last attempt was placed just 5 days before the live. As soon as that fell through, I placed a bid on a NICO ticket. Indeed it was a blessing in disguise! Not only was the NICO ticket cheaper selling at face value, but the number was pretty good. I was actually worried if I'll ever make it since by the the 12th, it still had not arrived. Fortunately, after we came home from ONE OK ROCK's concert on the night of 13th, the envelope was sitting nicely in Laura's mailbox.
I absolutely had no idea what was in Fukuoka. All I knew at the time was Fukuoka was waaaaaay past Hiroshima. So I figured it must be very very far. I later discovered it's the final stop along the Sanyo line. To make it there on time, I couldn't attend even just an hour of "What a Wonderful World in Kansai", where Ryuta and Kazuki played "Hana ni Nare" and "Hoshi ni Negai wo" with Sugimoto-kun of WEAVER on keyboard. (And I might have missed stumbling upon them at the station or the shinkansen to Nagoya. I was actually planning on staking out at the ticketing entrance. Then check every single car for a second encounter.)
I left Osaka very late, later than late due to me procrastinating and some dumb decisions along the way. When I got to Fukuoka, I only had 15 minutes to check-in, drop my bags, and change into my NICO shirt. Didn't even have time to risk using the subway, so I took a cab again. This time I did not forget my map, and I made sure it was on my phone. Got there with 10 minutes to spare. Phew!
The venue had high ceilings. There's a second floor balcony, I suppose for vips (?), and then there's a third floor balcony. While waiting for the show to start, people started looking up. So I too studied the ceiling. Nothing special about it, so I didn't pay much attention. Later I realized this is what those people spotted:
source: NICO's blog
They had to pass by here to go to their dressing rooms, or so I think. After NICO left the stage, everyone turned towards the balcony and Tsushima-kun was passing by.
Why is this my favorite live? A/C was awesome. The high ceilings made the space feel bigger. I think because the venue was very comfortable, the band themselves seemed to be having a much easier time performing and just having fun. Out of the four venues I went to, and even the Tokyo show, only at this venue did they perform three songs during the encore.
Jolli told me to just squeeze my way into the front, but I just couldn't do that. I couldn't apply my thick-skinned-ness (lol) during the most crucial moments! I only took the space given to me. That reminds me, before the live started, there were housewives in their 40s standing in the front center. It was spacious between them and some girls right in front of them. The ladies mentioned how it was their first time, calling someone younger their "sempai." I couldn't understand much of their conversation, but I thought it was adorable how they were so excited as they talked about the band. As soon as instrumental intro started for Rodeo, younger girls behind them, and also me, squeezed themselves right into the front. Then I got pushed. But those ladies just stood still. For a few seconds that I could see them, their jaws dropped and they had horrifying expressions on their faces as they observed how wild everyone got. I could have gotten closer had I not worried about falling into someone's foot or hurting anyone. Guess I was blessed. From beginning to end, I didn't have to fight for a view. I can see everyone clearly from the fourth row. Again, I was smack right in front of Micchan, though a bit more to the right than the previous venues. I can see Tsushima-kun throughout the show. He was looking at our direction quite a lot, maybe he saw me? Yay! What I really loved during the show was being able to study Furu-kun doing his magic. I know it's the same thing he does on live broadcasts and dvds. But this time, I can look whenever I want to. It's amazing to see how fast his fingers move. You know when you watch a play, you study how well they act? Well, when you watch a guitarist perform... it's not just the music or his fingers, but the overall passion he puts into performing. Not only did I see it, but I felt it. I was really moved. And it's not just him... I can say the same thing for everyone else, especially Micchan. It's so easy to be spellbound when you're watching and listening to Micchan. They get you really high....throughout the live, and maybe even after. Maybe because they're my favorite artist, or maybe because I love their songs, I don't know. I mean, I love the other bands I went to see too, but NICO was a totally different experience. Truth be told, I felt really normal and calm when I left flumpool's live. That's saying a lot since for the longest time I've been crazy about them.
After their first encore song, GANIMATA GIRL, they asked the crowd if it's okay to sing one more song. OF COURSE IT"S A-OKAY. It must be the AC, it just has to be it. They sang N極とN極, and near the end, Furu-kun jumped into the crowd. I don't know how he managed to put down his guitar so fast. He was playing one second, I turned to another member for just a second, then when I looked back, he was running towards the edge of the stage. "Ah, he's going to jump. HE JUMPED!" And as I said before, I got to run my fingers through his fine and tangle-free hair. *crazyfangirlunleashed* While he was lying on top of someone, lucky whoever that person was, he had that cute boyish smile. Omigosh! SOOOOOO CUTE!
I decided to hang around just a bit longer after dropping cash into the donation box and handing in my questionnaire. The mini-bus suddenly stopped and parked right in front of the venue. "Ohhhhh... they're coming out this way? Yay!" Turns out the bus backed all the way inside the venue. "Uh-ohhhh... noooo~" People were still waiting, so I asked the girl next to me what for.... she said the band will be coming down the stairs on the right side of the building. We chatted for a bit, all I can remember is she came from Miyazaki and her favorite is Micchan. I seem to be doing most of the talking in these situations. I guess they're all curious what the heck I'm doing there when I can't even speak the language. Anyway, soon enough, a mini-van pulled over. We were standing on the other side of the street. The staff told those who were hanging around right in front of the venue to move. Then two staff stretched out a rope, it was rather limpy... another said, don't pass this rope, don't take pictures, give your gifts to the staff NOT to the band. Surprisingly, everyone obeyed. WHAT?! No one really took out their camera! Maybe they used their ninjutsu or whatever jutsu that I didn't notice. Okay, it's the natural and respectable thing to do when someone kindly asks you something. But where I'm from, unless you'll get a fine, scratch that, unless you'll land in jail, people will do what they're asked NOT to do. Like at Jin's concert here in Texas, Jin's as well as the House of Blues staff kept on going back and forth to ask the girls in front to stop taking pictures. It must have been at least a dozen times. But that's how it goes here. What are the staff going to do? Throw them out? Call the police and send them to jail? This is why I was really impressed and moved at how obedient the fans were. When the band walked down.. everyone just waved. No one was screaming or shrieking... maybe cos it's the type of band NICO is? Everyone just said outloud, "THank you!" and "Thanks for your hard work!" It was just pleasant. Of course they bowed, smiled and waved back. When van's door was shut, Daisuke stuck his head out of the window and waved goodbye to everyone with a smile. Teehee...
