Kagerou signing session
Yesterday, I went "inside Paris" because I had to buy some Law books. I also wanted to use this occasion to check latest music/video-games releases, just in case, it had been an eternity I hadn't had time to check them after all. And as I was walking down the Champs-Elysees [music and video-games stores there!], I saw a line of "dressed in black" people. My reactions, in the order they appeared:
-"mmh? waiting to go to the cinema?" [everyone formed a very kind and gentle little line]
-"mmh? so many black clothes, weird hair and some make-up... goths?"
-"but what movie could attract so many goths?"
-"doesn't look like a cinema though..."
-"oh and too many colors to be goth people... oh wait it's La Fnac!" [music, books, video-games, computers and alike shop]
-"goth-lolis? but what would they do at La Fnac?"
[and then there was light!]
-"! Wait! isn't it the period when Kagerou had to come to Paris? Oh yeah it must be so! Funny!"
I didn't want to go to the signing session (I love some visual-kei/jrock bands, but I don't like this one, at all: better leave my place to some people who do) but I entered the shop, because they usually have an interesting music part, and that their video-games part used to be rather interesting... although it had been a long time I didn't go there. I didn't find anything interesting to buy in the end (their video-games department became aaawwwwwwfully boring... and nothing exceptionnal in the music department), but it was funny to remember about the day of the concert (and signing session) this way!
One thing though:
I usually love signing sessions because, for whatever band, people are all cheered up, speak happily about the latest release of this or that artist "and remember what [this artist] did in [this period]? Oh yeah it was so great! Now there's [another artist], he's rather good too!", and so on. I believe I can say I don't care so much about the "traces of ink on a paper", somehow I prefer the waiting-line / rememories of looking at the musicians straight into the eyes.
While here... not a sound, not a conversation, only people who came "dressed as perfect goth-lolis, oooh yeah look at me look at me!". Where's all the fun? Ah, it's in getting all dressed up for the band, and getting a little "trace of ink on a paper". Ah. I definitely don't share the same mentality than some other visual-kei/jrock fans... And it confirms that when I don't like a band, I usually don't like the mentality of its fans (/when I love a band, I usually love the mentality of its fans... like Pierrot fans at DCVII concerts, who were absolutely lovely persons!)
I don't mean they're wrong doing what they do. As long as they're happy with it it's perfect. It's only that it confirms what I've been thinking from some time: I should get away this visual-kei community quick, quick, quick. Because I spend a lot of time doing things because I was asked to, while I don't necesseraly like the band(s) so much, and finally don't have time to do what I enjoy doing anymore. And it ruins my mood / will to face the next day, as I barely have time to do anything I really enjoy anymore. Which ends in the "major changes with my online activities" I spoke about yesterday. I prefer doing smaller things but things I like than bigger things but things that don't bring me any fun at all.
One positive thing about the signing session though: As the musicians were back to the video-games department I saw them quickly... or at least I saw their backs. And I believe they were "looking normal", I mean no make-up and such. I say this because it looks like they were wearing normal clothes. And it's always an even nicer memory for fans when they can approach the musicians in their "normal days" looks. Few Japanese bands accept to do so, probably because of their eternal "image obsession": it was nice and kind from Kagerou members to do it this time.
-"mmh? waiting to go to the cinema?" [everyone formed a very kind and gentle little line]
-"mmh? so many black clothes, weird hair and some make-up... goths?"
-"but what movie could attract so many goths?"
-"doesn't look like a cinema though..."
-"oh and too many colors to be goth people... oh wait it's La Fnac!" [music, books, video-games, computers and alike shop]
-"goth-lolis? but what would they do at La Fnac?"
[and then there was light!]
-"! Wait! isn't it the period when Kagerou had to come to Paris? Oh yeah it must be so! Funny!"
I didn't want to go to the signing session (I love some visual-kei/jrock bands, but I don't like this one, at all: better leave my place to some people who do) but I entered the shop, because they usually have an interesting music part, and that their video-games part used to be rather interesting... although it had been a long time I didn't go there. I didn't find anything interesting to buy in the end (their video-games department became aaawwwwwwfully boring... and nothing exceptionnal in the music department), but it was funny to remember about the day of the concert (and signing session) this way!
One thing though:
I usually love signing sessions because, for whatever band, people are all cheered up, speak happily about the latest release of this or that artist "and remember what [this artist] did in [this period]? Oh yeah it was so great! Now there's [another artist], he's rather good too!", and so on. I believe I can say I don't care so much about the "traces of ink on a paper", somehow I prefer the waiting-line / rememories of looking at the musicians straight into the eyes.
While here... not a sound, not a conversation, only people who came "dressed as perfect goth-lolis, oooh yeah look at me look at me!". Where's all the fun? Ah, it's in getting all dressed up for the band, and getting a little "trace of ink on a paper". Ah. I definitely don't share the same mentality than some other visual-kei/jrock fans... And it confirms that when I don't like a band, I usually don't like the mentality of its fans (/when I love a band, I usually love the mentality of its fans... like Pierrot fans at DCVII concerts, who were absolutely lovely persons!)
I don't mean they're wrong doing what they do. As long as they're happy with it it's perfect. It's only that it confirms what I've been thinking from some time: I should get away this visual-kei community quick, quick, quick. Because I spend a lot of time doing things because I was asked to, while I don't necesseraly like the band(s) so much, and finally don't have time to do what I enjoy doing anymore. And it ruins my mood / will to face the next day, as I barely have time to do anything I really enjoy anymore. Which ends in the "major changes with my online activities" I spoke about yesterday. I prefer doing smaller things but things I like than bigger things but things that don't bring me any fun at all.
One positive thing about the signing session though: As the musicians were back to the video-games department I saw them quickly... or at least I saw their backs. And I believe they were "looking normal", I mean no make-up and such. I say this because it looks like they were wearing normal clothes. And it's always an even nicer memory for fans when they can approach the musicians in their "normal days" looks. Few Japanese bands accept to do so, probably because of their eternal "image obsession": it was nice and kind from Kagerou members to do it this time.