The BGM were various songs from Nitzer Ebb, I think most of them (if not all) from That Total Age.
Band members were placed at their usual spots on the stage with their instruments ready. As we waited the light on the stage was pink.
Behind and just a bit above all instruments was a scaffolding usually used to attach lights and speakers but this one was bare, giving the stage a bit of an industrial feel (especially with the BGM).
Concert started right on time, 6:30 and finished 8:03. Band members arrived on the stage without much noise.
They started with the introduction of the band members on the front screen as the band started a session. Kyo used SOMA the pipe, Takumi was on piano. A very cool intro.
Yuchi wore a black jacket with orange elements, like an attached scarf orange on one side black on the other? He had longer boots with pants tucked in. He took the jacket off soon though. Takumi had a longer jacket and a hat, skinny pants, his hair is in braids (like in Candis MV). Mika wore a black shirt with a brighter color tie, his hair is chin length parted in the middle. utA had his signature loose pants and a jacket, bob hair with bangs.
Kyo came on stage wearing a loose fit suit, but then when he reached his stand he stood facing it with his back to the audience. And we could see that the suit had mostly open back, with one strap holding it at the waist level, and Kyo was wearing a black lace bra/bralette. He had slicked back green hair and make up similar to RR photoshoot (you can check his instagram reel).
Tada, foster and mama at the start were wonderful, I didn't expect that kind of start.
There were some bits where Takumi changed the piano melody, I really liked it. He had two stands with keyboards, left one with one and right A shaped one with two.
During Junboku there was a very cool scene with Yuchi playing with one hand on the small keyboard (instead of the drumming thing), other hand in his pants pocket, it was already after he took the jacket off.
And he was mouthing words to (or actually singing?) many songs.
Manierism, Guzo and few more songs had Kyo using the camera on his stand with the projection of his face on the front screen. He put the glasses on during Manierism. During Guzo some lipstick. And there was dancing.
utA has his special moves with hand raising, stomping and so on.
Creeper, woah woah woah! I love this song!!
Lyrics had a part like 'I'm a B grade product, only A grade would make him happy'. I think it had heavier parts and clear singing parts, but I have to listen again in Nagoya to confirm😆
The Hole is a heavier/faster one as well.
During some songs like Furesaseru Kyo has opened his jacket as if asking for attention using his body, it's always a bit crashing to see.
Also, he was adjusting his bra straps quite often, sometimes in an alluring way when it matched the lyrics/song, sometimes just as a necessity. Welcome to the women's world 😂
Aishita shinzo with its 'two fingers one tongue' is quite 😳
But at the start of the song Kyo gently took something from the air (gestures) and held it to his chest, putting it inside the jacket if to protect it or keep it warm.
Candis brought out a disco ball!
Kyo's voice was a bit lower than in the studio version, it sounded really cool like that as well! But it changes the mood of the song a bit. Kyo still did all gestures during 嫌 嫌 嫌 and so on.
I love the way Kyo sings in mimizozo, the rawness.
The 2nd session was done before uso, that session😭 it had piano melody that felt like it connects to the next song. (*edited to change Hakudaku for uso, I realized my mistake with the title after Nagoya, sorry)
It finished with a line 'I love you I wanted to tell you..'.
And Kyo was smoking while singing, I think it was a mentol type one (because it didn't smell terrible), but I don't know enough about cigarettes to tell you more about it😅
And finishing with uso, there are so many stories in sukekiyo lyrics about love, so many different women portrayed, there are some ugly feelings and hurt, uso has hurt too, but also has this peacefulness, acceptance. It changed the energy in the venue and in the listeners.
When band started walking off the stage it took some moments for the audience to start clapping.
So some bits from other fans about the 2nd slot in Zepp Namba with Kyo and Kaoru.
My comments go in ( ), the rest I tried to leave it as the original poster said it. Will probably post more later.
From 幸 on twitter:
Asked what they want the most right now, Kyo raised his hand and said 'Playstation5!!'
About the WOM music clip.
