UPCOMING
2012/05/26-27 - ROCKS TOKYO 2012 | 東京若洲公園
2012/05/30 - ONE OK ROCK "Start Walking The World Tour" | 新木場STUDIO COAST
2012/06/29 - [champagne] | Shibuya AX
2012/06/29 - Jason Mraz " Tour is a Four Letter Word" | Singapore: The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay
2012/06/30 - ONE OK ROCK "Start Walking The World Tour" | Singapore: *SCAPE
2012/08/03-05 - Rock in Japan 2012 | 茨城・国営ひたち海浜公園
2012/08/24 - But by Fall | Shibuya O-WEST

PREVIOUS
2010
2010/10/10 - CATCH ALL SHOW 2010 | Zepp Tokyo
2010/10/21 - NEW BLOOD vol.88 A PHOENIX FOREVER | 原宿アストロホール
2010/11/13 - TOTALFAT “OVER DRIVE” tour 2010 TOUR FINAL | 赤坂BLITZ
2010/11/27 - LACCO TOWER TOUR 2010 「探心旅行」　ツアーファイナル　ワンマンライブ | 新宿LOFT
2010/12/03 - GLORY HILL 「Break the deadRock VOL. 1」 GUEST: B-DASH/LOCAL SOUND STYLE | 渋谷CLUB QUATTRO
2010/12/17 - EGG BRAIN 「I-SCREAM NIGHT VOL. 1」 GUEST: ivory7 chord | 下北沢Daisy Bar
2010/12/26 - the GazettE 「TOUR 10 NAMELESS LIBERTY SIX BULLETS FINAL THE NAMELESS LIBERTY」 | 東京ドーム
2010/12/31 - COUNTDOWN JAPAN 10/11 | 幕張メッセ Halls 1 - 8

