LUV PARADE @ Takadanobaba AREA, Day 3
There are plenty of inconveniences about being a Russian citizen. For me, who has been living abroad for nearly ten years and have to go to different countries for work, one of the things I absolutely hate, but have to go through on a regular basis, is getting visas. You know The Evil Red Empire and me its emissary, people must never let their guard down, when it comes to us. Anyway for once I didn't mind all that bureaucracy. I have to go the Netherlands in September and I had to go to an embassy to apply for a visa, and Netherlands have an embassy only in Tokyo, a consulate in Osaka does not handle visas. And then a brilliant idea hit me! If I have to go to Tokyo and waste a whole day on it, why not to combine work with pleasure. So I made sure to arrange a trip to Tokyo on June 22 and bought a ticket to the last LUV PARADE live ;)
I finished all bureaucracy stuff in the morning and after that just hang around Starbucks and Royal Host near AREA reading a book and generally trying to waste time until the live in the least tiring manner possible. When I lined up to enter the live house, I run into friends and got a setlist from them. Mania network is amazing ;D The first thing I did once I got inside was buying five cheki and I was so excited about finally getting one of Hizumi that I completely forgot to hand over a letter I wrote to him to their staffs. Must have been because of that silly yellow summer hat he wore on the picture ~_~; I gave a letter to a staff woman sometime later, after harsh reality of a couple of first sucky bands sunk in and helped me to clear my head and get rid of all those hearts and sparkles floating around me lol I can't decide if they were worse than the ones on Saturday, but I don't want to ever see or hear them again. The only band somewhat worth mentioning was the one that played before LUV PARADE, Ap(r)il. Their music and costumes sucked, but the vocalist's MC was funny and he made everyone laugh. It went along the lines of: "I know you are all waiting for LUV PARADE, I can see it in your faces. No? Aw, thank you! But I saw them rehearse and they are so cool and heavy. I know you are all going to headband like crazy, but you could warm up you necks a little to our music." Ahaha cute. The problem was that he made a target out of me. It happens only with tiny indie bands, who are not used to seeing foreigners at their lives. Foreigners all look the same to the Japanese and they cannot tell us apart, but we still stick out like a sore thumb. Plus I was standing in the middle, center, my arms folded and no doubt I looked bored out of my mind so maybe he decided to take me on as a challenge, because he kept gesturing at me trying to get me into their song. It didn't work, but he made me laugh and generally made a good impression though it had nothing to do with their music.
When it was LUV PARADE's turn, I squeezed my way closer to the front on Karyu's side. He wore baggy somewhat military style pants and a black tank-top and his make-up was a lot more subdued that on Saturday. Zero had a black T-shirt on and Tsukasa and Taka looked the same as before.
Setlist:
1. Marilyn Manson - mOBSCENE
2. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
3. Korn - Y'All Want a Single
4. hide - POSE
5. BUG - New World
Encore: Mirror
Karyu was way too much all over Taka. It was the same on Saturday, but this time... Like man seriously, I don't want to see Karyu kissing Taka, even if it was just a peck on an upper lip >_> But the two of them is one thing and it was so out of blue, when Karyu suddenly patted Nene-chan, who was in the front row right in front of him, on the head. What the hell?! I asked her later and she said that it was a thank you for fastening his shoes, because the laces got undone. I don't know which one of them to laugh at. So cute ;)
It was very obvious that it was painful for them to play. Karyu was the closest to me and I could see clearly that while he tried to keep his usual cool face, the mask slipped sometimes and his face twisted in a very painful expression. I think it was the same about Zero. It was his turn to talk during MC and, while he is always bad at talking, this time he sounded more strained than usual. At first he introduced Taka as their guest vocalist and Taka said that he admired D'espa and they were the best, that ever since RTOC they had been friends and he was going to support them from now on too. Karyu made a bored face and pretended to yawn during Taka's speech, he must have been embarrassed. Dude, take praise like a man! lol But seriously I liked Taka before, but now I adore the man, he's such a great guy and a friend. I am sure it was not easy for him to sing in front of D'espa fans with the whole disbandment thing going on, but he supported his friends and I admire him for that. And I think other fans feel the same, he was welcomed very warmly by everyone in the audience. Before they played the encore song Zero asked us: "Please sing with us so the song will reach our precious friend, who no longer stands with us on the stage". After the song he said that all five of them would like to say "thank you" and Taka and Hizumi got up on the stage. I know that Hizumi was with them backstage and watched their performances every single time, but from his "now" posts it seems that he didn't mean to appear in front of everyone. He smiled and looked a little embarrassed, the guys shook hands, high-fived each other and hugged and it was so obvious that they are all really good friends and care for each other. The five of them hold hands and bowed and Karyu and Hizumi said: "Thank you," and Zero said: "We will always love D'espairsRay and all of you". Tsukasa was the last to leave and he picked up a microphone and said: "I got so excited yesterday that I could not say it properly. Thank you!"
Honestly, the encore was heartbreaking. When Hizumi appeared on the stage everyone screamed his name and so many fans cried. The call for enore was "ankoru", but after the five of them left everyone shouted: "D'espairsRay". We kept going for at least 10 or 15 minutes and nobody was leaving. I think AREA people really didn't know what to do. Eventually the crowd dissolved, but in the end I was late for the last shinkansen back to Nagoya. I had to crash at a friend's place and I know I was hardly an enjoyable company, I could not stop crying for a while.
No matter how heartbreaking it was, I was happy to see them together again and Hizumi smiling. But I was also sad and a little bitter that this is what they have been reduced to - playing covers at an event with a bunch of no name shitty vk bands. Mediocrity and vulgarity prosper and flourish, while the ones with a heart and talent get crushed by illness and others' greed. Whatever they decide to do from now on, I can only wish them the best and keep supporting.