23rd Dec '13; #Damage fucking Liver @ Club DROP Shinsaibashi!!

[b_sim]

After #DamageLiver in Shimokitazawa and two Camui Gakuen lives in Chiba, I went on to Osaka and stayed with Bernie for ~10 days. We had an awesome time together and one of the highlights was the #DamageLiver tour final in Shinsaibashi on the 23rd. \m/

fade & fade family love before #DamageLiver

Bernie and I reached Shinsaibashi around 2pm. We headed straight to DROP where we were going to meet Louise and Henry. A few minutes later, Jon came up the stairs from DROP. I quickly grabbed Bernie (because she was facing me, not the entrance to DROP) and said, "BERNIE, IT'S JON." She was so shocked that her foot fell into the drain behind her, haha.

I'm not sure if Jon saw us or not because he headed down the street the other way. He had on his sunglasses and scarf and he basically looked like he just jumped out of one of his many Twitter photos. And he hadn't shaved yet so mm, he looked nice and rugged with the stubble. Much appreciated.

A few minutes later, we saw him coming back. As he approached us, I scrambled to get his Christmas present out of my bag because I was worried I wouldn't get the chance to pass it to him afterwards.

I got him this really cool mini bartending kit. And I forgot to take a photo of it before giving it to him so here's an image off Google.


It looked something like that.

Anyway, so I got it out of my bag just as he was about to go down the stairs to DROP.

"Jon!" I yelled to get his attention as I ran over.

I held the bottle out to him and he took it.

"Merry Christmas. It's not a thong."

"Damn!" he exclaimed while grinning that beautiful oh-god-just-let-me-die-now grin.

Then he went down the stairs and into DROP. Afterwards, Louise and Henry arrived and we went into the family restaurant opposite DROP to eat.

Afterwards, Henry went off to somewhere and would meet up with us again later.

Like in September, I'd written Jon's name on my pelvis again, lol. So after lunch, I wanted to take a photo of it. Next to the entrance of DROP, there was this hallway thingy so we went there to take the photo, away from straying eyes.



Then I tweeted it to Jon with a simple 'hiya'.

Right after we'd taken the photo, though, we saw a familiar green jacket with a fur hood coming up the stairs.

It was our one and only hentai eskimo, Kansei! Bernie lost her shit immediately and I followed soon after when the rest of the band came up the stairs. We quickly ran out to see them but they were already walking down the street, presumably to their hotel or something because they had their luggage with them. Then we realised Godo wasn't with them and he only came up the stairs afterwards.

"Godo!" all of us said.

"Wait a sec!" I told him and I searched my bag for his present.

"She's got a present for you," Bernie told him.

I got the box out and passed it to him. "Merry Christmas!"

He said thanks and we all bowed to each other (how Japanese, lol) before he left.

I'd gotten him some art materials which I hope he'll like...

We just stayed outside of DROP after that, hanging around, talking and taking photos. Photos taken by Louise/from Louise's FB!





When PEPSI, a.k.a Yuuta, a.k.a this insufferable and loveable jerk who I met at the fade live in September, arrived, he and I exchanged Christmas presents. He'd gotten me this huge Christmas Elmo bag with an Elmo iPhone stand as well.



Photo by Louise!

I was kneeling on the ground and stuffing it into my bag when Nori came back. We waved to him and he waved back before going down the stairs. Jon came back next and we waved to him, too.

PEPSI, Louise, Bernie and I then went to take purikura!



Look at Mr Grumpy Face.

Upon coming back to DROP, we headed down the stairs and got ready to enter the venue.

And I guess it was my lucky day because I didn't see Jon just once, twice or even thrice before the live, but four times! As we waited at the doors to DROP, Bernie went to buy some water. Then a lot of band members (from other bands) came out the door. I recognised them from the Damage Liver live in Shimokitazawa, as well as the live in Px9 Cafe the night before. So I just waved to them.

"If Jon comes out next, I'll just die," I told Louise.

And, uh, he did.