I really regret not having enough time to explore this city. It's rather huge. At night there were a lot of food stalls on the sidewalk, which made it very lively. I was dead tired and just wanted to rest the night. But when I got to the room, I read the instruction saying that I had to talk to a staff if I were to leave before 8AM. /headdesk Managed to let the staff know about my plans, thanks to my roommates' help. Tired as I was, I chatted with Rumi-san and Rumiko-san for a good couple hours. I swear, it was like by some miracle that Japanese just started flying out of my mouth. Broken Japanese that is. XD They don't know NICO at all! T__T But Rumi-san, only 22 from Oita, have heard of flumpool's Hana ni Nare. Bingo! Rumiko-san, who is in her 40s from Okinawa, explained to me that Fukuoka is actually in Kyushu. I was shocked! I didn't know I was in a totally different island. Amazing how they stayed interested as I continued on and on about the bands they don't even know about. I was somewhat wary of hostels, especially dorm-type, prior to my trip. But it's times like that, especially when you're traveling solo, that you get some sort of interaction with other people. People I met during the journey have been very kind, which really surprised me.
Okayama
2011.05.16 (Monday)
Okayama CRAZYMAMA KINGDOM
Wikitravel, or was it japan-guide, said that Korakuen was one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. The other one was Kenrokuen, which I went to in Kanazawa. I definitely preferred Kenrokuen since it had humongous trees and there were many spots that were different from each other. Korakuen was very open, and it's more about appreciating the entire view from the top. Nevertheless, I pretty much enjoyed walking around. I thought it would be boring going to a garden after travelling so far. It's actually quite relaxing. Only a river separates the garden from the castle. It was a pretty river too, as I felt refreshed just looking at it. The right-most picture is a view from the castle's top floor overlooking that river and Korakuen. How I wish I spoke/read Japanese. Only later I realized that camera wasn't allowed at just one level where they were having a special exhibition, which explains the triple cost of their entrance fee. It was a nice breeze from the top.
Japanese are much nicer and hospitable than I had ever expected them to be. But, I think people at smaller cities are more warm and friendly, Okayama is a prime example. At this point during the trip, I pretty much got the hang of figuring out things on my own. That also means making a fool out of myself. One lady even went through the trouble of getting off at my stop and walking me all the way to my destination. Had she not done that, I probably would've gotten lost. The underground wasn't on the map! After sight-seeing, I went back to the station to leave my stuffs in the locker. I wasn't sure if there was one inside the venue. Plus I just wanna go directly to the floor and get a good spot. It's was my last NICO live afterall.
I decided to stay at Hiroshima and just travel to Okayama which was only less than 1 hour each way by shinkansen. It wasn't so bad. To get to the venue, I tagged along with some teenagers who were wearing NICO T-shirts. They were really nice but I felt they were shy and a bit nervous that I might test their English skills. We took the bus, which worried me as I wouldn't know how to get back to the station using the bus. Anyway, I can be so absent-minded when I am focused on one thing, and totally forgot to ask them how to go back. So while waiting in line, I asked the lady next to me for directions back to the station. She told me it's a 20minute walk, which to me is probably at least double that time. She's not from that town, so she didn't know which way to go. Fortunately, a young mom, Ikuko-san, and her young daughter whom I had mistaken for most of the time as her sister, Saki-san, overheard our conversation and tried to help. Ultimately, she offered to drive me back to the station after the live. While still in line, we talked a bit more. The lady next to me is actually accompanying her daughter and friends to the concert. But she herself is a fan of the band. They really like NICO, and it's always nice to talk about NICO with other fans. Again, I don't know how I managed, but I was talking in my broken Japanese. Oh, the night before I was talking to a Korean in my broken Japanese too. HAHAHA... It must have sounded so hilarious, I'd die of embarrassment had I or anyone else I know heard myself talk. But how else was I supposed to communicate right? Anyway, back to the line convo. There were a lot of "sugoi" and again, I had to rehash my whole story. When they're that genuinely enthusiastic to know, it's not so tiring to explain it for the nth time. People get really shocked when I say I came to Japan to watch rock bands. Even friends and coworkers, I would never tell my relatives that. Of course there's some sight-seeing too since concerts were at night.
Okayama CRAZYMAMA KINGDOM was my least favorite. I felt like dying there from the heat. The audience doesn't have as much energy, though they were very enthusiastic. In conclusion,the secret to an amazing live and audience is air-conditioning. It doesn't help that I had the worst ticket for this live. And throughout the show I probably had less than 50% visibility of the band. I didn't realize how close I had gotten to the band during the other lives. It seems like there were so many guys in this one. Not just regular sized guys, but actually huge and tall ones. For a little while, I actually had a far but clear view of Sakakura-kun and Furu-kun. Sakakura was looking right at our direction pretty often. So it felt like he was looking at me. HAHA... wishful thinking. But it gave me butterflies in the stomach and this time I did not hesitate and looked straight back at him. Every single time. He's the ikemen in the group. Plus his skin is so flawless, which makes me very jealous. During THE BUNGY, I got pushed a couple meters forward. Usually this happens in Rodeo and that pretty much decides my spot for the rest of the night. Although I ended up around 6th or 7th row, I was squished in between two big guys plus the girls were about my height. So there I was, enjoying the song but at the same time contemplating on moving to the back since I had almost no visibility of the band. When I turned around to check, there was no moat at the back at all. I wonder where those people from behind us came from since I was very near the barrier in the middle of the floor. Thankfully I managed to move to the right, smack in front of Furu-kun. The shoving wasn't as bad, plus I can easily view Daisuke. The only sad part was, I only had a bit of view of the rest of the members.
