Untitled Vandal(ism) @Namba Hatch
I am back *_* Well, I got back around 2 hours ago, but was busy emailing people and unpacking.
Anyway. Before I start, I just want to say... I.AM.EXHAUSTED. I am so tired - my neck, shoulders and legs (esp the feet) are aching. I'm not kidding when I say I can pass out anytime now - but! I'm going to make an effort and do the live report now, since I'll be busy studying the whole of tomorrow (groans) and prob won't have much time after, well, tonight.
I also want to say thanks to the couple of people who answered my queries about the livehouse Namba Hatch a couple of days ago on alice_nine as well as jmusic_traveler . That really gave me a heads up.
So, to start, I woke up at 8.40am (an hour later than planned; couldn't fall asleep till nearly 5am) and scrambled into my clothes, no make-up, and ran out to catch the bus in 20 mins lol. Logic told me I still didn't have to rush, since my experience of arriving at 1pm for Pura goods back in Tokyo told me that was still early enough. Anyway, I reached Namba (subway) station at around 11.30am and found my way up to Namba Hatch. There were only like 3 girls there lol... I was super early.
me looking like a thug lmao... shades are there to hide my very tired eyes = =;
Namba Hatch... and since I was so early (there were no barricades set up yet or anything) I wandered around for the next hour locating the lockers in both the JR and the subway. After that I went back outside to wait... and studied while sitting on the steps. Oh yes, I brought my books, very geeky I know, but I have a major test on Thursday that I haven't prepared for D8
my large, bling, shoulder bag lol with this huuuge Moussy canvas tote that i brought along...
i bought Red Bull for the first time evar 8D because i was soo sleepy, i didn't want history to repeat itself (ie. me feeling sleepy when gazette played at PS Carnival *dies*) so.. yeah.
Shades off 8D Sorry if my tired eyes scared you lmao... Okay I know nobody cares about my mug, I'll get on with the report :P
A queue started forming at around 1pm... and the goods started selling at around 2.30pm, which was earlier than I expected. Obviously I was one of the first few in line and when I got to the counter...... *Drumroll* I produced a LIST. And the staff was like O_o "uh can you read it out to me item by item" so I was like "okay you asked for it". And I think I spent like... lol 20mins at the counter = =; the person behind me was totally going wtf... = =; And after I got all the stuff, the staff was kind enough to give me a cardboard box so I can carry them away from the counter...
WILL YOU LOOK AT THIS CRAZY BOX OF SHITZ ROFL... I swear, everyone was staring at me ~_~;; Obviously, since it looks like enough stuff for the entire a9 community to share lmao...
stuff for myself... including a box of "ARISEN" = alice in senbei = alice nine. rice crackers ROFL. it was 1200yen *_* but the box was SO CUTE it won me over. there are 5 rice crackers with "alice nine" printed on them. and a trading card - i got a Tora card (with Pon at the back). and... i (Gasp!) ate one of the crackers XDDD hey, i wanted to find out how a9 tastes as crackers lol... but it's just the typical supermarket senbei lmao... i don't want to eat the rest of them though, i should frame them up or something lmao.
So after I got the stuff, I carried the box and rushed back to the station to get a locker... No, let me correct that: I TRIED to rush. Oh god, the box was SO HEAVY and my back was strained and by the time I reached the lockers my arms were shaking =o=;; YOU GUYS... remind me never to do this again (jk, jk)... So I unpacked the box and transferred everything into my giant canvas bag and thankfully it managed to fit just right. Then I headed back to the lobby of Hatch, sat down, and kinda nodded off for like an hour lol... After that the guards started calling ticket numbers in order... And well, my ticket no. was like WAAAAY in the back (ugh lousy ticket), so when I finally got inside after 30mins of waiting in the cold... I was barely able to see the stage D: And most of the people in the back were TALL -cries- I had to spend HALF the concert just tiptoeing and craning my neck and trying to catch a glimpse of alice nine. between bobbing heads and hands T___T it was slightly depressing... but thank god I found a spot in which I could constantly see SHOU between the sea of heads... and most of the time Saga and Tora.
But for Hiroto fans... I'm sorry, but I couldn't see Hiroto AT ALL.. for like 90% of the concert. No matter how much I jumped, craned, squeezed or turned, I couldn't see him D: It was unfortunate. He did run over to the left side sometimes and to the centre, so those were the only times I could see him. It was rather sad not to be able to see him play his guitar solos DDDDD: Also... 80% of the time I was staring at Shou and Saga so uhhhh apologies in advance to Tora, Pon and Nao fans if I don't write so much about them.