My arm was still up from having waved to the other band members so I kept it up and just blurted out, "Hi, Jon!" (A very huge change from how I reacted the last time in September, lol. I'd hidden behind someone else when he walked out then.)

Louise and I were wearing our Santa hats so Jon went, "Hello... elves."

Then he went up the stairs.

Elves wear GREEN hats, Jon, not RED. But, still, it made me all happy, haha.

Bernie joined us again (after running into Jon at the head of the stairs, haha) and we were soon let in into the venue.

The day had been fun so far. And it just got better and better.

Bernie went insane at the Damage Liver Gachapon machine. Ricky, who was standing at the side, looked super amused.

PEPSI and I also took some photos together.



We mostly just hung out with our friends and danced to the music DJ Tatsuya was playing.



#DamageLiver!!

Very soon, though, the lights went off. Louise, Bernie and I went inside the concert hall (the bar is just outside the concert hall) and took our spots in the second row. The first band to perform was The Hitch Lowke. We'd watched them perform the night before at Px9 Cafe and we all sorta fell for the vocalist, Takuya, because he has an amazing stage presence. And, off stage, he's the cutest person ever.

He's also a little horny bastard because he just keeps thrusting up into his own hand on stage, haha. He reminds me a bit of Hyde, actually, because, uh, they're both kinda short.

After The Hitch Lowke's performance, Louise and Bernie talked me into changing my drink token for a special Damage Liver shot (you have to pay 500 yen for a drink token as you're entering the venue and the drink token can be used to buy one drink of any cost).

I'd never taken shots before. I'd only sipped something called a B52 and I hated it. But, #yolo, right? So I took the Damage Liver shot and it wasn't all that bad, I guess. My stomach just felt really hot afterwards.

Another Story and Rizing 2 End performed next. In between the intermission sessions, Louise, Bernie and I drank some more and we asked DJ Tatsuya to play 'Shots' by LFMAO. It was really fun and I was kinda tipsy so that made everything even funnier, lol. My face was really red and I was perspiring a little, I think.

We stood in the front row for ROOKiEZ's performance. They were awesome and I was pretty tired from all the jumping and whatnot by the time their set was over.

fade would be performing next and we didn't want our spots in the front row to be taken so Louise, Bernie and I just stayed there for the next twenty minutes, resting.

When the lights went off again, the front row suddenly got super squeezy. There were suddenly three or four more people pushing their way into the front row. Bernie's elbow dug into my boobs a couple of times and my arm was pressed up against someone else, lol.

One by one, the fade members got on the stage. They were dressed pretty similarly to how they'd dressed at the Shimokitazawa live:



The entire fade performance was just fucking wild. Everyone in the front row was super excited and fade's energy just got us hyped up even more. We were screaming, singing, pumping our fists, jumping, head-banging. The right side of my chest started hurting after a while and at several points in the live, I had difficulties breathing but those moments passed quickly, thankfully.

Several times throughout the live, I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the vibrations reverberating through my entire body. I concentrated on the loud music booming from the speakers. It was... euphoric.

In those moments, the fade members weren't just five individuals who I love and adore. For a lack of a better term, they were fade and it wasn't so much about them as people but about the music they'd produced and the performance they gave.

I wasn't attending this live just so I would get to see their handsome faces and talk to them afterwards (though it's a huge plus, lol). I was here for this. For this mind-blowing performance. For the music. Being pushed up against other people, head-banging till I got dizzy and jumping till my calves were screaming - I was here for all of that. I was here to let go, to have fun abusing my body in the best way.

They helped make me forget that there was an entire world buzzing outside, that time was still ticking by. And right now, during this period of time, that kind of sensation is a fucking blessing. To be able to forget everything and just think about the here and now, to have your head be clear of worries about the future... How many people can do that on their own?

The Ever Free and Close to You performances were especially moving, to me. I sang my fucking lungs out.

