NACK5 Beat Shuffle Live Side

The weather was icy and windy on December 30th of 2006 at the Sonic City building in Omiya, but fans braved the low temperatures all the same to come out in droves for the annual NACK5 Beat Shuffle Live Side. After hurrying past shopping malls and small street bands, fans were able to defrost for a short while inside the lobby as they met up with friends and admired the handful of cosplayers who'd come as well. Inside the concert hall itself, fans were ushered to their seats, either on the first floor or the balcony, as popular music played over the speakers. Once most everyone had settled, DJ Asai came on to the sound of cheers and introduced both the event and the bands playing. As he spoke the name of each band, it prompted an adoring shout from the gathered fans. With a quick wave of his hand, DJ Asai then exited the stage to applause.

A moment or two passed as the fans excitedly murmured to each other before the live hall darkened and techno music began to play over the speakers; it was time for the first band of the night, Nightmare, to take the stage. The group was dressed entirely in black and drummer Ruka strolled out first before being followed by the rest of his bandmates; bassist Ni~Ya, the guitarists Hitsugi and Sakito, and finally vocalist Yomi, who was barefoot and briefly put his hand up to peer out over the crowd before their set began.

They opened with their newest single the WORLD, a dramatic piece and the perfect song to get the crowd on their feet. Yomi's voice live held much more emotion and power than that heard on the recording, immediately giving those new to Nightmare's live performances a hint of what more to expect from this rock band. While the men on stage had been somewhat subdued during this opening tune, not moving much from their positions on stage aside Sakito, the following songs Neoteny and livEVIL immediately sent the energy through the roof as band members danced and crouched down close to the reaching hands of the audience.

There was a brief MC, during which Yomi mentioned this as Nightmare's third time participating in the event and the fans yelled like crazy, trying to catch the attention of the members. They weren't given too long to yell as Nightmare was itching to continue to play as they went into their next song, Dasei Boogie, an obvious fan favourite. Ni~Ya made his way up front and center as the rest of the band danced with Yomi and Hitsugi at one point playfully imitating and mirroring each other's movements. Both the band and the fans seemed to feed off of each other's energy for this fun tune, the laughing and smiling fans switching between doing furi/hand movements and dancing wildly in the aisles as Nightmare got down on stage.

The next song, Gianism 2, was another one obviously well-loved by the band's gathered fans who stretched their arms as the entire band, aside drummer Ruka, came down along the very front of the stage. Hitsugi in particular got quite close to the fans in front of him, and almost appeared to be dancing with them as the crowd leapt and bounced along. HATE followed and kept the energy high as the fans danced and waved their hands wildly in the air.

Yomi took another moment to speak to the audience, announcing the release of a live DVD containing footage from their show at the NHK Hall as well as the release of their next album, coming out in February. He then announced that alumina was next, prompting a soft 'oooh' from the excited crowd. The stage darkened, leaving a sole spotlight on Yomi as his voice floated out over the crowd. The stage began to lighten slightly, everything cast in shades of blue and green which added to the intense mood as Sakito's guitar solo sliced through the air. After giving voice to the final note, Yomi stared intensely out over the crowd before turning away as the guitar lines led the audience to the song's end.

Star [k] night was the final song of Nightmare's set, opening with Sakito getting up close to the crowd once more. During the slower moment, Yomi held the microphone out to the crowd, encouraging their fans to sing along, which they did with great gusto. As the song picked back up, but unfortunately neared its end, more of the band members came up close to the crowd with Hitsugi dancing up a storm. Yomi gave an energetic shout and pointed out at the audience as the song, and Nightmare's turn, came to an end. The band tossed out their water bottles towards the hopeful hands of their fans and Sakito managed to fling his up into the balcony. After a final farewell from Hitsugi, Nightmare left the stage to the sound of their fans' cheers.

The lights over the crowd lifted, the red curtains closed over the stage, and the audience was given a few moments to recover and possibly rush to the bathrooms or to a vending machine. Some fans had also switched their seats with others; giving up a position close to the stage for a Nightmare fan who then gave the seat back to its original owner or a fan of the next band. After a bit of chattering and refreshments, the lights went down again and the hands went up as the curtains opened to reveal the next band, An Cafe, already on stage.

The difference between the colorful An Cafe, the members dressed in a mix of plaids and bright colors, and the dark Nightmare was striking. Having been around for fewer years than the previous band, An Cafe seemed to have a slightly smaller number of fans. Those fans, however, immediately raised both their hands and voices, more than making up for their fewer numbers with their clear fondness and enthusiasm for the band. Opening with the catchy smile ichiban ii♀, An Cafe started their set with plenty of energy, in particular from their vocalist, Miku.