Kyo: nice, I got killed. The more blood the better
About when Kyo was little, before going to sleep he listened to a childrens song 'Hiraite musunde', but now he said he couldn't remember the hand gestures. When he tried to think what they could be, he went
'close your hands in front of your neck (like strangling)'
'wave your hand (one hand hits the other)'
'raise your hands (as you go to heaven(after dying))'
He could only think of this version and repeated it few times.
it was very Kyo-like.
From はあと⛩️ on twitter
During the introduction of other members merch items, Kyo looked at Toshiya's 'picks'.
Kyo: this is good. [good] sense. Big sense.
Kyo: you can use it many ways. You can slice the cake with it, put it under the cake, put it under a muffin. DIR EN GREY MUFFIN.
When Kaoru looked at their signatures on the pick.
Kaoru: this is my early style signature... uhm... the one that still lookes properly like my kanji 薫.
His sign was changed because the previous style was too old.
When he looked at Fujieda.
Kyo: isn't your nose huge? It's so big but your mask shifts. It should be its only good point...
When talking about Shinya's merch item.
Kyo: what's this bear?
Kyo: why the bear has only 3 fingers?
And as he bombards Fujieda with questions, Kyo suddenly tosses Shinya's mini bottle.
But when the next question was being read he gently picked the bottle up and place it upright properly 😆
About their 'fashion point' (outfit idea), Kaoru changed into a knitted jumper (sweater).
Fujieda: that's a very nice jumper... where did you get it?
Kaoru: wouldn't any shop be fine?
The super frank Kaoru delivered.
When asked what merch they would create if they didn't have to think about the budget.
Kaoru: island.
Kyo: Playstation5 ←being serious
(Kyo talking about his misfortune with PlayStation5 application - in Japan because of the demand basically shops do lotteries for the rights to purchase one)
Kyo: I've applied and actually won, but because of my mistake I've lost it... I tried asking at the Sony Distribution Center (where he applied) to help me with the reservation, I'd definitely buy it, but got told 'sorry'...
When talking about what they wanted he would like to remove his facial hair.
Kyo: you want to become Rei?
Fujieda: eh, no...
Kyo: Shiberu Bajiru
(they tease him about his past band)
When asked about the songs they listened to during the stay at home period, any recommendations?
Kyo: it's not a song I was listening to, but just thinking before falling asleep, I remembered a song I listened to when I was little... uhm... the one with 'clap your hands' and 'close your hands'. I couldn't remember the hand movement.
Kyo: but do you want to see what I made up?
Close (your hands/musunde)→ cross your arms, twist your wrists and strangle your neck
Open (your hands/hiraite)→ slash your belly and pull out the guts
Wave your hand→ slap your wrists
They both agreed that the best way to eat mochi (rice cake) is with sugar and soy sauce, after that.
Kaoru: in the past there was a time when your face got puffy because of eating too many rice cakes, right? Around when we debuted?
Kyo: there was😆
The atmosphere around them when they were laughing here together was the best.
The story about Kyo eating too many rice cakes.
Kyo: if you want to eat mochi and add it to ozoni, the next day mochi will get all soft and mushy, right? But if you just keep adding mochi it will still be like (proper and not mushy) mochi so it's better to eat it like that...
One more story about mochi.
Kyo: you know the stacked mochi, do you eat those? The ones with few discs/cakes on top of each other?
Kaoru: We eat them. I've cooked them at home.
Kyo: You do? How???!
Kaoru: just break them apart and eat.
Kyo: wha, you can break them? We can separate the two?!
2020.12.18 The World You Live In at Zepp Namba, 1st event report
I arrived with friends past 1:15 (door time), but lettings fans in here was very smooth. And there were leaflets for sukekiyo's January shows/MADARA and Dirt waiting for us on our seats.
After the interview, live footage and music videos, staff brought two long tables on the stage with 4 chairs. Fujieda again started with greetings and introduced himself and Takabayashi, and finally asked the audience for the applause for the band members as they come on stage.
Kaoru and Kyo came then.
Kaoru wore all black, jacket, glasses.
Kyo had green hair (same as for the a knot calendar photo session), shocking pink jacket, washed denim, pink socks and white trainers. He wore sunglasses.
