Saturday, April 28, 2012
Twitter Stories: Aoi and Tatsuro - The Formation of New Troll-Allies????
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Welcome Back the GazettE's Aoi!
Friday, March 16, 2012
the GazettE LIVE TOUR 2011-12 VENOMOUS CELL-FINALE- OMEGA di Yokohama Arena
Sudah sekitar lima tahun sejak the GazettE tampil di Yokohama Arena, akhirnya mereka kembali ke tempat itu untuk mengadakan pertunjukan "OMEGA" yang merupakan pertunjukan final dari tur "VENOMOUS CELL" mereka pada tanggal 14 Januari 2012 lalu. Hall tour yang mereka jalani sebelumnya telah membawa kelima member the GazettE keliling aula konser di Jepang, namun karena semua orang tahu bahwa the GazettE adlaah sebuah band live maka mereka membuat setiap aula konser menjadi terasa seperti sebuah live house. Yokohama Arena juga tidak berbeda rasanya malam itu, suka cita para penonton jelas tampak ketika konser akan segera dimulai.
Dibuka dengan "INFUSE INTO"para member the GazettE tampak di atas panggung mengenakan kostum "TOXIC" mereka da n ritme musik menyihir para penonton seraya RUKI membuat 15,000 orang di sana bertepuk tangan. "SLUDGY CULT" dan "VORTEX" semakin membuat para penonton menggila, gambar di layar menambahkan suasana semangat, sekuat asap dan sinar lampu yang menghasi panggung.
Lagu unggulan dalam album "TOXIC" yakni 'THE SUICIDE CIRCUS" membuat suasana yang lebih tenang namun menghipnotis, suara 'tik tok' yang terus bergeming membuat rasa takut dan memukau secara bersamaan.
Tidak ada jeda yang panjang selama pertunjukan, lagu-lagu terus berlanjut mulai dari "MY DEVIL ON THE BED" dan "痴情 / CHIJOU"hingga ke lagu agresif seperti "13 STAIRS[－]1" dan "AGONY".
Seketika lampu panggung padam dan hanya cahaya lilin yang tampak di atas panggung. RUKI mengambil lilin tersebut dengan kedua tangannya dan meletakannya di atas sebuah podium kecil di atas panggung, tepat di depannya, petikan gitar yang lembut membuka lagu "UNTITLED". Para penonton seolah menahan nafas mereka selama suasana penuh emosi menyelimuti saat itu. Ketika bintang-bintang di layar perlahan saling berpisah, RUKI meniup lilin tadi hingga padam dan tepukan tangan segera mengisi aula saat itu juga.
Namun, suasana segera berubah ketika lagu berikutnya yang dipenuhi dengan permainan drum yang cepat dari KAI dan permainan gitar yang mengagumkan dari AOI dan URUHA dibawakan.
"Masih bisa lanjut?" goda RUKI pada para penonton, penonton kurang kuat dalam menjawab pertanyaan tersebut, RUKI tampak kurang puas. RUKI melambaikan jari tengahnya kepada para penonton sembari berkata "kalian kurang ramai. Kalian harus menggunakan semua tenaga kalian untuk ini! Ayolah!!!"
Tentu saja penonton the GazettE tidak akan pernah membantah titah seperti itu, mereka pun tak menunjukkan rasa lelah kala lagu "VERMIN" dan "CLEVER MONKEY" dibawakan, malah membuat para penonton kian bersemangat.
"HEADACHE MAN", "Filth in the Beauty", "PSYCHOPATH", dan "TOMORROW NEVER DIES" mengakhiri bagian utama pertunjukan malam itu, mengguncang seluruh aula dengan kuat.
Belum ada yang mau pulang malam itu, para penonton segera mengeraskan suara mereka, meminta acara tetap berlanjut. Permintaan penuh semangat para penonton untuk encore disambut dengan tampilnya REITA dan KAI kembali di atas panggung, mempersembahkan duet permainan bass dan drum mereka dalam "Ride with the Rockers."
"Hari ini adalah hari terakhir tur kami." Kata REITA. "Jadi keluarkan semua yang kalian punya di sini!"
