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

Kaya - Dream after Dream

As probably all Kaya fans know, Kaya released a long awaited solo single, Yumeji in March! After all the "gothic" songs on Gothic it seems to have been time for a light purple ballad written by Yume Suzuki.
I'm not so keen on Kaya's ballads to be honest, what I like about Kaya is his electronic sound and I think the stuff Kalm and Hora has written for him is when Kaya solo is at it's best (Ken Morioka also did a very good job with Taboo and Dance Macabre). So I wasn't too suprised that I didn't really like Yumeji. It's ok, but not a song I'll listen to over and over (thank god for trance remix). However, never having seen Kaya perform as a solo artist I had to go to this tour final at Shinjuku ReNY!

 

Since it was my first time, I had no idea what to expect from a Kaya gig. Since it was a tour dedicated to his new release I was a bit scared he'd only play slow songs, and like I mentioned I'm not a big fan of those. Fortunate for me I was wrong! Kaya opened with Hydrangea, one of the few slow songs I acctually like! Obviously he wore the Yumeji outfit, minus the hat and minus shoes, and he looked very pretty. His make up was perfect, so cute. He also had a pianist, which people seemed to be familiar with, aswell as his two dancers from back in the days. I was really happy that he played so many older songs frm the Glitter days like Masquerade, Epicurean, Kasha -Shining Flowers- and previously mentioned Hydrangea. Among the other songs was Sink, Babylon and Ophelia, so I felt like Kaya really included a lot of different songs from his career and not just his latest like many bands do, that was a big +!

Besides being a good vocalist live (which I already know from the Schwarz Stein concerts) he also talked a lot between songs and was his cute self. This mans smile really is contagious. For this tour Kaya was selling a new fan for Epicurean which a lot of fans bought. It looked very similar to the old pink one, so not sure what the difference was. I noticed that when people took them out of their packing a lot of feathers seemed to get loose and fall off, so after Epicurean there seemed to have been one girl in particular who's fan had lost a lot of feathers. Kaya noticed it and asked from the stage if she'd bought that tonight, when she said yes he told her to go and have it exchanged afterwards. I thought that was really sweet of him. 

As I mentioned he played a lot of different songs, and he even included a chanson! I don't like the chansons normally, but live it was kind of nice, and Kaya seemed to enjoy singing it so much it made good. Last out on the ordinary setlist was Yumeji and eventhough I didn't follow it all Kaya talked a great lot before it about dreams and how he's always continued to follow his dream to be a vocalist even when it was rough and he wanted to quit. Some girls acctually began crying in the audience when Kaya himself got a bit teared up. I'm not a big fan of Yumeji but it was better live than on the cd (acctually I haven't been abe to hear my single, but based on the trailer on youtube).

When the gig got to the end he acctually announced that Yume Suzuki would perform with him, and they ended the evening with Frosty Rain and Glitter Arch togheter with his two dancers. Before the songs Yume Suzuki gave Kaya a present, a tiny glass shoe in a really nice box and Kaya seemed so excited reaching it with his hands several times despite Yume still talking about their collaboration not being ready to hand it over just yet. Seeing them togheter like that, she androgonys and Kaya looking like a woman (looking a bit like an amazon woman when standing next to a Japanese woman *cough*) really made me feel like Kaya is such an interesting character in today's VK scene. He's not just a VK guy in a dress, but I feel like he's acctually on a more LGBT side, sort of. I really get the impression from him that he truly feel like everyone, no matter what gender or fashion style or sexuality is welcome in his world.

Anyway, they all waved good bye and left stage, Kaya was left alone thanking everyone who came, and as the lights went out and only one focused on him following Kaya as he gracefully walked/danced towards the exit of stage. Just before he was about to exit he freezes, the song pauses and he turns around asking if we really thought the evening would end like that. He then announced Dance Macabre, a song everyone enjoys. I love Dance Macabre so I was more than thrilled to be able to hear it live! It was great and it created such a good atmosphere. Like I haven't felt lucky enough with the setlist, after that one of my other favorites, Addict began! For this I got a bit suprised. Listening to it I've just heard it as one of Kaya's normal, fast electronic, popish songs, but his fans seriously headbanged to it O_o I'm sorry but I'm still not getting how fans create bands parapara. Sometimes I almost wonder if they're deaf, or if I'm listening to the same songs because I can't hear headbaning when I listen to Addict... The fans almost created a moch pit infront of stage where they threw themselves towards the stage and Kaya came close touching people's hands (I got to hold his hand too for a short while) and also kissing some. A bit strange to me, but whatever, it was a nice ending!

Kaya of course sold cheki's, I bought two and of course I got one of Kaya and one of one of his dancers... I felt kind of bad feeling disapointed since Kaya had happily announced there would be chekis of his fellow "helpers". I'm sorry but if I pay for cheki's I want them of the band or vocalist I'm paying to see =/ I'm just happy I wasn't unlucky enough to get TWO with his crew...

１：Hydrangea
２：Marionetto
MC
３：Nouvelle Mariee
４：Ophelia
５：BABYLON
６：Masquerade
７：＜Dancers Solo＞
８：Kasha - shining flowers -
MC
９：Padam padam（シャンソン）
10：愛の讃歌-Remix-
11：ショコラ
12：Epicurean
13：Transmigration
MC
14：Sink
MC
15：夢路

encore
16：Frosty Rain (with 鈴木結女)
17：Glitter Arch (with 鈴木結女)
18：Danse Macabre
19：Addict