2011
2011/01/27 - LOCAL SOUND STYLE 「Before The Daylight Vol. 4」 - "The Symphony" Release Party. Guest: OCEANLANE/GLORY HILL | 下北沢Shelter
2011/01/29 - THE BAWDIES 「JUST BE COOL」 TOUR 2011 | 新木場STUDIO COAST
2011/02/10 - GLORY HILL 「Teenage Revival Tour 2011」 GUEST: EGG BRAIN/stack44 | BAYSIS (横浜)
2011/02/13 - OCEANLANE 「URBAN SONNET TOUR」 | BAYSIS (横浜) Overlapping with 甘CATCH ALL NIGHT 2011
2011/02/13 - CATCH ALL RECORDS presents 『甘CATCH ALL NIGHT 2011』 | 新宿ACB HALL
2011/02/24 - ESP presents "Move On!!!" (TOTALFAT, etc.) | 川崎CLUB CITTA'
2011/02/27 - LOCAL SOUND STYLE x aie インストアライブ | タワーレコード渋谷店B1「STAGE ONE」 Going to Otaki :(
2011/03/03 - Kagrra, 終焉～桜舞い散るあの丘で～ | 渋谷C.C.Lemonホール
2011/03/20 - GO! FES 2011 (Day 2) | 幕張メッセ Cancelled
2011/04/16 - 「SKULLSHIT 15th ANNIVERSARY 骸骨祭り」 - the HIATUS/TOTALFAT/EGGBRAIN/etc. | さいたまスーパーアリーナ
2011/04/25 - ONE OK ROCK 「Answer is aLive」 Tour 2011 GUEST: SUPER BEAVER, coldrain, オレスカバンド, OKAMOTO'S | 新木場STUDIO COAST
2011/04/30 - GLORY HILL 「Teenage Revival Tour 2011」 FINAL ONE-MAN | 渋谷 CLUB QUATTRO
2011/05/04 - COMIN'KOBE'11 | 神戸ポートアイランド
2011/05/22 - “MIX JUICE” with 黒帯カポエイラ / Midnight_Lazy / 8283 / Dread Nought / ザ・花見スタイル | 横浜FAD
2011/05/28-29 - ROCKS TOKYO 2011 | 東京若洲公園 (Day One Report | Day Two Report)
2011/06/09 - STANCE PUNKS presents「ロックの日 vol.12～SAVE THE NIPPON～」 GUESTS: andymori, Nothing's Carved in Stone, etc. | 川崎CLUB CITTA'
2011/06/15 - THE 衝動 - Random Dot Stereogram, PYGMY, THE BEAM, THE DIRT RADICALS, DON'T TURN AWAY | 高田馬場CLUB PHASE
2011/06/16 - TOTALFAT 「THE HERO IS DAMNED TOUR 2011」 GUEST: SHIT  HAPPENING, 山嵐 | BAYSIS (横浜)
2011/06/19 - [Champagne] tour 2011 「I Wanna Go To Hawaii. ～いや、総長マジで～」 | 恵比寿LIQUIDROOM
2011/06/26 - GRAND COLOR STONE 「GRAND COLOR STONE全力ワンマン2011東京編」 | 渋谷 O-Crest Forgot. Stabs self.
2011/06/28 - EGG BRAIN 「EGG BRAIN's THIS IS NOT レコ発 ～ONE MAN SHOW TOUR～」 | 下北沢 Shelter
2011/07/01 - ROCK'A'TRENCH 「Active Rock vol.1」 GUEST: tobaccojuice | 代官山UNIT
2011/07/05 - Goodbye yesterday vol.43 - BACKWARD REGION 「This Is Our Challenges」 RELEASE TOUR - BACKWARD REGION, 22nd RIOT, One's second son, 歌うアホウドリ | 東京 新宿ACB
2011/07/09 - THE BAWDIES 「LIVE THE LIFE I LOVE」TOUR 2011 | Zepp Tokyo
2011/07/27 - SOUND SHOOTER Vol. 6 - the HIATUS, THE BAWDIES, etc. | 新木場STUDIO COAST
2011/07/28 - TOTALFAT 「THE HERO IS DAMNED TOUR 2011」 | 八王子Match Vox
2011/07/29 - But by Fall 【"Take Back Your Romance"Release Tour】 | 下北沢SHELTER
2011/08/13-14 - SUMMER SONIC 2011 | 幕張メッセ, QVC Marine Field
2011/08/18 - TREASURE05X legendary origin - lego big morl, plenty, WEAVER, etc. | ZEPP Nagoya
2011/08/21 - stack44 [NAVIGATION LIGHT Release TOUR 2011] GUEST: the monochrome holiday | 岐阜RAD REVER
2011/08/23 - Kings Vol. 3 - PILLS EMPIRE, QUATTRO, THE BAWDIES, the brixton academy, the telephones | 新木場STUDIO COAST
2011/09/10 - L'Arc~en~Ciel 20th L'Anniversary Tour | さいたま さいたまスーパーアリーナ
2011/09/16 - ALL TIME LOW JAPAN TOUR 2011 (GUEST: We Are The In Crowd) | duo MUSIC EXCHANGE (東京都)
2011/09/17 - ALL TIME LOW, We Are The In Crowd (Acoustic In-store Event) | BOARDERS FACT Harajuku
2011/09/18 - TOTALFAT 「THE HERO IS DAMNED TOUR 2011」 | 渋谷AX
2011/10/09 - CATCH ALL SHOW 2011 | 新宿 LOFT
2011/11/08 - GLORY HILL With No Love リリースツアー『ReBorn to be wild』 | 下北沢SHELTER
2011/11/12 - But by Fall presents JOIN THE PARADE vol. 2 | 新宿ACB HALL
2011/11/13 - Getting Better～15th Anniversary Party“DREAM ON”～ - TOTALFAT / BIGMAMA / [Champagne] | 新木場STUDIO COAST
2011/11/27 - THE BAWDIES 「LIVE THE LIFE I LOVE」TOUR 2011 | 日本武道館
2011/12/03 - L'Arc~en~Ciel 20th L'Anniversary Tour | 大阪 京セラドーム大阪
2011/12/04 - L'Arc~en~Ciel 20th L'Anniversary Tour | 大阪 京セラドーム大阪
2011/12/11 - Fear,and Loathing in Las Vegas 「NEXTREME Release Tourファイナルシリーズ」 | 代官山UNIT
2011/12/16 - [Champagne] 「This Summer Festival」 Guest: Nothing's Carved In Stone, a flood of circle | 赤坂BLITZ
2011/12/25 - 聖CATCH ALL NIGHT 2011 - But by Fall, etc. | 新宿ACB
2011/12/31 - COUNTDOWN JAPAN 11/12 | 幕張メッセ Halls 1 - 8

