BABYMETAL performed the third Sumetal Seitansai at Toyosu PIT in Tokyo on December 20 of 2014 (More details). Our reporter Hitoshi Sugioka was fortunate enough to got a lottery ticket to assist to "Apocrypha S". Hitoshi did a review for Newswire about the pre-show and show with the special premier of "Bubble Dreamer" (Tentative Name) and Road Of Resistance debut in Japan. Read his fan review below.
Third Sumetal Seitansai at Toyosu PIT for "Apocrypha S"
I'm fan since 2012, i heard BABYMETAL for first time after the release of the Headbangeeeer!! Single. I tried to go to the first Su-metal Seitansai in Akasaka Blitz (Legend D) but i couldn't. Since then promised myself to go to all Su-metal's Seitansai. I did it on 2013 at Makuhari Messe when was recorded the great Legend 1997, and thanks to Kitsune-Sama i was lucky to assist to the third Su-metal Seitansai at Toyosu PIT on 2014.
The show was called "Apocrypha S" honoring the BAW Fan Club members. I live near to Toyosu, the problem wasn't the travel, the problem was the lottery tickets. As i said i was lucky enough, Hitoshi was selected by Kitsune-Sama to be part of the third Su-Metal's Seitansai. Only 3000 fans in the audience, only 3000 fans were lucky.
That day was raining, and i was sick. Missed the full week at work because of my flu, but missing Su-Metal's Seitansai wasn't an option. I woke up early to see how was my body for the show, i was feeling fine enough to go outside, but "I have to go no matter what happen, i was selected to assist". So, went early to check the place and be ready to enter early and find a good place and safe place to avoid mosh'sh pit.
When arrived to the place lot of people with umbrellas where there waiting, i met a great fan and we had great talks about BABYMETAL shows during the hours of waiting, he went to Budokan shows as i did, but we both agreed that Legend 1997 is the most epic show to date. He also went to Loud Park 2013 as i did too, and we found that both have a friend in common!
Already in line and ready to go inside the venue. The face recognition system wasn't working good, staff had several problems to make the check ins, so everything was delayed for several minutes. Hitoshi decided to go directly to the stage, people stopped on merch booth but i didn't. Anyway, the merchandise available was the same only the Su-metal's Seitansai t-shirt was the different item, so when i find my place, asked for a good person to save my place and went to the booth to buy mine.
After 15 to 20 minutes of delay, the show started, a summary video of the World Tour 2014 was what they showed us, i was expecting something more but then remembered: "Hitoshi, Apocrypha shows are more underground, just a metal battle". I always bring with me a paper with the Setlist i would like to see, never will hit hehe. And after the show i just put the number of the song in the correct order, sorry but my list is personal, but i never hit the order hehe.
BABYMETAL Death was the first song after the introduction, as always very powerfull. Perfect performance as always, audience very active. I was near to Ohmura in the left side of the stage, right side from the people's side.
After, Doki Doki Morning, in my opinion was one of the best performances. Highlighting Su-metal adding interaction with audience in the middle of the song. I know that Su-metal Seitansais are always different, this is why i love Seitansais more than other BABYMETAL shows. Su-metal was incredibly energic, she was the leader of the band from head to tail.
New song! We were shocked: "What is this?" "Cover, from who?" "New song, like Gimme Chocolate!". The show was a metal battle almost no introductions or talking, just songs, there was no time to stop and think. Great song, after listening the fan audio, i can say that is not one of their best songs but is fun, the lyrics are "idol" and the instrumetals more similar to Linkin Park or Limp Bizkit than Metallica.
Next, the best song of the show. Onedari Daisakusen but with Su-metal! Since Gimme Chocolate was announced on Legend 1997 when Su-metal joined Yuimetal and Moametal looking for chocolate that made Hitoshi have big goose bumps! "Yo Yo Yo Yo, Su-metal in da house. Are you ready! ARE YOU READY!? Come on!" Was incredible, my blood was cold, i thought it was fever but was adrenaline, i wanted to go to the mosh'sh and jump in the bridge part. The performance was perfect, Su-metal doing backing vocals, like Yuimetal and Moametal do when Su-metal sings. She was incredibly active with people jumping everywhere, super different. By far one of the best surprises of this band since Legend 1997 with Gimme Chocolate, even more incredible than some performances at Budokan. The bridge was incredible "1 for the money, 2 for the money, 3 for the money!" And them Su-metal screaming "Katte Katte Katte!! Come on!!" Couldn't resist, started to jump with the 3000 fans there. Will never forget the Onedari Daisakusen performance at Toyosu PIT. Of course Yuimetal and Moametal performed the song extremely good, and especially Yuimetal looked very happy to see Su-metal with them in the stage on "Onedari".
