GazettE Live Report - Munich

[puss_nd_boots]

Last night, henceforth to be known as the Night of All Nights, started with me meeting up with my friend Claudia (Ruruu on LJ) at the train station in the Pasing section of Munich. She and I and her two friends boarded a train to the live, while I had attacks of sweaty palms, pounding heart and other OMG THIS IS REAL THIS IS HAPPENING symptoms. We got off at the proper station and headed off for the Tonhalle, which was in a complex of clubs - it's isolated enough from the main city that they can have loud-loud music there.

Well, as it turns out the complex was, y'know, complex. It took some wandering around until we found the right hall - when we saw the long line of girls and women, we knew we had the right place.

Now, I had a regular-type ticket, but I also had membership in the Global PSC Fan Club, which was supposed to entitle me to special privileges. There was a hall staffer calling out for VIP ticket holders, but nothing about fan club. Claudia gave me a little shove and told me to go ask the guy, and she'd find me again after the live. I was directed to a window where a female GazettE staff member was checking fan club credentials. She looked at my passport and was shocked - "You came ALL THE WAY FROM THE STATES?" She handed me my badge and bag and directed me to the front doorman.

So I was ushered over to the door and allowed inside, where I saw the stage setup and went into squee mode. (Kai's drums! His DRUMS!) I got into the long merch line and got up there to find out none of the shirts fit me. (Ruki dearest, you have plus-sized fans). So I got a towel, sparkly slippers, the poster and the makeup case (plus an extra case for a friend in Canada).

Then I went out on the floor to pick a spot and wait it out. Fortunately, there were nice people around me who spoke English, including a couple who came from Italy. Yay, more people who came to Germany for the live!

As the hour got closer, there was some pushing and shoving, but not as bad as I was expecting. When the crew came out to tune the instruments, the crowd erupted in chants of "GAZETTO! GAZETTO! GAZETTO!"

Finally, a staffer made an announcement about "being nice to each other," the lights went down, XI started playing . . . and then, DEAFENING, EARSPLITTING SCREAMS. Like nothing else I have ever experienced. That's okay - I was screaming, too.

I didn't see them enter the stage. At first, there was nothing but a sea of waving arms. And then, suddenly, Derangement started playing. Through gaps in the arms, I caught a glimpse of Reita (OMG THEY'RE REAL!) and then . . . Ruki emerged. Oh, my God. He was my first bias and always a very close second in my heart. Pictures and video don't do justice to his beauty, his magnetism and his sensuality. Those lips looked even more gorgeous than they do in magazines.

One by one, as the crowd shifted this way and that, they became visible. Uruha was fabulously pretty. His sleeveless top showed off some very sexy arm muscles which I've never noticed before. Aoi got more into it as the show went on, tossing his hair about in a sexy way and treating us to a couple of his famous backbends. Reita was SPARKLY!!! in his costume but still managed to seem manry.

As for Kai . . . alas, my dear bias was hard to see for much of the evening. I caught glimpses here and there, and what I saw? Gorgeous, and an energetic whirl of sticks. (No, I didn't witness any drumgasms).

The playlist was heavy on the last two albums - Gabriel on the Gallows, Venomous Spider's Web, Dripping Insanity, Suicide Circus, Untitled. They also did Clever Monkey and a big and pleasant surprise for me - Agony, one of my three favorite Gaze songs of all time. (I'd heard it was in other shows, but I didn't think it would be in this one!)

Ruki gave us some delicious fanservice, too, slowly licking his fingers and doing a self-pleasuring dance. Before Dripping Insanity, he posed dramatically, drawing the audience into the story behind the song. And he even spoke German (Rukman?) at a couple of points. He sometimes jumped up on a box allowing the crowd to see him better, as did the two guitarists.

During lulls between songs, the crowd took up the "GAZETTO!" chant again, as if afraid they'd leave the stage if they didn't keep up the enthusiasm. I think the band responded - they seemed to be REALLY enjoying themselves.

After Filth in the Beauty, they left the stage. After a long pause during which the crowd chanted for an encore in the proper Japanese way the whole time, they were back - Ruki and Kai still in Fadeless gear, the others in tour shirts. The first song, Shiver, was no surprise. The second, though? I was expecting Ruder, but we got HYENA! YES! Complete with Ruki/Uruha fanservice! Aoi also acknowledged the fangirls who were holding up heart symbols with their hands to them, gracing them with a big smile.

