NoGoD Tour Final at Tokyo Kinema Club

Tokyo Kinema Club, an opulent livehouse that recalls an old Victorian theatre, was the perfect setting for the ever theatrical NoGoD. Vocalist Dancho certainly knew how to make an entrance to befit the surroundings, emerging from a gold curtain to the left of the stage as the other members played the introduction to Mr Heaven. A spotlight shone on his glittering red clown-inspired outfit, ensuring all eyes were on Danchou. "Wonderful!" he enthused loudly before running down the steps to join the band. Mr Heaven was a fantastic heavy opener, with its neat dead stop midway through that made an even more dramatic statement live.

Danchou was unstoppable all night, hopping about in his pointed toe fluffy red slippers and whirling a towel above his head as enthusiastically as the fans in Shinjitsu no hana. Even the normally stoic Kyrie was fired up, jumping about with his guitar. A few songs drew particularly loud cheers, such as Strawberry Night. It was mesmerising just watching the fans as they greeted the song with outstretched arms and delicate, complex hand choreography.

The setlist was a nicely varied affair, peppered with older songs that got the fans dancing while showing the NoGoD of now. Hachigatsu sakujitsu was one of these, a song that bore more of a Wesern sensibility than other NoGoD music and enveloped the Club in a stunning ballad, from the subtle Spanish guitar opening to K's snare drum underlying Karin's gentle bass solo. The irresistibly dark Ring-o-ring-o took a different path. The performance was manic with Danchou going over the top with theatrics and a powerful, dramatic chorus that felt hauntingly reminiscent, in parts, of Pink Floyd's A Saucerful of Secrets.

"Ahh as I expected the air in Kanto is great," said Danchou as he paused for an MC. Noticing the number of boys in the audience, Danchou called to them to yell back at him, the gruff response surprising many of the girls in the crowd. Never to pass up an opportunity to have fun, Danchou brightly asked Kyrie if he was in good spirits. After a long pause, and Danchou's staring at him with childlike wonder, the only thing Kyrie said was a barely audible "yes" making the crowd laugh. Danchou seemed right at home entertaining the audience with his one-man comedy act. He went to sit momentarily on K's drumkit, asking the fans to shout for him to make a stupid face. Danchou obliged only for jets of air to shoot out from the drumkit making him jump.

The clownish antics were a non-stop cause for laughter from the audience. Danchou played up to it too, and as the music resumed he rallied them a few times before shouting in English, "Jumping Time!" Yuiitsu uta certainly got the crowd jumping and the arrangement was made a little more fun with some extra heavy drums from K.

Danchou left the stage shortly after for the remaining four to show off their individual talents with a blast from the 70s in the gorgeous Aozora. Each member had his turn in the spotlight; K beat his drumsticks together to encourage the audience to clap through Karin's funky slapped bass solo, while Kyrie went mad with the tremolo and endless improvisation of his own melody.

It was a stunning live version that left the audience speechless, and for a few moments there was silence before screams of "NoGoD" began in earnest. Danchou heard the calls and his disembodied whisper heckled them to call for more until, in a burst of light and a grand exclamation of "Wonderful!", he returned.

The live really was a wonderful spectacle to behold and as Danchou shouted "Welcome to the black circus", the fans, following Danchou's lead, broke out into the most inventive NoGoD dance, moving their hands in motions that looked like Greased Lightening on speed. Both band and fans were thoroughly enjoying themselves, throwing their bodies into frenetic headbanging and a chaotic singalong of the anthemic chorus. The party wasn't even interrupted by calls for "Last," with the powerful headbanging that Guren inspired, whirling the crowd into a frenzy until the end. Jets of air shot out from beneath the drumkit, kicking off the pulsatingly heavy beat. Danchou meanwhile ran around the stage and up to the gold curtain to direct fans from there. It was a great example of the addictive nature of NoGoD's music, with neat variations in tempo that, live, brought out either headbanging or delicate hand choreography.

The crowd barely had time to rest before the encore began with Karin's bass introducing the rhythm of an old favourite, Gekiretsu kyoukan ranchiki kyou. The fans started to jump excitedly and as the song began it was clear to see why. The room went wild with jumping before chaos erupted midway through with a game of 'Danchou says'; In accordance to his directions, the crowd jumped from side to side, to the front, to the back, down to the floor and round in a circle. The mayhem looked like terrific fun. It was almost a relief after to have Danchou say a short thank you, letting everyone catch their breath. The encore proceeded with some quieter numbers, a welcome contrast to the high energy set. Kono sekai ni mihanasaretemo was a beautiful soft ballad with a dulcet singalong of 'la la la' from the audience, while recent song Hakoniwa was an exercise in upbeat, breezy poprock.

The encore rounded off with Takaramono, although not before Danchou had attempted to rally both fans and band to the cause of his birthday concert. All except Kyrie tried to get out of it; When asked, Shinno said he would be with his family in Kamakura and Danchou's sad faced response was priceless. His cheekiness didn't let up in Takaramono either, and the encore finished with Danchou pestering both Kyrie and Shinno, earning him a playful kick from the latter.

The concert had the feel of a special occasion. The performance had been stepped up a notch and the second encore, beginning with a stunning a capella rendition of Iroha from Danchou, was rather magical. The ensuing MC answered all questions. Danchou began by recounting the history of NoGoD, commenting on their beginnings in February 2005. "So far we have just been indie," he said, causing a few loud murmurs to ripple through the crowd, "And in 2010 we will be going major!" Danchou announced sending the fans into a mass of loud screams and calls of "congratulations". "We won't change," Danchou promised them, while Karin told the fans that he had achieved a dream. The announcement gave the audience a new lease of life and set up a perfect finale. The celebratory dancing through Yumemi Shoujo was a flurry of manic headbanging and wild moshing as bodies jumped from one side of the floor to the other. Finally, NOGOD began with a tremulous crescendoing introduction that saw all arms raised to the ceiling and opened wide. Karin used the platform while Danchou plunged himself headfirst into an audience who rushed at the stage as the members got close to the fans. It was a wonderfully chaotic spectacle as NoGoD bowed out with their eponymous song.

The members took their time leaving the stage and it seemed they threw out everything possible to the crowd as keepsakes. Danchou meanwhile seemed a little overwhelmed. He spent a while bent low over his table and was last to depart, thanking the loyal fans for their support throughout the concert and the past four years as NoGoD moved into a new era.


Set list

1. Mr.HEAVEN
2. Shinjitsu no hana
3. Saikou no sekai
4. Strawberry night
-MC-
5. Hachigatsu sakujitsu
6. Kimi ni okuru bukyou de migatta na shi
7. Ring-a Ring-o
8. Shihan
-MC-
9. Yuiitsu uta
10. Karumia
11. Aozora
12. Jigoku chou
13. Banguro shinsou dai circus
14. Gu hasu

En1:
15. Gekiretsu kyokan ranchiki kyou
16. Kono sekai ni minahasaretemo
17. Hakoniwa
-MC-
18. Takaramono

ENCORE:2
19. Saihaku
-MC-
20. Yumemi shoujo
21. NOGOD