They both introduced themselves with simple '薫です' and '京です' but I love how different it sounded for both of them.
Fujieda again talked first about the live footage from March. Kaoru commented that with the document it was really busy. For Kyo it felt that the staff, especially the staff under the stage was restless, moving a lot, but he himself just came and sang.
Next, Fujieda outlined the events in 2020 like he did in Nagoya, he asked if they watched the audiostreams.
Kyo: Yes, I watched all of them.
F: and then yours came last.
Kyo: I could really feel member's personality showing there.
Ka: how was the order out setlists came out decided? Was it after we submitted our setlists?
Takabayashi said that no.
Next Fujieda continued with the 2020 timeline and asked about what they can remember from the Pia VIP meetings.
Ka: I thought that Mr.Higuchi was really nervous interviewing all five of us at the same time.
Kyo: first day the atmosphere was so gloom it felt like a funeral.
After that they moved to the topic of Ochita single, F sked them about filming.
Ka: it finished so quickly, in an instant!
F: did you also feel it went by very quickly, Kyo?
Kyo: not that, there was something else. When filming we were working with a new director. For the first time, I got praised when shooting. Like only 5 minutes passed but he was all 'that's great! yes! very cool!'. Huh? What was that supposed to be? Being told that so much wasn't it too much? And then he had some issue with equipment and asked to go again. When the director saw my costume first he also went 'huh wow!' And the place was so narrow.
After that they moved to the merch items for this events. F passed them their own items and Kyo just kept holding the choker, almost like being frozen.
Meanwhile Kaoru said that there's no special meaning behind deciding to produce the pouch. Then, Kyo, asked about the choker, reacted.
Kyo: isn't this super cool?
(and then again)
Kyo: it's seriously cool. It's super cool. ...it's super cool. ...it's super cool.
(all the time just holding and looking at it)
F: about the embossing?
Kyo: not that, it's just super cool.
Agreed😆🖤
Then F announced they will move to the part with questions from fans. He divided the question sheets and passed them to everyone. But Kyo just kept moving to the next page, next page, next page...
F (trying to avoid silence😂): there were many questions on similar topics, I grouped some of them, many people asked about a movie you saw recently, movie you enjoyed.
Ka: I saw 'Hansekai', a Japanese movie.
Kyo: (after a moment) I watched 'Videodrome'.
He told us a bit about the plot, that you start questioning there what is real when watching. He said it's an older movie, and I didn't catch it but there was some connection with Robocop? He said he's also watching 'Friends' and Netflix's 'Dracula'.
After that Kaoru read a question from a fan: 'F seems to be really loved by all members and staff, but can you tell us how do you actually feel about him?'
Ta kept it cool just saying F is his kohai (younger friend/colleague). Kaoru, too, said that F is cool. But then it was time for Kyo ('s rant)🤣
Kyo: I would like to say you're cool, but there are those things I told you you should try to work on. You say you can eat anything, that's okay, but the way you eat is just, too eager (talking about his eating manners), you're even biting your lips, you also ask me about things when you don't really care, and then you reply with 'yeah yeah'. Don't do it. Saying 'yeah' once is fine, but saying 'yeah yeah' is too much.
(possibly didn't get it all xD)
F: I'll be careful. ...any questions you'd like to read?
Kyo (just kept moving on to the next paper, next question, next, next): nothing good.
Kaoru to the rescue picked a question, but had comments.
Ka: 'I'm moving the day after tomorrow and I'm curious bout the life with many people together (in a big group). How is it when you have to stay together?' Is there a connection between this and moving?
He talked about touring abroad and spending time together in a bus, but they just go to sleep soon. But there are more chances to talk before the shows.
Ta: 'can you recommend us any good restaurants in Osaka?'
nothing from the band members besides heavy thinking😂
Ta: 'which do you like better, takoyaki or okonomiyaki?'
Ka: I like both, but I don't eat them much. Monja(yaki) is better though.
Kyo: Monja is good, but choboyaki, from Kyoto, is the best.
Ta: I like both.