Furu-kun did not jump. There was a sign on the wall prohibiting it. Plus this was a much smaller venue. The ceilings were only as high as a regular room, no more than 12feet perhaps? If not, it felt like it was that small. Imagine heat and claustrophobia, plus the mosh and feeling dehydrated, I felt like I was about to pass out. Also, google street-view maps had the right building. The venue was actually on the fifth floor (no elevators). The vibrations on the floor, all thanks to the jumping, were much strongly felt than anywhere else I've been at.
During the MC at the beginning of the encore, Micchan had Furu-kun talk again. He talked a lot, which I sadly can't understand. I only found out he likes peaches a lot, so he ate some momo-daifuku. He also mentioned his hobby, photography. He asked if he can take a picture with the audience. OF COURSE YOU CAN!! Do you have to ask? He was going to take the picture, but Micchan said something... probably to get the staff to take it so Furu-kun can be in the picture. We took two pictures! I doubt I made it since everyone else, especially those in front of me, were standing on their toes. -edit- Forgot to add. Furu-kun mentioned something about going to Korakuen to take pictures. When do these boys do their sight-seeing? In the morning? But, I think he mentioned about a couple getting their photos done there or something. While I was there that afternoon, there was a couple getting their photos done. I mean, could he have been there and I did not notice? If so, NOoooooO! -end edit-
After the live, I headed as fast as I could for the bar. I really felt like I was going to pass out due to dehydration. Then when I got out, I bought some goods then filled out the questionnaire. I haven't submitted the one from Hamamatsu, which was a good thing as I needed a guide to answer the questions properly. I answered as fast as I could, then Ikuko-san and Saki-san came out and waited until I finished submitting the questionnaires. I like how we were jamming to Rodeo as soon as she turned on the stereo. Also, I love how they had ALL of NICO's albums plus singles inside their car. Isn't it cool to be a young hot momma going to rock concerts with an adorable teenage daughter? Ahhhh... I'd like to do that someday with my daughter. That is a nice dream! My scheduled train was the last one going to Hiroshima. So Ikuko-san even ran the red light just so I could make it in time for my train. T__T How sweet is that! I don't even run the red light even if I am running late for work. XD Somehow we managed to continue talking more. It would've been nice to have more time to chat as they're really big fans of the band.
On the way back to Hiroshima, I was either listening to 容疑者 or Passenger, and I just broke down. This is the last live, there's no more NICO lives to look forward to. That was torture that I couldn't stop the tears. Thank goodness there were only two of us in that car, and the other guy was way at the front. It got even more depressing that Hiroshima Station was completely deserted. The Arashi ad sorta cheered me up a bit.
Watch out, I'll be spazzing like a mad woman in the next entry. I wonder if that'll ever see the day of light on this blog. I'm only halfway through the setlist, the rest are just notes.
I had carefully planned to ensure a lot of chances to see flumpool. Despite the rough start it started to go very smoothly, that even then, I thought it was TOO good to be true. Indeed, it was. It was just not meant to be. Fighting that, with the knowledge I would lose to fate as usual, was taking a toll on me. The disappointments were too unbearable at times that I even came to a point of seriously considering scrapping the whole trip. After some self-reflection and multiple advices, I had come to terms with reality and tried to look at the brighter side of the situation. I had to remind myself that I managed to secure tickets for all four of my top favorites in one trip, my very first jrock pilgrimage. I think I might have focused too much of my time/energy and invested too much of my emotions on those flumpool shows. I almost forgot that 1) I've been listening to NICO the most in the past few months, 2) I love LOVE "PASSENGER", obviously more than "Fantasia of Life Stripe" *gasps* 3) I already have 2 NICO tickets and 4) it was still possible to get one more NICO ticket to make up for the lack of flumpool. Fortunately, as it turned out, they weren't just a consolation.... Noooooooooo~~ no no no no. They were much more than that. They turned out to be the highlight of my three weeks in Japan. flumpool may have mostly inspired the trip, but no doubt, NICO completed it.
Fate, why toy with me? Thanks anyway.
Concert Days 1, 3, 5 and 7. At Hamamatsu, Kanazawa, Fukuoka and Okayama for NICO Touches the Walls.
City-hopping for NICO.
Red: To and from Hamamatsu (~218km), with stop at Nagoya
Green: To Kanazawa( ~256km)
Purple: To Fukuoka(~638km), with stops at Takayama (~148km) and Osaka (~371km)
Blue: To and from Okayama(~322km), with stops at Nagoya (~808km) and Hiroshima (~528km)It seems quite a lot huh? At first, I thought 2 times were more than enough. Also, the idea of city hopping was not only intimidating, but it would significantly increase my transportation expenses. After much deliberation, I had to submit to getting the expensive but great-value-for-your-money JR rail pass.
During my first Shinkansen ride I was so excited,
I almost ended up in Niigata instead of Nikko.
