Ikuni and both wrote concert reports and then decided it would be fun to put them into one, since the trip was such a joint adventure. Here are our thoughts:
MUSING
Our Hyde concert experience started Monday evening at an American Airlines counter, biting our nails because they couldn’t get our boarding passes to print. Tickets finally in hand, backpacks and shoes scanned, we boarded the small jet that would take us to Dallas.
Ikuni had never flown before. I had flown a number of times but not for over twenty years. She was as calm as a lily on water. I was as calm as a drowning cat. After a bit of turbulence, a cup of Sprite, and one stunning sunset on top of the clouds, we landed safely and I decided we just might make it alive to hear Hyde. We boarded the plane to San Francisco. I listened to FAITH three times on the way.
IKUNI
Okay, so we land and find the shuttle that would take us to the hotel. The driver was an adorable little middle-aged Asian man with thick glasses and an even thicker accent. I watched him catapult my mom’s bag, with a sickening thunk, into the back of the van. When asked if I wanted mine stored, too, I said, “Um, no.”
We buckled ourselves in and…BANG! Imagine the Night Bus from Harry Potter, except with seatbelts. We nearly collided with two cars on the way to drop off another prisoner--I mean, passenger. The van shook and shuddered, kind of like a spaceship entering the atmosphere. I’m thinking, “Great. We’re probably going to be the very last ones he drops off...what’s left of us anyway.” But, just a few minutes later he skidded to a halt in front of the hotel and we were still breathing. Amazing.
MUSING
By now it was after midnight, California time. We checked in, brushed our teeth and collapsed into bed. Tuesday was spent in Japantown. That evening we met Novel for dinner. Good food and conversation (lots of talking about Hyde, of course) then back to our room to watch L’Arc-en-Ciel DVD’s on her laptop.
Wednesday morning, Ikuni and I had planned on visiting the Museum of Modern Art but discovered it was closed. More shopping and eating at Japantown. We headed to Slim’s in the early afternoon to meet Novel. The idea was to check out the venue then spend some time at Starbucks or Trader Joe’s until 5:00. Turned out, though, that Slim’s lied. They let people line up early. We heard some had even spent the night there. So, to the back of the line we went.
IKUNI
We finally got into Slim's at about 8:20. We found our spots and had an excellent view. I think I was in shock during all of the pre-show. At roughly 9:00, Blacklist Club took the stage. Oh, sweet pressure. But I was NOT about to pass out during just the opening act.
Black List Club was okay. They weren’t brilliant, by any means, but they weren't horrible. Their vocalist annoyed me, though, because he kept threatening the audience into screaming instead of earning it from his performance. And he kept calling Hyde "a band." What the frick? Hyde is a solo artist. You're touring with him how could you not know that?! Oh, well.
Around 9:30 Black List Club left and Hyde’s crew struck the set and got it ready. We waited for what seemed like hours and then...the band started filing on stage. The crowd surged forward, and we all screamed like there was no tomorrow. Suddenly, a small-purple-and-black-clad-half-masked-by-way-of-bandana-ball-of-engery-with-a-guitar-and-fantastic-hair exploded onto the stage. It was HYDE!!!
He and the band instantly struck up a heavy riff, and Hyde kept leaning over the audience. The riff morphed into Made in Heaven as he reached the mic and ripped down his bandana to sing. That's when I just lost it and stopped thinking. I moved with the crowd and sang with Hyde without thinking about any of it. His voice was in perfect form and I do mean PERFECT. His energy level was through the roof and therefore so was ours.
He was also so gorgeous. I'm sorry people, but he really IS that attractive WITHOUT photoshop. Deal with it. His hair was getting long again (think "666" tour) and he was wearing eyeliner. His outfit was a death inducing mix of cloth and leather. He also had the "Dune" eye-thing going on during this song (and a few others), but it actually worked and didn't seem fake.
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Ikuni and I had hoped to stay together for at least a little while, but before
It’s Sad even started we were already separated. But, what an awesome song live! Hyde rocked it. Ikuni told me later that he messed up the lyrics on one of the last choruses (I was in such a euphoric state at the time I didn’t notice) but we agreed it wouldn’t truly be a Hyde performance if he didn’t have a little trouble with the words. It’s one of the things we love about him. He’s so adorably human.
IKUNI
Jesus Christ came next. This song hit me really hard live. When he sang, "I'd do anything to save this life," I realized, with an odd pain in my chest, that Hyde is probably going to die before me. I'll out live him in all likelihood. And so when I sang along on the line, "Take me instead," I really meant it. The disturbing realization of Hyde's mortality aside, his performance on this song was all-consuming, gut-wrenching and heartbreaking.
