VAMPS Live in the US at the Sonar

The sun was shining brightly in Baltimore as fans lined up as early as they could at the Sonar on the morning of July 16th. They all wanted the best spot possible and to guarantee a place in the meet and greet line for VAMPS. Fans grew anxious as 2 p.m. approached, clutching their meet and greet tickets and official VAMPS merchandise. A bit after 2 p.m., a cry rippled through the crowd as the meet and greet line finally began to move. With only limited time to get through, fans moved quickly into the building, but returned outside grinning ear to ear after having met VAMPS. Even though it was for just a moment, everyone agreed the long wait in the intense heat was worth it. However, it would be five more hours until doors would open for the show.

Once doors opened, the fans packed the venue. Even with giant ceiling fans blasting full force, the venue was nearly as hot inside as it was outside. A sea of VAMPS hand fans could be seen waving back and forth throughout the entire venue until the show started.

VAMPS sauntered out onto the stage accompanied by their support band, and the crowd went wild. Picking up their instruments and getting into position, HYDE shouted "Let's go crazy!" into the microphone and shook his head violently. Ju-ken, the bassist of VAMPS' support band, instantly began dancing around his side of the stage as LOVE ADDICT started. "All right!" HYDE called in the middle of the chorus. Ju-ken sang alongside HYDE energetically as fans in the crowd swung red glow sticks around in the air. Fans clapped along to HYDE's vocals when the drums dropped out for a moment. Encouraging the crowd to cheer, K.A.Z pointed at the audience and then raised his arm into the air, striking a pose to finish the song.

Immediately, the band kicked into IT'S SAD. HYDE licked his lips, a suggestive expression on his face before K.A.Z and Ju-ken joined him on the edge of the stage to get the crowd jumping. HYDE's vocals sounded beautifully through the venue as he held his arms out to his sides, holding out a long note before thrashing around center stage. Ju-ken rallied the audience, throwing his fist in the air and mouthing words. At the end, K.A.Z turned his guitar upside down and held it that way until HYDE and Ju-ken switched places and finished out the song.

The set continued right into REDRUM. HYDE flipped his head side to side, shaking his hair back and forth as K.A.Z bent down over his guitar when the song hit its heavier parts. Ju-ken continued to move enthusiastically and clapped his hands, urging the crowd to scream and clap while the whole band headbanged on stage. As the song ended, HYDE said "Thank you!" and the band took a short break to gather themselves at the back of the stage. The crowd went crazy as the drummer of the support band, Arimatsu, continued playing a little longer.

Returning to the microphone for the first MC of the night, HYDE spoke: "Yeah! Good evening! We're VAMPS! Thanks for coming today, I'm glad to see you! Too hot, ne? Today is the last show on the east coast, yeah. Thank you. But don't worry, don't worry. I'm gonna take good care of you!" The crowd went wild. "Woo!" he continued, smiling as he imitated the crowd's calls. "Are you ready? Are you fucking ready? We're gonna kick start now!"

HYDE made hand motions as the band began I GOTTA KICK START NOW, to the crowd's delight. He swung his hips into his red guitar as he played and sang energetically on stage. Ju-ken twirled around in front of his mic stand as K.A.Z headbanged during the heaviest part of the chorus. Then he hopped up on the monitor and made faces at the audience, motioning for them to give more energy. As the song ended, K.A.Z chucked a pick to the audience.

Almost immediately after plucking a new one off his pick clip, the next song, COSMOS, started. The lights dimmed to blue and a single red light caught the amber color of HYDE's hair as he belted out the chorus. The audience screamed in appreciation. The sweltering heat started affecting the audience at this point, and some fans who had fainted had to be pulled from the center. K.A.Z stood on the edge of the stage before wandering back behind his mic stand, giving himself to the music till the song finished.

Security flung water on the crowd in attempt to help cool them off as SECRET IN MY HEART began. K.A.Z once again lost himself in his playing and put his whole body into strumming. Though a bassist, Ju-ken harmonized beautifully with HYDE through the chorus. HYDE and K.A.Z dropped to the ground in unison with Ju-ken not far behind through the vocal-less part of the song, and they rose together for the next verse. A sea of red glow sticks could be seen through the Sonar's dim lighting, waving to the beat. HYDE and Ju-ken's perfect harmony continued until the song came to end, with HYDE turning his back to the crowd.