From there on, my itinerary took a more definite shape, which allowed me to add Okayama (and RADWIMPS) ticket(s) just a week or so before I left for Japan. Then Fukuoka ticket was bought just a few days before the live. After experiencing their live once, I was craving for more. Had I gone to Takamatsu, I probably still wouldn't be satisfied. Each time was just as exciting as the first time. I still got the chills/goosebumps, I still got nervous, I could connect with EVERY song they played , and I still cried...They're so addicting that, since Hamamatsu, I couldn't help but obsessively think about NICO. I cried as the plane for home finally took off. It was really painful to leave Japan, and that was unexpected. I had a blast with the lives, with Laura and her friends, with the beauty of the country, and the goodness of the people I met... but I just felt so depressed about leaving. I thought, what if this was my only chance to see them? How can someone who gave you so much joy the past three weeks suddenly cause you great pain? Then I realized that I've just fallen deeper into this fangirling business. Guess I'm in trouble now. :/
Hamamatsu
2011.05.06 (Friday)
LIVE HOUSE Hamamatsu Madowaku
A quaint little town. Spent the afternoon checking out the reconstructed castle which Tokugawa Ieyasu used as a base before he ruled the country. I also went to check out the Musical Instruments museum. Nothing really amazing, but it was nice to see and listen to different traditional instruments. Right after getting my NICO goods, I went for dinner. The one I wanted to go to was a train ride and 20-min walk away, and they only open for lunch and dinner. My second choice was closed due to Golden Week. So I just picked among the recommendations by the tourism office, and chose a place closest to the venue. They didn't have an English menu... even the prices were in Kanji. A tad pricy, but oh well it was yummy... my favorite was the green tea and the clear broth soup.
Hamamatsu Castle, Musical Instruments Museum, Dinner at MurakoshiIf not for the people lining up in front of the building, I wouldn't have known where the live house was. There wasn't really a clear sign. I totally made an idiot out of myself here. First, I wore open toe dress sandals. It was between that or the boots, but I picked it because it made me just as tall and it was more comfy. Big mistake, which anyone can easily guess why. Second, I brought my purse inside. It's medium sized but big enough to store away my flats, bottled water, and all of my other crap. With all the moshing, it's quite inconvenient, especially when I'm trying to reposition it or making sure I didn't drop anything, especially my passport. Third, I don't speak/understand much Japanese so it was hard to figure out the staff's directions as they were lining us up to go in. Later, I confirmed they did it differently from the other venues I went to. Fourth, newbie me didn't know it was compulsory to buy a drink ticket at the entrance. I tried to dash right in then the old man suddenly stopped me.
Hamamatsu Madowaku Livehouse is a cozy and comfortable livehouse. I could hardly see Tsushima-kun but then, it's always hard to see the drummer. Micchan never failed to ask if we can see Tsushima, and the audience always reply they can see him. *confused* Well, the stage here seemed higher so I could see the rest of the members. I guess most of the people who attended were shorter than I am (with my heels), which helped me a lot. I initially situated at the center, but just a bit to the right. For some reason, I was expecting the mosh would eventually push me towards the right, smack in front of Daisuke. I was fearing that if the audience from all directions, esp the back, were going towards Micchan, and I was already on the far right, I would end up against the wall. But I ended up closer to Micchan than Daisuke. No problem, I love Micchan just as much. With Daisuke, I just get more fangirl-y than usual. Anyway, their live was sold out for this venue. One blog mentioned that the capacity was like 450 but I distinctly remembered Micchan saying that including NICO, there were "go-hyaku yon-nin" in that room. The place just seemed smaller. I thought I was near the front since I was only a couple meters away from the members. But when I looked right behind me, there was a moat (empty space) that extended to the middle barrier with the elevated floor and ramp. Probably all thanks to the two or three people body slamming (or is it slam dancing?) during the live. I can understand accidental shoving/pushing due to excitement and limited space. However, these people were really serious in seriously injuring others. And dancing? Really? What was that dance anyway? Well, everyone else around them had two choices: move to the back or squeeze to the front. Obviously, I sucked it up and did the latter. Someone did land on my toes to the point it chipped off my big toenail's nail polish. For awhile, the pain was excruciating that I really thought I lost a nail there. I was checking for any sign of blood, but luckily, there wasn't any. Still, it was painful enough that I was sure it would leave a dark mark permanently, aka dead toenail? I felt kinda sad about that, but overall, I thought NICO was well worth it all. Pain and delusion aside, the nice thing about the place was they're not stingy when it comes to a/c. It's really hot when you're moving a lot.... but I could feel some cold air blasting into my face when I'm standing still. Also, there were more audience-band interaction during the MCs. The audience would ask the band stuffs other than "Are you okay?" The MC with Daisuke/Tsushima got a little bit longer, when it was Micchan's turn to do his piece, he sorta forgot what he was going to talk about. Then a guy asked if it's something about "anime." Micchan said "anime ja neyo!" and something more that made the audience laugh... I laughed along cause the way he said it sounded funny. He ended up getting that guy's name. Also, Tsushima-san visited Hamamatsu-jo. Probably not that afternoon, as I was there hoping I'd bumped into one of them. He said it was teeny, which was true. XD Micchan asked who were first-timers at NICO's live. I enthusiastically jumped and raised my hand. I think I yelled out "Me! Me! Me!" but sadly it just wasn't loud enough. Then he asked who are residents of the city, he got barely any hands up in response. He asked who traveled to Hamamatsu, everyone raised their hands. WOW! I was actually really touched.
