Back in Japan Again - this time as a COSMIC DREAMER

So, I promised a few people I would try and post something while I'm in Tokyo again for Buck-Tick's COSMIC DREAMER TOUR 2013, and while I'm utterly rubbish at reviews (I'm no NOT Greatest Site!) I thought I'd just check in with a few impressions.

It's Friday 1st March here today so I have the two shows at Akasaka Blitz under my belt, and four more (Tokyo Dome City Hall and Shibuya AX) to go.

Akasaka Blitz is a nice, smallish venue (around 1200 capacity, I think) and it's dead easy to get to which makes all the difference in enjoying concerts - nothing worse than stressing out about finding the place. Akasaka itself is kind of upscale, so rocking up to the venue early on Tuesday and watching from Starbucks (I know, but give me a break - there's not a lot of choice in that area) as the plaza outside filled up with a sea of black was kind of amusing - especially since the fan-influx coincided with sunset, which is kind of JUST HOW IT SHOULD BE, if you're a goth of any stripe.

The merch stall and box office opened at around the same time on Tuesday, so I only had time for a cursory look at the former since I had tickets to collect and people to meet who I had not seen since I was here last, and well.. priorities :) But, it looks like a nice spread of stuff this time - the shirts have some great designs, and Hide's sticker set seemed to be selling well - I saw a few people walking around holding them just before the show. There were B-T Movie posters pasted up inside the venue as well as some nice flower arrangements from well-wishers to the band on display.

On Wednesday, the merch stall only opened at the end of the gig, which was okay as I had my yen stuffed down my socks, so I picked up a tour shirt and a tote bag. Sadly, I'm not sold on the quality of the Imai "galaxy" top. I got to cop a feel of one inside the gig while squished up waiting for the show to start and failed to be impressed. On the other hand, the bag in the same design looks better than I expected and I might treat myself later, if budget allows. Admittedly I'm not a huge merch buyer at the best of times though as I prefer to spend my cash on beer afterwards /laughs Hopefully someone else here who has attended the tour can be more detailed about that stuff.

My ticket numbers for the dates I am seeing on this tour are a bit of a mix, but the best two on paper were definitely for the Blitz and I made good use of them. The first night me and a friend managed to be only four or so rows back just over to Mr Imai's side (my favoured side, I admit it). Being relatively tall, this is quite nice for any looming by Mr Sakurai or solo-guitar spots by Messrs Imai and Hoshino, since you get the full benefit of it, especially if they're leaning into the crowd.

Mr Imai is currently sporting a bleached hair, minimal make-up look, which I think suits him just fine. Mr Sakurai seems to be alternating his look so far - Tuesday it was all sharp suit style, while Wednesday was skintight leggings, a mid-thigh-length sleeveless ruffled tunic top and long leather gloves. He's also rocking cuban heels and shorter hair this tour, both of which look great on him, of course. Messrs Hoshino, Toll and Higuchi have very dapper outfits as usual, though I only really got a good look at Mr Hoshino's - he's adding more silver to his black these days and it looks damn fine, let me tell you.

On the subject of Mr Hoshino - he really HAS taken a turn for the Rock Star of late. Last tour he seemed kind of quiet, but this time it seems like he's really going for it, playing up to the crowd like a pro and calling out the balcony and the front rows both. I like this new attitude and I think that I shall now refer to him as "Sex Bomb Hoshino", because the Tom Jones song is exactly what popped into my head during one of these solos where he was being a crowd tease. Good for him :) In appreciation, on the second night I stood on his side.

I can't remember the set list for the life of me, but I can tell you that both nights were a fabulous mix of old and new, and everyone did their best to dance, even though we were crammed in like sardines at the front. Choices of song included both Kimi No Vanilla and Physical Neurose on separate encores "and the crowd went wild", as they say :) Though on that note the moment that amused me most was on Tuesday when Mr Sakurai chose to stand with his back to the audience in the shadows near the drums and basically perform a full pants-adjustment without a care in the world. I wonder how many people thought (hoped) he was actually going to drop 'em, either deliberately or accidentally /laughs, though I'm sure the dudes in the audience were sympathetic - sometimes you just have to re-rack the balls, so to speak.

Oh yes, and in an interesting twist for a standing tour, Mr Sakurai has brought along his own personal goth raincloud to the show, in the form of a machine that rains a circle of water down around him during certain numbers (and no doubt make jokes about getting everyone wet, though since I don't speak Japanese those would be sadly lost on me). I did, however, catch him declaring "SEX!" just before Elise no Tame ni (I think). As you do. And he threw in a couple of "Five for EVERYBODY" during Iconoclasm, though whether or not that was because he had clocked some foreign faces in the front rows, I couldn't say.

After it was all said and done and we all streamed out drenched in sweat and with aches where you didn't know you had muscles from waving various limbs in the air (mostly one's own though you know - sometimes it gets rough down there), it was time for booze and the locker-scrum, one of which is considerably more enjoyable than the other. I freely admit that I enjoy the after-show glow and sharing it with other fans at any gig, and I am lucky enough to have met some very welcoming folks in Japan with whom I can do just that over drinks and food. So both my concert experiences thus far concluded with good company and plenty of alcohol, just as they should.

(Public Safety Note: you should always enjoy alcohol responsibly, kids, and never, never say "SEX!" in public or allow anyone to take your picture while you're posing as Mr Sakurai in a bar.)