HYDE made more strange faces at the crowd as the instrumentals to EVANESCENT started. The audience sang along to the chorus, still waving their red glow sticks in the air. Holding out a note, HYDE flung a pick to the crowd and picked up a new one. They continued the rest of the song with Ju-ken singing back up vocals.

Enthusiastically kicking into COUNTDOWN, K.A.Z held his guitar in the air over his head. For this show, the band was performed neither the Japanese nor English version of the song; it was a mix of the two versions, alternating languages with each verse.The lights turned red and HYDE jumped up and down on stage, getting the crowd to imitate him. "Jump! Jump!" he called, as the next chorus started. Jump the fans did, screaming all the while. During the guitar solo, K.A.Z took center stage, displaying his talent, while HYDE headbanged at the back of the stage with the band's programmer Jin. As he took his place at the forefront again, HYDE stared blankly at the crowd with a devious look on his face. He motioned for them to put their hands up and go crazy as the song ended and kicked into the next one.

DOLLY started with K.A.Z and Ju-ken both pointing up towards the ceiling. The high energy continued, and during the chorus, Ju-ken stood on the edge of the stage and danced like a robot. Then he switched sides with K.A.Z for the next chorus. "Thank you!" HYDE called as the song ended.

Temperatures in the venue continued to rise, matching the growing energy in the crowd. K.A.Z doused the hot audience with water before wiping himself down with a towel at the back of the stage. HYDE re-tuned his guitar for the next song. Ju-ken also joined in attempting to cool the audience with water before setting up his electric string bass. Playing by himself for a moment, Ju-ken's bass was soon accompanied by Arimatsu and Jin. K.A.Z handed off a bottle of water to be passed around the dehydrated crowd and immediately jumped into the song SWEET DREAMS. The fervently shaking sea of red glow sticks in the audience suddenly slowed down into a soft wave. The emotional slow song gave the audience a moment to rest. Each stayed in their spot, swaying slightly on their feet until the song finished on a blue lit stage.

The lights grew brighter as VAMPS' rendition of David Bowie's Life On Mars? started, with the audience eagerly singing along. HYDE's powerful voice pierced the venue on the sustained notes of the song, unwavering and impressive as he continuously hit and held each note right on key. Looking towards the drum set for the cue to hit the final note, HYDE thanked the audience.

Taking a short breather, it was time for another MC. "Ahhh. Are you having fun?" HYDE asked, giving a thumbs up. "I have been longing for Baltimore! Longing for Baltimore since six years ago!" The audience cheered wildly, reciprocating the feelings. "I was watching the dragon boats in the harbor yesterday. All day. You know the dragon boats? You know? ALL day watching..." HYDE clutched the sides of his face and dragged his fingers down his cheeks, emphasizing the long amount of time he spent watching Baltimore's dragon boats to a mix of cheers and laughter. HYDE himself laughed as he continued, "So much fun! What did you do, K.A.Z?" K.A.Z, who didn't seem to be paying much attention, looked caught off guard and timidly approached the microphone. "Hi! Thank you for coming! You guys in the US are awesome!" The crowd went wild as HYDE resumed the MC. "Are you OK? Let's get crazy now! Are you fucking ready? Fucking ready?! Let's go hunting! Where's my lamb?!"

Ju-ken twirled around in the center of the stage as the members switched places back and forth continuously, jumping around and shouting into the microphones as the audience shouted "Hi, ho! Let's hunt!" Arimatsu and Jin could be seen getting into the song, throwing their arms in the air. As the high-energy song came to a close, HYDE called out once more "Where's my lamb?!" as K.A.Z effortlessly suspended his guitar over his head.

