Versailles One-man Live Bara no Matsuei

At 16:30, half an hour before the doors would open, there was line outside Tokyo Unit. Well-dressed lolitas, Kamijo and Hizaki cosplayers walked around, waiting for the live house to open. Right at the entrance, there was a paper reading 'Versailles Sold Out', a promising sign for this still young band. When the doors opened, the fans ran down the stairs to take their places in the front line near the stage so that around six o’clock, the live house was crowded and so full that there was no space left; not even on the stairways or next to the bar.

The show started with an SE, and a darkened stage with a blue light that made the wristbands of the fans glow in the darkness. The first to arrive on stage was drummer Yuki, followed by guitarists Hizaki and Teru, bassist Jasmine You and lastly, vocalist Kamijo, who threw some roses to the audience.

The band started with The Love from a Dead Orchestra and the fans shouted so hard that it became a little hard to hear the instruments or Kamijo’s voice. The acoustics and sound quality of the place didn’t sound too good either; even when the fans were quiet, the guitar and drum sounds covered Kamijo’s voice and one could barely hear it.

Contrary to their delicate Victorian costumes, the members of the band and their fans kept head banging and made heavy metal signs with their hands. In the second song, Revenant Choir, Kamijo introduced the members of the band. He thanked everyone for being present at their first one man live in Japan.

After Sforzando Kamijo spoke once again and asked if there were any men in the club. Then, he apologized to these men, because he wrote the next song they were going to play while thinking about women. Then he asked the men, that if they were to have the opportunity, to sing this song for their beloved woman. This new song was still untitled so Kamijo asked the audience to create a new legend together with the band.

Zombie followed and once again another MC after. Kamijo asked who had gone to see them in the hide memorial summit, and what people thought about them performing in open air, in the sun. After asking if the audience liked the sun, he told them that while he liked the sun he didn't like sunrise. The audience asked why, but Kamijo, ever playful, said it was a secret. He continued his MC by asking the audience to sing with him as he sat on the floor of the stage. They dutifully responded and displayed the flourescent wristbands they had been given on entry to the live at Kamijo's request too. As the MC drew to a close, shouts & bites started.

A guitar battle ensured, with Hizaki, Teru and Jasmine You, having a round of solo’s each. The excited crowd reached for the stage and laid on the fence that was separating the band from the audience. Even with their big and beautiful dresses, Hizaki and Jasmine You ran from side to side of the stage while playing solos and head banging.

Kamijo then took a moment to reflect on the European tour. He said that while singing in Europe, he realized that the world is really one, and related his happy feelings at this. Doing so he announced the next song, Forbidden Gate explaining that this was the last one they played in Europe. As it came to an end, Kamijo announced an upcoming tour which will take until December 23rd, finishing with the final live at Shibuya C.C. Lemon Hall.

The first encore song, Race Wish was a song full of guitar and bass solos, and Hizaki, Teru and Jasmine You took turns in doing their solos again. This was followed by Sympathia, and the return of Kamijo who got the audience in a vast singalong of the chorus a cappella for what seemed like 30 minutes.

After a lot of yelling of the audience, the band came back for a second encore, with a lot of roses to give to their fans. After Kamijo announced their approaching live with Matenrou Opera, it was Teru's turn to speak.
He told the audience that on July 9th, the band would open their official fan club, named after tonight's show, Bara no Matsuei. This turned out to be wrong, as Teru was told off by Kamijo for explaining the wrong name. Teru's punishment was to sing "go to hell" for Kamijo during the song Zombie. Kamijo meanwhile corrected his band mate with the proper name of the fan club: Kizoku, meaning "nobility" in English.

As the show drew to a close, Kamijo thanked everybody for attending, telling the fans that they are really like family, that everybody descends from (Versailles). The last song of the show The Revenant Choir began and the band and fans together sang it full of emotion and happiness.

It was a pity that the sound quality of the house was poor, because the sound of instruments covered Kamijo's voice making it hard to hear him. Despite the lack of space for the excessive number of people, the show was warmly delivered and exciting. Versailles had, once again, delivered a great show.


Setlist

SE
1.The Love from a Dead Orchestra
2.The Revenant Choir
3.SUZERAIN
4.SFORZANDO
5.New song (untitled)
SE
6.Aristrocat Symphony
SE
7.Vo. Solo (untitled song)
8.Drum Solo
9.Zombie
10.Shout & Bites
11.Guitar Battle ~BEAST OF DESIRE
12.Forbidden Gate
13.The Red Carpet Day

Encore 1
14.Race wish (guitar solo)
15.Sympathia

Encore 2
16.The Revenant Choir

Ending SE