Before they performed the last song of their set, Jon said something about it being Christmas (I don't fucking remember anymore, lol) and he took the Santa hat that Bernie offered. I picked mine up as well and looked at Kansei who grinned and got closer to the stage. I passed the hat to Bernie and she leaned across the barrier to put the hat on his head but it fell off, haha.

Then the other vocalists from the other bands came on stage (everyone sings the last song, Beautiful, together!). They all took the Santa hats from the fans in the front row and put it on. Takuya got a pair of reindeer horns.

Just before they started the performance, Bernie and I pointed at the Santa hat in Jon's hand frantically. He was the only one without some sort of Christmas head gear on.

"WEAR IT."

He looked at us, confused. "What?"

We kept pointing to the hat. "WEAR IT."

He looked at it and, for a second, it looked as if he were going to put it on. But then he just grinned and continued holding it instead, grr.

Takuya messed up the lyrics of the first verse, I think (I couldn't hear him AT ALL) and Jon whispered something in his ear while grinning, haha. The rest of the performance went smoothly.

After that, everyone went backstage.

Louise, Bernie and I started chanting 'encore'. We did so for about two to three minutes, I think, and then fade was back on stage babyyyyyy!

Nori gave a short srs bzns talk. Next to me, Bernie was making silly faces with Jon. The two of them are so fucking kawaii that I just can't. I love watching the two of them interact because rgorwjgwrjgw so cute. :>

Then they played Kings of Dawn which completely surprised me because they'd just ended the performance with Beautiful in Shimokitazawa. I learned from Louise afterwards that they'd performed Kings of Dawn in Nagoya, too.

It was the perfect end to the craziest fade live I've ever attended.



Completedly faded

I knelt down on the ground for a couple of seconds, just hugging the poles of the barrier, staring into space.

Afterwards, Louise, Bernie and I were just hugging each other and going, "I love you guys so much" to each other. Yeah, it was an emotional night...

Bernie spotted Henry at the back (he'd only come for fade's performance because he'd been feeling unwell earlier) and we regrouped with him. He owed Bernie and I drinks so I got money from him to get myself a bottle of SMIRNOFF ICE from the bar. Then I headed back inside the concert hall where all the other band members were, selling goods and talking to fans.

Then we spotted Kansei and I just SHOVED Bernie over, lol.

He was speaking really fluently in English that night and he had this adaaaaawable smile on his face.

Afterwards, Jon walked in to the concert hall as well. Fuck, he looked so handsome. HE ALWAYS LOOKS SO HANDSOME AND THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, OKAY. AND THAT GORGEOUS MAN HAS A VOICE WHICH I WISH I COULD WRAP A GOLDEN MEDAL AROUND BECAUSE IT IS A+++.

Urgh, fuck me.

Bernie showed Jon her chest (because she'd asked Kansei to sign it, lol) and he just cracked up laughing.

"I can top that," I said. Then I pulled down my jeans a little to show him his name on my pelvis. I hadn't noticed it then but the ink had sorta faded a little already and it wasn't as clear as before. So it took him about two seconds to actually realise there was writing there. Whoo yeah, I had Jon Underdown staring at my pelvis, lol.

Later, Bernie went to get her ticket because she wanted the guys to sign it. I had an ugly Lawson ticket (because my agent messed up and didn't apply for FC tickets after all) and I didn't want them to sign that. Then I realised I had an empty SMIRNOFF ICE bottle in my hand and I decided to ask them to sign that instead.

Bernie got Kansei to sign her ticket first and then we approached Jon together who was talking to Louise and another fan. He was holding this cartoon Star Wars calendar (Bernie and I had seen it in LOFT and she'd wanted to get it for him too, haha). He was rubbing it and grinning very perversely, lol.

After Bernie got her ticket signed, I asked him to sign my bottle. He made a little amused 'gah' face, like, "shit, signing this is going to be hard". He started drawing on it instead.

"Um, what are you doing?" I asked him.

"I'm drawing a picture."

"Yeah, but what?"

"A picture."

"Yeah, but of what?"

"I'm drawing a picture."

