fade ~ LIVE 22nd of September
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THIS IS NOT A REPORT
It’s the highly emotional squee of a fan
The event:
Fade at BUZZER BEAT FESTA2012
When and where:
22nd of September 2012 in CHELSEA HOTEL, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Started at 17:30 o’clock and roughly ended around 23 o’clock
The bands: (Stolen from Shannon)
SUN OF A STARVE
REAL REACH
The Hitch Lowke
GEEKS
fade
Shonen Kamikaze
Fade’s setlist (Also stolen from Shannon)
1. Ever Free
2. Beautiful
3. From the Heart
4. In the End
5. Cosmicalism
6. One Reason
7. Close to You (Eng)
Before the live:
Long long long before I even knew which fade live I'd be going to, back in Germany, I bought some stuff for the band as presents. And ofcourse I couldn't miss out bringing Jon his beloved Nutella although my two trunks were at the limit of what's allowed and I threw out the iron in order to make this possible *lol*
After booking the tickets at a LAWSON machine with the kind help of my roommate!
And the next thing I bought were wrapping paper and a bag and letter-sets with 10letter sheets and 5 envelopes (which are not on the pics)
Two days before the live:
I had been asked to get autographs for someone, I wanted some for my German ST Mod Sandy and eventually also for myself, so I was wondering where to get them onto. After a while decided to use my designing skills and create cards myself, which I did almost the whole day. Not because it's complicated, but because I started with another layout and went to print it and it didn't work at all so I just sat down and started again. I had to go to the 7ELEVEN convenience store around four times, because wither the colours of the cut was absolutely unsatisfying (and at this point: I REALLY THOUGHT A JAPANESE PRINTING MACHINE IS MORE CLEVER x_X''''). Do you see the black borders? I had to put black frames around the card pictures because the printer was unable to zoom them into the right size without cutting off 5 mm on each side. It just manages after I used that trick an let it cut off as much a it pleased!
However: I finally managed to get these after going out for the last time at 1 AM. I Had decided to print a set of cards with the bandmember names to hand them out to fade in case they felt like using these for their autopraph sessions. :P
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The day before the live:
I was really nervous that day *lol*. Much stuff to do and one of them was wrapping the presents:
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They came out quite nicely.
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But the bad was way too high and I knew it might bother me during the live, so I slowly took it appart, cut it shorter and then put all parts back together. It took a while because the bag is wrapped in foil which was a bit stubborn.
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And when I had everything packed and sent out the samles of the German ST letters for fade to Miss ST (this is what I call our mod reddragon1990) I ended up staring at the cards I have printed. I had wanted to go to sleep but I couldn't find any rest because I had many ideas flooding my head. In the end I did sit down to stick a long letter to one of the cards with the idea for a fadeFAMILY action until 2 AM. And while I was thinking it through once more and slowly calming down I ended up weaving leftover paper into a wrapping. I fear it's typically for me to suddenly come up with things and going on with them straight until I'm satisfied. :P I was satisfied at 3 AM.
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The next morning I was waking up early to wtite the individual letters for the bandmembers which had been checked, corrected and kindly cofirmed for take-out my dear Miss ST. (Then I picked up two Japanese friends for dinner and dragged one of them along to the fade live :P)
At CHELSEA HOTEL:
My friend and me arrived shortly befor the doors were meant to open. There were quite a bunch of people outside and I was kind of surprised that many of them were dressed in Visual Key style. o_O But at that point I simply thought that they belonged to one of the other bands.
I found the moderatorts of the USA ST Shannon and Alisa (for_th3_written) within minutes (well we gaijins sure are sicking out, ne :P). Alisa had taken her roommate along. And as a staff called out and was inting out where A and B group are to line up we got into the row (For those who don't know: Even standing tickets in Japan have numbers and are split up in groups, so as the doors are opened it's usual that the groups will be lined up and you won't get in earlier until they either all your group in or your ticketnumber)
The doors were supposed to be opened at 17 o'clock but even until 17:30 o'clock nothing moved. We were staring to winder what was going on. Also because we saw people going inside but simply asumed that they are from Group A (since we had B tickets). Luckily a staff member passed by while sorting out the crowd and as we showed our tickets he said that we can go in since the doors are long open X'D. The lined up crowd had belonged to another event in the same building. //////orz//////.
So we finally went down and they had already started. It was no problem though because fade was unlikely to turn up before 18 o'cklock and we calmly waited in the small queue at the door. Thanks to a info of pyroyaleI knew that some venues use to take ¥500 at the entrance as drink fee, so when I heared the number I knew what was going on and I had the money prepared. We got asked which band is our favourite and got handed out a bunch of flyers and a plectrum in exchange for the fee which again we could exchange for one drink at the bar.
