Live Reports:
Live Report Courtesy of Cassiel.
^_^
deadman - 2004/12/11 - Oneman
live at RockMayKan
I left early because I was worried about being able to find the Meguro Rock-May-Kan, since I'd never been there before. Turned out to be incredibly easy to find, leaving me with a lot of spare time to kill before the live. During which I wandered down the street and discovered Third Stage. *_* I'd totally forgotten it was in Meguro, having only been there once, four years ago. So I killed time in there. And my wallet, too, slightly -- they had one of sarii's first demotapes, gyakutai nikki, that I'd been wanting ever since I first discovered them. I don't even have a tape player here, but I don't care. I bought it and I'm happy. I'll play it when I get back to Australia.
I then went out and waited in front of the Rock-May-Kan, and soon enough, they started letting people in. This part was mildly torturous, because my ticket was number 307. So I had to stand and watch as they called out "up to ten... up to twenty... up to fifty..." and so on, and watch all these lucky people who got to go in before me. But finally, they got up to me, and I hurried inside.
Let me just note here that the Rock-May-Kan is a shit venue to hold a live in. To start with, there's practically no coin locker space whatsoever, and the lockers they do have are too small to fit anything larger than a mouse in. So you go into the live carrying all your belongings. (Which sucks because I tend to carry a lot. Tomorrow, I'm taking as little as possible.) That in itself wouldn't be so bad, but there's also the fact that the venue used to be a cinema, and even though it's been a livehouse for what, twenty years or so, nobody has bothered to take the cinema seats out. This SUCKS. A few lucky people move down the front, and everyone else crowds into the back of the venue behind the seats and mills around looking stupid and being unable to see. >_< They really need to get a clue and get rid of the seats.
Anyway, with that out of the way... I went in, stopped at the dealer table long enough to finally get my own copies of 701125 and amefuri, and then hurried inside. And discovered that there was pretty much nowhere to go. So I milled around stupidly with everyone else for half an hour, worrying because I couldn't really see and the only tall Japanese guy at the entire live was standing in front of me. :P
And then... the lights went down and the live started. Everyone got excited and started pushing forward. People climbed over the stupid seats and stood in the rows between them, allowing those of us further back to move forward and get more of a chance to see. The tall guy moved slightly to the right, and I could see the microphone. I breathed easier. And then deadman came out on stage.. Toki, Takamasa, Aie, and finally Mako. And so long as I held my head up and slightly to the left, I could see him just fine. Ahhhh, I was so relieved. I couldn't see Aie at all, but so long as I could see Mako, nothing else mattered. ^_^;
And they started to play, and the music wrapped itself around me, and the next two hours were something like a dream. I don't even remember what song came first, or what songs they played in what order.. all I remember is how much fun I had.
Mako was much more vibrant and lively and crazed than he had been at the previous live I saw him at. He was all over the stage like a jerky puppet gone out of control, and it was wonderful to watch. When he headbanged during the fast songs it was so awesomely cool. I've never seen him headbang before. When he first came out, he yelled something incomprehensible at us, which was the most I'd ever seen him interact with the audience before. *laugh* He was still very much in his own world, dancing his own dance for himself, but this time it was like he was letting us be a part of it, letting us take a peek into his world. Sharing the madness with us, as it were. ^^ I love the way he moves when he dances. He looks totally out of sync with his own body and yet at the same time totally natural. And he's not one of those singers who just wanders to the back of the stage when there's no singing parts.. he's right up the front during the entire songs, moving, dancing, enacting out things that maybe only he understands, stories to go with the lyrics that he's come up with. And the wicked and weird things he does with his eyes and his mouth to make himself look crazy... I love it. He has such a voluptuous mouth, and he emphasises it with the black lipstick he wears, and its really gorgeous. And when his hair starts to get sweaty and falls all over his face, its really sexy. He can be so beautiful. *_*
Sorry, I'm all over the place, I'm trying to put together all the overwhelming impressions in my head that are rushing out. ^_^;
