一つしか翼が残ってなくても

Whee~

reeshya — Sat, 07 May 2011 19:31:33 GMT

I kissed a girl, and a strange boy - and I liked it! XD

Autographed 100 Monkeys Calendar for help_japan

reeshya — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 07:47:36 GMT

Thanks to sainterre for the idea (sort of). ♥
-----

** SOLD **
I am offering: ** AUTOGRAPHED ** 100 Monkeys "Swimsuit" Calendar
- Signed by members: Jackson Rathbone, Ben Graupner, Ben Johnson, Jerad Anderson, Uncle Larry
- Purchased from 100 Monkeys Monkeymart (at the time of this posting, item is no longer listed).

Fandoms (if appropriate): 100 Monkeys, Jackson Rathbone, Ben Graupner, Ben Johnson, Jerad Anderson, Uncle Larry, Movies: Twilight, The Last Airbender, Girlfriend

Additional Info:
- Pics of each month can be found at here. This is NOT my site. They are NOT my pics.
- Pictures of actual item and autographs can be made available to the winning bidder prior to donation if requested.
- Copies of original order/receipt from 100 Monkeys Monkeymart can also be provided for authenticity.

Starting Bid (in USD): $35.00 + shipping
* Shipping costs will depend on the packaging and delivery method requested, as well as the destination. Please message me if you have any questions or would like quotes.

Preferred Charities:
Japanese Red Cross (link for those in Japan)
International Medical Corps
Music For Relief
Shelter Box

Please reply to THIS POST to bid.

x-posted: + | +

[Live Report] Dir en grey

reeshya — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:30:45 GMT

Apologies & Disclaimers
First off, I'd like to apologize to everyone who went with me. You guys are so awesome and wonderful, it pains me to think I might have gotten you all sick. T-T I can't regret the way things fell out though and you guys of all people would know that. Can you imagine what might have happened if I'd stayed home and found out what I'd missed? I would have gone ballistic. Beyond insane ballistic.

Anyway, it must be some kind of rule that I have to be in not-so-optimal physical condition whenever Dir en grey comes to town. The first time (Showcase @ The Wiltern), I was just out of major surgery and had to be in a wheelchair. The second and third (The Wiltern & Avalon), I was fighting a cold. Last Saturday though, felt the worst of them all, even post-surgery. I think I had the flu. I was on medication so it was somewhat bearable but my throat still hurt and I had a fever by the time we walked into the venue.

Though I'd like to blame some of my incoherency during the live to that, once the lights went down and the band came on, I was riding an adrenaline rush so high almost nothing mattered. It made no difference that I deliberately had not listened to Dir en grey in over 3 months, focusing my obsessive nature on something else entirely. I had listened to Uroboros once, while I was getting ready for the show but I didn't actually process it. Once the music started though and I saw the band in front of me, it was as if I'd never left. Every emotion I'd ever felt concerning them and their music came surging back in full force. Nothing else mattered.

DIR EN GREY (with The Human Abstract)
[ November 29, 2008 ] 20:00
The Wiltern LG - Los Angeles, CA

Arrival & Pre-show
We arrived about 2 hours before doors opened- late considering this is a Dir en grey show- so I was surprised to see the line not even past the parking structure. When I had lined up about the same time for Jrock Revolution, the crowd was almost completely around the building. The bus was parked in its customary spot and we ended up in line near the entrance of the parking structure, a little behind the bus. When night fell, we noticed flashes going off from the photography lights set up near the front end but didn't investigate. We munched fried chicken from Ralphs and chatted, watching people go by.

Our entire group had gotten floor tickets but due to my quickly deteriorating condition (I had been prepared at that point to huddle against the back wall and just listen without seeing anything) and the fact that decent tickets still seemed to be available in the Loge section (we pretty much couldn't get in the pit anyway), we decided to try to switch our tickets for seats. That gambit paid off swimmingly as we were given practically front row seating in the lowest balcony section (Loge). I could curl up and still have the best view. CDs for the signing and other merch procured, jackets and hoodies in coat check, we headed to our seats and settled in, amusing ourselves as everyone else did with the giant text screen set up in front. That was new. I'd seen them at larger venues but this was the first time in one this size.

The Human Abstract seemed interesting at first- certainly I was drawn to some of the guitar work in the first two songs- but something about the vocalist's voice wasn't helping my oncoming headache so I had to step outside. Some of my friends followed and we hung out in front of the bar for the rest of their set.

We returned to our seats sometime during intermission. Everyone was still reading and reacting to the texts flashing onscreen. On stage, Shinya's drumkit had been assembled. It's steadily gotten bigger and more complex as the overseas tours go on but now it's truly a monstrosity- surrounding him on all sides. There was even what looked like a third bass drum hanging behind him on his right side. I marveled at the fact that he not only could use all that equipment, but that he was going to do it live. Kuroo seemed to have things well in hand for Kaoru and Toshiya as Kenji made final adjustments on the behemoth drum set up. Die's non-Japanese roadie (not sure if it was Rick again or what) tested his guitars and mic, then brought out his acoustic which had me squeaking to the rafters in glee. Another guy came out to help with the mic and I prayed they would keep Die's equipment well in hand. The Wiltern has traditionally not been a good venue for Die and I wanted him to have at least one good night there. I knew it was close to starting time when the water bottles appeared- two for Kaoru, one water and one beer each for Die and Toshiya.

There were a few chants in the audience of "Dir en grey!" as the roadies completed setup. I remember my friend and I being amused at the various pronunciations. The stage finally emptied, and the lights went down.

Setlist:
Sa Bir

OBSCURE
GRIEF
Agitated Screams of Maggots

Disabled Complexes
The Fatal Believer
蜷局　[toguro]
凌辱の雨 [ryoujoku no ame]

Agitated Screams of Maggots -unplugged-

Conceived Sorrow
Glass Skin
The Final

- Kyo a capella -

Hydra -666-*
audience KILLER LOOP*
Dozing Green
Merciless Cult
REPITITION OF HATRED

Encore
鼓動 [kodou]
凱歌、沈黙が眠る頃* [gaika, chinmoku ga nemuru koro]
朔-saku-*
CLEVER SLEAZOID*
IIID EMPIRE

*unsure of exact order
--

The show started with Sa Bir which would have been a good choice to set the mood had it not been drowned out with screaming by the time the guys made it onstage. Shinya walked in first and it looked like he had to be helped into the center of his monstrous drum set up. Kenji assisted and took his place on the floor to Shinya's left (Die side), in front of a laptop. I'm assuming he's in charge of the BGM as well. Kaoru sauntered in next, followed by Toshiya who immediately took a swig of beer as soon as he reached his post. Die came in after that, riling us up a little before falling back to his beer as well. I almost missed Kyo's entrance but he made me sit up and notice when he screamed "EEEEERRRRRRUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! (LA)" from his platform. I was surprised but pleased he made the effort before launching into the first song.