YES, JON, I GET THAT YOU ARE DRAWING A PICTURE. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DRAWING.

I don't know, maybe the music was too loud or I was drunk and wasn't speaking properly but the conversation went along the lines of that.

After drawing, he signed his name as well. This is his masterpiece:



I went to get Nori's autograph next.



Kansei had already left the concert hall so I couldn't get his autograph.

Then Bernie and I sat at the side. I just wanted to watch Jon the whole night, lol.

"Aw, look at that face," I said to Bernie. Jon was talking to some fans, signing stuff and grinning.

The both of us just kept going, "Look at that face. Look at that cute face."

Jon must have heard us because he then covered his face with the Star Wars calendar.

We went to talk to him again after that. Or, actually, we just stood by the side while he talked to some other fans. And Bernie was trying to put the Santa hat on his head but he kept dodging it, lol.

Then, when he was about to walk off, I looked at him and went, "Jon, can I please please please have a hug?"

"Sure, come here."

Then I stepped forward and hugged him tight. I was very, very happy to be able to hug Jon again.

After we pulled apart, he grinned and I swooned and said, "Merry Christmas" the Japanese way (you know, "merii kurisumasu").

I managed to pull myself together and say it back to him.

He went out to the bar area after that. So, Louise, Bernie and I followed. Naturally.

Louise saw Nori standing in the hallway leading to the members' changing room. She said she wanted to get a hug from him. So I helped by pushing her towards him, haha.

She got a hug. Then Bernie got a hug. So I wanted one, too. Nori gives veeeeery good hugs. :)

Then we hung around that area and talked to Nori for a bit.

We somehow started talking about his hair.

"I like your hair long," I said.

"But this is nice, too," Bernie said, pointing to his short, blonde hair.

"Yeah, this is nice too but I prefer it long."

"You prefer it long?" Nori asked, making all three of us dissolve into giggles.

"Yeah, you prefer it long," Bernie and Louise chimed in.

"Yeah, I like it long and hard," I muttered.

I don't think Nori heard me, thank god.

"If you like my hair long, you've gotta wait four years," he said.

"Four years?!"

"Yeah, that's how long it takes to grow my hair out."

Then he said the only reason he had it cut in the first place was because fade was having a new photoshoot, lol.

Then the topic shifted to his deep, sexy voice. It was really rough, like he'd just been smoking.

"Your voice is sexy," someone said. I don't even recall if it was me.

"Should I keep it this way?"

"Yes!!"

We also whined jokingly (or not) that Nori never tweeted anymore. He just retweeted other people and whenever he did tweet, it was always in Japanese.

Then, according to Bernie, Nori said we should move out from the hallway to the bar area where there was more space. But there were people in front of me who weren't moving, so, yeah, we were kind of stuck there in the hallway, blocking other people's way as well...

Then Jon came by (squee!) with PEPSI close behind him. PEPSI wanted to record a short message from Jon on his phone. So Jon took PEPSI's phone and stopped walking to do so.

And he was right in front of me.

There I was, back against the wall, and in front of me is Jon. We were facing each other in a narrow hallway and just... just fml.

"Shall we move?" Bernie asked me.

"Jon is right in front of me. Do you think I'm gonna move?"

Afterwards, Jon looked at us and Bernie went, "Ooooh, Jon, [we're] pressed up against the wall."

And he said something to that but neither of us can remember what...

The staff was clearing out the area so we all had to leave. Not before taking down two Damage Liver posters, one for each of us. Then later Louise got Henry to take down the last one for herself as well, hahaha.



Photo by Louise!



Saying 'Goodbye!'

We hung around outside, upstairs, waiting for the band members. We took photos with each other and with our signed stuff.

Then Takuya (from The Hitch Lowke) came up the stairs and we went to talk to him. He remembered us from the Px9 Cafe live. We told him the performance was really awesome and that he's really cute and stuff. He asked us to come and see The Hitch Lowke perform again. Then I told him that I was going back to Singapore soon, so it was unlikely I could see them perform again, and I think he said he would try to get The Hitch Lowke to Singapore as well, haha.



