Despite its early timeslot on the schedule, -OZ-'s live was as eagerly anticipated as some of the bigger bands gracing the large stages next door. As the band came on stage to a deafening volley of calls, the fists of all in the audience were raised and ready.
The five members looked both assured and comfortable on stage, and vocalist Natsuki in particular exuded charisma in his performance as he used his space with confidence. The set was a great opener for the stage with four songs from their latest album, VERSUS. The heavy yet melodious music, with its catchy rhythms and Natsuki's impressive vocals won over the crowd. It was a rush of head banging from start to end!
Set list:
1. LAST Shell
2. FILMY
3. BLAZE
4. DETOX
exist†trace, following the intense -OZ- show, gave a performance of beautiful symphonic metal. Each member was elegantly attired, appearing with a grace that remained even as they rocked out with pieces that were at once delicate and heavy. The quintet proved that girls could rock as hard as guys but still remain like gorgeous flowers while doing so. The guitars were powerful, complementing Jyou's vocals that went from richly sweet to intense screams. The girls also showed a surprising prowess at growling and as they they performed their famous number JUDEA, intense shouting reverberated about the hall. It was a gorgeous set from beginning to end, finishing on an uplifting note with OWARI NO NAI SEKAI and leaving indelible impressions of their sweet-tinged heaviness.
Set list:
1. RESONANCE
2. Judea
3. Liquid
3. OWARI NO NAI SEKAI
In a complete turn around from the gothicism of exist†trace, D=OUT's performance was full of hyperactivity and bright, danceable tunes. Each song ran along at a seemingly breakneck pace. They began with TACHIKAZE YOKOCHO, whose playful tone and opening music reminiscent of traditional Japanese festivals got everyone dancing. The girls in the audience spun round while the band skipped about on the small stage. In each song they played, the audience swang their towels, jumped with boundless energy from left to right, and punched their fists in the air. It seemed more like an athletics meet than a concert!
Set list:
1. Tachikaze Yokochou
2. Shangri-la
3. Hanasaki Beauty
4. Kimon
the Underneath, though they only performed three songs, gave an outstanding performance befitting their long 13 years of experience playing together. It was a set that showed great stability, a reliable dose of heaviness. They appeared for the festival in chic clothes like tuxedos, an image that played up to the special feeling running throughout the event. The time seemed very short as Frontier was played, the last song to cap off their powerful live.
Set list:
1. BITE THE BULLET
2. Rain
MC
3. Frontier
From the opening, [_Vani;lla] shook the crowd with their heavy music. They started with Rabid Birthday, an assault of roughly growled vocals and clashing cymbals. The members as well as the crowd were head banging all the way through their high powered set. Vocalist Bell continuously urged the crowd to move throughout the set, determined that everyone would have a good time. Fuelled by an interesting mix of punk and hardcore with some electro influences, [_Vani;lla] were quite the experience from manic first to manic last, with Hankouki X Hankouki doing the honours. It was quite a unique performance. What was even more impressive was they ended their stage with the Japanese traditional clapping.
Set list:
1. Rabid Birthday
2. usotsuki
MC
3. Hankouki x Hankouki
SCREW made for the final act on the V Stage of the weekend. In a typically aggressive performance they got the crowd moving for one last burst of raw indies style visual rock. As could be expected of such an established and popular group, they assumed their roles with a confident swagger. Not all the music was an aural assault either. In Gather Roses they prove themselves adept at a funkier jazz inspired rock sound, with some neat double bass effects from Yuto.
They were rather good at the scream filled numbers though. molder was a dark, creepy sounding piece that had Byo unleashing some hellish screams as a way of rallying the audience. These screams became deathgrowls in VII CARDINAL SINS, deep gutteral accompaniments to the headbanging.
SCREW ended the V Stage with VEGAS. It was a memorable closer and as the set drew to a close, Byo hurled himself into the audience and the waiting hands of his fans. It was a great display by an intriguing band.
Set list:
1. KAIROS
2. Gather Roses
MC
3. molder
4. VII CARDINAL SINS
5. VEGAS
