JAPAN CIRCUIT, hosted by rockin' on (publishers of Rockin' On in JAPAN, BRIDGE, etc, as well as show-runners of Rock In Japan Fes. and Countdown Japan), is a series of lives that now basically exist as 'pre-parties' for the aforementioned festivals. They usually feature veteran festival acts as well as up-and-coming acts making their first festival appearances.
Billed by the MC as the band's first show in which they actually had time to practice and prepare a set, last night's event at Shibuya AX was a coming-out party for the HIATUS. So far they've played to gigantic audiences at Punkspring and Devilock Night, but this would be the band's first performance in a livehouse environment (AX's cap is about 1500). How did they do?
Pretty fucking awesomely, I'd say.
Following a set change (HIATUS were second out of three bands), the stage lights dimmed and the band came out to no intro - nothing, nadda, zip - just put on their instruments and started playing.
01.Ghost In The Rain
The lights come up and... who is this dapperly-dressed man and what has he done with Takeshi? He had his trademark punk half-pants and wallet chain, but instead of the usual tee-shirt or whatever he was wearing a black dress shirt with a thin and white (possibly silver) necktie.
And he was all smiles. Incidentally I believe this is the first time I've been able to watch him sing without having to take my glasses off...
02.Lone Train Running
...but that didn't last long. As soon as they got near the end of the slow bit, you could already see the crowd surfers getting ready to jump. Madness.
03.Centipede
More madness.
During the MC Takeshi talked about how he was so excited about this show that he didn't sleep at all the previous night.
04.Silver Birch
I loved this track on the album but it really comes out well live.
05.The Flare
Between the vocals, the strobe lights, and the dress shirt, this was Serious Takeshi time.
Second MC... he announces that he considers this day to be the band's birthday to a wave of cheers.
06.Storm Racers
More moshing and plenty of divers.
07.紺碧の夜に
This was the surprise track of the night for me - you guys have seen my translation, it's one of my favorite songs, I couldn't have been more ecstatic when they started playing it. Yet, surprisingly, despite being one of the most Elle-like songs on the album, not nearly as many divers. Odd.
08.Twisted Maple Trees
Takeshi actually flubbed a couple lines... he started singing the "You shade... your face..." bit in the second 'verse' instead of the third. He realized what he was doing and got back to "twisted maple trees" but he turned to masasucks and gave him this look of "what the fuck did I just do?" He really slammed into the final solo as well.
Fantastic set overall!
Incidentally the other bands on the agenda were Yacht (fun pop-rock from Osaka, they were top batter) and BEAT CRUSADERS (who followed the Hiatus and played an awesome set with a double encore).
...also I kinda ran into Takeshi before the show when we crossed paths at a convenience store. We exchanged 'yo's and that was it, but it was still amusing =P
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