girugamesh at Sakura-con

Well before the concert began, Sakura-con was buzzing with fans eager for the performance they had waited so long to see. Wandering the halls were fans in bandanas, home made T-shirts and girugamesh cosplay toting signs and personalized badges in support of their favorite band. By Friday afternoon, the air was thick with excitement as the crowd counted down the minutes for girugamesh to grace the stage.

While the first band was still breaking down their equipment, fans began to cheer as Nii and Яyo took the stage to set up and tune their instruments. In the heat of the moment, fans began chanting what had become a Sakura-con theme - "Fuck yeah! Garoogamesh!" - which caused laughter to bubble through the crowd. Soon, the band disappeared from the stage and the lights dimmed. As the introduction song for MUSIC began to pound through the speakers, fans called for their favorite members. Then Nii and Яyo returned to the stage, followed by ShuU and finally, Satoshi.

No sooner had the intro ended that Breakdown began, with the band dancing around on the stage. It was a great warm up song, with the band and fans equally enthusiastic. While rapping, Satoshi came to the front and put his foot on the speaker as he sang. The crowd danced and waved their arms during the song, and as it concluded, screams of delight rose into the air - ULTIMATE 4 was coming through the speakers. After Satoshi screamed the opening, the crowd became a unique mix of activity: some fans jumped, others waved their arms and many chaotically headbanged. Satoshi pulled his hood over his face, covering everything but his mouth as he shifted his weight back and forth while singing at center stage. Nii took advantage of the pauses during the electronic accompaniment, throwing his arms in the air and moving towards Яyo’s drum set to headbang and sing into the microphone. As soon as the song tapered to a close, the fans realized it would be one intense track after another.

The stage became a sea of yellow and orange lights, and Satoshi led the band into FREAKS. The crowd went crazy and began to scream, jumping and pounding their fists in the air with Satoshi during the heavy drum beat. Satoshi stalked back and forth across the stage while he sang before returning to the center, and ShuU and Nii charged forward to shout in the microphones during the call back. During the most frantic moment, Яyo stood, violently banging his cymbals and grinning to fans as he enticed them to let loose. With one last wild call back reprise, the crowd was ready for the next song.

After a short MC, the band started ANGRY JUICE. ShuU opened the song with some slap bass. The song was truly ShuU’s moment to shine, and fans eagerly watched as he danced around while playing. While singing, Satoshi skipped around on the stage as fans moshed, shouting the lyrics. During one of his many circles around the stage, Satoshi was approached from behind by ShuU. ShuU ruffled the vocalist's hair and then ran off as the two exchanged grins. By the end of the song, the air was filled with screams, and they continued well into CRAZY-FLAG. Nii grabbed the microphone as he and ShuU shouted “Burning the flag!” in unison with Satoshi, and the vocalist continued to slam his foot down on the amp, pumping his hand in the fist as he screamed the lyrics. Яyo sang along during the chorus, spinning his drum sticks and standing up between stanzas; he banged his cymbals and drums as he waved for his fans to go even crazier. Hands and hair flew as the intense song carried on, leaving the crowd tired but screaming for more.

As the heavy bass opening for Dance Rock Night carried across the stage, everyone began to jump and dance along with Satoshi. He threw his hands up and was soon mimicked by the crowd. Between stanzas, Satoshi, Nii and ShuU gathered around Яyo’s drums; the drummer grinned at them as the three members drew more cries of excitement before running off. Satoshi moved to the center of the stage and threw his hand in the air during the countdown, and a look of delight crossed his face as fans not only counted down with him but shouted back the lyrics before they resumed dancing.

Shining was a well deserved and needed cool down for everyone. Nii’s hair flew as he focused on the guitar opening, and ShuU headbanged while Satoshi began to sing. There was less activity during Shining, but there was no less energy, as it was actually difficult to hear Satoshi over the chorus of voices in the crowd singing together. The band once again returned to Яyo’s drums before the end of the song. Nii and ShuU joked around and pretended to fight, feeding off the reaction from the crowd. Fans waved their hands and were all smiles, much like Яyo who happily sang the lyrics with a grin. Soon, the lights once again turned red and the band took a minute to themselves. Fans watched as Nii switched to a sparkly silver guitar. The change of instruments drew questioning noises from everyone, but their pondering was soon answered as the band broke into the next song. Gasps and laughter erupted from the fans as they realized the band was playing the “Mission Impossible” theme. Thought to be a one time thing at Jrock Revolution, it was a welcomed reprise. Satoshi danced around on the stage as the entire band took a small breather.