"Yokohama, kalian tampak keren hari ini!" KAI melanjutkan. "Ini adalah pertunjukan pertama kami tahun ini dan rasanya menyenangkan. Seperti yang pernah kukatakan, pertunjukan the GazettE tidak dibuat oleh kami berlima saja, tapi oleh kalian semua juga. Kalian yang membuatnya nyata, jadi ayo kita lakukan!"
Dengan sebuah teriakan, KAI dan REITA melanjutkan permainan, disusul dengan URUHA dan AOI yang segera berabung di atas panggung.
"REMEMBER THE URGE" dimainkan, kemudian segera disambung dengan "AKAI ONE-PIECE" dan aula besar Yokohama Arena itu berubah menjadi sebuah live house, seraya semua orang berlompatan mengeluarkan semua tenaga mereka.
"Saya bersyukur bisa menghabiskan saat ini di sini dan bersama kalian." RUKI mengutarakan perasaannya kepada semua orang yang hadir.
"Tur ini berakhir dengan pertunjukan final malam ini dan Saya harus katakan bahwa kami sudah merasa kesepian meskipun pertunjukan ini belum berakhir. Kami memulai tahun ini dengan mengakhiri tur yang kami jalani."
Para penontonpun tertawa, namun pastinya mengerti apa yang dimaksud oleh kata-kata RUKI barusan.
"Kami berkeliling negeri dan membawakan lagu dalam TOXIC selama perjalanan kami. Saya rasa kami sudah melakukannya dengan baik. Ketika membuat album tersebut, kami selalu berpikir tentang bagaimana kalian akan bereaksi pada album ini. Melihat kalian di sini, kalian tampak begitu bahagia dengan album ini. Kami ingin sekali melakukan ini lagi."
Seperti the GazettE biasanya, encore diakhiri dengan lagu "COCKROACH", "DISCHARGE", dan "LINDA~candydive Pinky heaven~", tapi sepertinya ada yang kurang.
Ini adalah pertunjukan final, bukannya melompat dan head bang sampai lelah, tidak ada satupun orang di sana yang akan pergi tanpa satu lagu yang membuat mereka malah berlutut: "関東土下座組合 / KANTOU DOGEZA KUMIAI". Itu adalah lagu terakhir yang dibawakan malam itu dan para member band mengelilingi panggung sesuka hati, saling bercanda satu sama lain, juga kepada penggemar mereka.
RUKI bahkan melompat ke arah penonton, membuat para penonton bergemuruh gembira dan mengakhiri malam itu dengan mengeluarkan dukungan penuh untuk langkah the GazettE selanjutnya.
"Saya bersyukur atas hal-hal yang bermula dari sini." Ungkap RUKI, menandai diawalinya tahun ke-10 karir the GazettE.
Credit : MJP
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Fool’s Mate – January 2004 – the GazettE’s interview
First interview with the GazettE, under the title “Dai Nihon Itan Geisha”, showing a steep rise in popularity throughout the country. Introductory text to the GazettE taking questions about everything from the sweet beginnings of their five-some to the latest state of affairs. Disliking without knowing is the loss of a lifetime, so wouldn’t you too like to step inside and take a look at the world of the GazettE?
This being your first appearance for this magazine, let us start with the story of the formation of your band!
Uruha – Me, Reita and Ruki were in a band together before the GazettE.
Reita – By the way, me and Uruha have grown up together ever since 4th year of Elementary School!
It’s been a long association then.
Reita – Yes!
Uruha – Ruki was originally a drummer, but he was quite good at writing lyrics so we got him as the vocalist for that band. And we got the original vocalist to be the drummer (laughs). Well, anything to make things ultimately turn out well.
Ruki – Like, breaking up (laughs).
Uruha – But, the three of us – me, Reita and Ruki had become really close friends by then and we decided “The three of us want to do this together again!”
Reita – And then we started searching for members.
And the one you met was Aoi?
Uruha – No, Aoi……
Aoi – What do you mean, saying that so awfully! (laughs)
Uruha – There was no drummer, so we got an acquaintance introduce us to an earlier drummer.
Reita – And then, just because he was the guitarist of the same band as the drummer, someone barged into the set-up.
What do you mean “barged in” (laughs) Didn’t you have the idea of a twin guitarist in mind originally?
Uruha – No, it’s not that we never even thought about it. I just wasn’t sure if it might be a disadvantage (laughs).
Aoi – Eh? Is that so? To that level? You’re lying aren’t you!!