F: I eat everything. But abroad it's more difficult.
Kyo: ...the kebab chicken story.
He told us about the time when they were touring, he always stays on the bus so he would ask a roadie to go get him something to eat. He was thinking about eating McDonalds, but then F suddenly said 'let's do kebab!'. After F said that it's not like he could say he wanted McDonalds.
F laughed but got scolded by Kyo.
Kyo: I told you not to laugh like that! Like just a moment ago!
😂
Kaoru brought up that they played at Osaka Jo Hall on this day in the past. They talked about some trouble they had and the venue staff being angry at them.
Kyo: I don't remember anything from that day. I deleted it from my memory.
F: but you chose I'll and Zan for your audiostream.
Kyo: I wanted to do it for my setlist. But then I saw on twitter few fans wrote they want me to do it, I got upset and almost changed it. Almost. In the end nowadays it's something we wouldn't do.
Ta: 'anything you're into now fashionwise?'
Kao (after thinking): nothing really. ...but I'm not wearing socks today.
F stood up to check.
Kyo: You're THAT interested???
F: just wanted to see what it looks like.
Kyo: that's really weird.
F: 'what's the 'fashion point' for you today (the main idea of your look)?
Kyo: well, what do you think?
F: pink?
Kyo: the whole outfit, you're dead!😂
F: ...but even your socks are pink?
Kyo: you really think pink is the main idea? Look at my hair, green, I couldn't wear this outfit if I had black hair. It's about total balance! You're really a weird one.
all the love😂
F: 'winter is a nabe season, so what is your favorite nabe?'
Ka ...talked a lot about different types of nabe to make at home.
Kyo: nothing in particular.
F: what nabe do you want to eat now?
Kyo: what do you think?
F: k...kimchi nabe?
Kyo: I was going to say you're dead if you say something else than kimchi nabe.
F (laughing): I got it right?? But I wanted to hear I'm dead😂
Ta: I like chanko nabe.
Ta: 'what's your favorite tea?'
Ka: don't know, I drink a lot of jasmin tea, but I just buy it in a bottle.
Kyo: any tea is okay.
F: I drink Tokucha (for dieting benefits)
(there's one question here when I zoned out) *found my missing bit: there was a question about the name for their fans, toriko. It came from a poster of Die from MACABRE era, fully dressed up, it said 'I'll make you into my slave'.
F: 'what's your favorite alcohol?'
Ka: wine, Napa Valley, I think I talked about it with Mr.Higuchi (at the Pia VIP meeting).
Kyo: I don't really drink now.
He said he used to buy some stuff to make drinks, cocktails, but doesn't drink now.
F: 'what's the most fun moment or something interesting you've done recently?'
Ka: so we've never played here before, at Zepp Namba. When we arrived we talked together in the dressing room. It was nice to have a chance to chat.
Kyo: same really.
Next, F talked about the additional streamed event and the filming.
Ka told us he felt funny when filming (with motion capture) because one of the sensors to record his movement was exactly where he usually plays the guitar so he had to hold the guitar a bit higher than normal (he showed us how it looked and it was quite funny).
Kyo said that when he was filming, and he went second, Die was first, they had to wear costumes like a Mojimoji-kun (like a black skin tight onesie), he felt Die looked much better, and it really made him feel bad, that his style was too 'minimal'. He felt shocked and didn't really like the filming.
F asked everyone to join them on New Year's Eve and next asked band members for the last comments.
Kaoru: We're not able to do concerts and it's very difficult now to gather together like this, so I'm really grateful you all came. We're thinking a lot about what we can do next year.
Kyo: It must have been difficult to come here today, I'm sorry. And 'おおきに・ookini・thank you/sorry for the trouble.
F: oh sudden Kansai dialect.
Kyo: I'm from Kansai.
F: It's fine if Kansai person uses Kansai dialect.
Kyo (turned to fans again): ookini.
Kyo waved to the audience, then they stood up and stood looking at fans a bit, bowed and finally left.
(unfortunatelly I only went to the 1st slot, but might dedicate my time on the train to Sendai tomorrow to collect some bits from twitter!)