NYAPPY in the world 2 came next, with its abundance of fan and band interaction as Miku directed the movements of the fans happily. Guitarist Bou bounced in place while the bassist and drummer, kanon and Teruki respectively, head banged along to the beat as the fans spelt out the English word 'LOVE' with their arms. They again mirrored Miku's movements for the next song, Tekesuta kousen, after the vocalist brought out a star-shaped tambourine. Hitting it against a palm or his thigh, Miku looked out over the smiling audience with a large grin of his own. The fans were happily dancing along and the band obviously appreciated their cheers as Bou blew playful kisses out to those clamoring in front of him.

Miku prompted the crowd to clap along with him during the start of Escapism before kanon was spotlighted during his bass solo. Both men spun and danced during this song as the fans laughed and bounced along with their hands in the air. As Escapism came to an end, each member was beneath a spotlight before Teruki stood up behind his drum set to give the MC. After telling a funny story involving An Cafe, alice nine, and photobooks, he announced to the pleasant surprise of their fans that An Cafe would be opening up an official fanclub!

After this announcement, Miku took center stage again but he was not entirely alone- he'd brought a Donald Duck puppet along with him. Duck no Magical Adventure and Gangu were surprisingly heavy and fast tunes, which may have caught those unfamiliar with the band off-guard considering their colorful costumes and cheerful stage presence. Duck no Magical Adventure was a mixture of Donald Duck impressions, head banging, and shrieking fans while the audience got a bit wild during Gangu as Miku pumped his fist in the air.

Maple Gunman featured a strong guitar solo from Bou from beneath the spotlights as Miku ran back and forth over the stage, traveling from one end to another and toting the microphone stand with him. Not about to end on a slow note after all of that energy, the still-bouncy An Cafe ended their set with Snow Scene, gathering around the drums for the finish. Waving and smiling, they thanked their fans and the gathered audience as Bou blew a few more kisses. They left the stage then and the lights went up once more, revealing a slightly frazzled and tired crowd in their wake.

Fans hurried to hydrate and snack before the third act of the night, alice nine, took the stage. When the lights went down, many were rushing back to their seats, not wanting to miss this group.

The curtain parted to reveal an empty stage with a large star logo hanging from behind the drum set. Recorded music played and the audience clapped along to this introduction track before the clapping began to dissolve into screams of adoration as the band came out; drummer Nao first, then bassist Saga, guitarists Tora and Hiroto, and finally their vocalist, Shou. The band made quite the striking picture and contrast to both earlier groups as they were dressed entirely in white with touches of gold.

The lights dimmed slightly as the sound of a piano drifted over the audience and some fans began to wave small glow sticks, glittering like stars in the darkness. A slower song, FANTASY may initially have seemed like a bit of a strange choice in opening, but it appeared to immediately captivate the audience. alice nine's members mostly held their positions during this song, concentrating on the music instead of dancing about as Shou gave a moving performance, pouring his heart into the lyrics.

The next song, Velvet, however immediately kicked things up to a much quicker tempo as Hiroto danced over to the edge of the stage, seeming to tease the fans who reached for him. Shou leapt up onto the riser while Saga's shouts of "Oi oi oi!" served to whip the crowd further into a frenzy. Following Velvet, RED CARPET GOING ON brought out an even crazier side to this young band. After a fierce guitar introduction, the group went wild; head banging and screaming as the fans spun their glow sticks wildly in circles and head banged along. The bassist didn't seem satisfied with this and motioned that he wanted even more energy from the crowd, which gladly gave it to him as they danced and leapt as best they could with the seats getting in their way.

During the following MC, each member had a chance to speak briefly. Shou was first and greeted the crowd with an enthusiastic shout. Tora was the last to speak before the band went into shunkashuutou and its pretty guitar intro, before the pace picked up dramatically. Fans clapped as Saga and Hiroto danced and, depending on the spot in the song, either waved their hands slowly in the air as led by Nao or pumped their fists while leaping as directed by Shou. There was a brief moment of technical trouble during this song involving the drum set and a microphone, but it was glossed over easily enough and the band was all smiles as most of the members gathered in the center of the stage at the end of the tune. haikara naru rinbukyoku had a very jazzy and cool atmosphere, prompting even more dancing from both alice nine and their fans and Shou giving new fans a bit of a surprise as he conducted the member shoukai (member call) in English. Saga perhaps surprised them even further as he clutched a yellow flower's stem between his teeth during his bass solo as he took center stage, before tossing it with a flourish out into the waiting hands of the crowd. DEAD SCHOOL SCREAMING was next, opening with a fierce bass line as Shou strode confidently from one side of the stage to the other, watching the fans pump their fists into the air as he growled and shouted into the microphone.

After that craziness, Shou took a moment to speak to the fans once more, asking if they were having fun. One did not need to hear the responding cheer to know their obvious answer! He also made the announcement then of a new single called JEWELS to be released March 21st and of a spring tour.

