MALICE MIZER LIVE merveilles ~ The End and Fate ~ in NIPPON BUDOKAN 1998.4.1
Photograph: Hiroyuki Yoshihama
Report: Aya Yokomori
Translation:
I had heard rumors that MALICE MIZER's live performances were incredible. I had also watched a video of the live they held at Shibuya Public Hall on April 1, 1997. However, the Budokan live I witnessed in person far exceeded any expectations I had based on that prior knowledge — it was a shocking performance beyond my imagination.
As soon as I entered Budokan, my eyes widened in surprise. The stage was set like a room in a white palace, a massive two-story structure. And the music flowing through the venue was classical — I felt like shouting, “Where am I?!” Moreover, the audience was filled with people in MALICE MIZER cosplay and makeup, transforming the venue into something like a masquerade ball. At 7:18 PM the lights dimmed.
When the palace set lit up, it began to feel even more like a real mansion. That alone was enough to get my heart racing, but then the band made their grand entrance, rising from below the stage! It was so cool!! The theatrical flair of their entrance made my adrenaline surge. Furthermore, the opening featured eight real violinists. Starting the show with the sound of strings was such a sophisticated arrangement that the audience couldn't help but voice their admiration.
Of course, the lighting enhanced the drama of the performance. From the soft, classical projections cast onto the white palace, to the flashes of red and blue lights darting across the stage, each song had its own lighting scheme. For instance, during "With the Evil That Has Passed Away," the stage was bathed in a calm turquoise blue, adapting seamlessly to the mood of each song.
Amidst all the set design and stage effects, the person radiating an even stronger energy was Gackt. At times, he contorted his face in anguish, held his head in his hands or sang as though praying to a god. His vocals, filled with soul, felt like a hammer blow — I felt as though I’d been punched. His focus and intensity were astonishing fully immersing himself in the music. Gackt also treated us to his signature piano solo letting the notes soar through the vast space of Budokan.
From Vicious ヴィシャス 1998年6月
Vicious magazine June 1998