Almost immediately, the band moved onto HELLO. The audience roared with appreciation for the older song as K.A.Z restlessly paced the stage, allowing HYDE to take his spot. Wiggling his hips, HYDE captivated everyone in the audience, encouraging them to sing along loudly throughout the song till its end. TROUBLE sounded and Ju-ken began clapping, getting the audience to jump and the whole venue to shake. Fans pumped their fists in the air as green, red and blue lights flashed about the stage and the audience shouted along to the lyrics. The singing turned into a mix of screams and wild cheering as the upbeat song came to an end, their cheers only dying out once the next song started.

K.A.Z and Ju-ken instantly began headbanging for VAMPIRE DEPRESSION. The stage lights switched to red, though a single blue light shone on Arimatsu's drums. Ju-ken continued to throw his whole body into his bass playing while HYDE stood perfectly still. The audience growled out the lyrics with him, a deafening "set me free, just blind me" being belted out through the venue until the song finished under the red lighting.

"SEX BLOOD ROCK N' ROLL!" HYDE called, introducing the song. With the vocalist jumping up and down, his guitar in hand, the audience screamed along and went crazy, headbanging and pumping their fists in the air. K.A.Z flung his body onto the monitor in front of him and flipped his guitar up and spun around, with Ju-ken doing something similar on the opposite side of the stage. HYDE constantly jumped about while K.A.Z headbanged. Then the three met in the center and played together briefly before returning to their spots. Meant to be heard live, this song was the crowd's favorite, earning the most cries as it finished. "Thank you! Thank you very much!" HYDE called. The band exited the stage as the song ended, but the cries did not die out.

Exhausted but enthusiastic, the audience continued to cry out for VAMPS, clapping together in hopes of bringing the band back out for an encore. Not to be disappointed, the newly refreshed VAMPS emerged to the chants of the audience.

Coming out shirtless, HYDE spoke once more. "Thank you so much!" He and K.A.Z squirted water all over the crowd. "Did you eat crabs?" The audience went wild, most remembering how HYDE had asked the same thing the last time he had been in Baltimore. "Did you eat? Me too! Thank you! Thank you so much! We will be here tomorrow too! Be nice to us! Let's get crazy now! OK? Are you ready? Did you eat crabs? Come on K.A.Z!"

SEASON'S CALL started with an extremely loud scream from the audience. HYDE touched his face expressively before strumming his guitar quickly. The large screens on the sides of the stage focused on HYDE throughout the song, though occasionally showing K.A.Z while he played. As the song ended, K.A.Z headed to the side of the stage for a guitar switch.

K.A.Z and Ju-ken threw themselves into full body thrusts and went crazy during the chorus of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. The crowd sang along and jumped like crazy to the well known tune. "Come on!" Ju-ken sang along with HYDE and rallied the audience into singing along. "Come on! Come on everybody! Come on Lucy!" Everyone was shouting along as the song finished. "Thank you so much! Come on! Come on everybody! Come on, make some noise!"

K.A.Z took off his guitar and held it in the air, strumming the chords without even looking as MIDNIGHT CELEBRATION began. HYDE motioned for the audience to sing along as K.A.Z strummed his guitar so hard it looked like the strings might break. HYDE ripped off his guitar and sang so hard, his body shook with each word. The band came to the edge of the stage as the song ended. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" HYDE held out the mic to the audience, amplifying their cries. "See you soon! Thank you very much!" After throwing out some last remaining picks and water bottles, the show was over.

Though the weather was already hot, VAMPS showed no mercy and got everyone present to reach their boiling point. Despite this, each person went home happy, delighted to have been rocked out so thoroughly.


Set List

01. LOVE ADDICT
02. IT'S SAD
03. REDRUM
-MC-
04. I GOTTA KICK START NOW
05. COSMOS
06. SECRET IN MY HEART
07. EVANESCENT
08. COUNTDOWN
09. DOLLY
10. SWEET DREAMS
11. Life On Mars?
-MC-
12. HUNTING
13. HELLO
14. TROUBLE
15. VAMPIRE DEPRESSION
16. SEX BLOOD ROCK N' ROLL
ENCORE -MC-
17. SEASON'S CALL
18. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
19. MIDNIGHT CELEBRATION