VAMPS HALLOWEEN PARTY 2016 at Makuhari Messe

For some years now, every October Makuhari Messe has played host to the VAMPS HALLOWEEN PARTY — several nights of "treats" served up by HYDE, K.A.Z and friends with different performers on each day. If only one word could be used to describe the HALLOWEEN PARTY, it would be "variety". It’s not unusual for events in Japan to take on a variety show format, with several acts spanning different genres sharing the stage, and a quick glance at today’s line up shows that this will be no different with heavy rock artists sharing a stage with household name idols. However, each act would do a great job of mixing up their set list to include fan favourites as well as a variety of styles to make each set truly unique.

Now, given that this report will be going out to the English speaking world, you’re possibly wondering whether such an event is a good use of your valuable short time in Japan. The short answer is if you love J-pop and J-rock then yes, but read on for the caveats.

As an overall event, the HALLOWEEN PARTY is a perfect example of continuous entertainment. The advertised music acts are intertwined with costume parades and forfeit games, so there is very little, if any, dead time between performances. Walkways allow performers to come through and interact with the sectioned standing and seating areas and huge screens mean that even those at the back of the hall can clearly see the fantastic costumes that have been prepared for the occasion, with a dual purpose of displaying lyrics, prompting interaction and sing-alongs.

Kicking off the day in what has become the traditional style of the headline performers, BREAKERZ started off with a skit covering RADIO FISH’s PERFECT HUMAN, changing out the appropriate lyrics for frontman DAIGO and HYDE (supplemented by a paper mask), while perfectly imitating dance routines. It’s difficult to explain the visual appeal using words, however. While a knowledge of the original song and video would help a person to get the most out of the humorous references, not knowing the source material didn’t detract from the overall entertainment value. After this opener the band took to their traditional places and delivered four songs covering a variety of styles to excite the crowd, setting the tone for the rest of the day.

As briefly mentioned above, time between acts was filled with a variety of skits and shows, the first being the "Halloween Collection" Costume Parade where various crowd members had been pre-selected to show off their costumes on the stage with the MC describing costumes and encouraging applause. Before long, it was time for WagakkiBand, who are part traditional folk instruments, part heavy rock, all full impact.

Opting for Japanese horror costumes, including arguably Japan’s most famous ghostly export Sadako on drums, atmospheric backlighting and a slow-paced melodic start with Strong Fate, Suzuhana Yuko’s powerful voice resonated throughout the entire hall and every sound from the eight-piece band was balanced. WagakkiBand had immediately established themselves as a collective of individual talents and this would later be re-enforced by a drum duet mixing a Western style kit with a range of Japanese style percussion instruments, a shamisen solo and the most metal bamboo flute solo you never expected to hear!

Next up, idol duet Booing!!! bridged the gap between main stage acts with their "Road to HALLOWEEN PARTY" set of three songs. Clearly very pleased to be sharing the stage in their "Pokemon Go!" themed outfits, their tunes were bouncy and inoffensive.

Following this brief interlude, the curtain raised on Momoiro Clover Z. Well, one of them to start with. As the intro music played, a large contingent of the crowd, glow sticks in hand, were clearly fired up for this particular act, but they would have to wait for the music. Taking an opportunity to switch their colours and dress up as a team Halloween effort, the girls came out one by one playing out a skit based on the popular children’s cartoon "Doreamon" with leader Kanako Momota taking the titular role before breaking into BIONIC CHERRY. The Doreamon costume would be put to good use later too, continuing the humour by replacing the signature gymnastics of Ikuze kaitou shoujo with a line of flags being pulled from the costume's "4D pocket".

The sheer energy involved in singing and dancing at the same time made Momoiro Clover Z’s performance quite incredible. It sounded fantastic and the girls' experience in performance really started to be heard with each one's personality coming through in their voice. The highlight for many though was clearly Stardust Serenade when all five members took out their props and ran around the crowd, giving out sweets to those fortunate enough to be standing or seated near barriers, before returning to the stage for their finale.