THE LIVE SHOW (before fade):
FINALLY!!! *_* We entered the room and found ourselves in a small clubroom. The back of the room was rather small becuase of the bar and the goods tables taking much space, but towards the front it got more spacious. I first was hit by the noise of heavy hardrock and a screaming voice just as the rich smell of cigaretts. *lol* Still I was way too happy to bother (although I DID think that being a band that isn't too famous yet is hard, because the smoke in small venues is really bad for the voice ^^').
It wasn't too crowded yet and there was much space between people. After hesitating for a bit we made our way to the front (and nobody seemed to mind X'D). We seperated though since I saw a nice space at the right side nxt to the barricades (where I could easily put down the giftbag) while Shannon, alisa and their friend went to the left.
There were just a few fans standing at the barricade and headbanging hard. At the very rigt side there was a group of other fans standing back a bit, so there was still space and I bowed and asked it it's OK to go to the front and they said es.
Like that I had my warmup at the front with music that was ... well not to my taste but it was OK *lol*. And I dropped my 2 kg that night and during the day after, so who needs the gym if you have a venue *_*b
It was interesting to see the other bands. And their fans. After all this was my first Japanese live. Just as I thought Japanese fans are more shy and are holding back more if it comes to cheers or singing along. Actually the cheerese and applause die out amazingly fast which was kind of shocking me and it felt very wrong *looool* because after the GACKT and YFC lives I was reallused to cheering all the way between song and song. X'D It felt like the crowd was weak in KIAI but I guess that's not the point.
As the bands changed many fans stepped back to let others to the front. Me too. Quite some fans had their towels hung oder the barricaed. They let other fans to the front but when their favourite band came they would step up and request to get their place back. I found that very interesting and amazingly nice. After wasking my way through who was fine withme staying where I was I ended up in the second row at the very side where I finally tried the giftbag to the barricade *lol*.
Staying there, infront of a group of very very nice and kind women, I was rocking and dancing along. That group I'm talking of has caught my attention from the very start. They really left a good impression and when I later realized that they were fadeFAMILY I had to laugh. It just fit the image. The kindness and appearance of the fans really represent what the artist is like.
However, some of the fans were indeed started moshing wildly (thank you for your entry Shannon because I had no clue how it's called in English ^_~). Most of them were guys, but many girls joined them. It was way more gentle than what I did in Germany (yes did that once XD) and you could see people excusing themselves at times *lol*. I saw Shannon, Alisa and their friend backing off a bit while I was quite safe since the moshing didn't reach the first two rows. Still the nice ladies behind me were scared, saying that it's scary and pressing themselves against the barricades ath the side. I stepped out a bit whenever the moshing turned up again and stretched my arm to the back to be able to shield them in case one of the guys came struggling into us. I really have no problems with contact, ne X'D. I've been doing Aikido after all!
What was also interesting: Some people did some stagediving *lol*. I REALLY didn't await such thing in Japan. :D
With every performance the bands got better. After having them shieded a bit I got into talking with the nice group of ladies behind me. I simply started of with "The guys were a bit scary for you, huh? Are you OK?" and then after realizing what was standing on their towels I went "I'm also fadeFAMILY. I'm from the German ST and it's my first Japanese and first fade live >.<". Their English skills were very different, but by now my Japanese vocabulary contains some of the important words, so we managed to understand eachother quite well. They were somewhat attached to me X'D. I wonder why. They were very kind and asking questions and being all happy because we are not just fadeFamily but I had a bunch of GACKT fans there X'D. This really was relieving! THANK YOU FADE! Your fans are so kind and realxed. I had read many stories that strangers from overseas often end up alone in the Japanese crowds (in GACKT's case) since nobody really dares to talk to them. I experienced something else and made myself friends! ^______^
As the bands changed again and the curtain closed for a while Alisa and me got to the front middle of the barricade since there was space. We weren't really sure when fade would come, so we wanted to be save. It was clear (thanks to the towels) that another band was up next. And I clearöy saw their fans but most of them hesitated to go o the front even as they were invited and gently pushed. I asked all people around if it was REALLY OK to stand at the front andif they didn't want that place, but they all refused. After a while I turned around and asked into the crowd: "Wait, could it be the band is wild and it's going to be dangerous in the first row?" (in my broken jpn). But they laughed and said it was fine. I asked if they were going to do the mashing or to dance and got some more or less proper answer that confirmed this. And indeed. they were dancing to the sounds of the band. They knew the moves and danced while Alisa and me tried our very best to catch up quickly. I mean you can't just drop out the first row with the artist right infront of your nose, can you!
It has been here I think when I turned around to look for my missing Japanese friend and instead found Jon walking through the crowd and past the tables with the goods towards the entrance to the backstage area. X'D The shameless gaijins shoutet out to him while he sliped away with a grin while not looking. We had backup from our Japanese fadeFamily with calling out to him!
The venue filled up with people. We thought it was about fade and behind the closed cutrain it took quite a while to prepare the stage, so we though that it's time. Also because it would have been in te order of the bands listed on the ticket. The bunch of Japanese fadeFamily lined up next to us and behind us and I couldn't help but be very very nervous and energetic. X'D The Japanese girls enjoyed that a lot while I hope I didn't annoy Alisa too much.
REALLY STRANGE FACT: during that break they were playing the soundtracks of HARRY POTTER a PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN X'D in a club and during a rockshow? Soooooo weird! Even the Japanese fans were looking up to the ceiling and laughing about how weird that is X'D.
AND THEN THE CURTAIN OPENED ..... and it wasn't fade *lol* We faced "GEEKS". X'D And I must say they were great! Really enjoyed them! :D
THE LIVE SHOW (FINALLY fade):
As the curtains closed there was a shifting of the fans and some of the fadeFamily ladies were asked to go into the second row by girls whohad placed their towels for fade. Alisa and me were left alone and the other two of our girls joined up right behind us.
When they came on stage I cheered to my hears content. I had warned all Japanese fans around me and excused myself beforehands that I wuld be noisy and would sing along with all my voice could give. I knew it's unusual. Yet they laughed and encouraged me a lot. Some of them even joined. :)
The guys were cool. o_O You see, I know them as a bit caotic and with a liking to fooling around a bit. But there was nothing like that. They came on stage and were just goddamn cool. I was so amazed and proud! They were THE ACT that night and so wonderfully professional. I was filled with another bunch of respect for them and my hopes for their successful future rose with every tune.
Alisa, who had met them in New York already warned me that I might be surprised over some things. Very true. Kansei was adorable and his playing was great. Jon was cool, which you'd call "kakkoi~~~" in Japanese. As GACKT fan in first place and YFC fan in second place I didn't recognise him as I had seen him before and I SERIOUSLY thought: "My god Jon, you can match up to GACKTsan without problems!". BUT: I'll tell you way way more on Jon towards the end. Instead I'll tell you that 5° wan't painted but was wearing very elegant clothes and his black hat and dark sunglasses. He indeed was very smiley all the time and once or twice as me looked over he grinned (most likely over my cheering which at times got really really high :P Trained calssical singing voice *lol*). Noriyuki must be a god which fell on earth and forgot who he was. With his hair, perfect skin and his "I'm-fully-into-it"-facial expression he has something that seems to be beyond this world. And reading his blogs and his thoughts and looking at how quiet and closed up he behaved afterwards he really has a mysterious atmosphere sticking to him. Rui was "in the drummer's zone" all the time as Shannon named it perfectly! Couldn't catch his eyes at all which I found a bit sad since as fan yu always want to show gratitude by showing off the fire in your eyes *_*. But I was very satisfied with clearly seing him and him not being too hidden behind his drum and in a darker corner at the back. The light was really good at CHEALSEA HOTEL.
Back to the songs:
1. Ever Free
2. Beautiful
3. From the Heart
4. In the End
5. Cosmicalism
6. One Reason
7. Close to You (Eng)
I seriously tell you that my memory of hat happened when is blurry, because I was just flooded with impressions and although I remember clearly what happened I can not tell when it happened most of the time. So I first say what I remember to the sióngs and then add timeless rest! X'D
1. Ever Free
I love this song a lot and it hit in like a bomb! It sure was fun to sing along :D Everybody was so energetic. And I loved how I had Kansei right infront of my nose and Jon slightly to the right but still just an arm away. I couldn't help but stare at Kanseis fingers at times. My he's fast! x_X b
2. Beautiful
*loool* I know no lyrics better than these after singing it 1000 times for the fade Beautiful video (I wanna seeeeeeeeeeee it :'D *hints*). And because I did so and because I'm singingmyself often I did what I often do: I sing a second voice o it insead of singing the main melody. Because Jon's voice is too deep for me to start with and it's way more enjoyable to really sing with him than just singing along. X'D Was it here that he sang into my face and couldn't suppress a grin at the end? I really wonder how much he could hear and wouldn't mind if he didn't. Although I can sind I haven't sung like that ever since the last YFC livein Germany and my voice was having weak points at times.
3. From the Heart
I'm not into Deadman Wonderland so I really didn't know this song. But it invaded my brain I can't get it out of my head ever since. Jon's forecful voice is cutting through the most noisy thoughts and swallows them all. Those who follow me and him on twitter know that this lead to *lol* I just say: "Walking in the Rain!".
4. In the End
WOW. Besides "Moment of Life" this is one of my recently most favourite singalong songs and I didn't feel like holding back any of it. BTW. the aircons here are great, so when no band was on it war really cold. I was so happy for fade heating up the room. Back in winter I had already tweeted to the band that I was hoping for them to warm me up some time. they did ;P
5. Cosmicalism
Great song as you know and we rocked it out with the band propely. I hope the band was satisfied with the fans from overseas going wild in the first fow as they had requested ^_~
6. One Reason
That was sooooo confusing. *lol* Because I had heared it once and besides that I'm ALWAYS listening to BLACK HEARTS & DOLLAR $IGN$ and I was completely lost with the lyrics wondering if I had somehow mixed something up. :'D And I must say that I like the strenght of the lyrics of that version better, but that's my personal taste!
7. Close to You (Eng)
THIS was the very first time for the English version of Close to you being performed on stage. I was very surprised that they did it, because there are so few songs that Japanese fans could sing along easily anyways and then they even took the English one here *lol*. I somehow felt honoured since they did it as the bunch of us overseas STs turned up. personally I prefer the sound of the Japanese lyrics, yet I can't sing them so far. So no complains, really.
The timeless things:
- Jon took much care of us foreigners right infront of his nose and it was a lot of fun!
- Jon came in cewing some gum (WHY! You looked to cool and cewing just disturbs the view X'D) and was singing with it which really surprised me unil at some point (I think it was From the Heart) it started disturbing him and he fixed the ground for a second and then powerfully spit out the nen green gum right infron of us onto the floor between barricade and stage. o_O THAT was really unawaited. I was kind of baffled at the sight of such "misbehaviour". I guess he just realized the gum as he came to that song and couldn't come up with a more elegant solution in the short time between the lines.
- Jon gave Shannon and Alisa signs to save their hands because he leaned foreard and stept onto the barricade to lean deep into the crowd. As far as I saw no fademember was touched during the live evn as the came up close which I was really grateful for. Yet Jon once stretched his hand out and touched Alisas fingers for a second. ^__^
- After they were finished (which came too fast and I DIDN' WANT IT!) Kansei was handing out plectrums and Nori gave his drumsticjs around. One to Alisa who the unfortunately scratched Shannon under her eye. Shannon is OK and Rui apologized! ^_~
After fade:
all of us girls backed off. I got to pick up the giftbag and was mentally getting ready to face the band. I found Takashi who kindly took my prectrum to get me a coke while I was slightly shaking of exhaustion (because I hareally danced, jumped, cheered and sung out all I could that night). The first thing I did was going to buy goods for Sandy and myself and searching my waistbag for the cards and pen. I had forgotten the pen *lol*. Then I joined the other girls at the left side of the venue right infront of the entrance to the backstage area.
After a while Alisa told me though that another band was up. Shortly before they started (or was it as they started?) Jon came out of the backstage area right behind me and I happened to stop him and tell him tat I've got presents for the band. He was leaning forward to hear better (yes the band must have started) and I must say he smells nice :P. I was surprised he was still so cool. No heat was coming from him this shortly after the live. It surprised me. He said that he's go out and return soon so he asked if I was OK with waiting till then. I was.
As Jon left 5° appeared in the corner between the backstage entrance and the tables with the goods. he went out too while I looked at him and soon returned and this time he saw me and a brigt grin suddenly appeared on his face as answer to my bright smile. He didn't have his stage "outfit" but yet even in this clthed stageoutfit he was different from his shy hiding self. Amazing. When he smiles he's really catching the eye. During this liv it was also the first time that I heared him sing very clearly along with Jon. I really like 5°'s voice!
Another fun band later the show was over.
It got even more interesting *lol* Noriyuki was the first to be outsides behind the goods tables I think. And Jon and Kansei joined him as well as staff who organized white and black markers for signatures.
After watching them for a bit I joined the girls and tey urged me to hand oder the gifts and be more "agressive" *lol* Yet I prefered to wait till a small group of fans wasgone from the table and there was a "gap" in the flood of fans. I finally handed over the gift with the greatest of smiles and asked Jon to open it. He looked into the bag and his expression turned into shining happiness as he grabbed just the right present and said "I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS!" He was interrupted by the staff and excused hmself for not opening further becuase they usually weren't opening the presents of fans infront of everyone (this is common in Japan). I told him not to worry while he thanked me. I had gotten what I wanted: Seing Jon's happy "I-GOT-NUTELLA" expression ^_____^.
After another while I finally took my three cards and stept forward another time. I was wondering about how rude I was for asking for 3 card so be signed at once. Yet I simply went for it out of an impulse. Nori was right infront of me so I handed them over and asked if he minded signing them. He nodded while the staff took the cards and when "Eeeeh?!". I reacted fast and said that I'm from Germany and have two girls who an't be here and really would have loved to. Nori ignored the staff, took the cards and bend over them to sign. I couldn't lo for some reason *lol* I looked over to what Kansei and Jon were doing. Then Nori suddenly looked up ad asked how to sign the cards because there are secrions for each member. I told him to just do it as he pleased. :D And he bend down, signed and then stood up and said something really woonderful: He asked me to wait and that he'd go backstage to get the signs of all members. :')
When he returned he handed the cards to Jon who was talking while he took them. When he finally looked he went: What is this and hey those are great! He showed them to Kansei then looked around and met my look "Did you make them?". Yes I did. And as he looked again I told him "I thought you might like them so I amde copies for you, Do you want them?!" I had planned to give him one but couldn't manage to open the protection foil and simply gave him the whole thing. And like this I got these. X'D
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After watching Nori signing a black shirt at the back while holding it against a wall (I now know it was for the giveaway of the USA ST) and whatching the other guys the staff slowly started to ask people to back off and to tidy up. It was around that time when Shannon and Alisa were taken backstage to discuss ST work for little. I was really happy for them and couldn't have imagined that the night could yet get any better.
The guys left, but before they did we ST girls were quietly asked to stick there for a little bit longer. A staff from the venue tried to get all people out but as we told him that we were asked to stay he went to confirm. Soon after Jon returned to exchange some words with us. He asked how we were doing since the last meeting (that was for the USA team) and where we are living and how long we are staying. When I said that I'm in Tokyo but leaving to Ishinomaki he asked if it's disaster area. I told him that I'll be volunteering. He spontagously reacted with that this is great and then surprised me by saying that ofcourse he didn't mean that is was great (that there was a need for this) but that it's great that I go to do tha work. :) So kind. He asked me to take care.
When he looked around (and getting hints by staff) he realized that we are disturbing the staff so he said goodbye and left but not without shaking our hands. Jon's handy were ust slightly warm. I thought they would be really warm, but they werent. And his grip was quite light. There are many things I don't pay attention to, but these are things that really matter to me: what a person feels like, sounds likem smells like and their bodylanguage. Jon was surprising that night.
[Jon Instert]
"About Jon" insert:
From the first time I had seen him with YFC I was surprisingly hit by hs charisma although I was all GACKTed back then. I was hit by how much of a sunshine he was when our eyes met (even if guess his eyes naturally didn't see). And yet in that very moment I had a cold shiver run down my back because I though "Wait, there is way more behind that bright sunshine-like nature and that something could turn out seriously dangerous for me on day." This day has come. I have seen a part of that side that can just be seen as you meet him. And that side of his is hitting a weak spot of mine. I wrote ontwitter that night:
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We left the venue around 23 o'clock. It was raining a bit. The Japanese girls invitet us to join them i a bar and we discussed while waiting. In Tokyo the last trains go around 24 o'clock. While Alisa and her friedn were stuck in Tokyo for that night, Shannon decided to take no risk and go to the station at around 23:30 o'clock. The other girls decided to bring her. I think they were still there when Nori came out with the staff and helped packing their bus. CHELSEA HOTEL is so small that the artists use the same doors :D. I decided to wait for the band and say be even at the cost of missing the last train. After the 3 girls had left I stayed and waited with the two Japanese girls.
One after another the guys came out and alked to the bus as we waved. I happily saw one staff pulling a trunk with the giftbag on top :'D. I didn't see 5° and Rui anymore, but that's OK. :)
Return:
I made it back savely and on time. An old lady took me along as I asked if I'm on the right way to the station. Although my Japanese is no good I heared so much of it that I understood the stories she was telling me on our way. She was like a little angle who cam to pick me up and make sure that I didn't lose the warm feeling after the live in the rain and the crowdthat fas flooding Shibuya. A guardian angel who took the same train. ^____^ People can be so kind here!
And here the goods I got.
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If some bad guy scares me I'll slap the heavy fade keychain across is face, this is what I thought! X'D
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I hope you could enjoy reading. It really took long enough writing it down. *lool*
Good night everyone. It's 2 AM again. Seems this is my usual fade time :'D
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