Reita – Such a well concealed matter too……you know (laughs).
Aoi – Ah, is that so……although right now, I’m in a lot of shock (laughs).
And with that the GazettE got going in January 2002. Kai wasn’t there in the beginning, right?
Uruha – Yes. We had a different drummer. We met Kai at a session Live at exactly the same time that person quit, so he joined the band.
Kai – I was already acquainted to Ruki, and knew about the GazettE too and thought they were cool, so when I was asked “Won’t you do it for us”, I said “My pleasure” without any objections.
That was in February this year. Since then the five of you have continued vigorously with music releases and Live activities.
Everybody – Right!
What’s the concept of the GazettE? – Although the cover comes with the catchphrase “Dai Nihon Itan Geisha [The Great Japan Heretic Artists]”.
Uruha – It refers to our aspirations; how we always want to be different from the rest, how we want to be heretics.
Ruki – Like, defying everything.
Uruha – But, it’s not about doing only what is different; we want to empathize with whatever draws our empathy.
Ruki – In terms of music, that range can get quite extensive.
True, there really are a lot of songs ranging from dark and intense to heartrendingly melodious.
Ruki – We ourselves don’t carry any notions like “This is what the GazettE is!” We’re a band that plays songs of every hue.
Kai – On the contrary, it would be nice if this would become a hue unto itself.
Uruha – But there is a foundation, you know. Something like an “over the top”, vehement kind of feel.
Aoi – Also, if one talks about the point of a song, there are various things that unfold within the length of a single song. We’re determined to make songs which carry various outlooks. Not very fond of things just gliding past.
Uruha – Occasionally, there are also songs which get over in a flash. Also, for some reason, there are ones with those old-school melodies. I heard a foreigner somewhere saying “Wonder why Japanese people go on adopting new things. Why don’t they care more about the older, nicer things?” and I thought “I see~”.
Ruki – I feel that the old songs have a deeper impact emotionally, compared to the new ones. One still remembers them, and they’re easy on the ears. For that reason, we adopt those aspects.
Incidentally, who builds the core of the song?
Kai – Ruki brings the original melody, and then we discuss it like th~is and th~at among ourselves and finish it up.
Ruki writes the lyrics too, right?
Ruki – The point is how to express the mentality of people through words. To disclose things directly, without speaking in a roundabout manner.
Kai – I’m always surprised by Ruki’s lyrics. He’s so good at how he expresses things. He writes lyrics which make one feel “Aah, I get it I get it!” “This really does happen”.
Even among those, there are a lot of times when you write about sentiments of loss, of things which ordinarily don’t get expressed openly.
Ruki – That’s true. There really are a lot of those.
Reita – Normally, Ruki can express anything. This fellow is quite frank with his feelings. Like a stereotypical B-type [blood group].
Uruha – Generally speaking, careless and untidy.
Aoi – But, isn’t he quite methodical about his own place?
Ruki – I’m methodical about my own things.
Kai – And that is why he’s stereotypical. SELF-CENTERED.
But I think it’s better to have a somewhat self-centered person for a vocalist, right?
Uruha – It would be a matter of such great adulation if that could turn into a plus point.
Ruki – (face flushing with agitation)
Reita – He’s REALLY showing it frankly (laughs).
He’s just awfully honest, isn’t he?
Reita – He even lies in a way that he’d get caught immediately. Well, in a word, he’s an idiot.
(laughs) Well, what about you, Aoi? Talking of which, haven’t you been in low spirits for a while?
Aoi – ……’cause I’m depressed. Am I being made a part of this as a last resort? My mind is heavy with that thought……I won’t be a part of this conversation anymo~re.
All members – (laughing out)!
Are you getting concerned about what we just talked?
Uruha – Not really, right?
Reita – Hm. Not really.
Aoi – Is that all? Isn’t your defence a bit too lacking!?
Well well (laughs).
Reita – He is stubborn. Inflexible!
Ruki – Childish.
Reita – Elementary School Student.
Aoi – This isn’t a gathering to get me depressed, is it?
Reita – Look, impressions are very important on a debut appearance.
Aoi – Isn’t Kai supposed to be the one getting bullied!? You’ve got the wrong guy!
Uruha – Aoi is the type of person who constantly seeks out the aesthetics.
