New Fan Review on Newswire, this time coming from Japan. Our collaborator Hitoshi Sugioka attended to the BABYMETAL's show at Wakasu Park in Tokyo for METROCK Festival 2015 when took place one of the most epic BABYMETAL shows with gigantics Wall Of Death during Road Of Resistance and Ijime Dame Zettai. Read his review below.
BABYMETAL live at Tokyo Metropolitan Rock Festival 2015 at Wakasu Park, Tokyo
Review by: Hitoshi Sugioka from Tokyo, Japan.
This is my second METROCK. The first time was in 2013 for BABYMETAL too but then I went for other bands because I went with friends but during one show tried to hide and lose my friends to go to the BABYMETAL stage. Hitoshi did it successfully but i wasn't near the stage but was a good position to see them perform.
2 years later, almost 2 years later to be exact, I was there, this time alone in Wakasu Park. Arrived early, the day was cloudy, a bit cold in the morning. Visited the BABYMETAL merchandise store in Wakasu Park, people was already there waiting. I can say that 8 of 10 people there were BABYMETAL fans at this moment. After the booth opened the doors (I think around midday) more people arrived but clearly our line was bigger. Hitoshi bought the towel. Already got one, but two is better.
Went slowly to the venue while I was checking online updates and sent a couple of emails to Maik-San for Newswire live updates.
I was surprised about the great number of ladies, lot of girls with BABYMETAL T-shirts, not very often you see that. I guess "Apocrypha - The Red Mass" did a positive effect in our fan base in Japan (is just my point of view).
The first band was KanaBoon. Was ok, entertaining. I was under a three shadow listening the bands performing to save energies watching while more and more people was arriving, I felt like a great number of fans were there only for BABYMETAL, what is good. I heard rumors that thre girls were walking in the park, but I wasn't sure and I was very comfortable listening live music (Laughs).
Then the other bands: I saw little WOD. After those bands, was the moment we were waiting. After the band finished Hitoshi was focused to reach the first line and see the show perfectly. I couldn't, so went to the right side, left side where Takayoshi was.
During the soundcheck they performed Onedari Daisakusen, we thought that Black Babymetal will debut but not happened. Anyway was very interesting to listen the song instrumentally. They also practiced Iine samples, Uki Uki Midnight samples too, Megitsune, and Hideki-San played the drums alone for several minutes while BOH or his tech played the bass from backstage. I think they used the chance to practice taking in account that they had to fly to Europe after the performance.
16:30 of the hot like a summer day in Tokyo. I thought the show possibly will start with Babymetal Death but they started with Megitsune, as always the energy of the girls was incredible. Followed by Iine which was a great surprise for me because is not a "Festival song" but was super fun and "Iine!" (Laughs)
After, the Gods took the stage, BOH and Mikio had fun while Takayoshi Ohmura was doing his solo. Once again the couple "Ohmura-Fujioka" seems to be the best for Kami Band from my humble view. After, Catch Me If You Can, super intese moshpit activity.
Then Head Bangya, another gem for BABYMETAL fans, a very special song for me because i met BABYMETAL for this song in 2012. I wasn't active in the moshpit activity in this song, because i thought this was the previous song to Ijime Dame Zettai or Gimme Chocolate before the show ends, Hitoshi was wrong. Always perfect performance, Su-Metal enjoys screaming "Hedobangya!!" with all her powers, her scream is like a special or secret weapon to paralize the audience until the bridge of the song arrives and the special forces "Yuimetal and Moametal" put their small feet in the boxes to make people scream back to the Queen and return her power. I guess too, is one of the Ohmura's favorite songs too.
Then, Road Of Resistance.
One of the most incredible moments of the show. As i said i was in the side of Takayoshi Ohmura, and was updating the Setlist with my phone. When decided to look up to the stage the girls were standing with the flags and i was right in front line of the Wall Of Death. I was scared because i had the phone on my hand. When Su-Metal started to send us indications to separate in two groups, in my case tried to hide between other fans, there was a girl super crazy and very decided to crash against others! Then the song officially started and the madness, dust in the air, Hitoshi decided to join after the first lines of fans were running to the WOD, i felt super energized. RoR turned quickly in one of my favorite songs with Akatsuki and Gimme Chocolate.
Talking of Gimme Chocolate, was the next song. Moametal seems to enjoy this song very much, she constantly cheers audience to applause and jump. Her eye contact is extremely dangerous for people with heart problems! (Laugh).
The closing song was Ijime Dame Zettai. And with all my honesty, was the most epic moment in my life so far, i'm not a kid but not an old man yet but i think only BABYMETAL can pass BABYMETAL when we talk about epic moments in life. I was in love of the WOD at Loud Park 2013 (searched for you on Youtube or Dailymotion), i was there, and WOD at Makuhari Messe for Legend 1997 too, SSA was epic too, i was there always trying crashing against other fans (always with kindness, don't be rude, we want to have fun) or near the situation but this time i was, and all the fans were shocked when we were separated by meters and meters of empty field. I remember Moametal's face watching the audience, she was shocked too, Yuimetal was surprised and Su-Metal was enjoying probably as Queen wanted to see that happening in front of her Queendom at METROCK. I think the second WOD in the back was even much bigger than the one when Hitoshi took part. Was perfect, intense and emotional. We the fans were happy to make the band happy. I'm sorry if the highlight are the WODs but i never seen before so big WODs in Japan in the last 10 years at least.
I was here 2 years back when they performed with Babybones, of course this was different but when you were there and you are here now you realize how much your life would change. For better. For you, for them, for all. They are living the dreams of many of their fans, and they are making us enjoy their live dreaming, even when they probably never dreamed something like this, they are dreaming awake, and that is the best thing, experience after experience building the dreams. A heart ready to be hit for new experiences everyday.
After the show ended, massivelly people left the field, i took the moment to meet a fan with a big Suzuka pillow and say hello to Tomato-Kun who attended to the show. I'm not sure if he is the real fan who attended to the shows overseas but he was very nice. About overseas fans, there was a good number of fans in the show too.
I never imagined that BABYMETAL at METROCK will suprise fans like that, but they did it, again, we should be used to be surprised but we are not able to realize how big is Kitsune-Sama yet.
Summary:
Su-Metal: Great singing as always. I see her happiness she was kawaii today, not only metal. Great performance.
Yuimetal: Always super professional, great performance once again. Yui seriously Yui.
Moametal: Was the highlight of the show, she was very active, as always friendly and cheering people to keep energy up.
Kami Band: BOH-San was intense as always, i would like to know what he said to Mikio when they were having fun (Laughs). Mikio-San he started to have fun in the stage and that means more talent for the band. Takayoshi-San he loves BABYMETAL, is like a fan playing for them, was very active and cheerful. Hideki Aoyama performed to my taste in music one of his best shows, he was very intense, something that sometimes wasn't present in his performances.
BABYMETAL at METROCK Festival 2015 - Setlist:
01-Megitsune Extended Intro
02-Iine
03-Catch Me If You Can (w/Kami Band Instrumental)
04-Head Bangya
-Encore-
05-Road Of Resistance
06-Gimme Chocolate (w/Call & Response)
07-Ijime Dame Zettai
BABYMETAL at METROCK Photos: CLICK HERE.
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