"DEAD END" in red neon letters on the Paris Olympia. What could be more legendary?
The day is Sunday, the date July 6th, the city Paris. Japan Expo 2014 has just ended, and fans of Japanese music are flocking to the Paris L'Olympia, a historic music hall at the city's cultural heart. What is there to see at this legendary venue this evening ? No less than three bands at the forefront of Japan's rock scene : Sadie, SuG and DEAD END. The uniqueness of the event wasn't quite able to fill L'Olympia's 1500 seats, but this helped create a more intimate atmosphere for the fans, as if they'd all been invited to an exclusive live.
The evening begins at 6PM sharp, and Sadie are welcomed by a rapturous roar from the audience. The band's performance opens with Rosario, impressive fan service for the girls in the front row. Brutal riffs, verses sung in a quiet and subdued voice, making way for sudden unchained growls at the onset of the chorus. This classic from the band made its mark, like an elephant dressed all in black. The musicians then play Cry more under under scarlet lights. Mao goes down on all fours in front of his loudhailer, and headbangs with immense passion. As if going to play their third number, Sadie stop to have a little fun with the audience.
"Hi!" yells Mao, awakening the bulldozer behind L'Olympia's barriers, compelling him to repeat the name of the band. "We're going to burn this place to the ground!" shouts the singer at the top of his voice. Those last words start Dress, yet another classic from 2010. Then comes Kagerou - thanks to the Olympia's exceptional acoustics, each guitar note resonates clear as day throughout the venue. Next up is Meteor, which highlights a more colorful facet of Sadie's music, as does Grieving the Dead Soul. The band's performance ends on Meisai from their first album Undead 13+2, the chorus sounding like a goodbye. After the forty-minute set, a voice on the venue's PA announces a twenty-minute intermission before the night's second act.
Well, not exactly twenty minutes. As the technicians on stage finish setting up, the audience suddenly perks up as guitarist yuji walks onstage to prep his guitar. Amid the screams of the overwhelmingly female crowd, he tunes up under a dark light, revealing only a glimpse of his white outfit. He then leaves, pleased by the reaction. At 7PM, SuG step out in their entirety, launching their sonic offensive with the energetic gr8 story. Appropriately enough, frontman Takeru jumps as he sings "Jump! Jump! Jump!"
The ensuing set is more pop-rock than metal, but doesn't leave the audience cold. During the Surfin' USA-like guitar solo of sweeToxic, the singer's voice suddenly cuts out, probably due to a technical hitch. The problem is resolved in time for LOVE SCREAM PARTY. Just like the studio version, the live rendering features Chiyo's slap bass solo, giving the audience a perfect opportunity to dance. The whole venue joins in chanting the last chorus with Takeru.
SuG then do an MC, speaking in French. Masato says he's happy to be here and that "France is beautiful ... like me!" These facepalm-worthy words introduce their new single, BABY, followed by ☆GimmexGimme☆. The song is played under pinkish-red lights, recreating the sweet atmosphere of the PV. The chorus of "Gimme Gimme" whips the already-wild crowd into a frenzy. The group close out their set with R.P.G. ~ Rockin 'Playing Game and finally 39GalaxyZ, which Takeru announces as the last song three times over. The chorus of this festive song is sung in harmony with the crowd. Another twenty-minute intermission follows.
Once 8PM rolls around, DEAD END take the stage. With a career spanning thirty years, JAPAN MUSIC FEST 2014 marks the band's French debut. MORRIE's arrival is greeted by the thunderous roars of men in the crowd, for the first time since the beginning of the live. Although smaller than the preceding two bands, DEAD END's sound quality is in no way inferior. Suishoujuu opens the set, just as it opened the 2012 album Dream Demon Analyzer.
If MORRIE's voice has changed since the eighties, it still impresses from the first note. Free from the makeup and artifices of visual kei, this is a voice the public can trust. Despite the obvious presence of rhythm guitar playback loops, whenever You executes a pinpoint solo, you know it's his fingers you're hearing. SSS then confirms that MORRIE still possesses that special kind of vocal range, with even very highest notes not seeming to place strain on his voice. He drops his bulky jacket as the arpeggiated guitar riffs herald Calamity, a song about DEAD END's rocky past. For Matenrou game, the opening song of 2009 comeback album Metamorphosis, bassist CRAZY COOL JOE adjusts his amp to make his four strings roar with the same intensity as You's six. The guitarist's solo shakes up the atmosphere, and the long and winding bridge is met with great applause. Angel follows with its unmistakable intro, before making way for the long-awaited Serafine, a DEAD END signature song since 1989.
"Are you ready to rock? Are you ready to die?" MORRIE asks the crowd as Serafine fades away, "We have a couple more songs for you." Then the drummer hits his hi-hat to launch Seiren, a song in which the singer tries to beat the world record for throwing an empty water bottle... that lands softly at his feet. The end of the set is dedicated to DEAD END's latest releases: Blackout and Devil sleep complete this perfect evening. Well, not quite, as the trio come back to play one last song as an encore: 2011's Conception. "Thank you so much!" yells a very happy MORRIE, "We're honored to play here in France for the first time!" He has no hesitation in announcing it would be their pleasure to come back and rock the Paris Olympia all over again.
JAPAN MUSIC FEST 2014 did not disappoint. All three bands brought something fundamentally different, and all the promises of a good evening were fulfilled. Between the DIR EN GREY-like atmosphere of Sadie's performance, SuG's bubblegum rock, or the more traditional hard rock of DEAD END, there was something to please everyone. With any luck, JAPAN MUSIC FEST 2015 will hopefully be held on a less problematic day, as taking place on Sunday evening meant many Japan Expo attendees who live away from Paris couldn't make the show.
Setlist:
Sadie:
1. Rosario
2. Cry More
3. Dress
4. Kagerou
5. METEOR
6. Grieving The Dead Soul
7. Meisai
SuG:
1. gr8 story
2. sweeToxic
3. LOVE SCREAM PARTY
4. B.A.B.Y.
5. ☆Gimme×Gimme☆
6. R.P.G. ~ Rockin' Playing Game
7. 39GalaxyZ
DEAD END:
1. Suishoju
2. SSS
3. CALAMITY
4. Matenrou Game
5. Angel
6. Serafine
7. Seiren
8. Blackout
9. Devil Sleep
10. Conception (Encore)