I sweat a lot. A whole lot. The worst part is I could smell everyone's sweat. It was tolerable though. I've come to a conclusion that the Japanese have very good hygiene. Had this been in the US, I probably would've passed out from the stench. *remembers guys' smell BEFORE Wonder Girls live began* Was I lucky? During all 5 livehouse shows? After the live, my drink ticket was also drenched in sweat... I know it's mine but, ewwww. Still exchanged it since I was dying from thirst. At the exit, some staff were handing out bags filled with fliers and a questionnaire. Kids were just squatting/sitting on the sidewalk with their little pencils. Hmm... well, the ground there does look much cleaner than the ground here. I wanted to join in but not before changing back to my flats. My feet were killing me that I was actually limping as I walked. I feared I would see a hematoma on the part where the polish chipped off, but there wasn't. Hallelujah! No dead toe nail!!! YAY~~ Questionnaire time!! Took one look and realized ZERO English. Even after the live, I couldn't shake off my stupidity and complete lack of common sense. I could probably guess some parts but I didn't want the band to know, IF they chanced to read my paper, I'm that stupid. So I headed back to the station. While waiting for my train, I was dying~~ I wanted to spazz so bad as I was still on NICO high. Soon enough a pretty lady sat next to me WITH a bag of fliers from the venue. Even with both her earphones on AND my non-existent Japanese, I attempted to strike a conversation. XD Fortunately she spoke some English, so we managed to talk till our train for Nagoya arrived. It was her second time attending NICO's PASSENGER tour, first was in Nagoya. WOW! Now that's dedication. I totally understand her. After that live, I couldn't wait two more nights to see them in Kanazawa. Thank goodness I had RADWIMPS the following day to keep me preoccupied . The feelings were mutual though. She was also quite impressed I was going to Kanazawa and Okayama, all by myself, during my first-ever Japan trip. She was a bit envious I was seeing them three times. Fukuoka wasn't in the plan at this point btw.
Surprisingly, no one was giving me stares. I swear I was the only foreigner there.... and a very obvious one at that too! Darn, I wanted to stand out.... just hoping for a chance to catch their attention. Then they'd be surprised and happy someone traveled all the way there to see them. Was I dreaming for too much? Probably delusional? Maybe I should've worn my rodeo getup complete with a cowboy hat... then fake a thick Texan accent. Okay, I can't do the second part. *sigh*
Kanazawa
2011.05.08 (Sunday)
Kanazawa EIGHT HALL
I was really excited about Kanazawa for the mere fact that this used to be the center of the Kaga domain. Toshiie to Matsu is probably my favorite Taiga. The storekeeper was quite surprised when I could identify Toshiie and Matsu Hello Kitty (/-ies?). Same reaction I got when I went to view a Maeda retirement house, more like mansion. XD The city was very pretty. I felt close to nature as the city was surrounded by mountains and abundant colorful trees. Still, I get that old Edo feeling when I explored Higashi Chaya district and Nagamachi. The town had the modern feel with all the tall buildings and department stores complete with international designer brands. I thought it was going to a teeny town, but it was rather huge. I wish I had more time to explore the city.
Kanazawa Castle Park, Higashi Chaya, KenrokuenBased on previous experience and my condition after sight-seeing all day, I decided to use flats. I also ditched the purse, took Emm's advice and went with a security neck wallet to hold my passport/credit card/cash. My cellphone case has a hook so I can just place it securely in my pocket. Apparently, I can't shake off my stupidity. This time, I failed to ask the Kanazawa Tourism office for directions to the venue. I only knew one way, and that was through the loop bus, which would take forever. Cab was my only option, but since Kanazawa EIGHT HALL was a hole in a wall, the driver didn't even know where it was. And because I'm stupid, I forgot to bring my paper map, I even forgot to upload it to my phone. So had to give up the cab which took me forever to find, and headed back to my room for the map. Got on a cab again, but when I opened the map, it was in English. *facepalm* I also didn't have the venue's address on hand. I had to ask the driver to drop me at the hotel nearest the venue. The venue was in the downtown area, along the main shopping district street. Thank goodness it was rush hour so I started spotting for possible concert goers to follow. Well, fortunately, it did work. I found some targets and they helped me find my way.... to the line. The line was looping around the block. Fortunately, the staff was very helpful in helping us find our exact spot. While waiting in line, I started asking people around me the way to the station. My luck ran out this time. None of the people around me could speak English. I was left to rely on my compass and overly simplified map to go back to the station. That failed. After walking for 30 minutes and still not finding Omicho market, I gave up and took a cab. It cost just as much as my previous cab ride to the venue.
At Kanazawa EIGHT HALL, it was so hot that there was steam coming from the audience. My glasses fogged up several times. XD At first I could hardly see the members on the stage. Maybe the stage wasn't as high as the one at Hamamatsu. To add to my disadvantage, I wore flats plus there were more guys near me who were taller. Maybe there were some at Hamamatsu, but these guys were right in the front center, where I was. After all the jumping (and getting pushed) through Rodeo and THE BUNGY, I somehow managed to get into the 5th row or so. I barely got any view of the stage during THE BUNGY. A little later, it got better and I can see everyone, even Tsushima every now and then. I just can't see Sakakura easily because again, I was smack right in front of Micchan, but with a convenient view of Furu-kun. My calculations seem to be a bit off. My goal is always to be nearer Daisuke. However, I seem to stick to the same initial position and end up closer to Micchan instead. That really wouldn't be a problem IF Daisuke doesn't have the tendency of jumping/falling into the crowd. Oh what would I give to have him fall ON me.. then again, the issue of going to the hospital/clinic and all the insurance stuff will make my head burst, so it was all good...I guess. If I got to a couple meters close to them at Hamamatsu, I got as close as a couple feet, maybe less, away from them when they really reach out. I was always close enough to notice that Micchan failed to shave. But then, he never had it cleanly shaved at the other lives either. I wonder if he shaves in the morning, and it immediately grow back by the evening? Near the end of the live, someone right in front of me was about to faint. So her tall guy friends helped her out. It was really sweet of them since there didn't seem to be any staff at the front to pull out people from the audience. That definitely freed up a LOT of space and I ended up in the 3rd row. YAY! At first, we were kinda shy to take up that space, so it took awhile for us to move forward. The girls in front were not too tall, so I got a a very clear view of the stage, I can even see the stage floor. And this is where I found out that Furu-kun was really wearing shorts with black tights. XDDD WTH really? At Hamamatsu, I saw Daisuke wearing a plain red t-shirt, and that simplicity made me happy. XD But the shorts+tights+sneakers? Okay, I admit it was a bit cute on him..or maybe that's just my bias talking. Just like in Hamamatsu, Daisuke talked a lot during the MC. I can't pick up anything he said. But the way he talks wasn't as lively as the way he plays. It was kinda monotoned? The band really let him shine, not only during his solos, but also during the talks. I complained to Laura how tight it was, and I mentioned I always stand between Micchan and Furu-kun. She mentioned that it always is because Daisuke is the most popular member, so she hangs out in front of Sakakura who stands in the opposite side of the stage. XD I really should have done that as I like Sakakura too... but I just can't miss a chance to see Daisuke up close.