Aoi – (with “Well spoken!” written on his face) I play the guitar on the left, so even if I’m working out the aesthetics of the staging for myself, this (Reita) keeps on being a nuisance, with his “Me me”!
Reita – Liar! (laughs)
That is probably just Reita being a show-off……or something.
Reita – That is not true. Not true at all. I’m so humble and low-key. Keeping a poker face.
Aoi – That’s not true! If you think or perceive something I see it on your face right before my eyes!
Uruha – He has tremendous power of keeping things hidden to himself.
We were talking about the stage right now, isn’t it? How’s he ordinarily?
Reita – Ordinarily, I pay too much attention to the things around me and my sensitivity wears out……in fact I’m left with no sensitivity at all. There’s a fellow who gets lonely easily, so I go accost them or something.
Uruha – Basically it’s Ruki and Kai who get emotionally attached.
Reita – Speaking in terms of soccer, I’m like the midfielder, you know. Always looking all around before giving a pass……like gauging the atmosphere. Sometimes I get called an air-conditioner.
Aoi – I’ve never said tha~t! (laughs)
It’s like bearing the motherly role in the band, isn’t it? What kind of a person is Uruha?
Aoi – Extremely obstinate.
Uruha – Obstinate, is it? But indeed, I don’t budge from what I think.
Ruki – It’s like if you say something you’ll probably get beaten up (laughs).
Uruha – But, if I feel that I’m making a mistake, I earnestly recheck and confirm things.
Ruki – No~? You just try to bend the truth (laughs). Like, ‘I define the rules!’
Uruha – Aren’t there times when that sort of a thing is also necessary? (laughs)
Reita – YOU don’t make a mistake! That is why I stay with you!
(laughs) A motherly existence within the band. Well, what about Kai?
Reita – Well, there’s nothing special about him.
All members – (laughing out)!
Aoi – Strangely enough, he’s the most serious one.
Uruha – I think he’s the type who does everything untiringly.
Ruki – What do you think of this yourself?
Kai – My wish, I suppose, is to be the centre of laughter. I like getting teased. As long as I keep getting teased and the laughter keeps coming, I’d be enjoying myself immensely.
Reita – You haven’t put that ruse to practice for even 10 minutes until now!
Aoi – If done so, it works really well at breaking the ice. Break the ice by teasing him. This is important.
Uruha – It is an essential requirement for getting him excited (laughs).
(laughs) I imagined you all to be these cool sort of people when I saw the art-pictures but in reality you’re all just brimming with a unique kind of humanity (laughs). Well then, what are your plans up ahead?
Ruki – There’s a One-Man at Shibuya AX on January 16th. We’re simply looking forward to it……
Aoi – None of us have been there, you know, to AX (laughs). On the day itself, we just hope we won’t lose our senses in shock when we go there.
Reita – It’s our first One-Man at a big venue, so I wonder how much aura we’ll have to build up to not look small, to what extent we’ll be able to do something that would be distinctive of a big stage. I’m really looking forward to it.
Kai – We intend to make it a Live which will leave behind an impression, so we want everybody to carry that expectation.
Uruha – Our sense of unity gives us the confidence to conquer any place. I would want the people who want to feel “This is what a Live is” to definitely come and watch us.
And finally, what is the mark of the GazettE?
Aoi – We always keep our aspirations high, no matter what.
Ruki – Without forgetting those first feelings we had when we formed this band, we want to be even more spirited.
Spirited?? Did you, by any chance, mean diligent?
Ruki – Ah, that’s right!
Aoi – Sorry, basically we’re not very intelligent……
Everybody – (roars of laughter)
Credit : Ducky's Blog
Monday, February 20, 2012
Shox vol_ 128 feat_ The GazettE (Part2)
Ruki: There are also times when a certain member that is also being introduced in his magazine interview stays over. When I have to run errands, I leave the house earlier. And then when I get back, there are crumbs all over the carpet-to the extent that it all white, and there are old neglected cigarette burns from when the cigarette was left as is, and the hair iron still plugged in with the chord left all tangled. When I came back to this scene, I thought, “Just forgive him ~.” there are a few interviews in his own magazine also mentioned (it) of the member spend the night at my house. When I notice when I left home a little earlier. Then when I came back, full of bread crumbs on the carpet – to the entire carpet have become white level, and then neglected the soot falling down, and hair dryer still plugged in, a mess of entangled wires together. When I saw this scene, I thought, “to forgive him it ~.”