After that, a pause... before the storm. Kami Band took the stage to play the epic instrumental before Catch Me If You Can. Takayoshi Ohmura added a "Happy Birthday" during his guitar solo. Fujioka was super perfect as always, one of my favorite guitar players for me, then BOH, his bass was very loud, my chest received every beat like a hit. Last, Aoyama, with super fast double pedals. The perfomance of the song was as usual, incredible, epic, super heavy.
"What is your favorite song?" To me, to have fun, Gimme Chocolate, but to feel, to express sentiments, Akatsuki and No Rain No
Rainbow. The best songs of the band. Decided to go and reach the first rows in the audience. Wanted to see Su-metal singing the song (Akatsuki), couldn't go very far but
my spot was perfect to see her singing her favorite song, my favorite song. She looked very intense, was her moment to show her metal on her birthday, she didn't screamed "Akatsuki
da!", everything was straight foward, fast, intense, even violent in the audience. People jumping and doing intense mosh. I was watching her only, i'm very sorry for Kami
Band but was my chance to see her from very near. The guitar solos where perfect, i like more "Ohmura-Fujioka" than "Ohmura-Leda", Leda
is perfection, but Mikio is magic, is happiness in the stage. The rest of the song was thinking on important people in my life and watching Su-metal on her knees
singing with her heart as always, she closed her eyes several times as i never saw before, "She is emotionally affected today?" I thought. Her voice wasn't pefect,
see, she sings almost perfect but in Akatsuki her voice was somehow different, maybe because of the passion of her singing. Sorry for the critic
Nakamoto-San!
Head Bangya, with the long piano intro. Moametal and Yuimetal back in the stage. As always very intense and loud performance. A guy started to push me when he song started, so i let myself go and started to jump with the rest around me. During the first chorus, i was hit in the head by a crowd surfer, i guess was an elbow or foot. I was dizzy and people squeezed me. When "Hedoban hedoban!" I was very sofocated, i was in pain, and suffering the song as never happened to me. When the guitar solo stopped i was able to go to a side of the stage and take a breath, then realized that finished in the other side of the stage, Fujioka side.
After the worse moment in my life in a BABYMETAL show, was hard to enjoy like i was doing it but then Gimme Chocolate. And my energy was back, started to headbang and all my dizziness was gone! The call and response was epic. And special highlight for the fans doing backing vocals! I don't care what people say about the lyrics, the song is pure energy, is adrenaline in form of music. Moametal is a special little thing, she did constant eye contact with fans, jumping, and asking fans to scream.
Then, when we all were ready for an encore or "Ijime Dame Zettai", Road Of Resistance started. I was upset, "They dropped IDZ!!? Why!?" A guy next to me was very angry, "IDZ is my favorite song!!" Anyway, Road Of Resistance was beyond epic, and was the debut in Japan, was a great debut. Mikio plays the song better than Leda, in my opinion. The call and response was very emotive, and sadly is a mixing feelings moment because you realize that the show is almost about to finish, but you want to sing with all your power to show them how much you love them. Almost cried. Su-metal's voice overpassed everything heard from her before. Maybe because was a new song for me, but she really sounds more and more perfect with shows. The show ended with Road Of Resistance, i was a bit upset about Ijime Dame Zettai, but Apocrypha's are short events, intimate and special. I can't blame against the band for dropping one of the best songs.
After the show, i found three cellphones and a wallet in the floor, no doubt the show was a metal battle. And one of my favorite shows, i can't wait for the next Su-metal Seitansai! But Legend 1997 still being my favorite show to date, ever better than Budokan shows, even better than Makuhari Messe shows to close the WT2014, even better than Saitama Super Arena in 2015.
In summary:
Su-metal voice and perfomance was great, noticed her touched during Akatsuki.
Yuimetal need to improve her voice, but her dance is almost perfect, she is the best dancer ever she is "The Angel Of Dance" for a reason. I feel like she starts to enjoy metal after all.
Moametal is the best to interact, she really touch your eyes with her eyes, her eyes are powerful, are like caresses to our souls.
Kami Band, this is the best formation, you can see the commintment on Fujioka, seems like i hate Leda? No is not that, i feel like
Fujioka fit better than Leda in the Kami Band formation. Ohmura played Happy Birthday during the instrumental, BOH is to me the leader of the
band and Hideki Aoyama as his father, let the fans know he is a master behind the drums.
Location, very small, but good, sadly the recognition system was a bit complicated but we all understood that was the first time they worked with the system. Lack of air, and the
merchandise booth wasn't good enough compared with the other Apocrypha's.
Fans, full of hardcore fans, a few new fans, but mostly hardcore fans like me.
OFFICIAL SETLIST AT TOYOUSU PIT FOR SU-METAL SEITANSAI "APOCRYPHA S":
01-BABYMETAL Death
02-Doki Doki Morning
03-New Song
04-Onedari Daisakusen with Su-Metal
05-Catch Me If You Can (w/Kami Band Intro)
06-Akatsuki
07-Head Bangya!!
08-Gimme Chocolate (w/Call & Response)
09-Road Of Resistance
Show Photos: CLICK HERE