2012
2012/01/22 - ONE OK ROCK 「残響リファレンス Tour Final」 | 横浜アリーナ
2012/01/24 - the HIATUS 「A World Of Pandemonium Tour 2011-2012」 | Zepp Tokyo
2012/01/29 - PUNISHER'S NIGHT 2012 - TOTALFAT, etc | 渋谷CLUB QUATTRO
2012/03/01 - the HIATUS 「A World Of Pandemonium Tour 2011-2012」 Tour Final | 新木場STUDIO COAST
2012/03/13 - Applicat Spectra & WEAVER | Singapore: *SCAPE
2012/03/31 - PUNKSPRING 2012 | 幕張メッセ
2012/04/06 - TOTALFAT [FAT 'EM ALL ～TOTALFAT 12th Anniversary～] | 新宿ACB
2012/04/25 - [champagne] | F.A.D Yokohama
2012/05/10 - Lady Gaga | さいたまスーパーアリーナ
2012/05/11 - But by Fall | 渋谷タワーレコード
2012/05/13 - L'Arc~en~Ciel 20th Anniversary WORLD TOUR 2012 THE FINAL | Nissan Stadium

CONSIDERING
2010/12/29 - 『半端ねぇNIGHT 2010 -第4日目-』 | 新宿ACB HALL Overslept. Way to fail, self.
2011/03/06 - CATCH ALL TOURS 2011 「WE ARE NEXT HEROES」 | 厚木THUNDER SNAKE Money woes.
2011/03/25 - ASIAN GLORY TOUR (dirt Radicals, DON'T TURN AWAY, etc.) | 高田馬場PHASE Cancelled due to quake.
2011/03/26 - ASIAN GLORY TOUR (dirt Radicals, DON'T TURN AWAY, etc.) | BAYSIS (横浜) Cancelled due to quake.
2011/03/27 - CATCH ALL TOURS 2011 「WE ARE NEXT HEROES」 | 渋谷EGGMAN Not in Japan.
2011/06/13 - BACKWARD REGION 「This Is Our Challenges」 RELEASE TOUR | 東京 初台WALL Wurk :(
2011/07/06 - BACKWARD REGION 「This Is Our Challenges」 RELEASE TOUR | 神奈川　横浜BAYSIS School nonsense :(((
2011/07/10 - OCEANLANE 「URBAN SONNET TOUR」 | 渋谷CLUB QUATTRO School nonsense.
2011/07/17 - 蓮沼2011 - stack44, FUNKIST, MAN WITH A MISSION, etc. | 日比谷野外大音楽堂 Sick.
2011/07/29-31 - FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL'11 | 新潟県　湯沢町　苗場スキー場 No money + no time :((
2011/08/05-07 - ROCK IN JAPAN FES. 2011 | 国営ひたち海浜公園 Overseas for conference :(((((
2011/08/24 - ブレーメンの音楽隊 - RADICAL ARTS(f.岐阜)/THE BEAM(f.岡山)/あずさ２号/...and more | 横浜 BB STREET
2011/08/25 - KINOTO proudly presents 「言動力 vol.9」 ジャズネコ 試聴 / THE BEAM (from 岡山) 試聴 / EDDIE / Knick Knack Knife and more... | 渋谷 CLUB 乙
2011/09/25 - stack44 [NAVIGATION LIGHT Release TOUR 2011] | 渋谷CLUB QUATTRO