Finally, it was time for Linda, and the end. Aoi clapped, Reita spun, and Uruha jumped up on Aoi's box and reached out toward the fangirls. Ruki sprayed the fans with water and flung the bottles into the crowd. At the end, things were flying everywhere - bottles, drumsticks, picks. ( Alas, I caught nothing). And then, the magic moment - Kai finally emerged from behind the drums and came to the edge of the stage. There, live and in person, was the most beautiful smile in the world. Pics don't do it justice. That's when I started to cry.

Claudia found me (crying) by the drink stand after the show. I collected my things from coat check (who managed to lose my tour goods at first) and we headed out to the cool night and back to reality.

It was an experience like no other. It was worth coming to this country for, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. So, GazettE, thank you for everything. Hope to see you again - maybe in America next time? XD

Comments

[peodbear.livejournal.com]

omg, i am so happy for you! i had the pleasure to see them too in toulouse and i got to say they are fucking beautiful

[puss-nd-boots.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you got to see them, too! It really is an experience like no other!

[wnb-angel.livejournal.com]

They put up a great show, even tho the set list wasn't that good in my opinion.
Lucky, I wanted a hoodie but it was sold out before normal tickets even entered the venue...

[puss-nd-boots.livejournal.com]

Hoodies were gone by the time I got in, too. Apparently, the VIPs snapped them up immediately. I wanted a big towel, too, and they were also gone. But, hey, I'm happy with the sparkly slippers and makeup bag.

[ruki-matsumoto.livejournal.com]

There were just 15 hoodies in stock for munich... u_____u Even the FC present wasn't just the bag and the badge in south america, I heard. But because they didn't had enough merch for the bag, europe just got the empty bag... u____u The towels where out of stock too? Holy shit, when I went to the merch there where still like 20 or 30 ... oÔ I heard the beauticase was good packed with a lot of things?

[random-x13.livejournal.com]

oh WOW!! Sounds like an amazing time!!
I'm so happy for you!!!

<//3

[puss-nd-boots.livejournal.com]

It was once in a lifetime. Well, hopefully more than once, I want to see then again and again!

[another-end.livejournal.com]

wah, that so great can meet them for real.
Your'e so lucky, i litle bit envy since they not come to my country, but i'm happy for you. Nice live report ;)

[puss-nd-boots.livejournal.com]

They didn't come to my country either. I just did something crazy and wonderful and went to another country! (Can't do it every single year, though - how about America next time, boys?)

[lattepuff.livejournal.com]

Oh you were so lucky! (I didn't get a ticket.. *mourns*)
But that sounds like me when I saw MUCC live (or Nobuo Uematsu since he's my idol) and I'm so happy for you that you got the glimpse of Kai at last! The audience gave a good impression on Gazette and they responded by having fun as well - what could be better?

[puss-nd-boots.livejournal.com]

I wish I could have seen more of Kai, but that one glimpse of SMILE! carried a lot of weight for me. (And I was happy with seeing the others. Ruki's luscious lips are still burned in my mind). I hope you get to go next time they're in Europe!

[ilreshiki.livejournal.com]

OMG! Yes, I was there too, and it was the most AMAZING THING EVER!!!
And yeah, who wasn't sceaming as if his life depended on it? XD
You've probably been somewhere in the front right? Because you seem to have seen a lot more than me...
URUKI fanservice?!? Damn! I didn't see that!
What did they do? Please tell me!

[ruki-matsumoto.livejournal.com]

They where at first just on the box next to each other. Than some fans began to scream and Ruki put his arms around Uruhas shoulder. The fans just get louder and louder and the louder the fans where the near Ruki gets to Uruha and then there were so fucking close and Ruki gave Uruha a kiss on his hair. And Uruha smiled at him like an angel - a very pleased one! Fuck! And finishing Ruki let his hand slip over Uruhas chest (searching for his nipple?) but Aoi crashed the scene, jumping around behind them and let them jump away from each other!!! Argh! Damn you, Aoi! XD I wanted to throw something at him, but then I was like: Hehehe~Dortmund was the fanservice between Reita and Ruki and this was my URUKI-Concert! FUCK YES! I saw it with my very fucking own eyes! *faint*

[ilreshiki.livejournal.com]

Ohhhh... I think I might have seen the start of this.... oh damn...