I'd briefly skimmed through a few live reports so was unsurprised when they kicked off with OBSCURE. It's never really been one of my favorites so I was able to sit back a little and observe the band- well, in my case, mostly Die. Despite being dressed in the same white Chrome Hearts tank top and dark jeans, he bore little resemblance to figure he cut at the hide memorial live. I could still make out vague outlines of ribs beneath his shirt, but he'd filled out a bit. Truth be told, he looked fantastic and better than I'd seen him in a while. With a red bandanna tied around his wrist and fringed belt swaying at his backside, he bounced around making me wonder for a split second if his jeans had holes in the rear. I think they just had white back pockets. Kyo was shirtless and blonde, clad only in black track pants with white running stripes. Shinya was in a white tank top, possibly a shirt with the sleeves cut off. Toshiya was also in a white shirt, pony hair flailing everywhere. Kaoru was in black, I think a button up, short sleeve shirt and jeans.

The backdrop was gorgeous- I wish I had taken pictures of it. I didn't pay much attention to the video feed after that, only noted the giant Mayan eye obscuring everything including the OBSCURE vid funnily enough.

It was GRIEF that woke me up. I wasn't expecting it at all. The violence in the music was only accentuated by the exploding Mayan eye and the insane headbanging onstage that drove everyone to do the same. The audience managed to chant most of the "SHUT UP" and "FUCK YOU!" parts and got the scream right. Kyo led us in clapping as usual- it's really one of the most fun parts of the song. Die and Toshiya came close to the edge of the stage right before the high-pitched scream to egg us on.

Refusing to let up on the momentum, they plowed right into Agitated Screams of Maggots, easily one of my favorites since I love hearing Die growling his part. Both he and Toshiya have greatly improved since they first started performing it. From the first grating guitar riff to Kyo's opening scream, the pit was in a frenzy. A mosh pit started near the back of the 1st tier. I was glad to not be anywhere near it.

As intense as the first set had been, the short break that followed was surely a welcome one. Next up, was Disabled Complexes which was again a surprise to me. Another favorite since I'd first heard it in Yokohama, it was good to experience it again. Kyo's added a few dance moves to his repertoire, his sinuous body undulating with the music. I think he even threw some subtle hip hop footwork in there. His voice was truly eerie during the first "because you exist, because I was raped by you" line. The song was heavy and chill-inducing, especially when the audience joined him chanting "PSYCHO KILLER!" in the end.

Due of my recent abstinence of Diru, I didn't recognize The Fatal Believer when it started. I could sing it fine, I just couldn't remember the title for the life of me. It was Toshiya who impressed me with his backup screams during his parts. I had a note on my phone about Die during this song but I can't remember what he did exactly. Perhaps he was just really into it. "KILL MYSELF!" and "KILL THEM ALL WITH THE CRAZY HAMMER!" were the chants here.

The only reason I recognized 蜷局　[toguro] was because Kaoru started it and it was unfamiliar. I'd heard the song once, maybe twice tops but I was struck by its driving bassline and moving refrain. This was another song Kyo allowed his body to positively groove through- an entirely successful endeavor given the screams in the crowd. The wailing guitar towards the end of this was so mesmerizing I neglected to check which guitarist was responsible. Excellent performance though, and brilliant execution.

Something about the way Die plays 凌辱の雨 [ryoujoku no ame] makes it very compelling to watch. Apparently this was the Kyo dance set because he was able to do that to this song as well. I've actually seen this type of dancing before- I just can't place it. It's very primal. This is still one of my favorites live for some reason. Maybe because I just love watching Die.

The next segment sounded like Agitated Screams of Maggots -unplugged- since I heard the piano in the background but I'm honestly not sure what Kyo was doing here. I remember him curled up on his platform. Toshiya and Shinya stayed onstage for most of it. Kaoru disappeared and Die went off with his beer. There were... faces projected on Shinya's drums. They looked vaguely feminine and their mouths were moving, almost as if they were singing along with Kyo. The effect was singularly creepy. Toshiya went offstage for a while near the end.

When the acoustic was set up, I immediately screamed, knowing Conceived Sorrow was next. I hadn't had the pleasure of hearing this live and it did not disappoint. For one heart-stopping moment, I thought Die's guitar was off because it was so loud but it was fine. I loved the interplay between Kaoru's intricate guitar lines and Die's answering acoustic. And of course, there was Kyo's off-mic performance. Absolutely breathtaking if you're able to ignore fans screaming at odd times. I'm thoroughly impressed with Kyo's lungs- he's able to project much louder than I've heard him in the past.

Not every setlist on this tour has included Glass Skin so I was ecstatic to hear the first strains of it when it started. I fell in love with the song the minute I heard it and was curious to see how they would perform. It was as beautiful as I could have imagined, Die's rhythm anchoring Kaoru's soaring notes. The last chord just hung in the air. Gorgeous.

Ever since I heard that they stopped playing The Final in Japan (or at least minimized it), I had resigned myself to the idea that this live would be my first ever without hearing it. I knew they started playing it sporadically on this tour but I didn't think we would get it. I was wrong. I screamed when it started and just let go. I hadn't heard this in almost 6 months yet I still knew the words. My hand still went up during the refrain. It was like coming home. The arrangement was a little different, adding an interesting flavor to it. This song has never failed to touch me emotionally whenever I hear it live or otherwise. That night was no exception.

According to my haphazard notes (texted into my phone when I had the presence of mind to think about it), Kyo's second solo was next. I've seen other live reports that place audience KILLER LOOP after The Final though so I don't know. For now, I'll go by my notes but feel free to make corrections if I'm wrong. Die disappeared again during the solo. I was absently watching his side, absorbing Kyo's dissonance when I saw Nora dart in to snatch Die's beer bottle off his cabinet. Briefly, I wondered why he couldn't get it himself but figured he might have just forgotten it. I'm glad they kept this solo in as I think I like it better than ASOM -unplugged- but I'm curious why Kyo has to continue performing while the others get a to rest. One would think he would be the one who needed the break the most. Then again, maybe that's the point. He wants to keep up the intensity. Moving on.

Die came in from the break chugging a fresh bottle of beer. Again, not sure of the order here so please correct me if I'm wrong. Hydra-666- was the second song I couldn't name at the time. I remembered most of it though and noticed (with a little glee) that Die's sound seemed to have gotten turned up. His parts were coming in much clearer and louder than the rest. It could have been because we were closer to his side but I hadn't noticed it until he started ripping into this song. Toshiya's growl again made itself evident. I hadn't realized how low his voice could get. This song is like a wolf snapping and shredding you with its teeth. Though I was sitting down, I still felt a little shaken up when it was over.

audience KILLER LOOP could have been before or after that but my notes had it after. This was the last of the songs I couldn't remember. In retrospect, I don't know how I could have forgotten with the twin tremolos starting that sweet guitar solo but out of the entire playlist, it was probably the song I hadn't heard in the longest time. Unfortunately, I was too distracted trying to name it to pay attention to much else.

Shinya of course had been a driving force all night but he really made me sit up and take notice during Dozing Green. The guitar work here was excellent as well, especially towards the end. Die's tremolo in the 2nd verse seemed a little slower or more muted than usual but it sounded fine overall and was still fun to watch. I can't get over how fast his hand has to move to pull it off. This was the third song in a row he'd had to do it and I wondered if he was starting to tire. Kyo's screams at the end still make my hair stand on end.