BALLOTING FOR
2010/12/28 - Plastic Tree 年末公演～ゆくプラ　くるプラ～ | 東京JCB HALL Unsuccessful :(
2011/05/14 - THE BAWDIES - "Sweet Black Girl" (※女性限定ライブ) | 下北沢 SHELTER
2011/05/24 - ONE OK ROCK 「Answer is aLive」 Tour 2011 | Zepp Tokyo
2011/05/25 - ONE OK ROCK 「Answer is aLive」 Tour 2011 | Zepp Tokyo
2011/05/28 - L’Arc～en～Ciel結成20周年の記念ライヴ 「20th L’Anniversary Live」 | 味の素スタジアム
2011/07/08 - THE BAWDIES TOUR 2011 | Zepp Tokyo
2011/09/11 - L'Arc~en~Ciel 20th L'Anniversary Tour | さいたま さいたまスーパーアリーナ
2012/04/06 - TOTALFAT 【FAT 'EM ALL ～TOTALFAT 12th Anniversary～】 | Shinjuku ACB
2012/06/07 - THE BAWDIES "ROCK ME BABY" Tour 2012 | LIVE HOUSE FEVER
2012/08/03-05 - ROCK IN JAPAN 2012 | 国営ひたち海浜公園



( Random statistics. ) 

Will update the other months after I find the magazines. I have no idea where I stashed them. Found them!
It's interesting to see the progression over the year, from host-pimping to something more stylish.

( French Kiss Group advertisment spreads. )

I just realised that the French Kiss Group only has clubs in Kyoto and Nagoya. I guess this might explain the elegant feel to their adverts. If this makes sense to anyone at all except me.

EDIT: Though the latest ones look quite bleh. Hope it gets better.

It's been ages since I last wrote an entry. But I kinda feel compelled to write about this year's Countdown Japan. This will just be a summary, which will (hopefully) turn into something like the report I wrote last year and not languish around like those unposted entries I still have on lives... 2 months back D: Also, I just returned home and haven't slept yet. So please pardon the occasional strange stuff I will probably end up writing.

The Day's Original Schedule:
[Champagne]
SEKAI NO OWARI
ONE OK ROCK
the HIATUS
dustbox
MONOBRIGHT
Dragon Ash
Nothing's Carved in Stone
Plastic Tree
B-DASH
EGG BRAIN
TOTALFAT

The Day's Actual Schedule:
THE BACK HORN
[Champagne]
SEKAI NO OWARI
ONE OK ROCK
androp
the HIATUS
Dragon Ash
Nothing's Carved in Stone
Plastic Tree
B-DASH
EGG BRAIN
TOTALFAT

Not too bad, give and take I guess.
I wrote down a list of songs I remember the bands playing. Probably not in order. If I put a *, it means it's in order.


[Champagne] (Cosmo Stage)
For Freedom*
Rock n Rolla!
Cat 2
Spy*
city*

- Yoohei's hairstyle seemed to have change (which was something I noticed at "This Summer Fest" as well). Not full mushroom head, but with a parted fringe, and possibly as little straighter and longer? Though of course when they sweat, the curls come back. Speaking of hairstyles, Hiro looked as if his hair got straighter too. The other two (Satoyasu, Maa-kun) are never-changing (please don't change, you're awesome the way you are).

- Hiro: "I'm batman." No, he didn't really say that. Just wore a shirt with the batman logo

- It felt like their regular lives, really. Which is good.


SEKAI NO OWARI (Earth Stage)
虹色の戦争*
世界平和
幻の命
不死鳥
インスタントラジオ*

- The Earth Stage was the biggest stage, with the fanciest lightings and set-ups. I liked how the band seemed to try to get the most out of it all, spamming the audience with lasers and actually making use of the screen for something other than showing random patterns.

- Although there was a part where they put quotes regarding death on the screen, and I was liek "Huh, why so morbid?". But that led into 不死鳥, so I guess it's just theatrics.

- I liked the over-enthusiastic fans at the back at first, since they were actively cheering and clapping unlike the dead people around me. However, they totally fucked up the atmosphere by chattering and laughing loudly during the piano solo of 幻の命, where it's totally silent with just the tinkle of the piano. It's supposed to be a beautiful moment. Not ready to forgive you all for some time.


