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

D Tour final at Shinjuku ReNY

Yesterday I went to my first gig this time around, and it was no less than D's final live for their tour Wonderland Savior!

The concert was held at Shinjuku ReNY, i've never been there before so I was a bit worried I might get lost but their webpage had a very excellent map and I had no problem finding it at all!

I got there about 17.15, which was a bit late, but on the other hand I didn't have to wait so long for my number to be called. Shinjuku ReNY isn't that big though, I read it has the capacity for 800 people and my ticket was 561. Their drinkcharge is 600yen! (I was looking to find this information to have the coins ready but couldn't seem to find it)
Anyway, they call the numbers on the street entrance, and then you take the elevator or stairs to where the actual hall is. They have coinlockers for 300 yen and also a cloak area for those who have bigger belongings which costs 500 yen.

I acctually thought I had a chance to get some chekis, but unfortunatley not. They were all sold out by the time I got there so I only got the new, and very cute t-shirt based on the song 海王鯨島　亀毛海浜夢珠工場.

If there's one thing I don't get in Japan, it's when people go to these kinds of events with friends and they expect to stand in a line with a lot of space infront of them. When I got into the actual hall it seemed about full because people had so much space, and others wanted to get it, so I just walk closer to the stage. Might have seen rude for some people that I went infront of them but I don't get how they think people are gonna get in if they don't move. This other girl seemed to be annoyed I kept accidently touching her arm, but it's a standing gig and there's people all over, how am I supposed to move:P

Anyway, to the details about the actual concert!
The members came out one by one like usual to the "theme song" for this tour, and for anyone who missed previous photos, they wore the white outfits. One thing I haven't seen before on Asagi's costume is that it has a bunny tail on the back! During フューシャピンクとフランボワーズの鍵盤,  those who have the glowing sticks were supposed to use them, and Asagi also had one of course. At the end when he went back to leave the stick he put it behind his back (near his ass really) wiggling it like a tail, hehe.

To be honest, I'm not a huge D fan, I like them and think they're a pretty good band. What I especially like about them is how they keep changing style and inspiration for their music, but far from everything they do are great in my opinion. The setlist started off pretty strong, within the first half they had played most of my favorite songs and they were of course awesome live too.
The song which captured me most when I first listened to the album was 海王鯨島　亀毛海浜夢珠工場, and when I read the cute lyrics I liked it even more! For those who haven't read the lyrics or a translation for it, the song's about a dream factory and the boss is the mock turtle from Alice in Wonderland. My favorite part of the lyrics is just before every chorus, because then Asagi sings different ingrediences used to mix a dream, (like mermaid tears and hair from a unicorn) so cute. Besides that, my favorite songs include Wonderland Savior, and for this Asagi acctually used the cool mic he has in the PV! This tour D had some CG on screen during the concerts, and it was really fun, during the songs which has a PV though, they showed those (also great because I haven't seen any of the PV's since I haven't got the CD versions which includes the DVD's)
シュレディンガーの夢遊猫とジャッカロープの杖 is also a song that has grown into a favorite and it was really fun live, it included alot of parapara though, but it was so great live!
During Master Key member cards came down from the ceiling (and also some dust I noticed, do they ever clean those hatches???) I wasn't able to grab a card unfortunately, however I did get a Wonderland Savior strip that was let down later (see my picture below).

During the encores (which was 3 this time), they played a lot of old songs, the classics like Eden and Night Ship D, but also Yami no Kuni no Arisu which I thought was a nice suprise! Another song I didn't expect, probably less than Yami no Kuni no Arisu was Kuro bara no kishi from Kingdom. That's one of my all time favorites so I was very happy to be able to hear it live again! Since they played Yami no Kuni no Arisu I sort of began hoping they'd play Musouka since it was also from the same period, but unfortunately they didn't play it.
During one of the encores Ruiza presented some of the goods, he came out with the tote bag filled with some stuff. Among those was Asagi's photobook, and he never showed the inside but he shouted out that the pictures was good and asked if we wanted to see it. Obviously people said yes, and he replied "then please buy it!" XD

One thing I like with D is that it looks like they really have a good time when playing live. Some bands just do their thing but they seem to enjoy it and I, as an audience, think that brings a good atmosphere!
Another thing worth mentioning that happened and I felt was a very kind gesture was during Night Ship D. I don't have the D flags, I've been thinking about buying them but always end up not to. So when Asagi came out on stage with the D flag everyone grabs theirs (except for me and the others without any :P) but the nice lady next to me turned my way and offered me one of hers! She had earlier also offered me her place, she stood infront of me but her friend was standing next to me so we switched. Anyway I thought it was really kind, a bit difficult to do the moves with just one but it's better than nothing and it was such a kind gesture of her <3

Overall I had a really fun time and hopefully I'll get the chance to see D once more before I go back to Sweden. (and hopefully be able to get my hands on some chekis :P)