Merciless Cult was another surprise. It translates wonderfully live with easy to remember chanting sequences. I'm not sure if I just didn't hear anything because we were in the balcony but it sounded like no one else was screaming "GASP FOR BREATH." I hope there were some in the pit. I think this was the song Kyo tried to let us sing a part of (aside from "The Final" of course) but I couldn't hear much response. Again, Die's parts were loud and clear- I love his chords in the 2nd verse. He had to do some fast strumming here but that sounded fine.

REPITITION OF HATRED heralded the return of the twin guitar gods. Back in the 2006 Showcase show, I noted Kaoru and Die anchoring each side of the stage during Spilled Milk as mirror images of each other. Whether it was on purpose or not, they did it again at some point during this- both turned either towards or away from the stage (I can't remember which), one leg bent (possibly up on respective amps), guitar necks up at nearly the same angle. At this point, I was starting to realize that Toshiya's growl has truly become an animal of its own. This was also the song where Die for some reason decided to SIT on the side of the stage behind one of his huge amps so that all that was visible of him- if you where looking straight on- were his legs from the knees down, kicking a little up and down. He seemed fairly amused about something but I don't know if he was just tiring out or what.

The best bit was towards the end- everyone left the stage save the two guitarists, continuing to duel but grinning at each other the whole time. It's the first time I've seen them play around like that and their dynamic was fascinating. Die seemed to defer to Kaoru, glancing over at him at least twice- either that or he was checking to see if he was winning the impromptu battle. Finally, Kaoru cut out and Die followed a second later, guitar wailing as it faded. Die threw out his pick immediately and headed off seemingly in good spirits. It was nice to see him somewhat happy for a change as he's always seemed grumpy at the Wiltern. Last year, he even threw his guitar down after the show. Kaoru tossed out his pick as well and pointed in our direction on the balcony before disappearing with a wave.

Interestingly, there were no shouts of "ENCORE" or "AN-KO-RU," at least that I could remember. I was a little amazed. Did everyone collectively agree not to do it? The only chant that started up was "DIR EN GREY" and a few clapping patterns. Eventually, the band reappeared wearing the same clothes as earlier. This is the first time I'd seen them not change for an encore. Interesting.

鼓動 [kodou] could not have shocked me more than if they played undecided or something from kisou and earlier. If I'd read more live reports, I probably would have had more warning but as things stood, it was one of the last songs I thought I'd hear. For some reason, I also love watching Die and Kaoru between verses, rocking out with the pedals. I screamed when Kyo screamed, sang when he sang. This song almost generates the same reaction now as The Final for me. It just completely takes me over.

The next three songs again could be in any order. I wasn't noting much down during the encore (I'd pretty much only been typing in song titles anyway) so I could enjoy the final moments. 凱歌、沈黙が眠る頃 [gaika, chinmoku ga nemuru koro] started off with a pretty little melody but quickly descended into a series of growls and snarls to pounding drums. I'd have to be deaf not to take note of Shinya here. Despite his quiet demeanor and slight frame, he is a madman unleashed back there given the right song and this was definitely one of those. I'd only heard the song once before (and wasn't paying attention) but I knew it was coming from previous live reports. The guitar work surprised me here- in between the crazy shredding and pounding were some really interesting little runs.

Like OBSCURE, I've never been able to muster up much enthusiasm for 朔-saku-. It's a good live song- certainly an audience favorite but it just doesn't do much for me. So I dutifully headbanged- killing my neck in the process (but I wouldn't find that out until the next day)- and waited it out.

CLEVER SLEAZOID is probably one of the two songs I miss being in a Japanese audience with the most (the other being "THE IIID EMPIRE"). The scream and answer, the "HOI!" addition in the refrain- it's just so much more engaging when all of you are interacting with the band instead of just letting them perform for you. Anyway, enough of that. With the screaming and the lyrics, sometimes it's easy to overlook the brilliant guitar work running through this entire song. Since Die's setup was still amplifying every single note he played over everyone else's, I could hear every little flourish and nuance he added- and absolutely loved it. There's so much going on with the guitars, the magnified performance made it that much more fun for me. This is also when I screamed myself raw. Apologies yet again to my friends, one of whom said they could hear me louder than Kyo at one point. ^^ Sorry.

Part of me wondered if they were going to end here since they'd played 4 songs already but I didn't want them to. Aside from it signaling the end of the show, I really really wanted to hear THE IIID EMPIRE. But then Kyo stood up on his platform and screamed "RASSST SONNNGGGG!!!!" multiple times. I knew I was thrashing my throat when I screamed back. I didn't care. Die's guitar pierced the air. I forgot I had a fever as I jumped around in my seat to Kyo's prompting. "KOKKAHANEIKOKKAHANEIKOKKA!!" Even if I was the only one doing it, it didn't matter. Kaoru and Die finally switched sides and spent a riff or two playing to each other. Toshiya snarled and growled into his mic like he was going to crunch it up and spit the pieces at us. And that was before the epic "SPAAAAAAAARK AND SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK!!!!" which all but shook the rafters. There is absolutely no other feeling that comes even close to the pure rush this song forces out of me. The fact that it's now usually the last song adds an even more frenetic edge to it. Every high point, every conjured moment of agony induced during the entire live coalesced into that final scream which was echoed by almost everyone in the audience. Relief, joy, pain, and sorrow blended into that one release. And hope- that they would return and we could go through this entire thing all over again.

All three guitarists gathered at the drumset for the final crashing note. Kyo walked off almost immediately afterwards. I hoped he was okay. Die sprayed water (had he even drunk any?) over his faithful and sent the bottle flying towards us up in the balcony. It fell short of course but I laughed and screamed anyway, appreciating the gesture. On the other side, Toshiya was busy throwing picks and spraying water as well. His bottle attempt didn't get even anywhere near Die's. I doubt any of them saw but I gave him two thumbs down. I think he went off after that because the next thing I remember was Kaoru on Kyo's platform, raining picks over the center crowd. Die stood behind him, patiently waiting for his turn it seemed, a smile brightening his features. With one last fist pump, Kaoru headed off as well and Die sauntered front, tossing out pick after pick, even going to his mic stand and running his hand over the red row to collect the rest before walking the length of the stage to distribute. This was probably the most animated I've seen him in this venue after a live and I was so happy to see him looking pleased with us for once.

Then came my third biggest surprise of the night so far- the first being The Final, the second being 鼓動 [kodou]. Because we were in the balcony, I was resigned to not getting water splashed on me. It was virtually impossible, right? It made me a little sad since I'd gotten used to the cool after a live but it wasn't like I needed it anyway since I wasn't in the pit. Apparently (though he was completely unaware), Die had other ideas. He had one more water bottle. He picked it up and started tossing out water as usual and I thought he'd throw it close to the front since he'd already tried for distance the first time.

I was wrong. He looked up, his expression almost impish, maybe even calculating. I screamed and taunted him to get it up to us. I'm not sure what everyone else around me was doing- possibly the same- and I wasn't sure how much he could see but eventually he stepped back a little to gain momentum and hurled the thing straight in our direction. Cold water splashed us as the bottle emptied and wobbled, eventually landing not more than two seats away from me. I was too shocked to move. I couldn't believe it. He'd done it. Not wanting to fight, I turned to watch the girls next to me squabble over the prize, grinning when one came out the victor. I remember that feeling a little. A friend had fought for a similar bottle a year ago and had given it to me. I looked back in time to catch his final wave as he headed off. I hope he was pleased with himself. I was certainly impressed. All this time, Shinya had been waiting patiently for his turn. He paced forward and threw three (I think) drumheads like giant frisbees out into the audience. If he threw drumsticks, I didn't see them. We jumped up and ran for the cd signing.