Photo from Louise's FB!

Later, we saw DJ Tatsuya helping other bands load their equipment into the vans. He remembered us as the three crazy gaijin who'd requested 'SHOTS' by LFMAO so the three of us started going, "SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS".

That got his attention, lol, and we went over to ask if we could take photos with him.



Photo from Louise's FB!

Kansei was the first member from fade to come up. Bernie went to him and got a hug from him as well. He headed straight for the van afterwards so I couldn't get his autograph then either.

Then Godo came and I got him to sign my bottle, too!



After that, Rui came along. But there were lots of people surrounding him so I had to wait my turn. Then I noticed Miyagawa-san was there so I went to him.

"Can I get your autograph on my bottle?"

"Whose autograph?"

"Yours."

"Mine?!"

He smiled shyly and took the bottle to sign it.



Bernie and Louise joined me and we told him he was way too cool. Like, his clothes and the way he walked. He looked kind of embarrassed but happy at the same time.

Afterwards, we turned to Rui and we continued waiting for our turn to get his autograph. While waiting, Jon came up the stairs.

Louise and Bernie (DARLING ANGELS) both helped me tell Jon that I wanted a good long hug because I was going back to Singapore soon. I turned to him and he said, "Come here, Belle" and I hugged him again.

When we pulled apart, I asked, "By the way, did you like your Christmas present?"

"I haven't opened it yet," he said, smiling.

"Please do!"

"I will, I will."

Then all of us waved and said "Merry Christmas" to him as he headed towards the van.

We turned back to Rui who had finished signing stuff for the other fans. He signed a photo for Louise and the drumstick Bernie had caught. Then I asked him to sign my bottle.



There were STILL lots of people surrounding Rui and they started shaking hands with him, saying "otsukaresamadeshita" and "arigatou" and of the likes.

"I don't want a handshake. I want a hug," I whined like a spoiled child.

"Ah, alright," he said. I hugged him and he said, "Thanks for coming back."

Thank you guys for always making the traveling worth while!!! ( ;  ; )

Afterwards, he talked to other fans and Bernie ran over to the van. Louise and I followed her. We planned to shout "HENTAI ESKIMO" at Kansei one last time when the door would be opened for Rui to enter.

When Rui started approaching the van's door, Miyagawa-san opened it for him and we saw the members sitting inside. On the count of three, we yelled "HENTAI ESKIMO!!!"

Then the door was closed. We could still sorta see Jon's silhouette through the dark windows and we waved to him. He waved back! <3

Off the van went.

We remained there for a few more minutes, talking with each other and taking photos. Photos are taken by Louise/from Louise's FB! :)









In the end, all of us (eight of us in total) decided to go drinking together since all of us had missed the last train already. We had to wait till morning, 5:13am, for the first train. But that's another story to be shared in another post.

In a nut shell, I managed to not make a fool outta myself (unlike the last time in September, lol) and I didn't make any overly-inappropriate comments (like the my-panties-were-soaked comment the last time, omg...). fade was just perfect. And there was a lot of love in the fade family.

To wrap this up, I wanna say thank you to Louise and Bernie for being the best girlfriends anyone could ask for! You guys made this trip way more memorable than it would've been with just fade alone. ♥

And god, I wish I could say thank you to fade in person. I realise now that while I'd gotten hugs and given them presents and stuff, not once did I say "thank you" for the live and I feel terrible about it now... Yeah, I'd tweeted them 'thanks' and stuff but it's not the same as saying it in person.

But yeah, I wanna thank them so much for making the end of my 2013 so precious and invaluable. They did the same last year with the Sky's The Limit tour final and the After Party. They did it again this year with Damage Liver. And I hope they'll continue doing it for years to come.

Thank you fade and fade family for an amazing time that nothing else could ever duplicate.

Here's to 2014 with y'all!

Happy New Year, everyone!

x-posted to my own journal here!