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Super Live Area 12/3
I had a week of nights to fill in Tokyo after the Moi
Dix Mois mon+amour concert and selected for all the busiest
night of Visual Kei madness that I could find, beginning with six
bands at the Super Live Area in Takadanobaba. The bands were in
order of appearance: Renny Amy, Trick, Bergerac, Mellow, Trouble and
lastly Jessica. This was my first real night of VK, as dix is completely
different to these young bands and their just as young fleet of
teenage girls in attendance. I was the only foreigner, the only one
older than... oh, lets say eighteen, and the first male to be there,
of four in total (not including band members whom are all male).
Female VK is very rare. The venue wasn't terribly big, compared to
Liquidroom at least, and a fan said that was small in relation to
where Moi Dix Mois usually plays now. The difference in crowd size,
and crowd composition is a fair indication of success. Entrance was
2,500Y and another 500Y 'drink' voucher which I didn't bother using
(for that oh so much needed sarsaparilla). I stood up the back...
this young one-sided gender crowd wasn't for me to intrude upon,
resting against the bars with the other lonelies: there was one tiny
girl who bopped a little for the first bands then sat all folded
down by herself and her mobile phone until the next band turned up.
Why did she go? To be like the other girls, liking cute boys done up
pretty? The heavy metal music? She didn't have that metal music fan
look. My heart went out in a way, wanting her to saunter up to the
front rail and join the others - nay - cast them aside and be close
to her idols. Anyway, onto the bands!
- Renny Amy (B)
This five piece VK hardrock band opened the show with a
bang. Their vo. reminds me of a Mafia Zombie and has an
interesting stage presence... 28 Days Later jerky movements,
eyes, and barely legible. He lets you see in the side of his
mouth. There are two Gu, a Ba and one Dr. Its always hard to
tell with the Dr because they're at the back, how good or energetic
they are; worse if the others are very loud and force attention
away. The Ba is violent energy, hurling his body and adding
growl-cough utterances when requied. Gu Kohta reminded me of
Kozi in the way he looks and he'll be a fine guitarist too, not
that he isn't bad and doesn't spin and throw his body around
like the others. The other Gu seemed not to be very interested
in the performance; a bored throwaway attitude is his stereotype
but I think it was real. He wasn't as active as the others and
spent time at the back getting a drink or just turned away. This
was also my first introduction to Japanese fangirl choreographed
hand/arm/dance motions. The girls in the front row would do
little wrist turns and alternating chopping motions. For
headbang they'd grab onto the front rail and hurl themselves
half way over! It was sight.
- Trick (B+)
Second up came another five-piece band. These guys were a
bit better than Renny, and a little more scary as well. The
scary person was the 'cute' member, with the big cheeks, little
off-centre hat and an attempted cute smile or pout. A face he
had to maintain for the entire show although it slipped at some
points when no one was meant to be looking. Hyper happy,
Clockwork Orange kill you with a happy grimace cute is what I
thought after a bit. White, a bowler hat, cane, and one eye made
up would suit him a lot better. OK, the other guitarist was an
energetic wiz and why I liked this group a lot. He played fast,
hard, jumped around, put in an effort. Then the vo. He kept the
rating high and standing on a metal grate (which is compulsory
for a band to own), got the front rowers hand moving with some
complicated moves ending that went from left to right and back
again and ending with a shot into a fan or the drummer.
- Bergerac (D)
Third, and my least favourite of the night. Well, I think it
was this group as they were not dressed up like their flyer at
all - I think it has to do with the added member to make them a
five-piece. The vo. had no strength and couldn't really be heard
over the guitars; 4 of 6 bands this night had this problem to a
degree or another and I don't like the bands which don't have
much in the way of lyrics instead placing an over-reliance on
coughing-screams and grunts and oi's! That doesn't pass for
composition. The main problem with bergerac is that the vo.
spent too much time talking about their CD. People won't if all
they listen to is him talking and them not performing. The fans
bopped around like before and did their hand motions. There was
head banging, or head shaking very quickly from side to side.