Random Notes
- Die switched out guitars after almost every song. As soon as he would finish, he'd be over on his side, getting helped into a different guitar, sometimes even before the rest of the band stopped playing.
- Kaoru was the only guitarist tethered to a cord. Die and Toshiya were both free. I have no idea why.
- Die kicked at something behind his amp a few times during a song.
- Kaoru walked back to talk to his tech a few times during the show.
- Die's tech crept out at least twice to adjust cords and mess with things while Die was out front.
- This likely only makes sense to me and my friends but the rooster flap was well in place, accented by the new duck swagger.

Meeting Shinya & Die
There was some confusion as to where the line was going to be (signs at the merch stand still said they were doing it from the stage) but we eventually made it to the right spot and waited. There were no screams to announce the band- something that surprised me again. The line started moving forward and I caught my first glimpse of Shinya's wavy hair as we neared. Then, as if my night couldn't get any better and as if he hadn't surprised me enough, I realized it was Die who had showed up, sitting next to Shinya with that big grin of his, chatting and signing away. Those of you know know me can probably imagine my reaction at that point. I don't think I embarrassed myself but I wasn't really thinking much either. He seemed relaxed and happy; even some of my friends were drawn to his smile. It was a perfect end to an almost perfect night.

Afterwards, we headed to Little Tokyo for some fantastic food. I couldn't have been happier. Well, two things could have made me happier- 1) if I wasn't sick and 2) if they had played 艶かしき安息、躊躇いに微笑み. All in all though, I couldn't really complain. It had been definitely one of the best nights with some of the best friends I could have asked for.

THANK YOU GUYS! THANK YOU DIR EN GREY! And thank you for reading. :) Hope it was marginally enjoyable.

xposted @ dir_en_grey

[LIVE REPORT] HYDE @ HOB-Anaheim (Public Version)

reeshya — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 09:15:38 GMT

HYDE: FAITH LIVE 2006
[July 02, 2006] 21:00
House of Blues - Anaheim, CA

I was actually running around too much to enjoy the opening band, The Black List Club, but what I was able to hear, I loved. Check out their myspace for song samples. I hope they stick around. >.> Apparently the lead guitarist/vocalist used to be the guitarist for Avril Lavigne's band.

I didn't bring my notebook because I figured I'd be standing and didn't want to lose it getting jostled around so you'll have to bear with my memory, apologies.

Hyde appeared around 21:00. Just walked onstage with the rest of the band, guitar-ed up, and broke into the first song.

-----

TRACKLIST:

Jesus Christ
Made in Heaven
It's Sad

Season’s Call
Evergreen (dist.)
Sweet Vanilla

(Instrumental interlude)

Dolly
Perfect Moment
Faith

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Hello
Midnight Celebration

Countdown
Hideaway
Unexpected (dist.)

Credit: chigaretahane

-----

The (going-to-be-infamous-if-it-isn't-already) Engrish intro came after the first segment. I think. I'm pretty sure the end bit introduced one of my favorite songs because I was laughing and spazzing at the same time. I can't recall exactly what he said but there was most likely a greeting, hello, then the bit I couldn't forget:

"I'm happy to see me!"

I think he realized he said something off because he got a little flustered (and made it look cute because hey, this IS Haido). We all laughed but it was with him I'm inclined to think. He got it right on the next pass.

"I'm happy to see you!"
"Are you happy to see me?"

Which of course was answered with a thundering, "YES!" If he said anything after that, it's lost on me but he ended with an absolutely adorable:

"The next song... is going to be in Japanese... IS THAT OKAY????"

What were the LAST three songs, HAIDO? XD But he was starting up "Season's Call" so I quickly forgave him. I absolutely adore that song so was ecstatic when he played it. I figured he would considering it's his newest single but hearing it live was an absolute treat. After the song ended, he sort of smile/smirked at the crowd, gathered his guitar, and started singing softly, strumming his guitar. I screamed when I realized I was mouthing the words. This was a song I had not expected to hear (though given it WAS the remake, I SHOULD have perhaps figured he'd play it but nonetheless). Even though it was the new version, just being able to sing it with him and the rest of the venue... was love. Absolute love. *_* Every concert I've been to has one of those moments where you're singing and the band's singing, and everyone around you is singing, and it's just... beautiful. "Evergreen" was that for me.

We could see the soundbooth perfectly from where we were sitting on the balcony so we thought we knew what was coming up afterwards but Hyde threw in that instrumental and branched off into a few other songs before hitting "Lucy." Which we sang to again. It didn't have the same effect for me as "Evergreen" though we were swaying and headbanging as well as singing along. Maybe I was having too much fun to register a "moment" or something. :p It was great though. Hyde also donned on his acoustic for it which had me screaming as soon as he put it on. I'm an acoustic fan, what can I say? :p

Furuton introduced the band somewhere within the last six songs (told you my memory's shit xp). I think at first no one knew who was speaking because Hyde (who was standing there with his head down) started pointing behind him making all of us laugh. From what I could gather, he's never been? to the US? (before) but loves the west coast. He and Kaz were formerly of Oblivion Dust, a fact that stunned me to silence when I found out since Oblivion Dust was one of my core bands for a long time. These guys were like legends, almost as if I were watching members of Luna Sea or Siam Shade up there. Anyway, he made everyone cheer for everyone in the band and there was a lot of laughter and smiles during his speech, particularly when he sort of brushed off Hyde's intro. :p

The rest of the night sped by in a blur. At 22:00, they left the stage, Hyde throwing a kiss out to the crowd as he toddled off. Drumsticks were tossed out as well. During the break, we were amused by the fans who cheered every time someone walked onstage, including the guy who set their water bottles up on the amps.

About 10-15 minutes later, the band was back. Hyde led us through a countdown (HA HA) from 13 (I think) which amused the HELL out of me. I felt like I was on some warped version of Sesame Street. We managed to successfully make it to one (Hyde, aren't you proud of your smart fans? XD) and they plowed through the rest of the set list. Everyone was jumping and screaming and singing along when they could. At some point, Hyde's guitar tech crept up to him on his knees and motioned for Hyde to give him the guitar. He didn't. The guy motioned again. Finally, Hyde slipped the strap over his neck and grabbed his microphone, immediately leaping on top one of the center amps to belt out to the crowd. I looked over at the tech who, upon receving the instrument, hopped back to his spot on the side and from what I could tell, started playing. I'm not sure what happened there. There was an instance too- I don't remember when it was now- when I think Hyde's mic failed because his tech switched it out. A testament to their professionalism (or my absolute unfamiliarity with some of Hyde's solo stuff), I actually didn't notice the mic died. I want to say Hyde looked like he was just letting the crowd sing again but I'm not sure what I was actually paying attention to at the time. I just noticed they switched the mic and his voice boomed out afterwards.

