Highlights from all the action on the S Stage on the first day of the mega visual rock festival.
The S Stage was crowded with SuG fans. Appearing on stage amidst wildly flashing lights, SuG kicked off with their latest song Life❤2Die. The audience responded warmly to the popular, neon pop rock of the group. Takeru worked the stage well, walking out along the runway to greet the fans during butterfly BoY and waving his hands at them. SuG even managed to pack an MC into their short set. Takeru talked about their journey to Makuhari. He took the first train and noticed that there were a few girls who were talking excitedly. He felt sure they were enthusiastic fans, but unfortunately they all got off a few stops earlier - for Tokyo Disneyland! After the MC, SuG went into overdrive for the final two songs. Running all over the stage, Chiyu headed down the runway for his bass solo while the rest of the members jumped about excitedly to the nu-rave pop of Love Scream Party, before closing their show with the catchy,39GalaxyZ.
Set List:
1. Life❤2Die
2. butterfly BoY
MC
3. Love Scream Party
4. 39GalaxyZ
BOUNTY was next on the S Stage. It was singer Aoi's first performance of the weekend before his solo performance on Sunday. They began with the melodious, BLACK OUT. The shiny black satin skirt outfit that he wore perfectly complemented Aoi's elegant voice and manner. It was followed by a harder number, and then LOVE SUITE, which balanced Aoi's sweet and high vocals with the powerful music. BOUNTY ended with the very catchy PRISM, which got both audience and band moving along animatedly. They gave a fun performance, and the band left the stage with looks of satisfaction on their faces.
Set List:
SE
1. BLACK OUT
2. Coming brand new days
3. LOVE SUITE
4. Alive
5. PRISM
The extraordinary group Ninjaman Japan brought back fond memories of Psycho le Cému with their mixture of music and dramatics on stage. It was a riot to watch. Each member was attired in a brightly coloured ninja-inspired outfit with a touch of flamboyance in fur or sparkling trims. Kicking off with six dancers' doing a martial arts performance, the stage turned into a martial arts training hall, acting out a high energy skit of the band versus a team of baddies. Then midway through the action, it stopped suddenly and the music began. It was impressive and amusing to watch vocalist Sarino suddenly begin singing after fighting with macho dancers. They began with the unforgettably catchy Ninjaman Japan’s Theme. In the following song Asu he mukatte ninja man, an electronic dance number, all the members except for the vocalist set down their instruments and simply danced along to the catchy beat. The audience, meanwhile, followed along, dancing as energetically as the band with smiles that never left their faces until the end of the set. Ninjaman Japan finished with a bounce and high-kicked their way off stage.
Set List:
1. Ninjaman Japan's Theme
2. Asu he mukatte ninja man
In something of a change from the theatrics of before, Megamaso arrived amidst rather romantic lighting with girlish screams from the audience to greet them. The mood quickly changed though as they kicked off with the song LIPS. The three members, Inzargi, Gou and Ryohei were full of energy running about the stage. Ryohei even made his way down the runway, twirling around as he waved at the audience.
The set, while short was neatly varied. After the poppish Beautiful Girl, the stage was filled with a retro ambiance for Sodababe nigao. This was followed by the wilder and heavier, Imomushi no nushi. Inzargi screamed at the audience and the fans replied with their hands and heads. It was a performance that showed off the full range of their talents that would surely have earned Megamasso new fans and by the final song, chimes the venue was filled with smiles and endless applause.
Set List:
1. LIPS
2. Beautiful Girl
3. Sodababe nigao
4. Imomushi no nushi
5. chimes
ALI PROJECT's mesmerizing performance on stage was quite a highlight, as the vocalist Takarano Arika emerged on stage in an elegant, white gothic-styled dress surrounded by similarly attired dancers. Their theatrical performance began with Jigoku no mon. It was followed by Waga routashi aku no hana, where Takarano Arika managed to elegantly swing a sword during her performance as she sang. Her vocals were as beautifully clear as ever. To the further delight of the fans, they played the famous and popular Seishoujyo Ryoiki; its opulent gothic sound filled the hall with a sense of decadence. The band closed their set with the recent single Rara eve shinseiki.
Set List:
1. Jigoku no mon
2. Waga routashi aku no hana
3. Boukokukakusei Catalysis
4. Seishoujyo Ryoiki
5. Rara eve shinseiki
It was a surprise that D’espairsRay appeared on the S Stage as they are one of the highly popular bands in the visual kei scene. The cavernous hall was packed, however, with the crowd squeezing themselves tightly into the available space from front to back. The live started with the speedy Bullet, its aggressive sound sending the audience into a frenzy. From there, the intense digital beat and vocalist HIZUMI's screaming during REDEEMER became a quick jaunt into the band's more gothic past with the old favourite, Garnet. The headbanging was intense and only continued with a heavy song like Lost in re:birth, which turned the crowd into a sea of whirling hair and headbanging. Before their finale, D'espairsRay gave the fans a glimpse of their present with ARK IN THE STORM and then went headlong into the singalong TRICKSTƏR. The band expertly kept the excited audience moving until the end.
Set List:
1. Bullet
2. REDEEMER
3. Garnet
4. Lost in re:birth
5. ARK IN THE STORM
6. TRICKSTƏR
The stage was enveloped by a dark SE of melancholic classical music. The ominous tones introduced one of the more gothic acts of the weekend: Moi Dix Mois. The audience had been comparatively silent until the members' appearance, then the place erupted into screams and calls. The first song, Metaphysical, was a fantastic piece of heavy, foreboding gothic metal. Vocalist Seth headbanged along with the audience, moving his head violently, and in the darkness, the cross on Mana's guitar glowed. It began a rather impressive and visually arresting performance. Seth picked up a loudspeaker as he ran about the stage excitedly. This provided a contrast to the movements of Mana and K, who strode across the runway in a dignified, somber manner during dispell bound and immortal madness. Seth aggressively shouted, causing the audience to headbang more. Moi Dix Mois took the audience to their aggressive, symphonic world that night and ended on a high with Vizard. The fans punched the air to the dramatic notes before a final flurry of headbanging brought their set to an end.
Set List:
1. Metaphysical
2. The SECT
3. exclude
4. dispell bound
5. immortal madness
6. Dead Scape
7. The Prophet
8. Vizard
The last band for the S stage was D’ERLANGER. Due to mechanical trouble the live was delayed, however, when the members showed up, an excited audience raised their fists aloft to greet them. D'ERLANGER began with Dummy Blue. Vocalist, kyo, walked the runway confidently communicating with the fans as he sang. Their set was a rather aggressive one with the powerful Deracine. The members were dashing about the stage animatedly giving an impressive, active performance. Next they played their famous, LA VIE EN ROSE, with kyo taking some time to rally the crowd before the nostalgic sounds of this classic visual kei number got the whole room dancing and chanting along to the shouts. To the very end, the audience gave their all, as did the band as some growling shouts from kyo in an aphrodisiac, brought the first day on the S stage to an end.
Set List:
1. Dummy Blue
2. Zakuro
3. Deracine
4. LA VIE EN ROSE
5. an aphrodisiac
