With SUGIZO officially the sixth member of X JAPAN, the band put on a classic show for their fans.
It was the first tour after the announcement that SUGIZO of LUNA SEA would officially be the sixth member of X JAPAN. The line of the fans who wanted to buy their goods reached up to three kilometers long, and almost all of the goods were sold out by the time the venue opened. The venue was crowded with people who cosplayed and wore tour T-shirts; young and old gathered from across the country and even from overseas. While Forever love was piped in through speakers, fans moved to their seats. There were five small screens and one big screen on the stage, and two screens were put on either side of the stage. The screens were decorated by crosses and roses designed in a gothic motif, on which the logo of ‘X’ was projected. The bustle of fans increased as time passed, and the mood made everyone forget their normal calmness.
As the lights went off, the crowd gasped and clapped, and everyone stood up in a wave. Most had two pen lights in their hands, crossed to make the letter ‘X,' and they called “YOSHIKI! YOSHIKI!” over and over again. The blue light from the ceiling and purple light from under the stage illuminated the venue while the SE grew louder, and the audience burned for just one thing. That moment was an impressive prologue which raised goosebumps.
TOSHI started to sing Rusty Nail with his strong, clear voice. YOSHIKI played piano, bringing tears to everyone's eyes. The lines “I can’t see tomorrow because of my tears but I keep walking/I displayed my heart as I felt pain/I can’t forget you even now" and the emotional piano playing moved everyone's hearts. TOSHI shouted and fans answered, which resounded even to heaven. The white curtain hung in front of the biggest screen on the center stage dropped, flames blew up, the members were projected on the screens and TOSHI shouted even louder. The energy was blinding and almost terrifying. While powerful drums rang in the venue, fans jumped and pumped up their hands.
The members’ performances were shown on the screens, and when the images of hide were projected, the cheers from fans grew even louder. The images kept running together until they reached the present, with SUGIZO as the sixth member. Although tens of thousands of people were screaming, the lyrics rang over them. TOSHI sang and moved around on the stage to answer the fans, who had pen lights in their hands and waved them back and forth to the music. “Have you been fine!? Tokyo Dome!” he cried. YOSHIKI kept hitting the drums and threw a plastic bottle into the crowd. The calls for YOSHIKI never seemed to stop. “Today is the second day, so we won’t leave anything! Let’s pump it up!” TOSHI shouted and walked onto the central runway. Then they dashed into the next song, WEEK END. In the yellow and red light, PATA and SUGIZO played guitar wildly. When YOSHIKI was projected on the screens, calls from the fans got even louder, and when he played piano, fans stretched their hands towards him. The song finished to applause, and the brief moment of silence was interrupted by fans’ calls for YOSHIKI.
“You are great as you are pumped up from the beginning! Don’t be beaten by the next guys! Be violent fellows today!” TOSHI, who had an unforgettable voice, encouraged the crowd as he drew the eye of the whole audience. “We’ll give you a wonderful present! A new song from X JAPAN! Please listen to Jade!” Powerful drums from YOSHIKI meshed with the hard bass played by HEATH, which vibrated the whole venue. TOSHI stretched his hands, put them in front of his chest and sang. He shouted the song title again, and sent out their thoughts with their new song.
TOSHI, HEATA and PATA, who had changed their costumes, appeared on stage under the spotlights. TOSHI started talking: “We came back to Tokyo Dome. We have done many things until now. Are you all right?” To HEATH, he asked twice, “Are you ready, HEATH?” HEATH raised his hand in answer, and the audience kept calling for him while applauding. It seemed like TOSHI cheered HEATH up. PATA evoked laughter from the audience as he answered the same question rather coolly, which created a warm atmosphere in the venue. When TOSHI asked "how are you hide?” loud calls from the fans occurred as usual. The presence of the sixth member was a good difference, however, and when the talk came to SUGIZO - “How are you, who joined us officially yesterday?” - even louder calls for SUGIZO occurred. TOSHI took it in, answered “I’m all right!” for the guitarist, and smiled peacefully.
“We stand on this stage after we had done various things for this one year. We might have another concert or we might not, but we want to. We’ll never be beaten no matter how hard, how difficult the adversities are, and however we would be threatened! Break through! The true meaning of breaking through is our way of living, we should never allow ourselves to rot, never be overturned, and we will break through our weak selves. We’ll live for pureness and love with beautiful braveness!” TOSHI's words heartened everyone, and it's no wonder millions have been inspired by X JAPAN. The words spoken by TOSHI had no hesitation. “Let’s make hide listen to this song together.” The three members played and sang DRAIN on center stage and the fans sang the chorus. TOSHI shouted “I love you” and “thank you!” again and again, and the emotional performance melded the audience into one.
YOSHIKI appeared wearing a red coat and holding red roses. He walked on the runways as he made the peace sign, threw the roses into the crowd and made X with his hands before going back on to the stage. He prayed under the delicate spotlight for a while, then went over to his piano and after the long silence, started his piano solo. The song resounded in the venue while people clapped and called his name, all of which finally faded into the pale light.
Tears had the audience crying. The spotlight wrapped both TOSHI and YOSHIKI. On the suddenly bright stage, TOSHI walked out with all of members, and the vocalist ran across the stage to send his love. After he shouted, he opened his hands and turned his microphone to fans. He shouted and sang to the images of hide. X JAPAN was carried on by its members and fans; their songs, their career, and everything would continue from now on. YOSHIKI mopped his tears as he played the piano while TOSHI shouted his thanks, and the song was concluded with the phrase "And forever hide's" at the end.