Some girls would hold hands or the railing for support and throw
themselves into it with abandon, and then smooth out their hair
afterwards...
- Trouble (A-)
This quartet weren't on the visunavi playlist but they were
the best of the night. I could hear the vo. quickly and he
didn't wear socks or shoes. All were dressed in pretty much
plain back and had a variety of play: not just speed, gimmie
what I need. Although I couldn't understand what was being said,
I think it was real lyrics, real singing with a purpose. They
played loud, angsty, and even had a bit of a pop sound. They
didn't talk, they arrived, played, stayed silent, then left
silently. I don't think they had a big following as they were
just listened to; being less visual (more professional) probably
too advanced for the crowd of teenyboppers.
- Mellow (B)
The five wore shorts, the cut-off trouser English upper
class old school kind. One of their songs had to be professionally
written as it contained a lot more depth than the rest of the
set that they played in the 20-25 minutes each band had allotted
to the stage. I liked them and the girls were big fans as well.
Simple dress, no huge VK hair but VK pretty still. More hardrock
from them. The Ba. in the white shirt and most-femme hair was
the poster player and did a lot of work on top of their metal grate.
- Jessica (B+)
Another four piece ending the night on a high note. White
are their colours. White, and white, with black or gold and one
pink and I'll get onto him a bit later. Screams, oi!s yells.
There was no Dr., I think the only group for the night that
didn't so they had to rely just on pure string work to create
beat and bump. Everyone had a lot of energy and they ended the
night well and proper. Gt. blond was a happy chap, working with
Ba. blond on one side of the stage and swapping around
frenetically with Gt Yuh. I can't really remember anything
special from the Vo, their set was stolen by Gt Yuh, who while
obviously a guy from a distance is able to toss his pink
highlighted hair in a completely feminine manner. The pink hair,
white face with pink lipstick, and pink wrap over his white
shorts all helped. I think he can give Mana a run at being an
anti-Mana. White instead of black without the utter immersion
into the cross-dressing world. He can play too.
Holiday Shinjuku 13/3
It was this livehouse that I knew from the internet and gave me
the little information I knew about what to expect: plenty of odd
glam VK bands. The Piass and Anti-feminism play here often so making
a visit was like a small pilgrimage (as was the entire trip and
Hajj). Tonight would be nine bands! That's an awful lot of time
standing up watching, four and a half hours and then some for band
change overs. After buying my ticket (just one) and checking out the
very well indie-stocked CD Holiday (having the elusive Piass VHS and
more, but no credit card facilities) I went inside into a smaller
venue than AREA and joined the gals on the ground. Up the back were
comfy chairs and couches but they were for the band members only and
their small family entourages. I moved to the railing by the
merchandise stand after sitting for the first group (not too many
people there then) after more fans arrived and my leg went
completely dead. I was the only foreigner... for a little while and
just a short while when a rather large (tall and big) purple-headed
goth in platforms turned up, head banged for half a set, bought some
stuff, and then left. I don't know if she left because of the
Japanese girls who I have been told can get aggressive to
foreigners, or the gaijin shonen only wanted to pick up some stuff.
Either way it was 3,000Y for a short time (if she had to pay). She
looked at me on the way out - who was I? How had I survived the
schoolgirl bitching? Being a guy, being blonde, being up the back,
being older as well, helps. And on older fans, one tiny and thin
otosan arrived to watch and was picked out scathingly by a girl in
tartan frilly/lace dress and twin ponytails (yet with the voice of
sandpaper). The otosan had a pollution mask on and hat pulled down
to hide her identity but it did not work very well. Maybe she was a
mum ignocnito. I think two other guys turned up. One stood by the
entrance wall. The other... I wonder if he was a friend of one of
the bands. I wonder why their friends don't turn up. They would have
to get in cheaper or free and will all those available youngsters...