Right before the very last song, Hyde consulted with KAZ a moment, tuned his guitar a little, and gave his last major speech of the night, thanking us, and asked us in that cute, half-teasing voice of his:

"Will you sing with me?"

"Unexpected" was beautiful, his voice- at first low, soothing, then spiraling up to the chorus. The extended instrumental at the end made it seem like they didn't want to leave the stage, that they wanted to stay and keep playing. It was a perfect end to a wonderful night.

Too soon, they were leaving, Hyde throwing more kisses out to the crowd. Picks were thrown, I don't remember drumsticks. Hyde's tech/assist was skittering onto the stage again before the curtains finished being drawn.

Member Notes:

The guys onstage seemed like they were having an absolute fantastic time. That's really what made this show one of the most entertaining for me. Dir en grey was... an experience but if your guitarist is standing there barely acknowledging the crowd and looking mildly pissed off half the time, the show doesn't quite seem as much fun. From the first song, everyone onstage- the energetic drummer, the crazily flailing keyboardist, the fiery bassist, the bouncing guitarist, and of course, Hyde- made each song so electric, you couldn't help but be drawn in.

The first person I noticed actually (after acknowledging Hyde) was his bassist, Hiroki (thanks again, Aki!). o.o The guy really knows how to work up a crowd. Even if no one knew who he was when the show started, he had everyone on his side practically eating out of his hand as the night progressed. He even got a pink, sparkly bra and a red scarf thrown up at him (though it could be that the fans could only shoot things past security on his side).

KAZ wasn't as hyper as Hiroki but he was amusing to watch. He was doing one of three things every time I looked at him: 1) posing for the crowd; 2) playing madly, head down or headbanging; or 3) doing this jumpy, bouncy, shuffly dance thing that had me cracking up whenever I saw it. I'm describing it badly, apologies. It was great though. XD

The keyboardist, Jin, was... dizzying. Every time I caught a glimpse of him, he was headbanging his white dreads into the keyboard. He wore a white mask too, reminding me of Sussy's new band, Ino Head Park.

Furuton won me over with his little speech mentioned above. He's a fantastic drummer and sadly, I didn't really see much of him during the live because everyone else kept doing things to distract me from him. ^^

Hyde... what can I say? Years of playing stadiums and arenas have taken their toll. XD The man knows how to work a crowd. They all did, as mentioned above but Hyde... when he's singing, it's hard to take your eyes away from him. By the first song, he was already on the amps, teasing the front rows. He screamed, made faces- made a LOT of faces, stuck his tongue out, the works. Occasionally, when he thought we could handle it, he would stop singing and mouth words to us to pick up for him. On "HELLO" in particular, he let the audience sing a lot of it. His energy onstage is boundless- when he wasn't singing, he was bouncing all over the stage and headbanging. Though regularly drawing attention to himself, he's also good at stepping down and letting the other band members shine particularly when they had solos. KAZ would be spotlighted in the middle of the stage and Hyde would be somewhere else being somewhat unobtrusive or leaning in to give a small corner some love. Being used to running up and down Tokyo Dome-sized set-ups, he had no trouble covering every inch of the House of Blues stage, and remembered to direct some attention to the balcony as well. He also managed to use all three microphones (his, Hiroki's, and Kaz's) at least once during the live which was very O_O to me. I keep thinking the background mics are set lower or something so it surprised me to see him using them and that they were at full volume like the rest (or maybe the sound guys are just THAT GOOD and adjusted for him every time).

His look was somewhat scruffy but suited him perfectly. Wearing vertically striped and slashed jeans, a denim vest thing that exposed his arms, and a long grayish patterned shirt with long sleeves, he somehow pulled off a casual rocker look blended with a bit of, well, Hyde. The shirt slipped lower off one exposed shoulder as the night wore on. Part of his angel tattoo became visible as the neckline fell, between the shirt and the vest. Hair flew everywhere but mostly fell perfectly back into place, reminding me of Die's hair at the Dir en grey live. Long bangs covered his eyeliner-rimmed eyes and face for most of the night but he occasionally dragged it back with both hands, mainly to scour and make faces at the crowd.

And his ENGRISH!
"Come on and show me what you have got!"
I think Furuton (or someone) might have coached him a little because towards the end, after the encore, this was shortened to:
"Show me what you've got!"
Hyde is one of those vocalists who seems to like talking to the crowd, even if he's in a foreign country. XD I absolutely admire and appreciate that because that kept me smiling throughout the entire evening. Koshi (Inaba from B'z) did a fantastic job as well when they performed here so I guess that might be the standard but Kyo... *sigh* anyway, Hyde was great.
"Are you having fun?"
"I'm so happy (to be here)!"
"You want to go crazy with me?"
He introduced a few of the songs too, which was good for me. I've heard almost all his solo stuff but haven't been too crazy about much of it so I haven't really listened to everything.

I mentioned it in my spazz post when I got back from the concert last night but his VOICE was amazing throughout the entire live. I wasn't sure what to expect- Hyde's live performances vary during the L'Arc~en~Ciel concert videos I've managed to find. Sometimes he's spot on, others... he seems to get lazy or be tired. He was fantastic last night. Almost everything sounded like the cd if not better. Again, I could be off on this due to my unfamiliarity with Hyde's solo stuff but hey, if he was off, it wasn't obvious to the uneducated. :p Both my brother and I were impressed.

All in all, it wasn't the near-religious experience the Dir en grey live (almost) was, but it was hella fun and my respect for Hyde's music and showmanship has grown in leaps and bounds.

Even if he did slip and girlydance during one of the first songs. XD
-----

NOTE: Corrections/additions to ANY of the above are greatly appreciated, particularly the quotes. I'm not guaranteeing the wording, just the main gist of what was said. I've already mentioned my failing memory, haven't I? :)

For those on my friends list, personal accounts of before and after the show to follow, mainly because I figure everyone else could care less. :p

Thanks for reading!

[EDIT] I'm told he messed up on "Midnight Celebration" and started the chorus too early, then sort of fudged the rest of the song. XD I didn't notice but there it is. ^_^

[Live Report] VOLVO HALLYU: BoA, TVXQ, G.O.D. @ Gibson Amphitheater

reeshya — Sun, 12 Jun 2005 09:50:22 GMT

Ow, ow, I burnt my tongue. I'm back home, eating ramen.

If there are any corrections, please let me know. It's almost 3am and I seriously need to get my ass into bed.

And yes, Micky DID JUMP INTO THE FRONT ROW and had a HELL of a time climbing back up.

VOLVO HALLYU CONCERT: BoA, TVXQ, G.O.D.
[ June 11, 2005 ] 20:30
Gibson Amphitheater - Universal City, CA

[EDIT: As you can see, I've been editing and correcting this post as I remember more or people point things out to me so keep refreshing. ^_~]

----------
We got to the venue early- for the concert anyway. The first half of the night's events consisted of a beauty pageant- Miss Korea (Southern California)- with other cultural presentations. I suppose we could have skipped this but I didn't want to take the chance that they would switch the events around last minute and have the bands perform first. x.x;; The pageant started at 18:00. We arrived around that time and breezed through security. They were mainly checking for video recorders and weapons. They were allowing cameras but there was a sign that said "No Flash Photography." THEY ALLOWED CAMERAS. If I lived a half hour away from the place I would have gladly run home to get mine. x.x;; As it was, I didn't have anything on me except my phone. It turned out we were sitting too far away to take decent phone pics but I'll always wonder now how well the pics would have turned out if I'd brought my digicam. T-T Ah well. The programs were on a table near the entrance, next to the booth passing out brochures and glow sticks. Mine turned out to be blue. *grin* I was happy. We got inside, found our seats and settled down.

