Schwarz Stein der Winter

I don't know where to start, I'm seriously speechless, that's how awesome this live was. If I were to pick on gig that I've been to that's better than any other, this would be it. But let's start from the beginning.

The live was Schwarz Stein's first oneman since last spring! So it's been a long time, and they haven't released anything new since Sleeping Madness in November 2014! So it was a happy surprise when they announced the new single Fleeting Beauty and its following oneman at Shibuya Rex.
Since the single won't be released at record stores, and therefore not have an instore event, they also decided on an afterevent.
This time around the tickets to the gig wasn't sold through e-plus or any of the other regular online services, but at Shibuya Rex/Ruido's webpage. The tickets were released in December, and at that time I was still in Sweden but desperate as I am for a good ticket I decided to try and buy the ticket by paying with credit card and have it printed when I arrived in Japan. Normally it haven't worked to do so with other tickets but this time it acctually did! So I payed and got it confirmed in December and then I went to a Family Mart here in Tokyo to get the actual ticket. Because of this I assume I got a good number, sort of, 57! Considering many like to stand in the back I felt like I had a chance to get pretty close to the stage. For once I got myself a coinlocker, and for everyone's information, at Shibuya Rex they're 300yen! The thing was that I didn't know if I were supposed to be scared that the remix cd would've sold out unless I bought it when I arrive, I also had a tiny gift for Hora which I wanted to give the staff, and at the same time I wanted to get in as quick as possible to get a good spot infront of the stage. I decided to leave the shopping and gift for last, and hoped I'd be able to get everything I wanted. I always go for the right side of the stage since Hora stands there :P and there was only one person in front of me so I had a pretty good view. The music we were left listening to while waiting was Sopor Aeternus, might have been another band too but I recognized some of the songs playing. They started almost on time, just a bit passed 7 p.m, and the entrance was made to The Alternation of Generations -Conception- (I was a bit sad it wasn't Testament). Hora entered first followed by Kaya, and they wore their Sleeping Madness outfits, just Kaya wore another wig, a dark long and Hora had a very good looking cardigan on top of his corset. I seriously loved Hora's cardigan, I wonder where he bought it...
The gig started off with a lot of slow songs like Transient and Lilith, then when they played Queen of Decadence Hora and Kaya made people move around a bit. Everyone was so still and silent I almost felt bad for them, I know it's Japan but it still can't be fun to stand on stage and performing to a crowd which doesn't make any noise whatsoever. They also played Lapis Lazuli, which was the first time for me to hear live! That song has really grown on me, to begin with I wasn't too excited but now I think it's really good acctually.