Okay, the sucky parts over, I still managed to jump and even headbang a bit XD;; And because my brain is completely scrambled right now, I stole this setlist off a fanblog (yes someone actually blogged about it before me, omg). I'm not going to describe EVERY SONG, just interesting and memorable parts... while my memory hasn't failed me yet 8D;
Untitled Vandal(ism) #1 @ Namba Hatch 30.03.09
CROSS GAME
Yes they opened with Cross Game :D So it was a very genki start. Shou's voice was very clear and strong <3
WHITE PRAYER
Shou then starts shouting in that low, hoarse growling voice (which I LOVE.. LOVE LOVE LOOOOVE... I just love his growls lol) and then White Prayer begins. Very energetic, everyone was jumping and getting into it.
www.
OMGGGGG EPIC SONG. I love all the instrumentals here, the bass is so smexy. and I have to say, the accoustics at Hatch are pretty good, because even though the guitar and bass very really loud, Shou's voice wasn't overwhelmed. Then again Shou's voice is pretty strong, so it was great. He wasn't off-tune AT ALL, it was amazing. I love this song sooo much. And I loved it when Saga did back-up vocals, though you can't really hear it XD;
(MC)
Shou greets everyone, says they're very happy to be in Osaka. Then he starts talking about Osaka being famous for takoyaki, and he ate some takoyaki today XDD Then he said, "I love tako (octopus). Right now I am really in love with tako... and so with that love of octopus I have right now, I bring you a very happy but cool song..." <-- LOL SHOU WTF YOU'RE SO SILLY.
RAINBOWS
Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh the epic arisu song 8D omg omg -dances- I love this song... though Pon's guitar solo sounded a bit different, I don't know if he switched some of the keys intentionally or what. Oh I forgot to describe the stage - it was simple but really pretty, there was a huge Vandalize graphic backdrop in black & white, and there were these 5 or 6 really long (ie. ceiling to stage floor) lantern like things... it's like those long tubes (kinda like those at Ikea, where you store stuff in those little segments? lmao...) covered in a stretchy cloth, and they are lighted up inside, so they often change colors. Very cool.
Kiss twice,Kiss me deadly
PROBABLY MY FAVOURITE PERFORMANCE. OH.MY.GOD. It's not my favourite song on the album....
BUT IT'S SOOOO SEXY WHEN PLAYED LIVE.
OMFG -FOAMS AT MOUTH- this song HAS to be watched live.
IT'S SUCHA FUCKING SEXY SONG excuse my language... 8D
BBBUT SRSLYYYYY TOOO HOOOOTTTTTT FOR WORDS
Shou was like... omg he was HIGH or having a hard-on |D
Because he kept HIPPING. lmao. Like... kinda swaying his hips left and right slowly and uh somewhat seductively I guess lol BUT HE'S TOO CUTE XDDD
But when combined with his voice...... omg, I don't know about the rest of you, but this is the first time I ever truly thought "OMG SHOU IS SEXY." Yes. He was really... sexy 8D *drools* Arrghgalkdsjfklksdj it was sucha sexy songgggggg LOLLLL sorry my reporting skillz are complete fail.
And. Most importantly. My OTP dream (almost) came true................ 8DDDDDDDD
YESSIR SHOUxSAGA FANSERVICE MWAHAHAHAHHAHAHA
In front of my eyes, no less *_* even though there were still a thousand heads and hands in my view..
So Shou was singing with one leg on the mini stage, then Saga saunters over with his bass, and Saga was already playing his bass like the bass was part of him XD (lol srsly it looked like he was molesting the bass lmaoooo) and then he stands in front of Shou, Shou turns to him, and then he leans towards Saga AND OMFFFGGGG THEIR FACES WERE SO CLOSE SO CLOSE MY BRAIN DIED it was just like... 3 INCHES AWAY FROM A KISS WTF *JAW CRASHES TO THE FLOOR* and they just hovered there and lingered for a moment and all the girls were screaming lol...
coughs. Kiss me deadly indeed.
Oh. and. SHOU LICKED HIS MIC. SHOU LICKED HIS MIC. SHOU LICKED HIS MIC.
enough said.
ハイカラなる輪舞曲
Old school arisu!! yayyyyy XD
And... OMFG SAGA'S SOLO OMFG. sorry I'm a Saga fangirl but omfg.
His bass solo, where he goes up on the mini stage and does his thang.... he actually changed the solo a little bit from the usual one.... it sounded amazingggggggg and then HE DID HIS SIGNATURE LICK WITH A TWIST... kinda like, he only licked the bass for a short moment then kinda held it horizontally while sort of making out with it XDDDDDJust for a short while tho hehe.
*fans self* I can't believe I didn't pass out.
