"He looked like a fallen angel."

A huge thank you to Miya, who recently attended a live in Japan and has given us permission to share part of her report (also, she's asked that no one copy it--thanks!). Reading it makes me even more excited to see Hyde in California!! Enjoy!

SHIZUOKA CONCERT

The FAITH concert was in the city of Shimizu, in the Shizuoka prefecture, right by Mount Fuji. The show was at 6:30 PM in a little local club called JAMJAMJAM. The venue was tiny. I don't know how they managed to fit 300 people in there!

While waiting in line we met lots of cool fans. Some asked us where we were from, and we explained that we didn't live in Japan. One woman said how proud she was to see Hyde fans from overseas. She was very sweet.

Later a cab pulled up in front of the door. Hyde got out of the taxi, waved at us, smiled, and then went inside the club. He was wearing black sunglasses and a black sweater, I believe. Now let's stop for a second.

It was HYDE. The real, one and only, human version, and I had seen him in person for the first time in my life. I didn’t scream. I just stared in wonder and waved back. I was already in another dimension at that point.

They started selling tour goods at 4:30 PM. "Zenbu ikko, onegai shimasu." I bought two of the Hyde gummies (ate one; the other will remain untouched), two faith t-shirts (one for my younger sister), two tour bags and a tour book. I also spotted a group of high school boys who stopped by to purchase things. That was really cute.

So we got our goods, went to the train station (where we’d already reserved a locker) and deposited our stuff.

Back at the venue they organized us in different rows, one after the other, according to ticket numbers. 1-50, 50-100, 100-150, then 150+. My friend and I were in the last group, because we had tickets 280 and 281. We were very lucky to have them. About 90% of the people there were Hydeists.

We finally were let inside (my legs were about to give out on me - with anticipation, you know?) and the place was crowded!! Like crazy. Not only that but they had a barricade in the middle of the venue! Therefore, fans were separated halfway through. The barrier was too high to jump over (I tried), so we couldn't get up front even if we wanted to. That didn’t really matter to me, though, as long as I could see HIM.

Most of the fans were female but there were a few guys. I positioned myself behind a "sea of little people" and there it was: the staaaaage. I could see almost all of it.

The lights turned off. I stopped breathing. Kaz, Hiroki and Furuton came in, together with a secret/masked bassist (my friend who was with me has an interesting theory about who the guy was~). Then THE MAN came out.

He was wearing his Cape of Storms sweater! The hood was on, and his head was down. I was completely in wonderland, when they started rocking on Sweet Vanilla. I couldn't help but scream!

Hyde first came up and got on the speakers, so I could see all of him. Playing the guitar, shaking his head up and down. The way he does. Then he took off his hood and started singing.

His voice...was I listening to a DVD or something? I couldn't believe it. Instead of jumping and cheering with the crowd, I just stood there, in awe. The power that emanated from him...I can't put it into words. I was shocked.

This may sound real cheesy, but his voice was so damn sexy. And he looked...unbelievably hot. His hair was a little longish (more than the recent photo shoots) and darker. Some strands of hair were covering his eyes, but not completely. You could still see them, scrutinizing the crowd.

Second song: Jesus Christ. This might be my favorite song on the album, so imagine what sounds my heart was making! I will never forget his expression. He had his eyes closed most of the time, and sang with this…voice...I still shiver when I think about it. And his face…he looked like he meant each and every word. He looked hurt and like he was desperately praying. My heart broke every time he sang, "Ah, God give me death." So many emotions, so early in the concert. I was utterly happy. And touched. God...so touched. Especially when he reached those high notes.

Total change of atmosphere with the next song: Words of Love. That's when I really started jumping with the crowd. Hyde sang with a rough, sexy voice. He also made us sing with him, the "Six Six Six" part. Of course, he was playing guitar and singing at the same time, as with all the songs (except Midnight Celebration at the very end). He had his eyes open, but his head was mostly down when he was not singing and playing the guitar.

Then Dolly! I absolutely love the part, "To bring you back into this world..." So did the other fans! We all sang that together with him! I felt such a sense of unity. And, oh, he made his crazy eyes during the, "Build a tower tall and strong, it will be beautiful..." You know, his Bull's Eye eyes, like during the Otakon concert.

During the guitar part he got up again on the speakers. The crowd, including myself, went wild as he was banging his head to the music, before pausing to make hot faces. He showed his teeth to the crowd, in an open/close motion, like a vampire. Then he gave the crowd the "I'm your god" look. Yes, Hyde-sama.

And did I mention he had black eyeliner on? The power and testosterone emanating from him, though, was crazy. Even if he has soft features, there is absolutely nothing effeminate about Hyde, as least not on stage. A MAN. All in caps.