MUSING
When the first notes of
Season's Call started I melted. I love, love, love that song. The soaring vocals, especially, and the melody. But also because so much of it’s sung in Japanese. Pattyb said that Hyde asked permission to sing in Japanese at one of the earlier concerts. Wish I could tell him how much I enjoy hearing him sing such a beautiful language so beautifully.
I think the first of many MC’s came after. "Why do I see my name everywhere here? … Are you welcoming me?" You better believe it!
IKUNI
Dolly and Prayer were next (both were fantastic). During the following MC there was a moment where the audience was calmer and Hyde was quiet and I realized there was something I HAD TO DO. "Ai shiteru!!!" I yelled. Hyde heard me, he heard MY voice. He was like, "Woah!! Who said that???" like it completely shocked him. He scanned my side of the audience looking for the crazy person who loved him. I know he saw me (I’d been jostled to the front by this point). If he knew I'd said it or not I'll never know but I know he both heard and saw me. After a moment he continued with his MC, saying the next song was about when "love connects to the universe."
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I Can Feel was simply gorgeous. And I’ll never forget--I looked around for Ikuni and when I finally spotted her, she was gracefully moving one arm to the music. That image will be forever linked to that song.
IKUNI
Another song that made a real emotional impact on me live was Faith. "To you I entrust my will." When I heard that I thought, "Christ gave his will to Hyde, Hyde gave his will to us, and now we're giving our will to him in return." It was somehow bittersweet.
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Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds!! Can’t say it better than Nepenthes did in her report. “Beatles? What Beatles?” Hyde totally owned that song. I also loved how everyone swayed to the verses and then rocked out to the chorus.
For
Hello Hyde let the audience sing much of it, while he moved around the stage. Hyde is a master at knowing when to move and where to move to. Like a well-blocked play, he’d effortlessly be one place then another, never lessening the intensity of the songs. Everything he did heightened the power of the music.
IKUNI
My favorite song off 666 is Masquerade, so naturally I went insane during this one. I sung the second verse very loudly, because it shows some of my exact issues with religion. Hyde's English was also much cleaner live then on the recording.
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Hideaway--another great performance. Just wish he’d sung the “Dig in and get your hands dirty” line himself, instead of letting the crowd sing it. Although, I might have died of an advanced case of Fangirlism if he had, so maybe it was better he didn’t!
Somewhere during the concert I did watch the other band members for a bit. I couldn’t see Furuton very well but Hiroki and Kaz were both giving it all they had, with sweat dripping off them. Which reminds me, does Hyde never sweat? He headbanged and rolled around on the floor and jumped off stuff and yet I couldn’t tell he was ever sweating.
IKUNI
In the MC before Unexpected he said, "Let's make love." The effect that statement had on everyone was unbelievable. Hyde has always compared lives to sex. But when he said that it was a serious moment for me, because I realized a good live SHOULD be like making love. With all the sweat and heat, the passion, and both partners (in this case the singer/band and audience) reaching out for each other. A great live should be like a 2 hour orgasm and this one was.
Hyde also asked that we sing with him and I got pissed because as soon as he asked them to sing pretty much everyone stopped. Anyway, that was the last song before the encore or second part.
MUSING
I can’t tell you how happy it made me when I recognized the first sounds of
Mission. He hadn’t played it at the other U.S. lives, so I wasn’t expecting it. But, I was so glad he played it. It seems to encapsulate Hyde’s view of how things
ought to be.
IKUNI
For Countdown Hyde had us countdown from 13 before the song, which was fun...well, 'cept for the fact that I forgot how to count in English. Eh-hem. Anywho, the song ROCKED! It's much heavier live then on recording. I truly headbanged for the first time in my life.
Midnight Celebration was the last song. They rocked so hard and on the last chorus Hyde handed off his guitar and ran to the front of the stage singing his heart out. And then, just as suddenly as he came, he was gone. The shock kicked back in. Oh. My. God. I just saw HYDE!!! The concert was the most emotional, orgasmicly spiritual experience I've ever had. I will remember that night 'til my dying day.
MUSING
After the concert Ikuni, Novel and I met back up. We were practically speechless. Just too much to take in to talk about it yet.
Ikuni and I flew out the next day. In spite of what appeared to be a pilot in training for the first flight (shaky take off and landing, sudden turns and “Um, sorry folks, I turned off the seatbelt sign too soon, please, return to your seats and buckle up”) we got back safe and sound.
We're still processing the experience. It almost seems like a dream. We were so privileged to see Hyde live. He surpassed all our expectations.