Oh did I mention how happy I was to come to the venue already wearing my NICO goods? I wasn't alone though, a good number of them were arriving to the venue wearing theirs too, many wearing NICO's tshirts/towels from previous tours. I'm more thick-skinned in a foreign land. Gotta survive you know! With no train to catch, I started asking people if they can speak English. One sweet girl translated the questions for me. YAY! So with smirnoff in hand (while wishing I had a stronger option) I sat on the ground in the little alley ready to answer my questionnaire. YAY! Then I realized I cannot write my favorite songs in Kanji. *facepalm* It's very simple, but having not practiced writing any Chinese character for years, of course it would look like a grade-schooler wrote it. So I bugged the sweet girl squatting next to me. I showed her my favorite songs, and she wrote it. YAY! That's what I did for the next lives, and I had Laura write the Kanji on my Hamamatsu questionnaire.
May 10 to 11 were supposed to be flumpool lives in Tokyo, which I actually had tickets to....rather, someone hit tickets for me. So not only was I bummed out that from May 9 to 12, there was no concert, I had to wait a week to see NICO again. I think Laura got an earful of how I badly I want to see NICO again. soon.
Fukuoka
2011.05.14 (Saturday)
Fukuoka DRUM LOGOS
Livehouse DRUM LOGOS Fukuoka is by far my most favorite live. This wasn't even part of my plan because originally I was dead set on getting a 5/14 flumpool ticket at Nagoya. That's the sensible thing to do considering I already had a ticket for the 5/15 Nagoya live. Yeah, instead of relaxing, I was in the midst of bidding wars, going through multiple auctions over a week since my arrival in the country. My last attempt was placed just 5 days before the live. As soon as that fell through, I placed a bid on a NICO ticket. Indeed it was a blessing in disguise! Not only was the NICO ticket cheaper selling at face value, but the number was pretty good. I was actually worried if I'll ever make it since by the the 12th, it still had not arrived. Fortunately, after we came home from ONE OK ROCK's concert on the night of 13th, the envelope was sitting nicely in Laura's mailbox.
I absolutely had no idea what was in Fukuoka. All I knew at the time was Fukuoka was waaaaaay past Hiroshima. So I figured it must be very very far. I later discovered it's the final stop along the Sanyo line. To make it there on time, I couldn't attend even just an hour of "What a Wonderful World in Kansai", where Ryuta and Kazuki played "Hana ni Nare" and "Hoshi ni Negai wo" with Sugimoto-kun of WEAVER on keyboard. (And I might have missed stumbling upon them at the station or the shinkansen to Nagoya. I was actually planning on staking out at the ticketing entrance. Then check every single car for a second encounter.)
I left Osaka very late, later than late due to me procrastinating and some dumb decisions along the way. When I got to Fukuoka, I only had 15 minutes to check-in, drop my bags, and change into my NICO shirt. Didn't even have time to risk using the subway, so I took a cab again. This time I did not forget my map, and I made sure it was on my phone. Got there with 10 minutes to spare. Phew!
The venue had high ceilings. There's a second floor balcony, I suppose for vips (?), and then there's a third floor balcony. While waiting for the show to start, people started looking up. So I too studied the ceiling. Nothing special about it, so I didn't pay much attention. Later I realized this is what those people spotted:
source: NICO's blog
They had to pass by here to go to their dressing rooms, or so I think. After NICO left the stage, everyone turned towards the balcony and Tsushima-kun was passing by.
Why is this my favorite live? A/C was awesome. The high ceilings made the space feel bigger. I think because the venue was very comfortable, the band themselves seemed to be having a much easier time performing and just having fun. Out of the four venues I went to, and even the Tokyo show, only at this venue did they perform three songs during the encore.
Jolli told me to just squeeze my way into the front, but I just couldn't do that. I couldn't apply my thick-skinned-ness (lol) during the most crucial moments! I only took the space given to me. That reminds me, before the live started, there were housewives in their 40s standing in the front center. It was spacious between them and some girls right in front of them. The ladies mentioned how it was their first time, calling someone younger their "sempai." I couldn't understand much of their conversation, but I thought it was adorable how they were so excited as they talked about the band. As soon as instrumental intro started for Rodeo, younger girls behind them, and also me, squeezed themselves right into the front. Then I got pushed. But those ladies just stood still. For a few seconds that I could see them, their jaws dropped and they had horrifying expressions on their faces as they observed how wild everyone got. I could have gotten closer had I not worried about falling into someone's foot or hurting anyone. Guess I was blessed. From beginning to end, I didn't have to fight for a view. I can see everyone clearly from the fourth row. Again, I was smack right in front of Micchan, though a bit more to the right than the previous venues. I can see Tsushima-kun throughout the show. He was looking at our direction quite a lot, maybe he saw me? Yay! What I really loved during the show was being able to study Furu-kun doing his magic. I know it's the same thing he does on live broadcasts and dvds. But this time, I can look whenever I want to. It's amazing to see how fast his fingers move. You know when you watch a play, you study how well they act? Well, when you watch a guitarist perform... it's not just the music or his fingers, but the overall passion he puts into performing. Not only did I see it, but I felt it. I was really moved. And it's not just him... I can say the same thing for everyone else, especially Micchan. It's so easy to be spellbound when you're watching and listening to Micchan. They get you really high....throughout the live, and maybe even after. Maybe because they're my favorite artist, or maybe because I love their songs, I don't know. I mean, I love the other bands I went to see too, but NICO was a totally different experience. Truth be told, I felt really normal and calm when I left flumpool's live. That's saying a lot since for the longest time I've been crazy about them.