Next song: I Can Feel. Hyde's voice and performance made me feel utterly peaceful. He had his eyes closed the whole time. I closed my eyes during some parts, to hear his voice better, and damn was it deep. However, I didn’t close my eyes for too long. I mean, I had to see him perform, you know? Every minute of it.

Now Evergreen! The new/rocky version. The performance was great like all the rest, however, the crowd didn't seem as enthusiastic. I was kind of disappointed at the other fans for that. I wanted to shout, "COME ON GUYS IT'S EVERGREEN!!!" Didn’t matter, though. I highly enjoyed it.

At that point, I was lacking air and starting to feel faint. We were all so squished. I raised my head up for air a couple of times. That was noticed by one of the staff members, who were there the whole time with flashlights and water to make sure everyone was okay. One of them asked me, "Daijobu deska?" I innocently said: "Wakarimasen" (I don’t understand you). I wasn't gonna let him pull me out of my spot! No way!

I think the MC break happened at that time. According to a friend who knows the language better than I do, Hyde talked about how he liked Japanese animation, and how he was happy about artists participating in soundtracks and such.

As he was talking he would look down, while speaking with a sultry voice. Then, with his hair in his eyes, he’d look up once in a while and smile. He asked questions and random people in the crowd replied back in a relaxed, familiar fashion. Everyone was laughing and being cheerful. I found myself laughing with them, even though I had no idea what he was saying.

It was also during the MC that I noticed Hyde was sick! He made a sniffing sound/gesture with his nose then wiped it with his wristband. He did that a few times, so I'm pretty sure he had a cold. With so many venues and after performing two nights in a row, I can see why. But, he performed with such energy! The show rocked from beginning to end.

Masquerade was next. The Japanese fans LOVED it, as the crowd heated up right away, myself included. We jumped and banged our heads the whole time, and especially when Hyde got up on the front speakers. And I think that's when he started holding onto the ceiling and sort of hanging over the crowd, teasing them. I could see his arm muscles quite distinctly.

It's Sad. Let me tell you the music rocked on this one, especially the guitars. If I recall right, Kaz got on the speakers at this point (and one thing’s for sure, Kaz is much hotter in real life than in pictures! So many tattoos, too! I like him).

But back to Haido~ He was really having fun with his guitar. He got up next to Kaz, then Kaz went down, leaving Hyde up front. Then he...spat on the crowd. They were little spits, so I wasn't sure what he was doing at first. I was like WTH??? Why was he gesturing those hot, pouty lips like that? Then I realized what he was doing. I still can't decide if I'm repelled, confused, or whatever about that.

But, then, the perfect song. The perfect performance. The flawless voice. It was the best performance of the night. Hyde just mesmerized me. It was unreal. It was Perfect Moment. Bathed in a soft blue light, they played a longer version of the intro music. It immediately calmed me down, made me feel so peaceful. After about two minutes of beautiful chords, Hyde started singing. That voice broke me. It was perfect. And he looked like a fallen angel.

That's when I realized how lucky I was to be there, how lucky I was to be able to see him so clearly, right in front of me like a framed painting. When he was singing, "I'm happy, to die in this moment,” I thought, "Yeah...I really wouldn't mind to. At this very moment."

I think he whispered, “thank you,” at the end of the song, although, I'm not sure because I was so high up dreaming, as were the other fans. We clapped quietly. It was beautiful. I'll never forget it.

Hideaway was the last song of the first half of the show. It rocked, maybe even more than all the others. I'm not saying the performance or song was better (they were all so good) but the crowd was SO into the song!! And Hyde as well!! The groove got RIGHT to me, rather quickly, especially after the previous performance. Lots of jumping/happiness! The official setlist doesn't have this song next at all, but I think my memory is pretty accurate about which songs belonged to what part, although the order might be messed up.

And the tongue. That wonderful entity of its own. When Hyde was leaning on top of the crowd at a certain point, he had his tongue out for a long, long moment. I think everyone was just fascinated, because I didn't hear as many screams as expected. Or maybe they were just covered by the music? And of course, he kept tempting us with it throughout the night, sticking it up, down, to the side...

Hyde also gave the crowd the finger several times It just looked awfully sexy, especially with that ravaging expression on his face, erotic and rough.

A little detail: the guy with the mask was hidden even on stage. He was all the way on the left side, behind big speakers, so most of the crowd couldn't see him. Quite the mysterious one, ay?

During the intermission I tried breathing normally, taking a moment to observe the people around me. That didn't work out too well cuz I couldn't take my eyes off the stage, hoping Hyde and the rest of the band would return soon!

