nakigoe

Date: June 2, 2007 (Sat) SOLD OUT!!!
Place: Zepp Tokyo
Start: 5:00 PM
Name of the show: AREA 10TH ANNIVERSARY

If you've never been to Odaiba, it certainly is one of the places to go, whether with a friend or a date. There are places to eat, the pretty-at-night ferris wheel, zepp tokyo, toyota cars to drive in (if you're Japanese though xD), and sometimes even live performances in the middle of Palette Town! Lesley, Kei, Stef, and I got there kind of early, due to our numbers being 117-120 and that we thought it'd be fun. Well it was hot, yes, but the best part was taking the monorail. Still, it took us over an hour to get there, but we decided to ride the ferris wheel. Even though it took like 16 minutes, we got a pretty view of the nasty sea water, where the huge port for fishing boats and what not sail in and out. xD After getting out of our gondola, we were going to do this weird Forest of the Damned-like game, but decided it would be better if we all ate, so as to prevent death or faintage during Fatima.

Zepp's doors opened at 5PM, and the show didn't start till 6PM. To be perfectly honest, numbers really didn't matter; all the bars were taken at the front of the stage, with some crazy fan girls stretched out or practically laying against the bars. But we centered ourselves, which wasn't the best decision, as Kanoma fans can be quite vicious. And it turned out to be just so for all the bands prior to Fatima: the saizen were ridiculously catty, and it made the experience rather horrible. But to name some highlights of the other bands:

Ayabie went first. Now I don't have anything in particular against Ayabie. But their performance was dull, with the new guitarist (?) rather cocky, and I still can't figure out how Aoi (the vocalist) keeps his smile throughout the whole show. But it was cute when he said he was going to take off all his makeup after the performance, and watch Fatima's performance. And on a sidenote, he did up on the second floor. :D

Next was Shulla. Now fans went insane for them, as they always do. And if you're not in the pit for Shulla, you wouldn't know how... insane ... it ... can ... be. Stef and I knew we should have backed out at the start of the set, just to prevent ourselves from injuries. But it was too late. Kaito yelled "Baka" towards the end of the set, and crowd-rolling ensued (I can't call it surfing, these girls have to shove each other in order to roll across the pit and get dumped at the end. The security guys are not like those you'd find at STP or the like. They're skinny and mostly unable to handle anything. :( Sorry guys! Still it was a teary-eyed set for Shulla fans, which contrasts greatly with Fatima's performance.

Third was D. I've seen them before with Stef, and found their fans to be okay, but not as cool like deadman fans :P. But this girl behind me kept pressing herself against my back to get closer to Asagi or Ruiza as they neared the stage. Poor Lesley got hit with D flags, but she caught Ruiza's guitar pic! Still, one has to wonder why, indeed, Asagi chose that outfit of spotted cat print....

Stef and I thought fourth would be Fatima, so we got all excited and hopeful. But then it turned out to be ... Phantasmagoria. Decidedly, we left the middle of the crowd in order to save ourselves from more crushing, leaving Kei and Lesley to their fates. :( But it was nice to sit outside of the hall, and wait for Kisaki and company to play it out. At the end, Stef and I managed to work our way back in, even though the whole hall was full. And Kanoma fanboy who always drinks a carton of apple juice was THERE! Anyways, we planted ourselves in front of saizen, yet again, but the at 4ge's end, which is more comfortable and somewhat natsukashii.

When Tokyo '77 played, and the darkness on stage promised the boys' entrance, I couldn't help but get overwhelmed with excitement. It has been two years, and watching Towa and Kanoma perform throughout this year was hard; everyone still thinks and feels the kaisan, even though I have to say I'm proud of Kanoma taking the next step. In short, Towa came out, exit-style. Lay won the cutest outfit of the night, with a black and white jumper. His hair was cut short, and he had taken out most of his piercings, but the dark black eyeshadow remained. 4ge, who most of the fans had thought would come out dressed girly, denied them that with his seventies glare of gold converses, medium frizzed up hair, and black and white unique suit-like outfit. He could have been in Pulp Fiction. Mizuha came out in an outfit that looked similar to Kesenai Ame days, but he was pretty far for either of us to see. But then Kanoma came out, barefoot and exit-album-tour-costume-clad. He really loves that outfit. xD

The set list was, according to Towa's Blog:

1. Kesenai Ame - Always a wonderful song to hear, especially after understanding it. And I'm sure that I caught Lay doing his 'usual' spin. xD
2. Sakura Meiro - It was nice to hear something a little slower, because I knew not to expect the likes of Blue Velvet or Fortune.
3. Sticky Flower - An unexpected surprise! Even though some girls jumped around, it wasn't as crazy as usual, which was okay, because that would be left for the encores.
-MC- Kanoma and his nonsense about AREA. Wonderful Takadanobaba AREA. xD
4. Dorii Maazu - One of the best songs to do live and prance around. :D
5. Humiliate Me More, Darlin' - It was nice to hear this song, especially with the part 'Kanoma - Shige - Lay, Mizuha, Fatima!'
6. Public Eyes - Always a fun rush song, I swear the whole pit was moving.
7. Noble King Snake - And damn, wouldn't you know it: the lighters we had, didn't work. xDDDDDD Still, dandadidada!

en1. Downer - Got to hear Lay say 'Fuck you,' I think that explains enough :D
en2. Candy Strippers - In the middle of the song, Kanoma began to rub his ass, and revealed his black underwear --- not a thong ! :O! --- Towa, also managed to mess up on Candy Strippers, again xD But his little 'Gomen' was cute, and they restarted the song from the beginning. It was hard though, to know that this would be the end. The boys didn't really talk throughout, only Kanoma really, and that was mostly nonsense towards the end along with his sexual spunk show against the speakers (He was rubbing up against the speakers, and rubbing himself like a cat in heat :D). Lay was prancing around as usual and headbanging. Mizuha only came to our side once. 4ge played it cool. Towa, surprisingly!, had his 'egao' (that trademark huge smile)! After the members left the stage, the massively packed Zepp began to chant for Fatima again. Some people were crying. Others were screaming. That was when the Zepp staff got a little impatient, and started to try and get people out. Most of the saizen refused to move. But we left as they turned the hall lights on, regrouping with Kei and Lesley outside to venture back on the monorail and subway rat maze. xD

It wasn't like the kaisan at all. It was a concert that made you somewhat happy, despite everything. I felt rather light and content, but also just happy that I was able to see them play again --- together. And like Towa's update, with a picture of a mysterious member's shirt: "Even if going out the exit, we are "Downer" forever ..."

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