AKi was the second special performer of the day. Dressed in fine gothic style and surrounded by his band who were wearing classic Hollywood horror villain costumes, he opened a special act stage that didn’t have access to the full arena walkways, but was perfectly visible on the large screens. Three "proper" rock songs later, and it was time for the introduction of tonight’s hosts: VAMPS.

Unusually for a headline festival act, VAMPS themselves would only play a short set of six songs, preferring instead to leave a little time for some surprises afterwards, but what a set! Opening with HYDE’s disembodied head (a very well-crafted animatronic) being wheeled around the arena while his body hunted for it, it wasn’t long before the band launched into INSIDE OF ME feat. Chris Motionless of Motionless In White. Tonight, HYDE had chosen a very special theme for his costume, deciding to represent the original HALLOWEEN JUNKY ORCHESTRA leader, while K.A.Z opted for a more traditional werewolf (although it wasn't long before the intrusive snout was cast aside). Making full use of the space to reach as much of the audience as possible, it wasn’t long before flying bicycles delivered HYDE to join K.A.Z on moving platforms that were being ushered around the arena. Zombies chased them and "attacked" the barriers holding back the crowd, and pumpkin men on stilts danced with the audience. The Messe had been turned from a simple concert venue into a full swing HALLOWEEN PARTY.

As VAMPS left the stage, an ominous voice made an announcement and it wasn’t long before what for many of the audience would easily be the highlight of the evening, if not their year, given the reactions of some people.

While everyone expected the start of the Halloween forfeit games, quiet piano keys could instead be heard as the curtain raised to reveal none other than X JAPAN’s YOSHIKI. A very well-kept secret, this hadn’t been announced at all on marketing literature and a very special duet performance with HYDE for Say Anything and MY HEART DRAWS A DREAM was the perfect close to the evening’s main section.

So what to finish? Members of the HALLOWEEN JUNKY ORCHESTRA were brought out on to the stage for a typical MC round where they would try and guess the song HYDE was attempting to play on a Theremin. Now, normally without an understanding of Japanese (and even with), this part of the show could be considered surplus to those just wanting more music, but today you would be treated to various musicians coming together to play covers of other famous rock songs as the forfeits, making the section quite entertaining though a little long.

Finally, the HALLOWEEN JUNKY ORCHESTRA would make it’s way around the arena to the anthem song, handing out sweets and chocolates as far as they could throw them into the crowd, before bidding everyone farewell for another year.

Set list

BREAKERZ

01. BAMBINO
02. Everlasting Luv
03. REAL LOVE
04. SUMMER PARTY

WagakkiBand

01. Strong Fate
02. Ikusa
03. Senbonzakura
04. Shiromadara
05. Battle of Drums and Wadaiko
06. Kishi kaisei

Booing!!!

01. SEKAI DE TATTA HITORI NO KIMI NI
02. Yourself
03. Hat Trick

Momoiro Clover Z

01. BIONIC CHERRY
02. SARABA ITOSHIKI KANASHIMI TACHIYO
03. IKUZE! KAITOU SYOUJO
04. STARDUST SERENADE
05. THE GOLDEN HISTORY

AKi

01. JIU
02. FAIRY DUST
03. STORY

VAMPS

01. HALLOWEEN PARTY –HALLOWEEN DOLLS Ver.-
02. KYUKETSU -SATSUGAI VAMPS Ver.-
03. DEVIL SIDE
04. INSIDE OF ME feat. Chris Motionless of Motionless In White
05. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
06. THE JOLLY ROGER
07. SEX BLOOD ROCK N’ ROLL

YOSHIKI x HYDE

01. Say Anything
02. MY HEART DRAWS A DREAM

HALLOWEEN JUNKY ORCHESTRA

01. Penalty Waltz
02. HALLOWEEN NAME-THE-SONG QUIZ
03. HALLOWEEN PARTY