SUGIZO played his violin, and the delicate and sorrowful sound accompanied YOSHIKI's piano. The two men under the spotlight seemed to be holy, beautiful and dignified, like they weren't part of the present. As TOSHI said, SUGIZO became the sixth member because he got along with X JAPAN, and the fans would never doubt that again after such a performance. Then, silver tape shot out over the audience and cheers nearly blew the ceiling off. YOSHIKI and TOSHI used their whole bodies to make the letter X, and they seemed extremely happy as TOSHI patted YOSHIKI on the head and sang. The vocalist shouted and ran while the lights flashed, then the song Kurenai finished with YOSHIKI pounding the drums.
“Let’s go at last! This is the very end! Go wild like violent fellows!” TOSHI screamed, and the last song, Orgasm, began. While PATA stirred the audience, TOSHI sang and ran on the runways as he sent his thanks over and over again. ‘YOSHIKItty’ balloons appeared from both sides of the stage, and the heat of the venue reached its highest point. Everyone sang together and enjoyed that moment of ecstasy. TOSHI shouted, “We’ll go more and more, hide!” PATA and HEATH also moved to the runways to perform as they united with the fans. YOSHIKI tumbled the drums, spoke into a microphone, climbed down from the stage to be near the fans, then went back on stage and hit drums with his all might, while TOSHI kept shouting. Everyone made the X sign with their arms; people cheered, clapped, and raised their hands in a wave, which was an incredible scene. At such exultation, it was understood that the fans knew how to spend the time there, and they were nothing but family.
A glittering disco ball created a new, cooler atmosphere. While a female chorus sang, the fashion show started. It was an interesting interlude before the encore. The movie "GOEMON" and the fashion brand REPO! worked together to show the collaboration of gothic, Western and Japanese styles.
YOSHIKI came back alone, took off his white coat and started to play as he gave his focus to the drums. While the drum set rose up on the smoky stage, he was only concentrated on his drumming, making him seem like a mad man. He fell down sometimes but stood up again and kept hitting the drums. Under the spotlights coming from four directions, his actions continued on endlessly, as though it would be his final act on this world. Finally, he stood on the stool, looked over the audience and prayed with drumsticks in hands. Fireworks were displayed with his final drum beats. He swayed down from the stage, prayed, then the last song of the encore started. TOSHI supported YOSHIKI, pulling the drummer into his arms and patting him on his back twice while showing his delightful smile. The images of them were projected on the screens, and when the image of hide running around with TOSHI on his back was projected, YOSHIKI lifted TOSHI onto his back, and they left the stage together.
TOSHI and YOSHIKI appeared for another encore. YOSHIKI ran across on the stage with all his might and responded to fans making the X sign. He seemed tired but happy, trying to show that he was alive. They stood shoulder to shoulder and seemed like they would sing forever, making history and creating a new chapter of X JAPAN. “Please make us listen to your voices!" the crowd, including many foreign fans, shouted.
Then, the surprise of the concert was revealed. “We postponed the concerts in Korea and France, but some of those fans are here today. An nyeong ha se yo! Bonjour!” TOSHI and YOSHIKI invited the fans onto the stage, received bouquets from them and shook hands with each of them. The other members also appeared, and they put a big "X" flag over their heads for fun. “We are X!” SUGIZO, HEATH and PATA shouted, and TOSHI continued. “We are sorry for the postponement, but we’ll surely go! Let’s go! We are X!” Fans from Korea and France received applause from the whole audience, and they seemed to be the ones who could unite the world into one. Fans there couldn’t hold their emotions against the wonderful world made by the six members of X JAPAN which had nothing to do with languages or appearances.
The performance of I.V l followed. “You, who couldn’t come here! I'll let you know there are people who are watching this on their PCs! Make your voices heard in every place! We’ll bring our love to them!” The live reached its climax as YOSHIKI struck a pose and shouted, “Let’s make it!” TOSHI showered water over YOSHIKI for fun, and YOSHIKI did the same thing back to TOSHI; they rolled over on the floor, still shouting, “We are X!” YOSHIKI lied down as he said, “You are the best! Remember! Never be beaten! Never forget! See you again!” In the following song, ENDLESS RAIN, TOSHI sat between HEATH and PATA and sang under the disco ball, and hide's presence could be felt. At that moment, everything mixed and became X JAPAN. Fans kept singing their love, which seemed to go on forever.
Finally, it was time for ART OF LIFE, the last song of the concert. YOSHIKI played the piano like he was possessed by something. Even after he changed instruments and moved to the drums, he still gave everyone goose bumps with his playing. He played alone on the stage under a red light, and he waved his whole body, not only using his fingers, but also his legs. The venue became quiet, but his performance grew more powerful with his great force, and even he though he fell down a few times, he never stopped playing and hit the keyboard like he wanted to beat it. YOSHIKI strove for higher art, and the venue was filled by the storm of sounds from YOSHIKI.
YOSHIKI was down completely when SUGIZO tapped him on the shoulder. PATA also came to support him, and he smiled with satisfaction. He made an X with the rose bouquets presented by the fans, went down to the arena and waved his hand to the fans. Finally, hide’s doll appeared on stage. All of the members held hands and stood in a line, bowed to the audience, waved their hands and sent their thanks. The emotion which they produced and filled the venue with would stay in everyone's hearts forever. Fans who kept waving their hands, calling out the band members' names and clapping proved how wonderful a night it was. X JAPAN would open their new act from here, and everyone present would support their future activities and keep watching their exchange with the fans who expect and wait for them in each country.