(MC)
Shou says: "It's so hot here... as you all have probably noticed, the little fox around my neck has escaped (lol he's referring to that fur that was part of his outfit) since the start... and also Saga and Hiroto's jackets have also escaped ne." Heheheheh Saga was soooo sexy in his see-through black shirt right from the start XD
Can't remember what else was said during this segment D|
But then Shou goes "and so we want to give a present to all of you... this song...."
And the opening bars start playing AND I SCREAM LOLLLL (i was the only one who let out a shriek in my area, people mustve been like wtf).... b-but... how could I not, when it was the opening bars to...
銀の月 黒い星
8DDDDDDDDDDDDD
my wish came true omggggg i was SO HAPPY... this is like one of my fav ever old school a9 songs... omgggggggggg
イレイザー
Now this came as a surprise... I suppose it was special for this particular livehouse. Not my fav song, but it was pleasant enough.
イノセンス
(MC)
百花繚乱
OMG HAKKA RYORAN... def one of my fav songs from Vandalize... i loooove this song so much but IT WAS SO GOOD LIVE, so much so that i didn't even know i could headbang to that uptempo opening stanza 8D;; man but i was so hyper when i heard it being played that i kinda just suddenly lost it and headbanged (prob because the 2 girls next to me headbanged every chance they could lol... quite a scene, since the kids at the back don't really move as much as those in the front)... or maybe it was the Red Bull. lol.
And I just want to point out how CUTE Shou's headbanging was XDDDDDDDD
TOO CUTE SHOU YOU ARE TOO CUTE. he'll kind of go like... you know, just bending his neck and body over, forwards, not side by side, and kinda in slow motion LMAO it was too cute.
i need to pause here for a second and write about how CUTE shou is. omg i think this live just made my love for shou increase a hundred fold. SOOOOO CUUUUUUTE i love all his random little actions, the snaps of his head, the movements of his hands, his facial expressions and squints... everything about him is LOVE, cute and fluffy, and so precious. He was so genki and always smiling at us.... you can tell he really puts his whole heart into performing, you know. You can tell it's not ACTING. his blog entry right before this live talked about how he felt lives were the time when he wanted to be the most honest to himself and to the audience, and i think he proved himself <3
九龍 -NINE HEADS RODEO SHOW-
great headbanger but i didn't headbang lol.
Drella
actually i think Drella can be a little strange performed live... it sounded a little too repetitive at times and even the fans weren't as active, i dunno... and the zzzzzzz part was just... rofl. nobody knew how to react, except shou, because he wins at flailing and strange arm movements.
and i THINK it was this song, can't be sure, but it was hilarious because at one point, Shou headed over to Tora and was probably planning on some fanservice lol... like he'll try leaning close to Tora, but everytime he did Tora would just face him and kind of have like the guitar between them, then back away slowly... LOL I AM SERIOUS, IT WAS HILARIOUS WATCHING TORACCHI BACK AWAY UNTIL THE EDGE OF THE STAGE... lol and shou didn't even notice... he just... kinda moved away later lol
昴
Shou was really looking... smexy again 8D At the start of the song, he was like sweating and out of breath from singing two heavy songs, and he goes in this breathy voice "hikari wo kashite kure" (lend me your light) i dunno, i just found it so commanding and... sexy XDD So we all got out our penlights.
FANTASY
everyone was SQUEALING... omgggggggg this was like the 2nd surprise for Osaka... i can't believe they played this!!!!!!!! <33 But Shou's voice was cracking a little and getting quite hoarse... ><
the beautiful name
OMG THIS WAS AMAZING.
before the actual song started, Shou sang a verse in english, a completely unheard of introductory version... AND SAGA PLAYED THE KEYBOARD. well mostly just chords, but the whole thing was sooo magical... no guitar, no drums, no bass, just shou's voice reverberating and Saga's keyboard.
OMG SxS combination is just too amazing.
nicely done.
ブループラネット
ShouxPon being cute and smiley with each other... Pon did smile abit everytime I could see him, so that was good... He needs to smile more!! He's been acting too aloof and cool lately, though he IS getting rather smexy too. His hair tonight was up in this... I don't know how to describe it, kinda like have all the bangs braided down and the back part all poofing out. Somethiing like what Aki (SID) always does. I dunno, it was hot, I love hairdo's like that... Pon was looking really hot with all his smoky eye make-up XD
RED CARPET GOING ON
a9 genki-ness
-ENCORE-
soooo fast D:
encore started with Nao and Saga coming onto the stage first, doing a drums + bass performance.
ARGHHHH I DUNNO... SAGA REALLY SEEMS TO HAVE BECOME 1 WITH HIS BASS TONIGHT *v* everytime he plays my mind just goes all.. lusty and melts lol.