Kai: I sorry … please forgive me (laugh). I sorry. . . Please forgive me (laughs). (No wonder the U-like that you almost burned his house, how careless you are captain ah (ˉ_ˉ|||))
Uruha: I joined the soccer club when I was in middle school , but even though it was a nice club when it was just in name, when people really started to participate in it, it suddenly transformed into a really sports-oriented club, and we broke into arguments because of that, but we always went, “We forgive you.” When I joined the high school football community, but when it is only nominally (Football Association) when it is a great community, really became involved when members of which, it suddenly transformed into a true community for the purpose of the competitive, because as we had a quarrel, but we always end up (say), “We forgive you.”
Aoi: I ve always thought about forgiving people, but I didn . I always think to forgive, but I did not do.
the things you want to cry
Kai: This is about the day I got a reply about joining the GazettE as a member, but actually, the next day there was a live, and suddenly Ruki tells me, “Play the drums tomorrow,” and I was frantically trying to remember the songs. As expected, on that day, my heart was pounding. When even the fans said, “He so pitiful,” I cried. This is the reply I received (invite me) as a member to join the GazettE the day, but in fact, the next day there was a Live, and then Ruki suddenly said to me, “Tomorrow drum it,” so I tried hard to remember (all) song. As expected, the next day, my heart pounded the jump. When even the fans said, “He really poor,” and when I cried.
Aoi: It seems like it been printed in several magazines, but when my mom said, “Good luck,” to me over the phone, I kind of cried … that to say, I did cry. seems to have published in several magazines over (it), but when my mother on the phone told me “good luck”, I cried a little. . . In other words, I really cried.
Ruki: When I went on tour, I left my bike in my hometown parking lot, and after a while, when I returned, it had disappeared. On that day, I was about to return home in tears. Somehow, I couldn tell my parents the truth, and I lied and said, “I lent the bike to a friend.” But there was a day when my parents said to me, “Lend us the bike,” and , right away, I lied and said, “I lost the key,” then they said, “Since there a spare key, give us the spare,” and I ended up having to tell them the truth then, and they were so pissed … the next day my parents went to the police and came back and said, “The bike there.” When I saw it, I was fumbling, and when I saw the number plate … I cried at that time too. I have to travel before my bike parked in the parking lot of my home, then a few days later, when I come back, it gone. That day I almost cried to go home. Anyway, I can not tell my parents the truth, and then I lied to them, “I lent a friend a bike.” But then one day my parents said to me, “the bike to lend us “Immediately, I lied,” I lost the key, “then they said,” do not have the spare key, spare key to us, “Finally, I had no way to tell them the truth, so they are very angry . . . My parents went to the police station the next day, back when told me, “bicycles in there.” When I saw the bike, I get clumsy, and then when I saw a bike license, when. . . At that time I cried. (Are you sure you do not come to funny = =)
Reita: There was a day when I thought, “I l drive today,” and I went to the neighborhood parking lot, but I saw that my car 4 tires had been stolen. I went to the police, but when the policeman in charge just gave me an “Hn?” and had this indifferent attitude, I was so mad that I wanted to cry. one day I would like to “Today I want to drive,” and then I went to a nearby parking lot, but I saw my car four tires were stolen. I went to the police station, but police only Dangdang values ??gave me a “ah?” (Response) and to show indifference, I almost want to cry of anger. (Poor cloth, in the end is how many years you did not mind your car ╮ (ˉ ▽ ˉ “) ╭)
Uruha: When I was in elementary school, and we had an early-morning marathon, for some reason, we snuck into a sporting goods store to play. When we did that, the store employee found us, and called our parents. At that time, when I saw my mom tears as she cried and apologized, I also cried. I didn want to see my parents tears ever again. I was in primary school in the morning we have to run a marathon, for some reason, we (a few people) secretly slipped into a sporting goods store to play When we do that when the store employees discovered us, and then called our parents at that time, when my mother cry I apologize, I saw her tears, then I cry. Since then I never want to see my parents tears.
embarrassed thing
Kai: I get embarrassed when I walking by myself , and I trip over nothing. When I was a walk, then clearly there is nothing out of the way when I fall I will be very embarrassed.