After their first encore song, GANIMATA GIRL, they asked the crowd if it's okay to sing one more song. OF COURSE IT"S A-OKAY. It must be the AC, it just has to be it. They sang N極とN極, and near the end, Furu-kun jumped into the crowd. I don't know how he managed to put down his guitar so fast. He was playing one second, I turned to another member for just a second, then when I looked back, he was running towards the edge of the stage. "Ah, he's going to jump. HE JUMPED!" And as I said before, I got to run my fingers through his fine and tangle-free hair. *crazyfangirlunleashed* While he was lying on top of someone, lucky whoever that person was, he had that cute boyish smile. Omigosh! SOOOOOO CUTE!
I decided to hang around just a bit longer after dropping cash into the donation box and handing in my questionnaire. The mini-bus suddenly stopped and parked right in front of the venue. "Ohhhhh... they're coming out this way? Yay!" Turns out the bus backed all the way inside the venue. "Uh-ohhhh... noooo~" People were still waiting, so I asked the girl next to me what for.... she said the band will be coming down the stairs on the right side of the building. We chatted for a bit, all I can remember is she came from Miyazaki and her favorite is Micchan. I seem to be doing most of the talking in these situations. I guess they're all curious what the heck I'm doing there when I can't even speak the language. Anyway, soon enough, a mini-van pulled over. We were standing on the other side of the street. The staff told those who were hanging around right in front of the venue to move. Then two staff stretched out a rope, it was rather limpy... another said, don't pass this rope, don't take pictures, give your gifts to the staff NOT to the band. Surprisingly, everyone obeyed. WHAT?! No one really took out their camera! Maybe they used their ninjutsu or whatever jutsu that I didn't notice. Okay, it's the natural and respectable thing to do when someone kindly asks you something. But where I'm from, unless you'll get a fine, scratch that, unless you'll land in jail, people will do what they're asked NOT to do. Like at Jin's concert here in Texas, Jin's as well as the House of Blues staff kept on going back and forth to ask the girls in front to stop taking pictures. It must have been at least a dozen times. But that's how it goes here. What are the staff going to do? Throw them out? Call the police and send them to jail? This is why I was really impressed and moved at how obedient the fans were. When the band walked down.. everyone just waved. No one was screaming or shrieking... maybe cos it's the type of band NICO is? Everyone just said outloud, "THank you!" and "Thanks for your hard work!" It was just pleasant. Of course they bowed, smiled and waved back. When van's door was shut, Daisuke stuck his head out of the window and waved goodbye to everyone with a smile. Teehee...
I really regret not having enough time to explore this city. It's rather huge. At night there were a lot of food stalls on the sidewalk, which made it very lively. I was dead tired and just wanted to rest the night. But when I got to the room, I read the instruction saying that I had to talk to a staff if I were to leave before 8AM. /headdesk Managed to let the staff know about my plans, thanks to my roommates' help. Tired as I was, I chatted with Rumi-san and Rumiko-san for a good couple hours. I swear, it was like by some miracle that Japanese just started flying out of my mouth. Broken Japanese that is. XD They don't know NICO at all! T__T But Rumi-san, only 22 from Oita, have heard of flumpool's Hana ni Nare. Bingo! Rumiko-san, who is in her 40s from Okinawa, explained to me that Fukuoka is actually in Kyushu. I was shocked! I didn't know I was in a totally different island. Amazing how they stayed interested as I continued on and on about the bands they don't even know about. I was somewhat wary of hostels, especially dorm-type, prior to my trip. But it's times like that, especially when you're traveling solo, that you get some sort of interaction with other people. People I met during the journey have been very kind, which really surprised me.
Okayama
2011.05.16 (Monday)
Okayama CRAZYMAMA KINGDOM
Wikitravel, or was it japan-guide, said that Korakuen was one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. The other one was Kenrokuen, which I went to in Kanazawa. I definitely preferred Kenrokuen since it had humongous trees and there were many spots that were different from each other. Korakuen was very open, and it's more about appreciating the entire view from the top. Nevertheless, I pretty much enjoyed walking around. I thought it would be boring going to a garden after travelling so far. It's actually quite relaxing. Only a river separates the garden from the castle. It was a pretty river too, as I felt refreshed just looking at it. The right-most picture is a view from the castle's top floor overlooking that river and Korakuen. How I wish I spoke/read Japanese. Only later I realized that camera wasn't allowed at just one level where they were having a special exhibition, which explains the triple cost of their entrance fee. It was a nice breeze from the top.
Japanese are much nicer and hospitable than I had ever expected them to be. But, I think people at smaller cities are more warm and friendly, Okayama is a prime example. At this point during the trip, I pretty much got the hang of figuring out things on my own. That also means making a fool out of myself. One lady even went through the trouble of getting off at my stop and walking me all the way to my destination. Had she not done that, I probably would've gotten lost. The underground wasn't on the map! After sight-seeing, I went back to the station to leave my stuffs in the locker. I wasn't sure if there was one inside the venue. Plus I just wanna go directly to the floor and get a good spot. It's was my last NICO live afterall.