isn't it the perfect place? Or are Japanese guys scared of VK
fangirls? Band members would sit at their stalls and talk to fans,
take money and maybe sign stuff. The group I liked the most, KLACK,
didn't do that. Others sat up the back and likely considered me with
their young minds. I should have worn a suit and taken notes. Alarm
them. There was one band who game forth and the first of the strong
Vo.s. So strong I rocked back at the first clear loud noise that was
ejected from him. Because there were so many bands and the flyers
only helpful for the later or known groups (and the ones I could
easily identify), I can't do proper review justice. Having a play
list would certainly have helped.
- クラッチ
(C)
A new band (their website is from mid-January) containing
four pretty-gothic-glam members. I don't remember anything about
them, so they would have to be non-standout, average and one of
the first bands on who had a Vo. I couldn't hear very well.
- Madara (C-)
Quartet of undoubtedly hardrock VK goth loudness.
- Pashya (C)
Much, some or a little had been touted to me by a Dix forum
member on this under-code Production label band who have such
vinyl goth bands as 12012 and Phantasmorgania in their
conquer-the-world lineup. Pashya is different from the others,
white where the others are black. It is necessary for them to
stand out; if they didn't they would have no future at all. As
the newest, Pashya is new and sounds new. That is for all their
while and gold and costume, more than a tad too boytoy, they
have no real spark and the Vo. wasn't able to project himself
like most of the other bands that night. In fact the first few
acts made me think that guitarists were easy to find but a
descent Vo. who could break through the sound barrier a rare
commodity indeed. Yet five or six of the Vo. I saw this night
were clear. Unfortunately, Pashya's wasn't among them.
- ダリ (C-)
Another under-code production label band. The five are
uniform grey and black goth and come with all the lyricless
screams and cries of bands who don't make enough true music and
need to fill out their set time.
- KLACK (A)
A real punk band. Young, brash, loud, rude. In the
beginning... there was a bedsheet across the facing of the stage
and it had been spray painted upon. And lo! there a hiss and
words began to appear on the sheet in red. And those words were
"fuck oof rate man!". I had to restrain myself from
calling out how to spell 'off' correctly. It is a simple word,
not easily made incorrect. Rate may have been hate too. I am
unsure but this did not matter. Punks are allowed to be stupid
or illiterate. Their form reminded me of the original (and only)
punk bands from the UK, that short lived sound. The Vo.,
bleached hair and studded demins, picked up a bucket and poured
red water over himself. He picked up the mike stand and tossed
it away, smashed and bent it. Threw one to the crowd and into
the barrier. They girls screamed and retreated. They had not
experienced that before! But KLACK had, they do it all the time.
Punk, but an orchestrated show they put on all the time. What
was Holiday thinking? Well, KLACK only plays at Holiday
(according to their website's schedule) so the antics are ok.
They allow Kenzi to set his hand on fire all the time. The rest
of the band avoided the missiles. A staff member quickly removed
any more potential missiles, except for the grill the Vo.s stand
on... yes, it too went into the barrier (and that is why I
believe each band has its own). The Holiday staff spent longer
cleaning up after the act than the others, understandably.
- Retina (D)
Ahh I cannot say anything about Retina except that I wasn't
impressed by them at all. The Vo was as flat as could be in his
white outfit and blonde mop and had to get by with the yells and
screams of a band without too much creativity and not many
songs.
- 我流eve (B)
These guys run with Sulfuric Acid and for a moment I thought
the member (Dr.) on the right of the flyer pic was Masaki, Vo.
of Sulfuric Acid but checking the website it is clear that this
cannot be the case. Masaki was wayyy better looking and wouldn't
want to be stuck up the back bashing stuff (although it would be
neat for band members to be that versatile and unselfish... and
in it for the music!). There are five of them, standard lineup
of Vo., Ba., two Gt. and a Dr. I will hang out on a limb and say
that this is the band that had the first strong Vo.. I could be
wrong; I'm only guessing and I gave these guys a good rating for
some reason. They played first or second on my last live night
so I have nothing to jog my memory with.