[EDIT: There were three large screens- one on the left, center, and right. I didn't spend much time watching them though. They look just like the TV screens after all. ^_~ The live part was onstage so that's what I focused on.]

I won't go into the first half too much. I didn't understand 99% of whatever was going on anyway, even with the off and on interpreting of one of the hosts. >_>;; Some of the cultural presentations were interesting. I particularly enjoyed the last one which featured a pack of people, most on drums, with long ribbons attached to their hats, dancing to drum and what sounded like bagpipe music. I'm sure it was a different instrument but moving on. Anyway, these guys (and girls?) hopped and cavorted about the stage, swirling the ribbons over their heads. It's like watching a tall flags team go through its paces except the flag is attached to your head and you're beating a small drum-like instrument. Absolutely fascinating stuff. But it wasn't until after intermission when the real entertainment began.

Image credit: g1n_moos from soompi. (forum thread)

BoA
- My Name
- My Prayer
- Rock With You
- Spark
- Valenti
- No. 1

BoA was first up which surprised me. I thought as the most well-known of the three acts that she'd be last but apparently that was not the case. After the lights went down, there was a short video collage of her which led into "My Name." The first time I heard that song, I didn't particularly like it but it's grown on me since then. The MC's might have gone on beforehand to rile up the crowd a bit; I don't remember. She is... a remarkable dancer but... not much of a performer. >_> It was as if she ignored the crowd the entire time. Granted, I wasn't in the front row but still. I think she waved... twice to each side of the stage. Also surprising was how slight she was. For some reason, I pictured her taller. >_> She's rather... short. But very svelte. I can't really say too much of her performance because well, she didn't really perform. ^^;; Just sang and danced. I might as well have been watching a video. Also, she had a hat on the entire time which obscured most of her face. Ah well. The hosts interviewed her for a bit between sets but I couldn't understand any of it really. After a few songs, she went backstage while another video played, this one featuring all her singles and albums released to date. She came back out wearing... something slightly different, still with the hat on. She did the last three songs and left. >_> I can't say I didn't like her set because I did end up enjoying myself simply because I knew the songs and was glad to be hearing familiar things. Still though, a little more interaction would have been nice, especially since the crowd was chanting "BoA! BoA! BoA!" between sets, with some help from the hosts.

Image credit: JESSICA a.k.a. sevenlov from soompi & rani from BM. (forum thread)

[EDIT: Notice Micky's the only one not sporting the white/gray lace undershirt. XD You rebel! Also, JaeJoong was wearing a lot of makeup from the few times I saw his huge mug on the screen. >_>]

DBSK
- The Way U Are
- 믿어요 (Mi Duh Yo)
- Whatever They Say
- HUG
- TRI-ANGLE

The program read "TVXQ" but it didn't really matter. Even the hosts after a while figured out that the loudest (and shrillest) contingent of fans present that night were for them. (And yes I know TVXQ=DBSK.) During the beginning of the beauty pageant, they announced the acts that would come in the concert section. There was (rather sad) smattering applause for BoA; shrieks, screams, and a whole score of red ballons in the orchestra section for DBSK, and a great yell from the center section for G.O.D. The two camps might actually have been equal but it was really hard to tell with the fangirl decibel decimating one's eardrums. In any case, they announced DBSK and the mayhem started. Two of their dancers crossed the stage... muttered to each other... and then left again. They had forgotten apparently that the set was supposed to begin with the obligatory video introduction. After that, the boys paraded out and burst into "The Way U Are."

The difference from BoA was immediate. >_> These guys (though JaeJoong seemed tired) embraced their audience and did a good job of putting on a show. Most of it was still rather cleverly rehearsed but there were some good moments. I will admit, most of my watching centered around Micky so I don't have terribly much to report about the others. ^^;; One part in this song I remember clearly, when they all moved out and did their adlibs, and walked from one side to the other, Micky was doing some waving and interacting that weren't part of the usual routine. It was good to see him looking like he was getting into it, even though he did look like a happy brown sheepdog with a visor. ^^;;

[EDIT: Yun-ho did an adlib during his solo if I remember correctly. It actually surprised me. Xiah and JaeJoong did adlibs too but I expect it more from them. :p I don't know if ChangMin did or not.]

The hosts took over then, strolled out while the boys were in a line. Water bottles were passed out- I thought each member got their own until I noticed Micky take a gulp then hand his to Junsu who also guzzled from the same bottle. Jokes were exchanged, none of which I understood, they asked questions which Yun-ho answered, and soon enough, the hosts left and the concert resumed.

[EDIT: A few minutes after Junsu drank, he started sort of fidgeting and looking around. Without looking, Micky passed him the cap of the bottle as if he anticipated before Junsu had to ask for it. Junsu took the cap and happily (as far as I could see) screwed it back on. *L* It was cute.]

Next up was the song that started it all for me, the song without which, I would never have given this group a chance. "Mi Duh Yo." The lights dimmed. Micky took center. And then he started to speak. I don't even remember what happened during this song. I started singing and waving and tried to just live in that moment. At some point, I screamed "MICKY!" just to show some support when he started his solo. Other than that, all I could remember of this song was the incredible feeling of singing it with the group, with the audience, and everything just being so right with it all. I wished it didn't have to end. But it did. And the boys were moving on.

[EDIT: This was sung live and not lipsynched. Yun-ho and Junsu adlibbed here and there. JaeJoong didn't do his long high note during the last chorus but came back in for his next part. There were no roses in the last gesture but it was sweet nonetheless.]

The next song took me a second to figure out but that was mostly because of surprise. I actually strongly disliked "Whatever They Say" the first time I heard it, to the point where I deleted the instrumental version never thinking I'd be able to stomach the strong R&B flavor threading through it. I was wrong. Since then, "Whatever They Say" (and its a capella version) has somehow risen through the ranks to become my second favorite DBSK song just after "Mi Duh Yo." Since it wasn't released as a single, just a B-side, I never expected to hear it live but there it was. And Micky was starting it again. I can't remember much of this one either. I remember singing. Someone might have adlibbed. I think JaeJoong didn't bother doing some of his high bits. I just got caught up in the moment again. I came to towards the end. Micky was doing his final bit, finished, stared at the crowd with this impish little smile, then did his breath- loud and exaggerated. Little tease.

[EDIT: This was also not lipsynched. The dancers were present intermittently and I'm still amused by their choreography during the refrain. So cute.]