The crowd was taken back by Deceived Mad Pain, a song that is three albums old but still loved. As blue lights flashed on the stage, Satoshi stalked back and forth, waving his hands, and the crowd again became a sea of flying hair and hands. Even Nii’s actions grew more intense during the nostalgic song as he bent forward, slamming into his guitar. As the song finished, white strobe lights signaled the start of the next piece - Volcano. Satoshi turned around and pulled his hood back over his head while moving to the front of the stage; he screamed the raspy lyrics and headbanged with the crowd. Then, he moved to each side of the stage, putting on his best angry face as he sang to the fans who were shouting right back. By the end, everyone was tired but quite ready for the next song, Freesia.

The lights dimmed to soft white as Satoshi began to sing the slow song, and fans stood still, unsure whether to move or just listen. One of the security guards threw his hands up, moving them back and forth, and fans on the right side began to mimic his actions. The sensation slowly spread until the entire crowd was a sea of arms. At the chorus, the fans competed with Satoshi, dozens of voices singing the same message. Towards Freesia’s end, Nii held onto his guitar solo much longer than usual – so much so that his hand cramped and he winced briefly, squeezing his fingers before he continued to play. When his guitar finally fell silent, fans clapped and politely cheered, pleased to have witnessed such a performance.

After Freesia, Satoshi again attempted an MC but was interrupted by ShuU, who grabbed the microphone and spoke in Japanese. Seeing the confusion in the crowd, he shouted, “Are you ready?!” Fans screamed and threw their hands up. Satoshi grinned and Nii launched the band into the last quarter of the concert, starting with Patchwork. During Nii’s guitar opening, Satoshi once again pulled his hood over his head and began to violently pitch himself about the stage. Energy was at its highest during the chorus, with ShuU and Satoshi screaming and growling the lyrics and fans stomping around and rocking against the barrier as they moved. By Vermillion, fans were buzzing from an enthusiastic high and attendees lurched over the barrier as they headbanged to Яyo’s drum beat. Satoshi walked around the center of the stage and gestured wildly as he sang with Яyo right on key, singing along the words. By the song’s midpoint, the fans were gleefully rocking out.

Stupid, a song which never had lyrics published, set the perfect stage for fan individuality as the crowd made up their own words to sing along. ShuU and Nii enthusiastically shouted the background vocals while stomping around in place, and Яyo stood, banging his cymbal and revving the crowd up for the next song: SMASH!!

Saving the best for last, girugamesh could not have picked a better song than SMASH!!. SMASH!! became three minutes of power packed energy, and the band and crowd alike pulled out their last reserves for one final moshing fest. Nii and ShuU headbanged during the long opening as Satoshi brought the energy of the crowd to its peak as he sang. He stood at center stage, leaning down as he arched his body and threw his head back and forth while shouting the lyrics. Nii and ShuU joined him during the background vocals, throwing their hands up as fans called back and pumped their fists during the screams. The short song soon came to a close, leaving the crowd spent and exhausted but screaming for more.

Little voices came through the speakers, chanting the opening for evolution, and fans began to jump and cheer. The strobes flashed as the lights on the stage changed colors rapidly, lighting up girugamesh's banner in a variety colors. It seemed to be the song of the night as Яyo, Nii and ShuU's energy was tripled as they shouted into the microphone, gesturing madly to excite the fans more. When the song came to a close, Satoshi threw his hands into the air, thanking the crowd before sauntering off stage, leaving the screaming fans behind.

The attendees began to clap their hands, shouting for an encore and waited patiently for the band to return. After a few minutes, the stage went dark again and the band ran back on stage. Screams tore into the air as Satoshi shouted the name of the last song – Owari to Mirai. Satoshi ran all over the stage as he sang, and fans danced and waved their hands, jumping in place. By the chorus, everyone in the crowd was singing at the top of their lungs, nearly drowning out Satoshi. The band looked not only surprised but touched. They gave the rest of the song their all as Nii and ShuU threw their hands up and smiled at the fans and Яyo grinned and sang along, twirling his drumsticks around. As the song came to a close, the band thanked the crowd and walked off, and it was clear the crowd was no longer a group of individuals, but a giant girugamesh family.


Set list:

01. Intro
02. Breakdown
03. Ultimate 4
04. Freaks
MC
05. ANGRY JUICE
06. CRAZY-FLAG
07. Dance Rock Night
08. Shining
09. MIP - Mission Impossible
10. Decieved Mad Pain
11. Volcano
12. Freesia
MC
13. Patchwork
14. Vermillion
15. Stupid
16. SMASH!!
17. Evolution
MC

EN01. Owari to Mirai