[ilreshiki.livejournal.com]

I want to bee in that concert again!
Thank you very much for telling me this, since I'm a HUGE Uruki fan :-)
I love the way Uruha always smiles when Ruki is close to him, that's so cute!
Ahhhhh! Aoi!!!! Why did you have to!!!!!

[ruki-matsumoto.livejournal.com]

Ah~ you were standing in the middle of the chaos -called crowd, right? They were so awesome. Hope you'll get a inspiriration for your next projects...XD (especially during hyena? I almost fainted screaming by the fanservice... and this guys just fucking loved us going crazy about it!!! >////v///<) The cheering was so loud I just had to cover my ears. XD
I think posters, vids etc. will never get into your heart like a live. Cause it is a me-and-you-experience for every fan with the band. :3 And this is a heartbreaking moment when you cry like a little baby because of happiness. I'm happy you think it was worth! ^____^v
Do you went sightseeing? Or on the Oktoberfest? There where so much girls in Dirndl on our train. XD

[puss-nd-boots.livejournal.com]

A live definitely creates a bond between band and fans like nothing else. DVDs can't convey it. It was worth crossing an ocean for. I saw the girls in traditional dress - I figured people came right there from Oktoberfest. I've been mostly sightseeing, though I went to O-fest tonight. Had one beer at a carousel bar and that was plenty, thanks - their beer is STRONG compared to what we get in the States!

[lavender-zephyr.livejournal.com]

Hi!
I'm so glad you could come and enjoyed the show like crazy. Thanks for your live report. I'm 100% with you I come from Hungary and I've been to the shows in Paris, Toulouse and Munich thanks to my lovely French friends who offered me to stay with them. I will never forget this week and I'm sooo happy that a lot of fans have been "gazetted" :D

[puss-nd-boots.livejournal.com]

This experience made me realize that watching a live DVD, even with friends, is NOT the same as the real live experience. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, crossing an ocean and all.

[aleksiina-26.livejournal.com]

omg...this was so touching to read i cant *sobs in a corner* I'm so happy you got to see them live and that it was such an amazing show. The fact that you only cried at the very end when Kai came to the edge of the stage kinda made me teary eyed too I won't lie T^T

Thank you so much for sharing your experience on here, I really hope you get to see them again (and hopefully I'll be there too I'm definitely not missing them again if they embark on a world tour *grumbles*). I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip in Munich ^_^ xoxo

[puss-nd-boots.livejournal.com]

I hope to God I can see them again, and that the next tour is a TRUE world tour, not a Not-Quite-World Tour, and includes North America. If that's the case, I will go to all the shows I can. By the way, Claudia and I were talking that if Alice Nine makes good on their promise to play in the UK, we are organizing a fangirl trip to London. You are DEFINITELY invited to participate!

[ruruu.livejournal.com]

This would be really awesome!!! FANGIRL TRIP!!!
And also some nice live report you wrote here :D I hope those memories won't ever vanish!! <3

[puss-nd-boots.livejournal.com]

I hope they won't vanish, either. It was an incredible trip, through and through. (One of these days when I'm not tired and jet lagged, I'm going to write up the REST of the trip as well!) And hopefully, London WILL happen!

[sablenoir4.livejournal.com]

thx for this - sounds amazing, & just like it should be XDD - for the band & for you. thx for details on bits you saw of each member [ruki makes an impression, huh? :>] - so nice! i agree, lives carry their own, unique dynamic. not to be missed - if at all possible.. i so got your 'OMG this is real' moment. i also love ur not just 'it was so worth it!' but 'imma do this again'. u go girl!

[puss-nd-boots.livejournal.com]

Ruki made a HUGE impression. It's amazing that he and the others can come across as even MORE beautiful and charismatic live than they do on record or video, but they DO - no wonder Japanese fans follow them from live to live. And I am SO doing this again. If there's another Not-Quite-World Tour, I would gladly go back to Europe. (Hopefully, the next one is a TRUE World Tour, though!)

[golden-kimono.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy you had a great time! :) It sounds like a really good live!

[puss-nd-boots.livejournal.com]

It was absolutely incredible. It was beyond even what I was expecting. Of course, once you've seen them once, it's in your blood and you want to see them again. (I'm hoping that Ruki's statement about "expect another world tour" holds true - especially if they include the States this time!)