They launched into "HUG" with no further ado. This was one of the highlights for me. Part of that I think was because they seemed to be having fun with it. Instead of a "damn this stupid song I'm so sick of it" attitude, they seemed resigned to make the best of it and decided to spice it up a bit. Starting it off was JaeJoong. Right after the intro, as the other guys were skipping into place to start dancing, he hunched over and ran to the front of the stage as if he was going to hug the entire audience, mouth open and grinning. Junsu seemed really into it as well. He and Micky exchanged smiles and glances at one point when they were doing their back and forth parts together. The bit where Changmin stands a little bit off and the other guys step backwards then 'charge' him was made cuter by the way the other four guys were moving. I can't describe it- it was as if they were flirting with the audience through each other and centering that on Changmin. Either they've gotten better at acting or they're just that much more comfortable with the song and the performance. By this point, the entire audience was singing along. Micky was grabbing hands in the audience. JaeJoong seemed to have forgotten he was up again. During his last verse, he started off really softly (if at all) and had to run to center stage to finish (he had been on stage left with Micky). Then he decided to have a little more fun with us. For the last few lines, he stopped singing completely and tried to get us to sing in his place. For some reason the singing died down somewhat- possibly because we were all wondering what he was doing- so the experiment didn't really work too well but he tried and some of us were still singing. Ho~ ho~ ho.

[EDIT: Again, definitely not lipsynched as evidenced by the above. :p]

They left the stage at that point, presumably to change clothes, while another video was played. Like BoA's, this showed clips of their videos and singles in order as they were released. Maybe some more MCing, I don't know. Then they came back out wearing white trench coats over their original gear and started what was to be their last song.

I wish I would have known that was going to be their last song. I had been expecting one more. I would have paid more attention. T-T In any case, "Tri-angle" had started and I was just soaking it up. Little tidbits... right after Changmin's "You've got the power" section when Junsu jumps over him, Changmin had a little trouble getting up. >_> At least, he sat there for a while, looked like he was getting up, but took his sweet time about it. When he finally DID get up, he staggered around a bit (it looked like he was sort of laughing as well) before settling into position. Also, I forget when it was now but I was watching Micky (as usual) and he jumped... and disappeared. >_> He'd landed in the front row apparently and stayed there for quite some time before they managed to haul him back onstage. It must have been fun for those up there. XD I hope it was fun for him too. :p I totally forgot about watching for the body roll and by the time I remembered, the song was over. Bummer. And to add insult to injury, they just left the stage and weren't seen for the rest of the night. ;_; Wah.

[EDIT: I want to say they sang this live but somehow I doubt it. >_>;; I don't think I was paying attention at that point. Just having too much fun. X3 I was also laughing at the "mosh" sequence when Micky and Junsu jumped up and rammed into each other like they always do. I don't know why, that part always cracks me up. It's so... rehearsed but it's made to come off as not. *L* Maybe it's just me. :p]

[EDIT2: Also I can't remember which song it was now but JaeJoong and Micky (I think) started to wave their arms for the crowd to follow (which most of us did of course). Those two guys really made up the bulk of the fan interaction. I think JaeJoong even started clapping above his head for one song? AGH. He and Micky seemed to end up on stage together at some points here and there to give the crowd some extra love. :p]

Image credit: g1n_moos from soompi. (forum thread)

G.O.D.

[EDIT: These are in no particular order, just songs I'm recognizing they sang last night from the ones people are slowly giving me. :p
- Botongal
- Guh Jit Mal
- Chot Bool Ha Na
I'm not sure about the last one but it sounds familiar... I'm still looking for that really fun, fast song they did last...]

Okay, I was still stunned that DBSK had left and didn't quite register that G.O.D. was on even after Hoyoung had already started singing. ^^;; Also, I'd never heard any G.O.D. songs before this so until someone posts one, I don't have a tracklist. I will say though that of the three acts, these guys know how to work a crowd. I wasn't exactly ecstatic about the rapping and I think Hoyoung wasn't quite in tune during one of the songs but I had a LOT of fun anyway during this set. They had the crowd on their feet, including the males who had (as far as I'd seen) been sitting the entire concert so far. They had personality, especially Hoyoung who I was rather taken aback by at first. It looked like he was doing more dance moves than the song warranted. >_> After a while, I just stopped noticing and just enjoyed the performance. The dancing was smooth, effortless, an absolute joy to watch especially with the smiles on their faces topping it off. No videos for these guys, they just won the crowd over with sheer charisma. Hoyoung even tottered down the side steps to mingle with fans on stage right. All of them reached out to grab outstreched arms. Their dancers (as well as them) gave us hand motions and something to do while they were singing. It was great.

[EDIT: I remember seeing Hoyoung up there for the first time and thinking, "No... you can't be out already... you're just filling in while they get ready for another encore right? RIGHT!?!? T___T He soon won me over though. Another thing, G.O.D. did no lipsynching at all, at least as far as I could tell. I really liked all of their songs especially the really fast bouncy one where Hoyoung spent the entire song jumping and the last song which was great. *_* I really have to find those songs now. >_<;;]

All in all, it was a fun, satisfying night, especially considering all the misgivings I was having about it. I definitely want to thank fellow fans for turning me onto the concert in the first place, Meela for forcing DBSK down my throat until I finally swallowed, *smirk* and finally Aki for hauling me there and back. It was definitely a night to remember, and one of the best experiences I've had this year. Ringing ears notwithstanding.

Good night. :)

"We could steal time, just for one day..."

reeshya — Thu, 15 Aug 2002 02:48:07 GMT

AREA 2 - MOBY, DAVID BOWIE, BUSTA RHYMES, BLUE MAN GROUP, ASH, and more...
Tuesday, August 13, 2002
3:30PM ~ 11:15PM
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Irvine, CA

(( Continued from this post. ))

At around 7:00, the crowd started screaming. A huge sign spelling out "B O W I E" in circular white lights was being lowered onto the stage. The curtains dropped in the back, finally shielding the backstage area from view. Lights were set up, people did sound check. The amphitheater was filling up, the anticipation level rising. At roughly 7:30, the drummer and keyboardist (forgive me, I don't remember their names offhand) took their places behind their instruments. Moments later, the crowd SURGED up as a rail thin figure dressed in a black suit made his way from behind stage right to the front of the crowd. The keyboard kicked off a gorgeous intro and the real show began.

Setlist:
(This was patched together from previous live reports and my own shaky memory. Please excuse, or better yet, correct any errors. Thank you!)

Highlights: (at least for me ^_~)

-+] Life on Mars [+-
This is what that gorgeous keyboard intro led into. The melody was changed around a little lending a new spin to an old favorite.

-+] Ashes to Ashes [+-
THIS is my favorite Bowie song. I think I first heard it when I was three years old. In any case, the melody stuck with me even though I didn't hear the song again until I finally re-discovered Bowie after college. The first time I remember hearing it was a few years ago somewhere, maybe on the radio. When it got to the refrain, I just about freaked. Something about the song was so familiar, I felt it in my bones, my subconscious. I knew it even though I had no memory of ever listening to it until that moment. In any case, I never dreamed I'd even find the song again, much less hear it live.

-+] China Girl [+-
I actually don't like this song. ^^ It's one of the two Bowie songs I've heard so far that I have trouble listening to on the radio. Maybe it was the concert high but I was actually able to listen to it all the way through. And the spotlights surrounding the stage were red and yellow.