ONE OK ROCK (Earth Stage)
アンサイズニア*
C.h.a.o.s.m.y.t.h
存在証明
Rock,Scissors,Paper*
完全感覚Dreamer*

- They had instrument trouble right at the start, and the band stopped playing after the first song ended. Honestly, I didn't even notice something was wrong. Looking at whatever was going on on stage, it seemed that there was drum trouble, because Tomoya tossed his sticks away in a rather "what the hell fuck this shit" way (attitude, yo). Taka covered the screw up very nicely by talking though. Taka, you go boy. THAT is how professionals do it.

- Ryota and his crab stance when playing the bass never fails to make me lol. Tako, he is a worthy candidate for the title of "Prince of Magic Strippers" since he can have his shirt on one moment, but it's gone the next moment I look. Also, love his bass and it's red flashy lights (yes I know other people like Tetsu use it too buuutttttt I saw it on Ryota first).

- They played C.h.a.o.s.m.y.t.h <3 Been wanting to hear this live, and was also interested to find out how it was pronounced.

- Cannot wait to catch them at Yokohama Arena. I think their songs are awesome at large venues.


the HIATUS (Earth Stage)
World of Pandemonium*
Bittersweet / Hatching Mayflies
The Flare
Souls
Insomnia
Monkeys
紺碧の夜に*
ベテルギウスの灯*

- Just realised how small Hosomi is when I saw the guitar tech guy towering over him.

- I'm not sure what song he played during the sound check, but (and i know I'm not alone in this) I really like how he really sings and plays the guitar during the soundcheck just as he would during a performance. The audience was clapping and all, and he went, "Hey guys, this is just a rehearsal. See you all later."

- Singing "save me" at the top of my lungs with everyone during Insomnia was, and has always been, a catharthic experience for me.

- I guess he must be really anti-commercial or something. Talked about that during the MC, and said that now that it was going into the new year, the HIATUS would only not only not do anything related to that, they would only do the things they felt 100% towards and nothing less. He asked the audience why we were doing the hand-waving motion and said that he never understood why. Also, asked us, "What is rock? Okay the people writing the quick report for thie event are going to give me hell for this later but whatever. Rock isn't blaring guitars or hard hitting beats. It's what you feel in your heart."

- I don't know why, but seeing Hosomi smile makes me happy.

- Spectacle lense, meet right eyeball. If not for the fact that I would die if I wore contacts to this fest, I would have worn them.


Dragon Ash (Earth Stage - Countdown)
Viva La Revolution
La Bamba
Fantasista*

- Okay I'm not a big fan so I don't know the song titles. Those 3 songs were played after the countdown.

- I'm always impressed when a band manages to get even the people at the back to dance and sing along, because that's where all the casual audiences are (usually). Anyway, much respect for him after catching them at 2011's ROCKS TOKYO.

- Kenji: "Happy new year, motherfuckers!" :D


Nothing's Carved in Stone (Galaxy Stage)
Truth
November 15th
Spiralbreak
Isolation
Around the Clock
Inside Out (new song)

- Taku: "CDJ!!!!!!!!!" (crowd has no response) "Okay, I guess that failed." Ubukata: "CDJ!!" (some response). They both lol-ed. Such goons haha.

- I THINK Inside Out is a new single due to be released this year. Don't remember it being part of an album.

- Hinatch, the most popular member of NCIS XD

- It's really a joy to listen to them play, because they not only sound good as an entire band, but you can pick apart the instruments and listen to them individually, and you'd be awed all the same since they're such awesome musicians in their own right. I'm a rhythm person, so I especially love listening to their drums and bass.


Plastic Tree (Cosmo Stage)
Uh.. No songs for this one because I skipped the first song, and can't really be bothered to go google to find out what was the other song they played (apart from the new song).

- Finally met the dude behind my gmail address haha.

- They sound different live. Ryuutaro's sounded... pretty normal. I always thought his voice sounded ethereal in recordings, but ohwell. That part was a little disappointing heh.

- Ryuutaro wore this kimono-sleeved outfit. It did look nice, if only because I liked these aesthetics.

- They're releasing a new single. Can't remember when though.