They did so many songs.. they did 25, which is really beautiful live. They did moumoku no hane, and god, during which Mako does the cutest actions of miming a bouncing ball when singing about the 'shikabane no ball'. They did in media which made me so, so happy because I just love that song! It was all bouncy and fun and wonderful, and Mako hardly moves from the mic during it because there's just so many words and they go so fast! ^_^ They did maze room and monster tree off the new CD, and Mako did the same thing with the lamp for maze room that he did when I saw them before.. only this time it was cooler because they turned off ALL the stage lights except for the lamp he was carrying, and he waved it around and would light up various things.. often he held it in such a way that all you could see was his face and hands, like just a part of him was emerging from the blackness.. it was really cool. They did amefuri no warui yume, which was so pretty to see live even though I don't know it so well yet. ^^; They did a slow set of songs in the middle.. for doris no tegami, Mako sat down on a speaker at the front of the stage and sang like he was pouring out his heart to us. He looked and sounded so agonised and heartfelt that it made me want to cry, it was so beautiful. They did arizuka which was so strong and beautifully sung that it sent shivers down my spine. They did sakura to ame, and blue berry, both of which were lovely as well. And then they moved on to do a fast set. They did Through the looking glass (which is great fun to dance along to, although Mako getting everyone to do the 'Hail Hitler'-esque movements for parapara is a bit disturbing *laugh*), and blut, and quo vadis (which is SO MUCH FUN live -- I love Mako's crazy voice, and his cute inability to pronounce English ^^ and there's lots of crazy headbanging and fists in the air) and also re make, which gets everyone going nuts and has some delightful crazy looks and weird hand gestures from Mako. Oh and they did oboreru sakana, complete with everyone doing 'mawaru' motions for the part about swimming around in/drowning in the fishtank. ^^ I think taion was what they ended the set on, to sort of slow down after all the fast stuff, with the lights all dimmed and blue. It was so pretty and Mako's voice soared out over the audience, mesmerizing us all so that we hardly noticed that they were leaving.
I can't describe how beautiful Mako's voice is live. It's way more intense than it is recorded, and I already really love it recorded. It's so strong and rich and deep and powerful, and he can do so much with it. His voice pounded out of the speakers and I felt as though I was enfolded in the sound of it, wrapped up warm and drowning in the delight of the intense emotions that he was sharing with us. I'm still shivering with the intensity of being touched by that voice, and for so long.
During several of the songs, Mako had gotten this red goop on his hands, presumably to look like blood, which he would rub between his fingers and hold up the audience and such. Between two of the songs when they were taking a quick breather, he wandered to the back of the stage, licking his fingers clean of the blood stuff, and god, it was so sexy. *_* And during the last song of the set, he used the blood on his hands to draw bloody tears down his face from his eyes, which looked really cool.
And about halfway through the set, they stopped a bit and Mako actually spoke to the audience, and I almost died of shock. *_* He's always come across as so shy and even at the handshake event he hardly spoke, and always in this quiet whisper, with his face hidden behind his hair. So when he came up the mic and started growling in it in this deep, sexy voice (and I do mean just straight out growling) I nearly died of shock. They shone the spotlight on him and he immediately said "ahh, too bright!" and they turned it off again. ^^ He spoke briefly, saying there was no time to talk *laugh* but he actually spoke, loudly and confidently and without whispering, in this deep, sexy voice that I had NO idea he possessed. He said a few other things, and then he yelled a lot of random stuff to get everyone excited and yelling back at him, and then they started playing one of the hard and fast songs. I'm in love with his speaking voice now as well as his singing voice. *_*
And I have new appreciation for Takamasa now, having been able to see him actually easier than Mako. He's really cool and he really knows how to use that bass of his; I didn't realise what a great player he is. And he really likes to get into the groove of the music, and I like the way he moves. He's really rocking. I also did manage to get to see Aie a few times, despite the tall guy, and I love the way he plays the guitar -- he puts his whole being into extracting music from it, totally possessed by it, and it's awesome. I already knew he was a great guitarist but I have renewed appreciation for it after tonight.