Oh, this is also where his microphone died. Funny thing that. He stopped and requested they start over but this time, make sure they have a backup mic. Or a megaphone. "A megaphone might be good actually 'cause I've got a BIG STRONG VOICE!" XD Said pretty much in that manner. Twas hilarious.

-+] Fame [+-
Introduced as what... the "all-American" song or something? Memory fails me. *L* Again, a nice fan fave. Everyone smoking pot I'm sure was having a grand old time swaying along. ^_~

-+] Afraid of Americans[+-
This was the first time I'd heard this song. o.o I liked it muchly. o.o Must go buy Earthling now... >.>

-+] 5:15 [+-
Off the new album. o.o I liked this one too. o.o Hmm... Heathen or Earthling... >.>

-+] Heroes [+-
Hearing this live is amazing. The arrangement, the vocals... perfect.

-+] Always Crashing In the Same Car [+-
I've been told this isn't on the normal setlist. o.o In introducing the song, Bowie said this was a "request" for someone. ^^ So perhaps it was. Either way, it was a nice surprise. ^-^

-+] Let's Dance [+-
The intro to this was so drastically different from the rest of the song, if it weren't for the lyrics, I'd have never known what it was. Most of the audience didn't either apparently since only a few of us started cheering until the refrain when the entire amphitheater surged up and started dancing like crazy. This was the other song I really couldn't stand. That's changed now. *L* Amazing what a little tweaking can do. ^_~

At the end of this, Bowie and Gail got super close to each other and a light smacking sound was heard. o.o Kiss? Sure looked like it. >.> But hey, I was a few rows back so... what do I know. ^_^;;

-+] Ziggy Stardust [+-
Words cannot describe it was like being there during this song. Everyone was on their feet. Hundreds were singing along. Arms were in the air. It was incredible. Amazing. I didn't want the song to end. The whole time I kept thinking... this is what I missed about concerts. The feeling that everyone around you was going through the same thing you were. Everyone was focused on the song, the music, I felt like... I was part of something, instead of being on the sidelines. Music has the power to do that. Those few minutes... were what made the entire concert worthwhile.

Misc Notes: (Some scattered things...)
- Bowie was wearing a black suit, complete with a long-sleeved white shirt and black vest. He shed the suit jacket 2-3 songs into the set and wore the rest of the outfit the remainder of the concert.
- He joked about the outfit in the beginning saying it was either that or the shorts since it was hot.
- Scattered jokes during the set included a story about trying to find a replacement for jackalope hood ornament (I think) while driving through Nebraska and ending up with some "kick-ass peanuts" instead (just hearing him say "kick-ass peanuts" was hilarious even without the rest of the story *L*); the stylophone (sp?) ad gag; and maybe one or two more I can't remember. ^^
- He plays air guitar. XD And air drums.
- At some point, introduced his band members, guitarists first, then said [the keyboardist's name] on guitar, [the drummer's name] on guitar, and Gail who's REALLY on guitar. XD Guess you had to be there. ^^

Argh... there's probably more but I can't remember. Will post as I think of more stuff. ^^

TBC...

Moby up next... with boring post concert stuff. ^^

First Entry...

reeshya — Wed, 12 Sep 2001 01:03:10 GMT

I really have to get to sleep. I don't even know why I'm posting save for the fact that someday, I'll look back on this day and want to know exactly what happened, what went on, as morbid as it may seem. This was not exactly what I intended for my first entry at Live Journal but so many "intended" things went out the window today and this is but a microscopic bacterium compared to the magnitude of the other events that have transpired.

This morning began strangely enough. I woke up around 0400 PST. I normally don't wake up until 0700 at the earliest. So I was already not quite thinking right. I fell back asleep and woke up again a little over two hours later, just after the first plane hit the WTC. Lion had the TV on and I was staring at it rather bleary-eyed, wondering why he was watching the news so early in the morning. I glanced at the screen, noted a burning building, then dropped back off into a half-doze, still faintly listening to the broadcast.

My eyes flew open when the second plane hit. I think that was when I realized that no, I wasn't dreaming, and that this was actually happening on the other side of the country. I sat up in bed, unable to speak, as Lion filled me in. Report after report came in. Another plane crashed at the Pentagon. People were being evacuated. The president had made a speech.

After a while, I just started absorbing whatever came on the screen. There was no shock or surprise anymore, just a general acceptance that horrible things were happening, would continue to happen, and all I could do was sit there and watch as chaos unfolded across the country.

I was numbly watching some reporter describe the incredible plume of smoke caused by the crashes when another reporter interrupted rather frantically and informed us that SOMEthing else had happened- but he didn't know what. We switched channels quickly and saw the first tower live as it collapsed into itself.

I couldn't believe it. I'd never been to the Twin Towers but I'd seen what they'd looked like and heard plenty. The reporter kept repeating that one of the towers was GONE. It was there a few seconds ago and then it just DISAPPEARED. The Twin Towers had been reduced to a single. A national monument was DESTROYED. I heard it. I saw it. But I couldn't process it. I think that's when my mind just shut down and went on autopilot.

Everything else blurred after that point. The feeling of impending doom intensified. More reports were filtered in. Washington DC was in chaos, not to mention Manhattan. I couldn't even think about Manhattan. The news showed footage of what looked like walking snowmen fleeing the scene. "Snowmen" which were actually people covered in so much dust, their faces were unrecognizable.

What little hold on reality I had left was obliterated when the second tower, the first one that had looked to be a simple "burning building" when I first woke up, collapsed as well. Where two magnificent 110-story buildings once stood was reduced to smoke, ash, and fire. It was about then that it hit me. There were PEOPLE in those buildings. There may have been innocents on the planes. There may be MORE planes smashing into God knows where at any time. And my mind just shut down.

With Lion prompting and prodding, I managed to get to work and sit at my desk. But hell if I could concentrate on ANYthing. All I could see was Tower 1 falling. Over and over again. More reports flew through the office. Airports were being evacuated. Federal buildings were closed. Amusement parks were closed. The impossible became possible. The improbable became a reality. It was a nightmare.

The numbness didn't wear off as the day went on. I didn't know why it was affecting me so badly. To be honest, I didn't personally know anyone near the vicinity of the crashes. I didn't have much of a stake in anything that had happened, except perhaps for the loss of my peace of mind. But it was hitting me. On an emotional, physical, mental level, and it was hitting hard. I answered the phone mechanically, offered what little comfort I could to those on the other end of the line, and refreshed websites periodically for news.

The rest of the office had mixed feelings. A group of the women had gathered in the reception area talking agitatedly in shrill voices. Our boss gravitated between her office and the conference room where the TV was blaring announcements. A few of us were actually at our desks but I suspect most of them were on the phone with friends and family rather than clients.

One of the worst things I was the absolute helplessness. I couldn't DO anything. There was nothing that could be DONE. In the end, I got on AIM and just started talking to friends. Making sure everyone was okay. Offering a shoulder, a hug, some reassurance, ANYthing to help alleviate some of the shock, grief, and frustration so many of us felt as these devastating events unfolded before our eyes.

That was the first half of yesterday. I'll finish this up later. I have to sleep. Before I fall over. Before I fall apart. Thanks to Ger, Lyra, Agatha, Nin, Kako, Yume, and everyone who came into chat earlier tonight. *hugs* My prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy.