JILUKA - PHASE:synchronicity

After I got back from Japan in 2015 I was introduced to this band (because I had been brainwashed with these "new" kind of VK where they just growl and scream and have cheezy choruses while attending too many random VK gigs in Tokyo, ....and embarrassingly enough I enjoyed it), and thought Screamer was one of the catchiest new vk songs I've heard in a long while. Long story short, I began following them and thought I should go see them next time I'm in Japan, so I decided to go to one of their oneman gigs. Their 3rd oneman gig no less, "PHASE:synchronicity" at WWWShibuya.

I really like that venue, but I find it rather difficult to find, this time around I think I've learned though! Thanks Jiluka, hehe. I got there pretty early so I took the chance to buy their new t-shirt before the gig. I was kind of suprised to see the variety of people there; young, old and a lot of foreigners (for being a smaller band). Of course, as expected most guests were young japanese girls. Anyway, I wasn't sure to begin with if I had the money to go since I wanted to do a lot of other things before leaving Japan, so my ticketnumber wasn't the best. I assumed I'd end up in the back, but despite this there was quite alot of room infront of the stage so I was lucky enough to end up on the first floor so to speak, but in the very back. Anyway, the gig starts and the setlist started of pretty week with songs from their latest releases. I'm sorry, but I'm kind of disapointed in their last two releases. I feel like the songs are very similar now, a lot of growl and then some guitarsolo which sounds basically just like in any of the other songs. However, their first releases was also included and I got to hear some of my favorite songs, such as Raison d'etre, Screamer, D.O.J and Lluvia. I have to give it to them, they were pretty good live, and Ricko especially seemed very happy and enjoying himself on stage. There was a lot of parapara and some girls just take it a bit too far (IMO). I mentioned how I was standing in the back on the floor infront of stage, so above me was a girl standing on "second floor". She, and the rest of the girls standing at the front seemed to be JILUKA's groupies, they had all the items and they were...the most "energetic" so to say. This girl above me, was so into it, that when she headbanged she had to throw all of her head and hair straight down so it hit my face, pretty hard. It might sound weird, but when they start headbanging, getting hit by hair is like being whipped. It hit my eye at one point and that hurt pretty bad. On top of this, she had to stretch out her arms at guitar solos so bad she hit my head with her hand (this also happened several times -.-). For those who don't know, during guitar solos in particular (at vk gigs) fans tend to stretch out their arms, sometimes facing the guitarist. Some of these very, eccentric fans tend to want to stretch as much as they possibly can and that results in them putting one hand down and the other up. Which she did, hitting my head, acctually more like digging into my head, because she got stuck in my hair. I feel like an old hag, but I'm sorry, it's just annoying. You don't have to exaggerate in order to show the band that you love them or get their attention. There are others there, and it will most likely annoy them (me included). I've seen some pretty bad fan behaviour at gigs in Japan and it makes me so tired and pissed off. You're not alone, please respect the other people attending the gig.

Back on topic.

I had a pretty bad day, but I had so much fun (except for the girl who almost made me blind on my right eye) I forgot what a shitty day I had, until I got home. Ricko was really good live, not only because he was entertaining, but his vocals held up pretty good. Zyean was pretty shy, not wanting to talk that much. Anyway, the gig itself was pretty good, and I'd recommend anyone who likes the present vk scene to at least try them out.

【SET LIST】

SE. -Blasphemy-　

1. Necropolis　

2. Divine Error　

3. Faizh　

4. Raison d'etre　

5. Screamer　

6. ZONE　

7. Primal Urge　

8. Azure　

9. -drums solo-　

10. Bloodshot 　

11. Prisoners　

12. Crossing Fate　

13. (SE. -Bipolar- 〜) Omelas　

14. Sacrifice　

15. Lluvia　

16. Lethal Affliction　

17. Twisted Pain　

＜EN-1＞

18. -guitar solo-　

19. Faceless　

20. Monophobia　

21. D.O.J　

＜EN-2＞

22. Ultra BALUS