I decided to stay at Hiroshima and just travel to Okayama which was only less than 1 hour each way by shinkansen. It wasn't so bad. To get to the venue, I tagged along with some teenagers who were wearing NICO T-shirts. They were really nice but I felt they were shy and a bit nervous that I might test their English skills. We took the bus, which worried me as I wouldn't know how to get back to the station using the bus. Anyway, I can be so absent-minded when I am focused on one thing, and totally forgot to ask them how to go back. So while waiting in line, I asked the lady next to me for directions back to the station. She told me it's a 20minute walk, which to me is probably at least double that time. She's not from that town, so she didn't know which way to go. Fortunately, a young mom, Ikuko-san, and her young daughter whom I had mistaken for most of the time as her sister, Saki-san, overheard our conversation and tried to help. Ultimately, she offered to drive me back to the station after the live. While still in line, we talked a bit more. The lady next to me is actually accompanying her daughter and friends to the concert. But she herself is a fan of the band. They really like NICO, and it's always nice to talk about NICO with other fans. Again, I don't know how I managed, but I was talking in my broken Japanese. Oh, the night before I was talking to a Korean in my broken Japanese too. HAHAHA... It must have sounded so hilarious, I'd die of embarrassment had I or anyone else I know heard myself talk. But how else was I supposed to communicate right? Anyway, back to the line convo. There were a lot of "sugoi" and again, I had to rehash my whole story. When they're that genuinely enthusiastic to know, it's not so tiring to explain it for the nth time. People get really shocked when I say I came to Japan to watch rock bands. Even friends and coworkers, I would never tell my relatives that. Of course there's some sight-seeing too since concerts were at night.
Okayama CRAZYMAMA KINGDOM was my least favorite. I felt like dying there from the heat. The audience doesn't have as much energy, though they were very enthusiastic. In conclusion,the secret to an amazing live and audience is air-conditioning. It doesn't help that I had the worst ticket for this live. And throughout the show I probably had less than 50% visibility of the band. I didn't realize how close I had gotten to the band during the other lives. It seems like there were so many guys in this one. Not just regular sized guys, but actually huge and tall ones. For a little while, I actually had a far but clear view of Sakakura-kun and Furu-kun. Sakakura was looking right at our direction pretty often. So it felt like he was looking at me. HAHA... wishful thinking. But it gave me butterflies in the stomach and this time I did not hesitate and looked straight back at him. Every single time. He's the ikemen in the group. Plus his skin is so flawless, which makes me very jealous. During THE BUNGY, I got pushed a couple meters forward. Usually this happens in Rodeo and that pretty much decides my spot for the rest of the night. Although I ended up around 6th or 7th row, I was squished in between two big guys plus the girls were about my height. So there I was, enjoying the song but at the same time contemplating on moving to the back since I had almost no visibility of the band. When I turned around to check, there was no moat at the back at all. I wonder where those people from behind us came from since I was very near the barrier in the middle of the floor. Thankfully I managed to move to the right, smack in front of Furu-kun. The shoving wasn't as bad, plus I can easily view Daisuke. The only sad part was, I only had a bit of view of the rest of the members.
Furu-kun did not jump. There was a sign on the wall prohibiting it. Plus this was a much smaller venue. The ceilings were only as high as a regular room, no more than 12feet perhaps? If not, it felt like it was that small. Imagine heat and claustrophobia, plus the mosh and feeling dehydrated, I felt like I was about to pass out. Also, google street-view maps had the right building. The venue was actually on the fifth floor (no elevators). The vibrations on the floor, all thanks to the jumping, were much strongly felt than anywhere else I've been at.
During the MC at the beginning of the encore, Micchan had Furu-kun talk again. He talked a lot, which I sadly can't understand. I only found out he likes peaches a lot, so he ate some momo-daifuku. He also mentioned his hobby, photography. He asked if he can take a picture with the audience. OF COURSE YOU CAN!! Do you have to ask? He was going to take the picture, but Micchan said something... probably to get the staff to take it so Furu-kun can be in the picture. We took two pictures! I doubt I made it since everyone else, especially those in front of me, were standing on their toes. -edit- Forgot to add. Furu-kun mentioned something about going to Korakuen to take pictures. When do these boys do their sight-seeing? In the morning? But, I think he mentioned about a couple getting their photos done there or something. While I was there that afternoon, there was a couple getting their photos done. I mean, could he have been there and I did not notice? If so, NOoooooO! -end edit-
After the live, I headed as fast as I could for the bar. I really felt like I was going to pass out due to dehydration. Then when I got out, I bought some goods then filled out the questionnaire. I haven't submitted the one from Hamamatsu, which was a good thing as I needed a guide to answer the questions properly. I answered as fast as I could, then Ikuko-san and Saki-san came out and waited until I finished submitting the questionnaires. I like how we were jamming to Rodeo as soon as she turned on the stereo. Also, I love how they had ALL of NICO's albums plus singles inside their car. Isn't it cool to be a young hot momma going to rock concerts with an adorable teenage daughter? Ahhhh... I'd like to do that someday with my daughter. That is a nice dream! My scheduled train was the last one going to Hiroshima. So Ikuko-san even ran the red light just so I could make it in time for my train. T__T How sweet is that! I don't even run the red light even if I am running late for work. XD Somehow we managed to continue talking more. It would've been nice to have more time to chat as they're really big fans of the band.
On the way back to Hiroshima, I was either listening to 容疑者 or Passenger, and I just broke down. This is the last live, there's no more NICO lives to look forward to. That was torture that I couldn't stop the tears. Thank goodness there were only two of us in that car, and the other guy was way at the front. It got even more depressing that Hiroshima Station was completely deserted. The Arashi ad sorta cheered me up a bit.
Watch out, I'll be spazzing like a mad woman in the next entry. I wonder if that'll ever see the day of light on this blog. I'm only halfway through the setlist, the rest are just notes.