Uruha: This was when I was in high school , but I ate lunch early during class, and I fell asleep. At that time, I dreamed that I scaled a multi-story building that was under construction, but I fell off the building, and for some reason, my body jerked backwards, and it surprised the girl behind me, who went “Kya!” I used to pretend to be cool all the time at school, so I thought, “Crap!” and I pretended to fall asleep again while hearing the girl giggle behind me. I was really embarrassed at the time. This is my high school, but when I have class early in the finished lunch, and then fell asleep. At that time, I dreamed I climbed up a under construction multi-storey building, but I fell off that building, then for some reason, suddenly my body to the back of a pull, and then behind me girls like “Kya!” This was taken aback. I e been in school put on a cool look, so I thought, “Damn!” And try to sleep again put on the way, when I heard the girl behind me giggle. At that time I was really embarrassed dead. (How to do, he wanted me to speak Tucao…)
Ruki: This was at the Hokkaido live, but at the time, for some reason, I had on shoes that were too big for me, so I tied it on really tightly, but in the middle of a particularly intense song, my shoe suddenly twisted to one side, and I got super embarrassed when it fell off in front of the people who came to see us. And I was just as embarrassed when I fixed my shoe on stage. Live in Hokkaido is the time, but at that time, for some reason, I wear shoes too, so I tightly tied shoelaces, but a particularly high in the middle of songs, suddenly my shoes against the failure of the other side, then when it fell in front of the audience when I super embarrassed. When I put the shoes on stage was when I was embarrassed.
Reita: When I was only wearing plain regular clothes and a merchandise wrist band, and I switched the sofa and monitor around and pretending to sing the vocals, my sister suddenly opened the door and saw me. I was super embarrassed. When I wear everyday clothes with a wrist strap, I turn the TV to the sofa and filled with singing, my sister suddenly saw the door open (so) I. I am super embarrassed.
Aoi: When people look or listen to the old live videos, I get super embarrassed. When people see or hear (our) previous Live video, I would be very embarrassed.
make you think “What?! you serious?!” things
Uruha: In middle school I borrowed my friend porn mag. I thought, “This is awesomeeee! “when I looked through it. For some reason the pages were stuck together. As it turns out, the book had actually been” used “before, and when I realized it as expected I went” What?! Are you serious ?! “high school when I borrowed my friend pornographic magazines. When I turn when I thought, “was amazing!.” For some reason the pages stuck together. If (page) apart, (I found) before the book actually has been “used up” when I realized that when I became, “What?! You are serious about it?!”
Ruki: This was when I was in elementary school. Occasionally I forget to flush after I peed. Once, when I forgot, that my mom went into the bathroom after me. And then she suddenly came into my room and said, “Your pee is foaming up like beer. Are you sick?” I was really nervous when I said, “What?! Are you serious?!” This is me in grade school. Occasionally I will forget to flush after using the toilet. I once forgot (red), my mother into the bathroom after me. Then she suddenly entered my room I said, “You like beer, urine, like bubbles are you sick?” I was very nervous to say, “What?! You are serious about it?!”
Reita: When I was in second year of elementary school, puss came out of there. At that time, I thought “What?! Are you serious?!” but after going to the hospital everything was fine. The next day there was a school trip to the pool and I needed a medical note to excuse myself, so my parents wrote a note about happened. “You were touching it weren you.” my teacher retorted after reading it. I thought “What?! Are you serious?!” (laughs). I was in elementary school when the cat ran out from there. At that time I thought, “What?! You serious?!” But went to the hospital after all is well. The next day the school to go to swimming pool, then I need a sick note to leave, so my parents wrote a (note) note of what happened. “You touch it, is not it?” After my teacher read retorted. I think “What?! You serious?!” (Laughs)
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
the GazettE LIVE TOUR 2011 "VENOMOUS CELL" 2011/10/10 at Tokyo International Forum Hall A
the GazettE LIVE TOUR 2011 "VENOMOUS CELL"
2011/10/10 at Tokyo International Forum Hall A
With the release of their fifth full studio album "TOXIC", the GazettE headed towards a new frontier in Visual-kei. It was not just about the visual aspects of the members' costumes and looks, but the over all visual artwork and means of expression that goes hand in hand with each track of the album.
