~Nerd Fest report~
So...tad late (like a fucking week late) but last weekend I went to Orlando Nerd Fest last weekend with my boyfriend, ankaraferus and random_x13 and woah. o.o
When I arrived I wanted to look at all the booths and vendors there, which there really wasn't a lot, but it didn't hurt to look. I ended up meeting with random_x13 and we went to the Steam Powered Giraffe autograph session. Those guys seemed a little dull when not onstage. But they were nice~ ended up getting The Spine's and Rabbits wristbands and a button pack.
Afterwards we just creeped around after meeting up with ankaraferus before the ViViD panel. God the ViViD panel (report here). Okay...so before the panel happened we saw Iv and Ken-chan (from Ando) in the lobby. Fangirl in me wanted to go over to them, but it also made me squeal and shy away from them. (I don't do too well when it comes to meeting new people...) When we finally got to the room for the panel, the boys came in and sat down. I was super distracted by Ken-chan who was snapping photos...I even offered him a seat when he stood next to the isle I sat in (which he declined ;;).
After the panel was when the FIRST autograph session was. I ended up buying the Hikari single and their t-shirt with the pentacle. Stupid wrapping didn't want to come off so I was super embarrassed, thank god Reno offered to open it for me...then again he couldn't open it and Ko-ki decided to try...took almost 2 minutes for them to open it and I felt so bad I kept apologizing to them. (Ken-chan was like right there next to me almost the whole time and laughed because it wouldn't open...) Of course they said it was okay, still felt bad. I told them (while they were trying to open the cd) that I had another CD by them already (of course Reno looked confused so it had to be translated xD). They both thanked me and when Ko-ki was signing my cd he asked "How old are you?" (Thinking back...I could've heard wrong since I had like 0 sleep the night before). I forgot what else he said before he shook my hand and it was Shin's turn to sign. Shin smiled at me thanked me, I asked if he was tired and he was like "Yea, didn't sleep." I told him I couldn't sleep and I was from the other side of Florida, he looked surprised but happy. When he signed he smeared Reno's and Ko-ki's signantures...made me upset. Next was grouchy/tired/sunburnt Iv. Surprisingly he smiled at me a little and thanked me. I didn't talk much to him before moving on to Ryouga. God, even though Shin and Iv are my favorite, Ryouga made me smile more. He just radiated happiness and sunshine. We talked about the weather (cheesy, I know) and he thanked me before shaking my hand with both his (my hands were small compared to his).
After the panel/autograph session we had time to spare before their set. All spent in the hotel room of course. Then finally it was time for ViViD, I was super excited because it was the first time I got to see a band I love perform. I managed to get up close (like second rowish) on Reno's side. There wasn't that many people at first, maybe 50? to give an estimate. But once the MC introduced them, and they played their first song Real (video) it seemed like a shit ton more people came. Sure they had a few technical difficulties (mic feed back, instrument trouble), but they had fun and Shin did his MC in English, even if he got stumped on what to say.
Once it was over I managed to be the first in line for the second autograph session. Now this was the highlight of my night. I ended up talking with one of the staff coordinators of Nerd Fest for a few minutes (since he told everyone to line up behind me and stuck a sign right in front of me). Then the people behind me who never heard of ViViD/Visual Kei in general wanted to buy a CD. I explained to them which one was the album and which one was the single etc. and where to buy them online. ViViD's manager(?) saw that I was helping and knew what I was talking about (since I frequently buy Jrock CD's from online xD) and surprised me by giving me a poster for free. This time I bought ViViD's Pendulum Album.
(Poster giving to me xD)
(Said person next to IV which I believe is their manager is so sweet.)
Right before ViViD came to sign autographs, I was talking to Babel Entertainment's Kristen and showed her my Ando bracelet. She was like "Has Ken seen this?" I told her no...(I was too shy to even properly talk to him xD) she sent him the photo of it. We chatted a few before Ken-chan arrived and she's like "Look Ken, she has an Ando bracelet" the look on his face when he seen it. He smiled widely, touched my bracelet and thanked me. (I could of died right there but I ended up smiling and keeping my composure as best as I could.) When ViViD finally came out to sign, Shin sat at the wrong table (I understand he was tired, but I was laughing so hard, I think Ken-chan was too) and Ken-chan was like "Shin, Shin" before he looked at him and realized he sat at the wrong table. This time I managed to get the CD open before I handed it to them. When I handed it to Reno, he thanked me and I said "I managed to get it open this time" he just smiled. Ko-ki was next and he thanked me and I'm not sure what I said to him...it was a blur because I was just hyped up on adrenaline. Next it was Shin and he smiled and thanked me, and I told him (sorta fast...oops) that it was my first concert, and I was glad it was them. He smiled and handed the CD to Iv. (Now mind you, with the Pendulum Album they all sign their photos when the insert has them.) Iv signed on Shin's photo as he thanked me and both me and Ryouga looked at him weirdly and Ryouga (even though it was in Japanese) was like "You're Shin now?" I busted out laughing as Iv shrug his shoulders. Ryouga thanked me also as we were smiling and I went on my way.
I fangirled a little to random_x13 and ankaraferus about Ken-chan and waited till they went through the line. Then my boyfriend bought me a cute keychain merch.
I managed to snap a few photos of the band while people were getting autographs and Reno looked dead at me and waved.
Of course I was shocked and I blushed before waving back and smiling.
We chilled for an hour before Steam Powered Giraffe. ViViD's manager handed me, ankaraferus and my boyfriend Ivu's bass pick. Sorta shocked me xD
I can't really say much about Steam Power Giraffe's live since...one the trashcan fucking smelled awful that we were near by and I nearly puked and two well...I nearly hyperventilated over the fact Ken-chan posted the photo Kristen took of my bracelet(s). I of course, being the fucking fangirl I am replied "oh my god, you posted it ;; I didn't think you would ;;" I then got the message that he followed me so I had to sit down and breathe, completely ignoring Steam Powered Giraffe's performance. (I only caught the last few songs and when they talked about ViViD xD)
We ended up going back to the hotel and the next day I went to Universal (because Diagon Alley xD) and ironically ViViD/Ken-chan was there also xD. But all in all it was fun.
I spazzed when I seen this cosplay, I was like "Torchwick, Torchwick!" over and over before he turned around and saw me xD
We talked a bit about RWBY and I asked to take a photo. I was super happy!