I also got to hear Fester Love, which is one of my favorite Schwarz Stein songs and it's amazing live! The first one I went to, in 2012, Kaya brought out a whip. Unfortunately I haven't experienced that since then... I got the feeling the setlist was aiming to a slower and darker sound, so they also played Cocoon -Fallen-. This is song which I think gets better live than listening to it on CD/computer. The bass is so loud live, and I really love how that helps project that kind of dark image they're going for. The stage lightning was red, but it kept shifting between red and no light at all. Hora was standing by his keyboard, but Kaya danced around slowly, making it look like he didn't move at all since he would be standing in a different position and place when the light would be turned on (if anyone has seen the horror movie Lights out, you get what I mean).
Like always Kaya and Hora keeps joking on stage, Hora made fun of Kaya's dramatic poses by making a similar but way too exaggerated and silly version of it making both the crowd and Kaya laugh. Kaya pointed out that they should save the talking to the after event but it seems like they enjoyed it so much it was hard to stop.
Of course they played the new single, Fleeting Beauty as well! Kaya presented it and they played both the title track and the B-side, Hakobune
The songs followed the slow theme, imagen Transient sort of. Hakobune has a Hora solo song in it, I got to excited so I can't recall which one, might've been Flow but I don't want to promise anything!
Out of the more speedy songs I got another favorite of mine, Release me. It's so good live, and they really got the crowd going for that.
Just like always, when they leave stage everyone immediately starts calling for an encore. However this time Hora came out alone, grabbed a mic and said it's been 14 years since last time and then he presented no less than BIO GENESIS! I've been waiting for this song, forever! I've requested it, I've been hoping everytime but I've given up on it ever being played live, and then he does it today! I can't say how happy I was to be there for this live. I love BIO GENESIS and being able to hear it live, I'm out of words. Kaya wasn't present during this song, Hora did it mostly looking up the ceiling but god was it awesome or what? I got so excited it felt like it ended just after it began. I still can't believe he did that!
After that kaya joined him for the rest of the awesome, harder songs (Creeper, Syphilis and Disorder, Sleeping Madness and Succubus). They ended with Last Hallucination, and eventhough I haven't mentioned it they also played Perfect Garden and New Vogue Children. Then te live was over and we had to wait for the after event to start.
I didn't realise, but when I paid for the pass I received a paper on which I could write a question for the event, I just put that paper in my envelope for my ticket and didn't realise what it was until it was too late so I didn't ask any question. We waited for a while until those who wouldn't stay for the event had left and for the staff to collect the questions and check that everyone had their pass. When the event started some choir song started and the curtain was raised. On stage Kaya stood in some dramatic pose with a mac. It was time for his Dj session. It was really short but it included trance music with the choire, and in that some old Japanese pop songs and then Hora joined in and they played Sodomy! Eventhough I rather would've heard another Schwarz Stein song (or Hora solo), it was nice since I really like Sodomy. This was followed by Medusiana. Then they began reading the messages. They talked kind of fast so it was hard for me to follow, but someone asked Hora which kind of song is the easiest to compose, and he said that the harder songs are easier than the slower ones, and then someone else asked about their make up. Kaya mentioned that people used to coem in cosplay more often before, and Hora said that if everyone showed up in white make up next time they'd make an album. They then also mentioned how Hora never have shown himself without make up. He said that after a gig with Moi Dix Mois years ago, he and Kaya went to the car, passing fans and at that time he didn't wear any make up but it didn't seem like anyone noticed. Hora also said he had shown himself before, or after I think, an instore event.
The afterevent was a lot shorter than I imagened, especially considering it cost 2000yen, so I felt a bit sad when it was over so quickly. They said good bye and Hora came to wave and touch our hands again and then it was over. I went to buy Fleeting Beauty and some chekis (it started with four chekis, but I only got one of Hora so I decided to get two more, look carefully on the picture below and you'll understand why I couldn't help but to smile when I saw the Hora one...)
Anyway, I was just about to go and get my drink before getting my coat and hand my present for Hora to the staff when I see that Hora and Kaya is standing in the door saying bye to everyone who leaves! I panicked, my fellow fangirls/boys will understand this, but it was like in one of those dreams, when you see your favorite musician and you can't understand that they're really standing there and then when you're about to walk up to them you wake up. Just that this time it really happened! I was so happy that I didn't hand my gift to the staff, I sneaked by Hora to get my stuff from the locker, scared they'd go before I came back. Rushed back and then I noticed the line got smaller so I went to get a drink thinking since I have a gift it might be better to wait until last. So as fourth counted from the back I approached them in the line. When I got closer Hora saw me and gave me a smile and I felt like a child on christmas eve X) I first got to shake hands with Kaya, his smile is contagious so I just smiled and I couldn't really think of anything to say because I just really wanted to get to Hora XD I told him thanks for making wonderful music and it felt so sweet because he really looked at me when I talked to him, and his hands were so warm (I'm always cold so it was very nice). Then I finally got to Hora! I'll just sum it up, I'm so freaking happy, and his hands were also very warm and nice to hold.
This was such a great evening and the setlist was perfect except for Testament (I also would like to hear Beautiful the Virgin some time...). I'm so happy I got to be here for that particular live, I can't describe it in words.

Kaya announced something very nice during the evening, which now is on Twitter so some might already have seen it, but Schwarz Stein will make a coupling live in Nagoya in June with no less than Közi! I'm gonna do my best to get there since Közi and Hora are my two favorite musicians, I feel like I can't miss this. Too much awesomness...

I'm so tired now, so I'm gonna leave it like this, I'll update with a setlist when or if Kaya will post one.
Now I'm off to some sweet Schwarz Stein dreams~

Setlist from Kaya's blog:
2017.2.24 『Schwarz Stein der Winter』
SetList
１：transient
２：Perfect Garden
３：current
MC
４：lapis lazuli
５：Lilith
６：Queen of Decadence
MC
７：Fleeting Beauty
８：方舟
９：cocoon-fallen-
10：fester love
11：Release me
12：Rise to Heaven
13：New vogue children
MC
14：Last Hallucination
encore
15：BIO GENESIS
16：Sleeping Madness
17：CREEPER
18：Syphilis and Disorder
19：Succubus