This became even more apparent with the opening performance of their tour "VENOMOUS CELL", which started at the SOLD OUT Tokyo International Forum only days after the album release.
While the writing "VC" was displayed in huge LED letters in the back of the stage during the standby period, each and every song was underlined with its unique lighting, video and CG sequences.
"INFUSE INTO" opened the set with quickly changing pictures as the band members came on stage, each taking their spots, almost unnoticed, yet of course amongst the cheers of the audience.
The visuals for "VENOMOUS SPIDER`S WEB" opened simply with the words rapidly flashing by, underlining the hard rhythms and the electronic sounds, which the GazettE made to fit together perfectly. The hall was shaking with excitement during each song, where especially the title track of the album "THE SUICIDE CIRCUS" caused the hall to cheer.
However, the audience celebrated the previous songs like "VORTEX", "HEADACHE MAN", "AGONY" or "Hyena" just as much as each new tracks, which created a complete new scene every time.
Songs like "痴情 / CHIJYOU " and "MY DEVIL ON THE BED" had a blunt sexual appeal, be it due to the snake draping itself around a woman's body on the screen, or RUKI's enticing moves with a cane together with the sexy bass lines from Reita. All the while, songs like "Maggots" or "PSYCHOPATH" expressed pure aggression. The fans moved accordingly, head banging wildly, pumping their fists and not giving in to the moments of silence between the songs. Instead they shouted out the names of the band members vigorously.
A different kind of aggression was shown with "RUTHLESS DEED", which was still as powerful as the previous songs, but movements slowed and the tunes were pulling more on the inside; sorrowful and emotionally straining. It had calmed the audience, to perfectly lead into "UNTITLED", which had the audience listen not only with their ears but with their hearts. The shooting-star-like lights wandering over the screen expressed the feeling of the song in all its simplicity and together with the howling guitars of Uruha and Aoi, eventually burst into applause.
"It's been six years since we last played here. It doesn't feel that long at all", RUKI said during his MC. "We have grown a little, though. From here we are starting the new tour and looking at you right here, I am already pleased. There are a lot of new songs, but let's create the mood and flow for all of them together."
"I love you", he added under his breath, but it was received with all the fans cheers and hearts, and it never mattered, how often the band had expressed their compassion for the audience in one way or the other, it was taken in again and again with gratitude.
"The main set was finished with "OMEGA", rounding up the visuals with references to the opening as the band members disappeared from stage for a while.
As it is the GazettE tradition, Reita and Kai were the first to return, presenting their new version of "RIDE WITH THE ROCKERS". The drum and bass duet was followed by the GazettE latest single "REMEMBER THE URGE", which in contrast to the songs from TOXIC seemed much lighter, making it a good opener for the encore.
"BREAK ME" caught the audience by surprise, as it was not only a coupling track from "VORTEX", but also with a number of huge black and white balloons that were thrown into the audience just for fun.
However, the complete set was finished off with well known "classics" and the fans' all-time favorites "COCKROACH" and "DISCHARGE", before demanding everything from the audience once again when finishing with " LINDA ~candidive Pinky heaven~" in the well known manner.
It showed without a doubt, that the old and the new the GazettE songs can fit together perfectly without repeating themselves nor without sounding awkward together.
With this performance the GazettE have certainly shown that Visual-kei, has its name for more reasons than just the looks of the members. They carry the visuals of their art work and their performance to a new level in perfect synchrony, with the spice of being daringly blunt in their way of expression.
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the GazettE LIVE TOUR 2011 "VENOMOUS CELL"
2011/10/10 at Tokyo International Forum Hall A
Set list:
SE INFUSE INTO
01 VENOMOUS SPIDER'S WEB
02 SLUDGY CULT
03 VORTEX
04 THE SUICIDE CIRCUS
05 HEADACHEMAN
06 AGONY
07 RUTHLESS DEED
08 痴情 / CHIJYOU
09 UNTITLED
10 Hyena
11 MY DEVIL ON THE BED
12 VERMIN
13 TOMORROW NEVER DIES
14 Filth in the beauty
15 Maggots
16 PSYCHOPATH
SE OMEGA
Ride with the Rockers
EN1 REMEMBER THE URGE
EN2 BREAK ME
EN3 COCKROACH
EN4 DISCHARGE
EN5 LINDA ~candidive Pinky heaven~
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