Blue Planet came next, featuring Hiroto again getting up close to the fans in front of him, the audience's fists pumping in the air, and some very moving vocals from Shou. alice nine's final song of the night was an extremely energetic one, heisei juushichinen shichigatsu nanoka, which had everyone gathered literally jumping about as directed by Shou, including all of alice nine. He held the microphone out for a moment to encourage their fans to sing, which they did all too gladly, as the band then gathered together on the riser. The song came to its end and Shou shouted his thanks as the entire band came up to toe the edge of the stage, close to their fans, as they tossed out water bottles and towels before exiting.

The sky outside had turned dark by this hour and it was time for the final band, MUCC, to take the stage. As the curtains parted anew, Rave circus, the introduction track to their newest album, began to play over the speakers and fans eagerly danced and clapped along, coaxing the band members out one by one. Drummer Satochi appeared first, followed by bassist Yukke with both men motioning to the already yelling audience for more. As they took their positions, guitarist Miya strolled out in a very cool manner before vocalist Tatsuro took the stage. The feeling in the air was already very different from the previous band; alice nine's performance was upbeat and warm while MUCC's entrance seemed to herald the start of something mysterious and possibly dark.

Not giving the fans much longer to yell, the band quickly launched into Gokusai. The audience immediately began to head bang as Miya danced and Tatsuro prowled the riser in a predatory manner, his expression difficult to discern. The fans screamed and clapped as the song came to an end before a low guitar line sliced through the air and Ranchu began. Yukke and Miya came up close to the fans, who were attempting to move and dance as best they could with their seats in the way.

The energy continued to be high as MUCC then went into an older song, orugooru. The crowd was literally leaping off of their feet and Tatsuro seemed to be feeding off of their insanity as he crouched on the riser, ruffling his hair and clutching at his head dramatically. As the upbeat Saishuu Ressha began, a spotlight illuminating Miya during his opening solo, fans began to leave their seats to cling to the metal barrier separating them from the stage, wanting to be as close to the band as possible.

25-ji no Yuuutsu brought a slower beat but no less energy as an orange spotlight illuminated Satochi and Yukke played an upright, electric bass. Tatsuro hid his face in the crook of his arm, as if he couldn't bear to meet anyone's eyes, while crooning the lyrics with Miya providing backing vocals. As the song picked up tempo, the intensity swelled to a near boiling point as the vocalist fell to his back, hands flailing wildly. Satochi head banged behind his drum set and Miya dropped to his knees with the multicoloured lights flashing behind them. 25-ji no Yuuutsu continued to its almost dream-like end as Tatsuro, who'd briefly gotten to his feet again, sunk slowly behind the riser, his voice drifting over the crowd, before finally vanishing entirely from view. The song and its performance appeared to have left the audience completely mesmerized.

MUCC decided to break the spell they'd cast as they went into the next song; Horizont was a more subdued, softer tune although the vocals still carried a certain emotional rawness in them, something not fully appreciated in the version heard on CD. It drove some fans to begin to blink back tears as recorded flute and live guitar lines drifted through the air. A reprieve was finally granted as Tatsuro then took a moment to MC, greeting the audience with an almost lazy drawl and his usual brand of humor.

The fans were not given long to rest, however, as soon MUCC launched into Monster, opening with an outstanding bassline from Yukke as the crowd pumped their fists in the air while shouting "Hey! Hey! Hey!". Tatsuro stood atop the riser in his bare feet with the microphone stand in hand as he head banged crazily. He and Yukke left the center then, going back towards Satochi, as Miya took front and center during his fiery solo before heading back to his usual position. The audience seemed to be going absolutely crazy and the band reciprocated as Tatsuro smacked the riser in time to the ending beat.

Utagoe came next, marking a slightly different change in mood from the earlier intensity and insanity. While the stage lit up brightly, both band and fans danced together with many having now completely abandoned their seats to dance in the aisles. Namonamuki Yume continued the unexpectedly upbeat mood that suddenly seemed to have seized the venue, opening with a lovely guitar line from Miya and ending with Tatsuro holding onto the final note for nearly ten seconds.

MUCC seemingly decided to end their set, however, on something of a crazier note for as Namonamuki Yume ended, Tatsuro began to point out at the fans, mumbling "Kirai" to himself which signaled the start of Daikirai. While they had already listened, and danced, to so many bands, the fans still somehow found energy to go absolutely mad during this song as they left their seats again to head bang and thrash about. Tatsuro remained in the center, clutching at his head before beginning to scream while Yukke came up close to the edge of the stage, the audience stretching their hands towards him eagerly. Daikirai seemed to pass far too quickly for the gathered fans who yelled their adoration as the members of MUCC exited after exhausted bows and waves.

The chant for an encore immediately went up as the stage went dark and the venue lights came on, signaling the end of the event. DJ Asai came back on and thanked the gathered fans for their support. Though drained and exhausted, the crowd gathered up their things to head back into the city after a night no one would soon forget.

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JaME would like to thank NACK 5, the bands, and their management.