- Moll'e node (A)
These four were great. A real mix of fem, glam, indifferent
and rock combined into one good act of sound and performance.
They were also good at the merchandise stand with two members
taking turns on the seat (and looking a little bored as the
other acts still went through). The four are lead by the
talented and thankfully non-smoking Vo. who has some good stuff
for the fans: he had a bouquet of roses and bit the heads off
all bar one of them and blew the petals to the front row. I
would have scoop as many of the petals up as I could and kept
them as souvenirs but the fangirls didn't. Silly them! The one
that got the last intact rose tossed to her put it down!! Utter
madness I say. How often would she be given a rose? Wasn't she a
fan? The other members smoke (insane). Musically they stood out
as not being grunty screaming hardrock. I wouldn't classify them
as happy VK but their was a lightness in their set that was
refreshing.
- Juliadoll (B+)
More goth! This night was certainly a gothic dress type
theme and there were a few lolitas in the crowd and sitting down
near me in their black dresses, stockings and witch shoes. But
they weren't scary, cute indeed as infants and lolitas are meant
to be. True goths on the other hand are either ugly or elegant
or boring. Their website is quite new. On later on they were (if
I could recollect correctly) of superior performance to most
earlier bands yet containing nothing that made them stand out as
a unique act. Just better at their craft.
- Renny Amy (A-)
I was back and Renny Amy were back and they noticed because they were better this
time and the second Gt. put in an energetic effort on the second
night in a row performance. How often would a blonde foreign guy
be at their show? Twice, in a row! But enough about me. This
time I was prepared for the mad antics of the Vo and at least
one of the fangirls was from the night before (or her top
common) so their fans followed them around as well. As they
should. I'm sure the set list was the same. Right behind me was
one of their girls and maybe a mum later in charge of the
merchandise.
Shibuya O-West 14/3
(Aesthetic Angelic)
O-West is a pretty big live hall, not as large as the Liquidroom
but still pretty good and capable of holding a couple of hundred
fans with no problem. There is a second level with seats I believe
as that's where the other acts watched from. Some fans went up... I
didn't so I don't know really what's up there or goes on. Because of
the live house's size only reasonably well established bands can
afford or get large enough crowds to play there. When I arrived some
ticketchick asked me which band I was here to see: the group that
gets the highest count takes the largest percentage of the night's
take. I said it was my first time... I didn't understand what they
were asking. Really, I had no favourite but had been told of Rentrer
en Soi by a friend and that was why I was at this livehouse. It was
also a livehouse in Shibuya and very close to where I was staying.
Now the fans at this night were more numerous and varied that the
other lives I'd been to. Most of the bands were 'happy' VK bands.
That is they were poppy and had very outlandish or super-cute
costumes. Rentrer en Soi was the exception. I shall talk on each as
usual and their fans if they were different. Other adventures of the
night was when I was standing outside and two loh wai approached me.
They were trying to find the 'night life' and happened to be from
Sydney, Australia and here for boxing. I hope they beat the
##%^#&@^! out of their opponent. Have to side with my own I'm
afraid. I sent them in the direction of Shinjuku/Kabuki-Cho. The
next was meeting Inertia (Jennifer) who had also been at the Moi dix
Mois concert. We sort of knew each other from the scape forum and
posting on the dix concert. An American living in Tokyo, Inertia is
an immaculately presented woman and well known with the Japanese
fanladies. One gave her (and myself) a small home cooked biscuit. We
mainly talked after the live in the freezing outside. I should have
had my Tajikistan Coat of Impregnability and I would have been Ok.
