the GazettE rock Yokohama for their tour final in a show with something for fans old and new
Yokohama Arena hosted the GazettE 2011-2012 tour final – OMEGA – in a hot show that won’t be easily forgotten. When approaching the venue, a mass of cosplayers and tour paraphernalia invaded the view, devoted fans bringing out their best attires to welcome the band.
Fashionably late, the venue went black and to the electro beat of INFUSE INTO the members came on stage one by one. With the crowd still cheering and yelling the band kicked off the show with VENOMOUS SPIDER’S WEB. The song got the crowd moving and helped set the mood for the rest of the show, guitarist URUHA taking the lead with a fiery solo.
With a literal blast the GazettE moved on to SLUDGY CULT with its smooth bass and steady drums. The band showed great energy and took a hold of the crowd from the start with vocalist RUKI climbing fences and adopting daring poses. If the first songs did a good job warming up the crowd, VORTEX got the hall to business with heavy head banging. The light show helped create the right atmosphere as smoke crept on stage, fueling the heated performance.
On the screens a red curtain moved welcomingly and fans were transported to a dark gloomy circus for the appropriately titled THE SUICIDE CIRCUS. Images of death and war flashed alongside images of famous paintings and art pieces. The energy kept flowing as the hall moved to the pop beat, jumping and head banging vigorously. The curtain again appeared on the screens, closing solemnly as the song reached an end. The two guitarists did a great job moving around constantly during MY DEVIL ON THE BED. The song got the hall clapping vigorously, RUKI dramatically announcing “Let’s welcome the darkness!” as the song built up to some fresh growling.
Visually impressive was 13 STAIRS [-]1 with the room turning red as crowd and band moved as one. After a slow start the song built up with the audience moving back and forth like a giant wave. Very dramatically RUKI’s voice echoed throughout the venue before, with a growl, the vocalist defied the crowd for the GazettE-style head banging. The human wave continued for RUTHLESS DEED with its heavy beat and nice guitar and bass work. The transition from slow to heavy, aided by the lights, set the mood.
Chijou (which roughly translates to blind passion) brought a heavy dark tinge with it as images of a snake moving along a naked female body took the screen. Blood, scissors and images of kinbaku flashed in between, creating a gory atmosphere that suit the song well. The mood softened for UNTITLED with RUKI dramatically holding a candle for the song’s opening while in the back stars danced.
Purple lights welcomed AGONY and the vocalist yelled “Let’s go Yokohama!” demanding more from the crowd. As the venue moved to the beat URUHA did some fan service, the crowd cheering excitedly before the words CLEVER MONKEY flashed on the screen, announcing the next song. The dancing continued and AOI graced the hall with his unique and amusing dance style to the steady drums and funky beat.
A loud yell took over the venue as VERMIN started. The choreographies made for quite a sight as the whole venue became one moving along to the song. With the crowd on fire the vocalist asked “Are you ready for more?” before yelling “Let’s become one!” The next song HEADACHE MAN brought with it some refreshing heavy head banging, the band moving and thrashing heads with the crowd.
All hell broke loose for the classic Filth in the beauty, the whole venue thrashing heads in a visually impressive performance. Band and fans put their hearts and energy in the performance in a great example of impressive crowd control. The head banging continued with PSYCOPATH, KAI very energetic as he marked the tempo for the moving bodies in front of him.
With a yell RUKI announced TOMORROW NEVER DIES and the venue was overcome by claps and shouts of “Oi!” to pumping fists. The song slowed down to a stop, reassuming to a vocal and guitar duet that saw URUHA’s guitar speeding away in a hot solo. As the song ended the band bade their farewells, leaving an eager crowd behind. Like a mantra the crowd let out shouts of encore, drawing REITA and KAI out for the long-awaited Ride with the Rockers, a heated drum and bass duet.
With the five members back on stage the band blasted off with REMEMBER THE URGE. Visually it was an interesting piece with the crowd pumping fists to yet another impressive guitar solo. With REITA on the central platform and one guitarist on each side, the band continued with the long-awaited Akai one piece and its fiery head banging. The crowd moved as one and to everyone’s amusement AOI wiggled his hips dancing to the beat.
After thanking the fans for their support in a heartfelt emcee, RUKI confessed he was a little sad with the end of the tour, adding with a smile “It’s very the GazettE to end a tour when the year is starting.” The classics continued with COCKROACH and its vigorous furitsuke and contagious heavy beat, and DISCHARGE. As usual LINDA ~candydive Pinky Heaven~ ended the set with a blast as the venue thrashed heads and moshed in unison.
Between waves and yells the band left all voices joining for yet another encore demand. With the classic Knockin' on Heaven's Door by Guns N’ Roses in the background the crowd cheered for the band who returned for one last song. With RUKI whispering the words “Welcome to hell!” all hell broke loose for Kantou dogeza kumiai. On their knees, the fans got ready for the sitting head banging, giving all they had in a memorable performance that testified the close bond between the band and fans. In a relaxed and familiar atmosphere the show ended, fan service not forgotten with AOI daringly grabbing RUKI’s buttocks, causing a loud approving cheer from the crowd. With the words “I love you!” the band made their exit, thanking the fans for their support.
As the screens came to life one last time the hall went silent, only to be filled with a loud cheer with the announcement of a new album release in August and a special live at Makuhari Messe to celebrate the band’s 10th anniversary. We look forward to the upcoming album and many more years to come in the company of the GazettE. We congratulate the band on 10 years filled with memorable hits and fiery performances and look forward to the upcoming live!
Set List:
-SE- INFUSE INTO
01. VENOMOUS SPIDER’S WEB
02. SLUDGY CULT
03. VORTEX
04. THE SUICIDE CIRCUS
05. MY DEVIL ON THE BED
06. 13 STAIRS [-]1
07. RUTHLESS DEED
08. Chijou
09. UNTITLED
10. AGONY
11. CLEVER MONKEY
12. VERMIN
13. HEADACHE MAN
14. Filth in the beauty
15. PSYCOPATH
16. TOMORROW NEVER DIES
17. OMEGA
-Encore-
18. Ride with the Rockers
19. REMEMBER THE URGE
20. Akai one piece
21. COCKROACH
22. DISCHARGE
23. LINDA ~candydive Pinky Heaven~
-Encore 2-
24. Kantou dogeza kumiai