- Visual kei fangirls out in full force (i.e. the "Ryuutaro~~~~" squeals lol)


EGG BRAIN (Cosmo Stage)
SEVENTEEN*
Meteor
The Sweetest Lullaby
Cross the Sky
YEAH!YEAH!*

- Decided to join the mosh as much as possible, since I won't be able to watch their tour final at LIQUIDROOM as it clashes with ONE OK ROCK's Yokohama Arena show T_T

- As usual, really fun and loads of energy.

- Joey: "There are so many people here... I want to see a fucking big circle!!!" And a circle was just what we gave him :)


TOTALFAT (Galaxy Stage
Ryan,Don't Worry
World of Glory
SUMMER FREQUENCE
Highway Part2
See You Later, Take Care
All for You
Place To Try*
OVERDRIVE*
Good Fight & Promise You (Encore)*

- I thought that I was too dehydrated to sweat anymore, but I was proven wrong. Greatest workout of the entire fest. And to think that it was already 4.10am.

- Also thought that seeing the HIATUS was enough to bring me into the new year, but I couldn't have been more mistaken. I never smiled as much during the entire day's performances as compared to TOTALFAT.

- Shun: "It's well and good to live your life stoically, never allowing your weakness to show through. But I think it's perfectly alright for you to let others know when when you are down, to cry when you are hurt." Why do the things you say always hit the spot exactly? I confess, I teared up.

- After the encore, they came out and Shun went, "Do you know what time it is? It's 4, but not 4pm.. 4am yo?" I think it was at this point (or perhaps earlier) that the entire crowd went "Good morning~~~" ahaha. He went, "Plus we're getting on in age too haha." You're only going to be 28 this year, it's alrightttt :D

- The biggest circle I've ever seen during "Good Fight & Promise You". Well, it was a valiant attempt which broke into two smaller (though still very large) circles in the end. But when I saw the first circle, I was all "HOSHIZZZZZZ THIS IS AWESOME".

Hello from the new laptop. It's been AGES sicne I last blogged. In fact, I have an entry sitting unpublished for public viewing because it's a live report and it isn't finished yet. It feels like I'm half-giving up on writing these things, considering that today is the third show I've been to since coming back to Japan, and I haven't written jack about the previous two. In fact, I haven't even loaded the data into my laptop yet. Tells you how high this is on my priority list at the moment :/

But updates! I have been...

1) Learning how to programme in ActionScript 3. Was using Flixel, but I realised that it doesn't seem to be able to connect with the kind of serial input I want, and since everyone else online does it using Flash Professional CS3, it's probably more effective to just join them, considering that this is just to demo our device and definitely not worth spending so much time on.

2) Playing World of Warcraft. Yes, I just started on 31st October (or somewhere near there). I am halfway through level 73. As you can see, it has been a grand total of two whole weeks. I go questing with a friend who's been playing for years, so it's a lot faster, and he knows where all the "efficient in levelling" quests are. I have also been venturing into areas a little higher level than I am, so... yea fun times. But because I feel really bad holding everyone up just because I want to read the quest details, so I don't, and just chiong ahead together with them.

3) Needs to remind self to eat. I think coming back to Japan is making me 成仙. Have realised that I virtually haven't eaten the past two days, except 5 bananas and a pack of pea snacks. But there's no flashing light in my brain screaming at me to eat at all. Time to fix that.

4) Rediscovering music. The past week has been Shimokitazawa Shelter -> Shinjuku ACB Hall -> Shinkiba STUDIO COAST. I nearly didn't go for the GLORY HILL show, but dragged myself there since I had tickets already. Best decision ever, because it was enough to pull me out of the patch of unhappiness I'd been in ever since I came back to Japan. Well, not like things are all roses and rainbows at the moment, but it was a pretty deep pit I fell into :/

Also randomly, I was reminded of the power of storytelling (in games, in this case) when I was questing alone just now. There was actually a previous story about a dragon who was protecting an egg that was key to the future of dragonkind, and ended up sacrificing herself and her egg, which was used as a decoy. You get one of her eggs as a reward. I know I'm never going to sell that egg, or even use it (I think it's a one-off use?). But that was that, and I actually cried after finishing the "The Truth Shall Set Us Free" quest just now. Yes, I get all emotional over tales of the follies of mankind. And this is probably me thinking too much, but even though it was a really simple quest (i.e. go to location, use item (no fighting at all), watch things happen (if you want), go back and report to quest-giver), the amount of experience points you get from completing it is HUGE. To me, it represented the gravity and amount of meaning the job had. But of course, yes, I usually think too much anyway.