After his solo... HE LIES DOWN ON THE MINI STAGE (the thing where shou stands on usually). basically, his head is pointing towards the audience n his feet point towards the drum set. get the picture? then he LIFTS UP his legs, like 90 degree upwards, then spreads it open in a v-shape *ASKDFJASLDFJK* and starts wriggling his feet.
LOLLLLLLLLL WTF SAGA your silly movements is already giving me evil thoughts.
And then............ those thoughts kind of became REALITY *Q*
too bad it wasn't shou.... but Pon came out next with his guitar, strumming away.. then seeing Saga like that (who could resist?!), he went over, laughed at Saga, AND THEN POSITIONED HIMSELF BETWEEN SAGA'S LEGS (which were still raised up in the air in a V shape) and continues playing....
AND THEN... SAGA CLAMPS HIS LEGS AROUND PON'S WAISTLSDKFLAFJ;AFJ;
*BRAIN DEATH*
ALSKDFJ;LDSJFL;ASJ;LASD
AND UHHH ALSFK;A
IDUDNNO; HOW TO EPLAALDSIN THISAAD
OK. basically they both continued playing their instruments but Pon kind..of.. starts... humping no just like, uh, rocking himself forward omgsrslylookedlikehewashumpingsagaomfffgggmybrain 8D yeah that's it. ahahaha. then saga lets him go and then shou comes on stage to start the MC.
(MC)
Shou begins talking about how they really like Kansai etc, then says "Okay, now let's hear from the members. How about... Saga with the very sexy hairstyle tonight?" lollllllll i LOVE it... he ALWAYS calls saga sexy, it's so cute it's almost embarassing. Saga looks embarassed indeed lol.
So then the Prince goes "yeah we love Osaka, Kansai people are really passionate and friendly..." then he sorta trails off and loses his train of thought and just goes "...hai" for a moment... the audience all crack up and then someone shouts "GAMBARE!!!! (you can do it)" n Saga is just like, SILENT LMAO... Shou goes, "Come on Saga..." and Saga looks embarassed again at not knowing what to say, so he gestures to Tora instead, trying to make Tora take over the MC, but all the fans go "EHHHHHHHHHHH" and Shou laughs and says "Saga, nigeccha dame yo! (you can't escape from this!)" in a REALLY CUTESY VOICE -dies- and all the fans are screaming again lol... then Shou, still looking at Saga, says "Saga is cute... ah this is embarassing"
I THINK MY BRAIN DIED FOR THE 100TH TIME.
In the end Saga says something vague about coming back to Osaka again lol.
Ok moving on lmao. Tora was funny, he began by growling "OOORRRGGHHHHH OSAKAAAA" lollllll YES YOU ARE MANLY TORACCHI <3 Then he said "okay, even though it's the encore, alot of you shouldn't be tired yet, but those of you who are, please go home. those are not, stay and have fun ok? yoroshiku." THUD. ROFL WUT.
Then Shou asks Nao about his thoughts.
Nao: "I'm very grateful to Namba Hatch actually... you know my parents were very strict with me as a child... i was made to take Sadou (japanese tea ceremony) and Jyuku (tuition)... then I became a musician and they were surprised. But after alice nine. became more successful... the first time they came and supported me was here at Hatch!" And the audience all clap and cheer for him XD
Finally Shou asks Pon to share a little.
Pon: "Well, you know, my hair is kind of looking like a samurai right now.... it's lethal, it can kill, like Battousai."
Shou: "Oh right, that's the character from that ancient manga series Rurouni Kenshin right?"
Pon: "Hey, don't call it ancient!! Our ages will be revealed!!"
Shou: (laughing) "Right...ok... how about at the next live, I start call you... Himura Hiroshin (the character's name is Himura Kenshin)"
Pon: "Doesn't sound like it's too different (laughs)"
Shou: "(laughing too) You're right"
春夏秋冬
AASDLFJAFJASLDFJ I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY PLAYED THIS TOO. oh wow. we're so lucky! the setlist was great tonight, srsly.
平成十七年七月七日
Water fall
SOOOOO HAPPY THEY PLAYED THIS AS A CLOSING... i was starting to get worried because i know that they didn't play this during one of their lives in another venue... omg i love this song... it was really moving, the bridge made me want to cry actually, but it's the kind of song that moves you and makes you smile at the end rather than tearing up, you know? it was such a lovely finish <3
And so that was it >< Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh i love them. i love a9 so much!! i wish i had someone to go with, but those who couldn't attend, i hope this report suffices XD
anyway... the journey back to kyoto was HELL, the late night trains were squeezy, my shoulders were dying from lugging the bags around, i was exhausted mentally n physically (red bull wore off i guess lol) and i had to take like 4 lines + taxi back =_=
Okay, now I'm finally, finally going to crash zzzzzzzzzzz