With "DIVISION" the GazettE had released a follow-up album to their previous record "TOXIC" without any single release in between, and just as the album and its overall packaging had a strong visual appeal, the final of the GazettE's tour at NHK Hall would be no different. And as the GazettE's performances always create a well rounded picture, the harmony of the fans is just as astounding and fascinating.
As the hall turned dark, the powerful SE "Diplosomia" marked the beginning of a show that held the surreal atmosphere of a dark and beautiful movie with a deep artistic impact. From the images on the screen to the lights on stage, to the unity of movements the audience showed to each perfectly matched beat of the songs, the GazettE presented their world to an audience that dove into it fully.
"This is the last day of this tour, so come with us!" Vocalist RUKI fired up the crowd, before the audience submerged into a massive head banging frenzy that was unbroken for the best part of the show. the GazettE mixed tracks of "DIVISION", such as the hard-riffed title track "DERANGEMENT" with previous power songs like beat-heavy "VENOMOUS SPIDER'S WEB" from "TOXIC".
While the GazettE songs have reached a new level of incorporating different elements into the overall making with rock, dubstep and metal, people new to their music must be left in awe, when tracks like "DRIPPING INSANITY" suddenly turn from slow and emotional to immensely aggressive and emotional at an instant. Soft female background vocals are violently torn apart by RUKI's death voice in the same song, while the audience can only stand and watch and listen.
The beauty of the lighting arrangement showed in songs like "影踏み / KAGEFUMI", when red overhead spotlights formed pillars around the band members to a frighteningly beautiful atmosphere.
Once the "softer" part of the concert had been left behind with the intermezzo of instrumental track "Depth", the GazettE members made sure to get back to the speedy tracks like "VERMIN" and "HEADACHE MAN", which turned the neatly arranged rows between chairs into a moshpit without care about the consequences. People jumped left and right and all over the place, giving in to the catchy beats and heavy bass lines of the rhythm section that was REITA and KAI.
"This is the finale! I can feel your power more than usual, so let's do this together!. If we don't become one here tonight, there is no meaning to it!" RUKI shouted out, once more pulling the audience together.
Each song smoothly joined in with the next and way too soon, the main set was already over, ending with the track "Melt", to which the band members slowly left the stage.
As if in fear that the band might not return, chants for an encore rose immediately and clapping accompanied the shouts, until REITA and KAI returned for their signature piece "Ride with the Rockers". The section proved to be a completely new arrangement for the crowd to jump and shout accordingly. Soon the two of them were joined by AOI and URUHA, who added fast-paced guitar riffs to it and last but not least RUKI completed the team.
Over the past year the track "TOMORROW NEVER DIES" had become a frequent opener to the encore set and that night was no different.
"Hey Tokyo! First and foremost I am thankful for the time I we are able to spend here and now with you!" RUKI said. "This tour had been neatly put together with everyone and the audience had a lot of power. I really love you for this and I am looking forward to the next tour and then the finale -MELT- in March. Let's make this an even better tour."
What might have sounded like "final last words" for the tour proved to just heat the excitement up once again and with that the GazettE went on to present their signature tracks "COCKROACH" and "DISCHARGE", which had always had the power to break any last barrier between the band and the fans. The floor shook and whatever last bit of resistance to let go there might have been, was certainly gone.
Closing the encore with "LINDA 〜candydive pinky heaven〜"left the fans just a tiny bit hanging it seemed and so the band members came out once more to present their ultimate "destruction" song "関東土下座組合 / Kantou Dogeza Kumiai", which had the crowd on its knees head banging at full power. The band members joined each other head banging heavily to the beats. URUHA joined KAI on the drum raiser, before changing positions with AOI, who danced along playing his guitar.
Too soon the last notes subsided and while the fans were really reluctant to leave, it was time to go home and eventually charge power for the upcoming tour starting next year and the anniversary performance in March!
And no matter at how many the GazettE live performances one has been to, the artistic, yet natural genius of the band is surprising over and over again.
Set List:
SE [Diplosomia]・[XI]
01 DERANGEMENT
02 GABRIEL ON THE GALLOWS
03 VENOMOUS SPIDER'S WEB
04 VORTEX
05 CLEVR MONKEY
06 THE SUICIDE CIRCUS
07 DRIPPING INSANITY
08 余韻 / YOIN
09 影踏み / KAGEFUMI
10 籠の蛹 / KAGO NO SANAGI
[Depth]
11 歪 / IBITSU
12 ヘドロ / HEDORO
13 VERMIN
14 SLUDGY CULT
15 HEADACHE MAN
16 ATTITUDE
17 REQUIRED MALFUNCTION
[Melt]
EN1 Ride with the Rockers
EN2 TOMORROW NEVER DIES
EN3 赤いワンピース / AKAI ONE-PIECE
EN4 COCKROACH
EN5 DISCHARGE
EN6 LINDA 〜candydive pinky heaven〜
WEN 関東土下座組合 / Kantou Dogeza Kumiai
Credit : Music Japan Plus
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