The next! was running into another two Australians - Japanese
Australians - from the band Orochi!! I had seen these guys and they
are good, hardrock Samurai Kabuki. We will plan big things for
growing VK in Australia: they were in town to steal Yakuza
girlfriends and look for bands to bring to Oz for some shows. Now
onto the seven bands, because there was one extra.
- るう”ぃえ
(C)
Where luvie came in the order I don't know. What they were
like is the same. Forgettable five members. Unfortunate I would
say that the first three bands were so similar and didn't do
anything special to deserve remembrance.
- 華族 (C)
A five-piece boys in black band with one long-banged
tiara-wearing Gt. who was frequently placed in the centre to be
cute, play, and receive fan adoration. And he is good looking
enough to deserve some. The rest are typical VK glam. I think it
was this band where one of the hard Gt. or Ba. who put on
punkish airs hurled his water bottle into the crowd and it came
right at me. I didn't match to catch or stop it, knocking it a
little and water flying out along the way before it smacked into
a girl at the back. I first saw Kozi toss his water bottle in
and I can't really imagine why it is done. Who wants to keep it?
I haven't seen anyone of the three times scurry to claim the
detrisis. Their website is the same as their flyer and the
mobile section also only having a tour schedule. Some members of
bands have piercings or studs around the mouth; I don't know if
they are real or for the performance or not. The music fans have
real ones, and they're girls. Scary in a way.
- Aile (C+)
Another safe family band with the cutest guitarist you could
possibly imagine and as shy as a cloistered plush-bear lover
(long bangs, bows in the hair, glitter mascara). During the
talkies the pretty-boy Vo. Akito starting going on something
about Valentine's and gave the kawaii Gt. Yue a present. I don't
know if the Yue was doing some acting or absolutely stunned to embarrassed
silence by the 'stunt' as he could only manage a whisper in
reply and the other band members were laughing at him. I'm sure
all the girls and mums were weeping heart-felt tears and would
likely doll him to bits. Now the other Gt. and Ba. who shared
the left side of the stage (my left facing them) were more glam
VK rockers as the Dr. A bit of a contrast between the five. As
for playing there was nothing outstanding or that would differentiate
them with the horde of other VK bands. It is probably the cute(r)
image that will see them through for a while or the rockers want
to move on and make more adult music.
- Izabel Verosa (C)
If I can't remember anything about a band then they didn't stand
out. It's obvious isn't it? Izabel Verosa was one of those
bands. Well, until the last few turned up I really didn't know
who I was seeing as the O-West people didn't hand out flyers at
all, just their monthly Who's On which didn't help. Only on
leaving were there bandgirls handing out the flyers and just two
at that and not this group. See how much I've written about
nothing. Now Izabel Verosa has five members (one must have
been added as their promo shows only four) and I'm listening to
their website right now and they sound OK, safe and average for
a VK band. They have two crossdressers probably a lead Gt and
Dr. All can be reached by email through their label.
- BALD GUY (B)
The first of the real hard acts! Four bands of safe standard
VK rock followed by a fifth that had one person, just one, that
makes this nameless group standout. A bald, larger, Japanese Gt
with a studded metal Guitar (think the top of a heavy metal
club/bar bench). He wore a mid-length white trenchcoat. It was
different. It worked. A metal guitar for metal music. The rest
of the band and their sound was again a bit better than standard
VK rock, heavier than the earlier bands so a sweet change. Bald
Guy went from one side to another and the other Gt/Ba. also
liked to work the crowd and respond to the fangirls who held
their arms out open to them. This was the pick up band so I
don't have their name and it will take time tracking them down
through visunavi.
- Lareine (C)
A throwback to Malice Mizer Gackt and post era combining the
huge costumes and sequins and a completely camp look that the
Vo. Kamijo finalises with his stage manner, slightly older and
attempted pretty-boy look. Yet they are a favourite and have
many older women fans all of whom are armed with plastic flowers
and do their para para with them in hand. Inertia has seen
Lareine 45 times or so and collects their 500Y photo singles.
Dedication. The girl is in them all. After 'Bald Guy' Lareine
threw back to poppy slower music and even a little bit of disco
while the 'Mana-like' in twin ponytail wig looked despondent in
a wide short dress and eye sequence. There was no solid frown or
pout. Then there was 'Kozi-like' and the Dr in a partial 'Kami-like'
stage. Kamijo couldn't, just couldn't, be a Gackt but I think
clearly this is what they were trying to be, fill in where
Malice Mizer collapsed and left vacant. It was sugary. Inertia's
tells me 'its a joke'. Not being able to understand their lyrics
I can offer no opinion beyond the visual and what I hear from
the flow of their music and they just didn't do it for me. There
is only one Gackt and Kamijo is not even close on the beauty
scale even with photoshopaid..
- Rentrer en Soi (A+)
I didn't know who these guys were until I asked Inertia. In
fact I had completely forgotten about them and thought that they
were the seventh mysterious unknown band and not the highlight.
They certainly started mysteriously (yet all the Japanese knew
what was up!) with the Vo hidden beneath a Jedi cloak, only his
wavy dyed hair showing. I had visions of The Darkness' lead
signer (both are not what would be called handsome). My friend
had seen this band when they were VK dress up and since their
image has changed to leather rock and all the better for it! The
first song was in almost complete darkness and it only got
lighter with each new song... never really able to see the band.
Strobe lights used to turn the headbanging girls into jerky
spectres. They were hard and heavy and so good. They played
well, the Vo. was animated. They want to be a real rock band and
they have the guts and style to go it. After their set the
Lareine Vo. came back on to talk about the Aesthetic Angelic
tour and thanked Rentrer and got the Vo. back to sing one last
crowd favourite and then it was time to pack up and head outside
into the cold.
Meguro Rockmaykan 15/3
Somehow I got the time wrong for this live and turned up at
17:50, thinking that it started at 18:30!! Ahh! Luckily the live had
started at 17:00 and I had only missed 2 bands and one of those I
had seen before (eve) and I still got to see the main reason why I
was there, my first VK band, The Piass. This venue is by far the
smallest that I had been to and it was also different that it had
seats, mainly used for the girls to store their bags. Outside the
small live room smoke hung heavily as band members and girls smoked
away and the sisters/girlfriends tried to sell stuff. Buying in
itself is a hierarchical process. The biggest fans get to buy first
even if they are not there first, and foreigners like me ignored
until I pressed in and shocked the salesgirl to bits by asking for a
CD (Sulfuric Acid). She wasn't too organised as it took 5-10 minutes
to serve one person looking all over the place to find the goods. I
also finished my Piass collection of CDs and got some anime-cards
and two CANDY CDs. I didn't look like anyone else bought anything
but Sulfuric Acid gear - they were a good band and last billed but
the others were worthy as well.
- 我流eve
(-)
I saw this band at Holiday Shinjuku two days before so it
wasn't a disaster that I missed them.
- Saruin (-)
But it was for saruin. Hadn't seen them before... did get to
so I have nothing to report on them other than the flyer I have
of a five-piece Goth band. They have released one maxi-single,
Miss Demon.
- 999 (C)
I only caught the last ten minutes of this act so I can't
really comment on them very much, nor do I remember a lot. There
were four, all in white and they were OK.
- Cannival Method (C)
I can't remember anything special from this Gothic style
quartet. The Vo. was backed up by the typical throaty growls of
the blonde-beached guirarist. Their wear is kimono-style.
- CANDY (A)
OK, I really liked these guys! So much I got two CDs (well,
two songs of them, one CD was a single the other an omni-bus of
10 bands which was great value and a good way to hear some other
groups). They are self-described as Neo Romantic and also have a
flair of 1950-60s Rock'n'Roll - well the Vo. anyway as he had an
Elvis style quiff and all the moves. They put out a good and
varied set; aforementioned rock, typical VK rock and some slower
stuff too. The other four members of the band look fairly basic,
spiffy hair that isn't too long, ordinary pant and jacket dress
with a few punk accessories. Then there was a little bit extra
during the Sulfuric Acid set...