In any case, it makes me want to create alt characters, and go back to fully enjoy all the stories.

And I'm sleeping at 5am again, even though for once, I'm not playing World of Warcraft at this time.

I'm leaving the day after. And in fact, because it's a midnight flight, this means that I really leave tomorrow.

And I haven't packed, with a lot of stuff to clear up before I leave.

Doom.

1) Pay school fees.
2) Pay rent.
3) Take whatever electrical components I think I need + breadboard back from school so I can pack them in.
4) Actually PACK my luggage. Oh god I don't know where to start man. Note to self: bring a set of warm clothing back, so that you won't freeze to death when you reach Haneda in November.
5) Get stuff from the airport.

And this one I can't do anything about, but it's perpetually stuck on my mind:

6) Pray that the L'Arc en Ciel tickets reach me before I leave.

Other than that, here's looking forward to hot and humid days and nights, good food, friends, fwens, and family :)

I was going to write a live report of both the in-store event at Harajuku, and the fan Meet & Greet session, but since photos and videos were allowed at both the events, what better way for you to experience it than to be able to see it for yourself!

( Part 2: It doesn’t matter where, I don’t care if people stare / Because I feel like dancin' tonight. )

( Part 3: It was like a time bomb set into motion / We knew that we were destined to explode. )

Next live: 2011/09/18 - TOTALFAT 「THE HERO IS DAMNED TOUR 2011」 | 渋谷AX

Because my recordings died and no one seems to have a setlist online, I'm going to try my best to write this from memory... which won't be much because it's been a happening few days in between :x

( Part 1: I feel like dancing tonight. )

So glad I found out about ATL last year while randomly surfing through a friend's shared iTunes library. Would have missed out on all the awesomeness otherwise :)

Next live: 2011/09/17 - ALL TIME LOW, We Are The In Crowd (Acoustic In-store Event) | BOARDERS FACT Harajuku

They were one of the first bands I came into contact with when I first got to know about Japanese music (although that came from randomly picking up a *cough* not totally legal version of Clicked Singles 13 in a shady shop in China). So it was a dream come true when I got the email telling me that I had managed to successfully ballot for 3 out of 4 shows on their 20th L'Anniversary tour.

( Live report )

Till Kyocera Dome, where I'm sure it's gonna be an awesome two days :)

Next live: 2011/09/16 - ALL TIME LOW JAPAN TOUR 2011 | duo MUSIC EXCHANGE (東京都)

Back from a night out at Shinjuku with two friends. Yes, my first 朝帰り that isn't school-related! And first clubbing experience in Japan. I'm not a drinker, much less a clubber. But said friend is due to return to Singapore today, so I decided to go. It was a difficult decision to make, because as a result of going, I just got home, bathed, and need to wake up in 3 hours and get ready to take the train to Saitama Super Arena for L'Arc~en~Ciel's concert.

We went to a gay bar and club. I don't have a problem of men holding hands and dancing with other men, and it was also a nice experience because then no one will bother the girls. We weren't bothered the entire time (okay except once, where some creepy uncle leaned over and went "Let's go and have fun!" in Japanese and I pretended that I didn't understand him), so it was a pretty comfortable experience. Tons of foreigners there too.

And that's the most interesting thing that has happened to me since... forever. Yayy my life.

Ohoh also, the LOCAL SOUND STYLE boys have returned to Twitter! At least, the bassist and the guitarist. I was SO happy when I saw them tweeting. Tweeted the bassist, and he was sweet enough to reply (I think he made the effort to reply to every one who tweeted him). Welcome back, dudes :)