And they did. Again, Hyde was last to enter. He looked absolutely flawless. The light was brighter, now, so I could see everything clearly, including his skin. His hair was pulled back, and I could see his perfectly smooth features. He looked relaxed, with a cigarette in one hand, a bottle of water in the other. I melted. My knees felt weak. I couldn't believe it was the real thing. That I wasn't watching some computer screen. He was beyond words.

Water time!!! Too bad he didn't have the water gun this time. He just used the bottle he was drinking from. Without realizing it, I started squeaking like the rest of the fangirls, reaching out with my hands. When he came to our side and threw the water, first to the people up front then to those in the second section, with a stronger arm movement, a big splash hit my face. It was the water he was drinking. A sense of bliss overcame me. I can't explain it, but it was like he had touched me. Very strange, I tell you…

Oh! I forgot something! The naughty joke of the night. I don't know if he did it after they got back from the break (that's my guess) or during his previous MC, but Hyde said something about being wet, like after sex.

Also, this is where I get a little confused about the order of songs…Let's say it’s Made in Heaven. That's when I realized his English has improved so much! Also, the crowd was singing the "Ha, ha!" part, except for the first time. I wasn't happy about that. I adore it when he sings that part. But, oh well, no complaining.

Then… Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds! I love his cover of this song, especially the part where he plays really fast. And he did play really really fast in the last part. The whole crowd was loving it. Lots of jumping/head banging. I thought I was gonna faint at one point. The energy was just so overwhelming. But, I took a moment to rest, and I felt better. And as if that wasn't enough, he performed Hello closely after!!

Another heavenly, softer performance: Season's Call. For some reason I remember his each and every expression during that song. He had his eyes tightly closed on "does it have an end," and for most of the chorus he had this dreamy look on his face. He looked down at his guitar when singing, "How many cuts should I repeat.” He completely pulled his hair back at one point, starting at the top. When he did that he looked like young Hyde! Like pre-Moon Child Hyde. That image of him hit me in the face. I was like, "Wow, total flashback." Overall, this was one of my favorite songs in the show.

I think they did another MC next. Kaz did the talking. I couldn't see him from where I was because he was sitting, and he was on the far right, while I was on the left side of the venue. Hyde didn't say a word, and he was looking at his guitar most of the time.

Then Mission. The fluffy song off the album. It had a nice feel to it live! I just wanted to dance, but everyone was a little too packed for that. His voice went really high, like on the album, without breaking. Also, he had us sing the "Come and dance with me" part. Everyone was a good fan and knew her lyrics

Faith. I adore this song. Like pure LOVE. And the performance was pure LOVE as well, exactly as I expected it to be. You have to understand, hearing and seeing Hyde sing those lyrics with the crucified picture of him in the background is very special. Even the light on this song was bloody/dark orange. I can still see his face when he sang, "Carried down through time…my will…lives on~“ Mysterious. Fascinating. Both the imagery and the song.

Next was Countdown. The crowd was really heated up, so it just went wild during the performance. Especially when he came back up front on the speakers. During the guitar part Hyde did the "Jesus pose" (like on the cross) with such a superior, defying look. Ah, how I wish I could have taken a picture of that very moment!

The song he always ends with: Midnight Celebration. The energy of both Hyde and the crowd was simply out of control. With that whispery voice and those lyrics, how could it not? I think Hyde stopped playing guitar after a while, because he came up front several times and I don't think he had it. He was being overly sexy at this point…the man, he was so provocative! Almost indecent…

Then he did it: He grabbed the mic, went on the front speakers, and just went crazy with the song! The guy from the staff was underneath him trying to hold the cord, so the crowd wouldn't pull on it. Hands were up, really close to Hyde. One girl even TOUCHED him!! I could feel his aura, his energy from where I was…it was so intense.

Next thing I knew Hyde dived into the crowd! I was actually expecting this, because he was SO into the song! He went down, away from my sight. I don't know if it was because the crowd was pulling on him, or because they couldn't hold him up…but I actually stopped breathing until he resurfaced, with some people from the staff helping him get back on stage. I was so worried, but excited at the same time.

Hyde didn't look back. His hair kind of was messy. I think he waved goodbye and exited from the back door, followed by the rest of his group members. I still couldn't believe he did it.

One staff member told the crowd to move aside, to see if Hyde had dropped anything. I wasn't really paying attention, as I followed Hyde with my eyes as he exited the stage, and then kept looking at the stage until the normal lights lit up, meaning it was the end of the show. I stood there for the longest time after people started leaving, leaning on the barricade, looking at that empty stage. I think I saw Hyde pass by the door that led to it. I thought to myself, "thank you."

At that point I couldn't really think. When we finally exited the venue, I cried. It was just too overwhelming. It was beautiful. We waited a little bit in the cold (man, was it windy) but decided to leave, because we were just too exhausted.