After the set ended and they'd left the stage, almost immediately the 'encore' chant started down the front. (Spurring a burst of laughter from the girls behind me about how fast they were to start it. ^^) We did the encore chant for awhile, and then they came back out on stage. ^o^ Aie came out first and showed off the parka he was wearing and told us that they were selling them now, but that we'd have to be quick if we wanted one, else they'd sell out. And when Mako came out, he told us that they hadn't intended to do an encore, but that they were going to do one. But that they had no idea what songs they were going to play. *laugh* But then he said "ja, gin no parasol" and they played that. ^^ It's so cute live because for the chorus bits Mako bounces back and forth, left and right, and the whole audience sways left and right along with him. It's so fun! And I think that was when they did jukeisha no nikki, which was also really cool. I think that was the song where Mako turned to the wall and did some dancing and waving to his shadow which was cast high up on the wall to the left.. it was so cute watching him interact with his shadow! I also think that was the song where he started off by grabbing the collar of his shirt and yanking it downwards so that half his chest was bared, and then pawing at himself. *_* And for the rest of that set his shirt was half-open and he pulled at it a few more times, and gods... *swoon* They did another song after that, too.. but I don't know what it was. Mako goes all crazy and starts speaking really fast, in this wild, high-pitched, breathy voice, sounding like he's having a panic attack, and making all these wild gestures to match.. it's really cool. (I think this is when it was, anyway. *_* Whenever it was, I really loved it.)
After that, they left again, and the house lights came up. But the 'encore' chant started up again, and only a few people moved out of the room. Everyone milled around and clapped their hands and chanted. The lights stayed up, and I was wondering whether I should think about leaving.. when the lights went down again. Everyone squealed and pushed forward again, and this time, with people having left, I finally got in a space where I could see the whole stage clearly. Takamasa came out first this time, and complained that they were tired. *laugh* But the rest of them still came out. ^^ And from where I was, I could see them all.. I could even see Toki behind his drums! ^_^
And then they started playing lunchbox, and I started jumping up and down with excitement. I love that song so much, and I didn't think they were going to play it! But they did! ^o^ I danced like a mad thing through it, along with everyone else, and everyone pumps their fists in the air during the "who ate? who ate what? what was in your lunchbox?" part. ^^ (GOd those are stupid lyrics, but I love it all the same. ^^) Ahhh, I was so happy! And then they did re make again! Woo! I think they were running out of ideas of what to play. *laugh* But we all got to go crazy during it again, it's really so much fun live.
And after that, they left the stage again, and the lights came up, and this time the curtains closed. This time it was really over. And it was after 9pm by that time, when the live had started around 6:50pm. That's a heck of a live. Oh my god, I can't believe I saw them perform for over two hours. *_* And I will get to see them do it again tomorrow night! This is such an awesome weekend!
Oh gosh, how could I forget. Outfits. *_* Mako was wearing the same black shirt with red sleeves that he's wearing in the flyers they're giving out at the moment.. he's also wearing it in the top pic on their website. It's really nice and shows off what a lovely shape he has.. I love his wide shoulders tapering to his small waist.. I love men with figures like that. *_* He was also wearing those black knickerbocker-like pants he likes so much, and the red and black striped socks. ^^ Aie was wearing some sort of patterned shirt, I couldn't tell the pattern due to the coloured lights always changing around him. He still needs a haircut. (Sorry, Aie, I just don't like your current hairstyle!) Takamasa was wearing a white button-neck shirt over a black shirt. And I have no idea what Toki was wearing. ^^; For the encores, Takamasa took off the white shirt and just wore the black one.. and Aie briefly switched his patterned shirt for the deadman parka so he could show it off, and then took it off as well and was wearing naught but a tight white singlet shirt that bared his shoulders very, very nicely and showed off what a nice body he has. *_*
I hope they put the setlist up on their website soon, seeing it written down in order will hopefully help me remember some of the things I've forgotten. I know I've forgotten so much already and it was only a short time ago. *_* Not so much forgotten, as that there was so much, almost too much, to take in, and I was so totally in the moment, that it's become like a beautiful, vividly coloured dream in my head. (Like the lyrics to taion.. "omoide to yume wa yoku nitteru.. omoide made yume ni naru.." ^^)
Whew. I think that's all. After the show ended, I sort of walked out in a daze and somehow made it back to the station and caught the train all the way home. I even remembered to buy dinner on the way home. But all the while I was inside my head replaying the music, and Mako's voice, and Mako moving about on stage, and I was so happy. ^o^