- 妃阿甦
(B)
I have been a Piass fan for six years and it was luck that
they had a gig on in the vicinity of Moi Dix Mois. I'd tried to
reserve (unnecessarily) a ticket through them (without success)
but managed through the live house so I got my ticket 200Y
cheaper with my name on it. Little souvenir... there was no band
list on the ticket like all the other live houses did on theirs.
Two fans turned up just for their show only in specially made
jumpsuits. They do this for every Piass live I think. Another
two had red jumpsuits but they took them off. While I was
watching the earlier bands two guys were standing behind me...
me probably the subject of their discussion. When The Piass trio
entered; the lead is Takayuki (Taksama) and I think it was him
who was behind me! (and going 'that must be the gaijin who has
been harassing me'). The other two of the band are Ruiji (Ba.)
and Shizuki (Dr.) who has the tallest hair in all VKdom. They
started off with the typical loud siren announcing them (other
bands have a track) and they entered one at a time (as the
others do). The first song I could not identify. Having only
three in the band and no separate Vo. is a weakness. Takayuki
grabs hold of the mic and leans on stuff when he sings so he
can't play. He and Ruiji swapped places fairly often, Ruiji was
meant to add the backup yells but it became apparent that they
were a track so I don't know how much of it was which was a bit
of a letdown. After the first song there was a long talk period
first with the Dr and then Ruiji who will play bass with
Anti-feminism (who were on two days later. I might have stayed
around if I'd known that earlier). Another two songs from
earlier CDs ended the set. The crowd of fangirls headbanged
throughout the set and the Piass have their own fists in the air
signature. It wasn't a great live but I did enjoy it despite
faults. They really need a fourth member, either a Vo. or
another Gt. to fill out their sound.
- Sulfuric Acid
(A)
I'd seen a lot of advertising on this five-member crowd
favourite. They have released quite a bit of stuff for a young
VK band and the fans afterwards only seemed to buy their stuff.
A free poster came with every CD purchase. They are going places
and deservedly so because they are good and have the most charismatic
Vo. of all the bands so far. Masaki is a poster-boy Daemon
Prince of the Hells of Erotic Sin. Leather flail in hand he took
precedence on the short stage in his revealing costume that sent
the girls mad with envy and lust; driven worse as his tongue
appeared suggestively through pink lipstick lips. He is
pretty-boy hardcore Goth, backed up by a braided hair girly Goth
Gt. Tomozo (in live no way matching his photoshopped
appearance), a small super-girly Gt. Hizaki in a velvet dress
(and so being out of place by being too soft in appearance with
the others - he should have held on a leash by Masaki as his
slavetoy), the Ba. Yanagi, in white with a shock of mostly
blonde hair - is quite in place with the dark sensual feel
Sulfuric Acid releases - and lastly the Dr. as another cutesy
girl in lolita dress. As he is up the back and sitting down he
can get away with it unlike the tiny Gt. That however, is my
only criticism of the band. Fix up velvet Gt. and they could
transplant to the west as listenable and watchable quality VK.
After a few heavy songs it was talk time and I didn't mind this
one at all because it was fun. It was Tomozo's birthday (another
one! So many this week...) and the Vo. from CANDY came out
dressed as his mother with huge red clown lips and a bowl of
noodles. It was hot! Tomozo valiantly managed to swallow the spoonful
and received a massive red kiss on the cheek (Tomozo is also the
'advertiser' for a range of stylised contact lenses and he and
Masaki model for Black Peace Men clothing). They finished off
heavy and the show had been recorded (they do have a DVD for
sale but I decided that me buying it would be too much yaoi and
disturbing!). I would see them again in an instant and they
should do well.
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