Tokyo Chaos - Part 2

(the first part of this live report can be found here)

D’espairsRay had an intro playing in the background before they entered the stage and already before the members had taken their positions, the audience were clapping and jumping along with the techno music that was being played. But the music stopped and got replaced with the incredibly heavy intro of BORN. This song was an old favorite and everyone screamed when HIZUMI started singing. Although the sound quality wasn’t the best and the vocals disappeared from time to time, it was easy to hear that the band had progressed like no other band since this song was released 4 years ago. The members were all dressed pretty casual, except for the vocalist who was wearing a hooded shirt in shiny gold. He definitely stood out from the others on the stage, and maybe even in the whole venue. The next song in line was DESERT and while the other members of the band were focusing on their instruments, the bassist ZERO could not stand still for one moment. He was either spinning around, head banging or just jumping while shaking his head from side to side. It was very enjoyable to watch because one could clearly see that he was enjoying himself on stage.

After DESERT they held a short MC before proceeding to the next song which was their newest song HORIZON from the single titled the same. This song had a more popish sound to it and the vocalist matched that sound with a dance that looked like something pulled out of a pop/hip-hop music video. The audience seemed to like this new style D’espairsRay had adopted and while HIZUMI was rapping in the chorus, the fans pounded their fists in the air. KAMIKAZE lifted the energy once again, but it didn’t last for long as the atmosphere in the room had gotten quite bad. Perhaps it was to blame on the poor air condition or the fact that the sound system kept failing, making the vocals disappear once in a while, but not even that could hold D’espairsRay down. They certainly put on an amazing show and they managed to make the crowd go wild once again when they played another old favorite which was 「Fuyuu shita risou」. Flashlights were the highlight for this song as they made it impossible to see anything else but a lot of hair and hands in the air. Nonetheless, the energy was on top and the audience seemed to enjoy the show. During the last song which was MIRROR, the vocalist held his arm around ZERO, making Karyu laugh and giving him room in the front of the stage. He rushed to the monitor to greet his fans and they greeted him back while waiving their arms and shouting his name. Soon the song finished and the band rushed off to give room for the next band in line.

Set list

BORN
DESERT
MC
HORIZON
KAMIKAZE
「Fuyuu shita risou」
MIRROR


With a stage bathed in contrasts of blue spots and red lights shining on the futuristic AX stage design, PENICILLIN arrived. While CHISATO went for straightforward punk, HAKUEI arrived rather memorably in a glamourous long black fur coat, under which he wore tiny black shorts and a thin woollen jumper printed with a skull.

PENICILLIN brought an old-school sound back to the live, HAKUEI yelping his vocals as the other band members leapt around the stage. It was energetic throughout as FOR BEAUTIFUL MAD HUMAN LIFE brought powerful guitars and headbanging under red spotlights. The audience shouted and pounded the air with their fists in time with HAKUEI to the strong drumbeat. It was interesting, punching a punkier style into the evening's music. The guitar solos came thick and fast too, with the third song and recent release, RAINBOW being introduced by a wail of electric guitar. This song changed the character of the live once more with a poppier feel, within which HAKUEI's vocals seemed sadly muffled.

The six song set was enough time for a short MC, introducing the band members and talking generally about the live. CHISATO in particular joked about modern visual kei comparing it with SEX MACHINEGUNS. He commented that Anchang couldn't do something like An Cafe as it would end up being "cafe au lait!" sung in his high pitched 80s vocal style.

The music resumed again with a melodic oldie in the form of New Future with its prominent basslines. HAKUEI moved from side to side of the stage, obviously enjoying the performance as he encouraged the audience to join in a little. This seamlessly became inazuma by way of some nice riffing by CHISATO. The fans seemed a little hesitant to dance, although perhaps they were just contented with watching the theatrics on stage as CHISATO got down on his knees to play the solo.

It was a rather flamboyant display that set up PENICILLIN for their final number. To rising cheers from the crowd, the orchestrated introduction segued into more thunderous guitars that seemed to get the audience dancing even more. PENICILLIN managed to create a crackling atmosphere within AX that lasted long into the loud cheers that, together with a distorted wail of feedback from CHISATO's guitar, ended their powerful set.

Set list

Opening SE
REALXXX
FOR BEAUTIFUL MAD HUMAN LIFE
RAINBOW
-MC-
NEW FUTURE
inazuma
romance


The last act of the night was D, and although many people left after having seen their favorite band, the hall was still quite full until the back. As a recent video of the band came on, announcing their appearance, the crowd started screaming and clapping to the opening music of the band. One by one the members appeared on stage, decorated with roses, going forwards to greet the public, putting on dramatic poses or just smiling widely. Last came Asagi, full of pathos, and fired on the fans, who stretched their arms out towards the stage.

The set started with a recent song yami no kuni no Alice, to which the audience headbanged and danced the furitsuke, of which the song was full. The band used the wide stage well, filling it with movement, the members switching places, going forwards towards the edge and urging the audience to participate more. Asagi welcomed the masses and asked them to enjoy themselves before the start of a theatric performance of the jazzy Mad tea party, to which the fans clapped their hands. Next was a harder song Guardian with more headbanging, sometimes interrupted by more melodic bits, and the members jumped on stage, once again switched places and urged the audience to move. As Tsunehito came forward with a radiant smile on his face and the charismatic Hiroki swung his arms around powerfully, Asagi first put his arm playfully around Hidezou and then Ruiza, and as the song was prolonged the fans continuously jumped and moshed, seeming to forget themselves with enjoyment.

During the MC Asagi talked about there being 15 songs of D to sing in karaoke, and as he talked, an impressive microphone stand with huge silver roses was carried out along with two D flags – the audience knew that the time for Night-ship "D" has come and took out smaller versions of the same flags. Lead by Asagi, they swung their flags around in a choreography kept unchanged since the song came out years ago, with the other members swaying from side to side, and the hall sunk in a sea of red and black. After the microphone stand was carried away, another older song yami yori kurai doukoku no acapella to bara yori akai jounetsu no aria followed, to which the happy fans enthusiastically headbanged, as did Hidezou and Tsunehito on stage, and danced. Asagi’s high falsetto notes were impressive, whereas Ruiza’s complex guitar lines were as usual flawless. Ending the set was a more poppy at start and more sinister in other parts Dearest you, which seemed a high point of enjoyment for both the band members, singing along to themselves while running from one side of the stage to the other, and the dancing audience, full of happy faces.

With smiles on their faces the band thanked the crowd and slowly and dramatically left the stage, throwing towels and roses from the stage into the screaming masses, ending their powerful show.


Set list

Yami no kuni no Alice
Mad tea party
Guardian
MC
Night-ship "D"
Yami yori kurai doukoku no acapella to bara yori akai jounetsu no area
Dearest you


The bands that took part in the event were of very different genres, backgrounds and generation groups, but all of them performed on a high level and together they managed to create a harmonious and very entertaining show. The fact that most of the audience stayed behind until the very end, although many of them came to see bands that played first, showed that all performances of the evening were captivating and enjoyable, Tokyo Chaos was a great show and no disappointed faces could be seen leaving the hall.