 Courtesy of the GazettE’s website, the-gazette.com the GazettE is a group that is known throughout the world, even if it’s only for their opening song in the second season of Black Butler. They have been making music come alive since 2002 and have gained international popularity for not only their heavy rock music, but also for their recent more electronic songs. I first heard the GazettE in 2009 as I was randomly browsing YouTube and came across their PV for “Cassis”. I was immediately hooked and haven’t looked back since! This year marked the GazettE’s first world tour that included the Americas. Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Texas, New York, and California were all lucky enough to see the Gaze guys in their own country. Unfortunately, the show set for Argentina had to be cancelled due to bad weather effecting their flight, and the staff issued a formal apology to those who had purchased tickets for the event. Fans were ecstatic to hear that the popular band would finally be bringing their tour and their music into North America, and tickets sold quickly. I managed to get a ticket for San Francisco, in The Regency Ballroom, and I’m sure you can imagine my excitement! The place was almost full and you could feel the energy buzzing in the room, as if everyone had been waiting for this moment their whole lives. And hey, most of us have! Once the music started the whole building shook with the notes being played and screamed, and the energy and excitement of the fans. Most of the audience was headbanging like there was no tomorrow, ready to show the GazettE just how appreciative they were that they finally included North America in their tour. Below is the set list they played in San Francisco.
 Courtesy of Kai’s Instagram, gazette_kai_ The audience chanted, cheered and screamed for almost fifteen minutes before the guys came back out to do the encore, ready to show their devotion and love for the band. The whole building shook with screaming when the concert was finally over and as the crowd dispersed you could hear excitement in everyone’s words. It was certainly a night no one will forget.
After the concert the guys posted several different things to social media saying that they enjoyed America and would be coming back one day. The fandom blew up with excitement and I think it’s safe to say that when they return they will have many eager fans awaiting them. -Kelsey  PC: JRockinLA Tuesday, May 3rd – it was the beginning of a great week because at 8 PM that night, the GazettE would be performing for the first time in Los Angeles at The Wiltern. From an early hour, the fans were lining up outside the building and as night fell, a May breeze had them huddled close to their friends. Once inside the building, fans headed straight to either the standing admission area or the merchandise line. An assortment of the GazettE goods were up for sale – T-shirts, zip up hoodie, two different styles of sling over bags, a giant messenger bag, three CD’s, a small and large calendar, and a poster. In the main stage hall, audience members were greeted with a floor to ceiling backdrop of “the GazettE” written in the white antique-looking font typical of the band. The fans did not have long to admire this since the GazettE promptly started the show at around 8:07 PM. Before the band even stepped out onto the stage, an announcement was made that no pictures or video were allowed during the concert – a stark contrast to the usual Japanese concert in the United States. So when the instrumental “NIHIL” intro song off their “Dogma” album began to play, the fans automatically began clapping in time to the beat instead of pulling their phones out to record the show. Then almost as suddenly as the clapping had started, it stopped, and violent screams erupted from the crowd as the band stepped onto the stage – all in various outfits of black.  PC: JRockinLA Uruha (lead guitarist) was first to walk out and his light brown hair was teased to the point that it seemed to flow out from the center of his head. Aoi (rhythm guitarist) was next up and his hair was shaved on one side but long and flowing on the other which made for great theatrics when he head banged during the encore. Reita (bassist) followed shortly after Aoi and he wore the most normal looking outfit out of the other band members – a collared shirt with a suit jacket and mid-calf high leather boots. Per usual he was wearing a face mask but instead of just covering his nose, this brown leather studded mask wrapped around his forehead and nose, revealing just one slit for his right eye. Second to last, Kai’s (band leader and drummer) brisk walk to his drum set impeded a good view of his outfit but he had black hair that was slightly teased with bangs falling onto his forehead and black fingerless gloves that gripped his drumsticks tightly. And finally, to the delight of the audience, Ruki (lead vocals) stepped into the center of the stage with the most theatrical outfit of all – a wide rimmed hat and an almost dress-like outfit that flowed down to the ground, completely covering his body. Never the one to skimp out on accessories, he had upside-down triangles painted along his chin that stretched down his neck and thick cord necklaces that draped low across his chest. And for those that follow his instagram (@ruki_nilduenilun) his nails looked similar to the black and gold striped picture he posted in April so that whenever he flashed his fingers at a certain angle during the show, it would catch the light. The band kicked off the night with “DOGMA”, the second song on their “Dogma” album which released in 2015. Ruki’s microphone did not work at first but it was quickly resolved and once his first audible words were heard, the crowd went crazy with relief. From the start of the concert, the energy level was off the charts – any time the band did or said anything it was immediately interrupted by screams from the crowd. At the end of the first song, Ruki screamed out, “Are you fucking ready?” and proceeded to sing “RAGE”. From the moment the GazettE strolled onto the stage, each band member’s stoic and emotionless faces were a part of their many theatrics that were employed that night. In particular Ruki focused on his elaborate hand motions and swaying-of-the-hips dancing to show his interest in a song as opposed to the typical head banging and jumping around the stage. And despite their apathetic faces, the GazettE members prompted responses from the crowd with clapping hands, rock signs and jumping while the band themselves did not head bang. In particular Uruha relied on the fan in front of him to blow his hair in a dramatic fashion instead of throwing his hair around. In this respect, Reita was the most active member – frequently coming to the front of the stage and playing his bass for all to see. “Derangement” was the fourth song of the night and the song’s mechanical background and Ruki’s somewhat auto-tuned voice added a subtle layer to the music. The entire show had a sensational lights display in which the lights would flash or change colors at exactly the right time in the song for dramatic effect – a true testament to the amount of set-up and practice time it must have cost the GazettE to employ and perfect. In particular the fourth song of the night, “Venomous Spider’s Web”, used a focused spotlight on Ruki so as to create a silhouette during his ending solo. After this song, Ruki had his first conversation with the crowd by shouting out in English, “Phew! Hello everybody!” and the audience began to howl just after these few words were spoken. He continued on, “Are you having a good day? You ready? Come on!” and he started to clap his hands in the air and motioning for the fans to follow suit. With the fans hands raised high in the sky clapping in time to the music, the band launched into “Sludgy Cult” followed by “BIZARRE”, and “Dripping Insanity”.  PC: JRockinLA During the first opening chords of the ninth song, “OMINOUS”, Ruki took out an old-fashioned travelers light that he swung by a metal chain attached at the end. Clearly the light inside was fake but the unearthly effect it had was the same nonetheless. In an exhibit of perverse passion, Ruki ran his tongue along the lamp to the delighted screams of the crowd but casually dropped it on the floor immediately after, as if the only intent was to provoke a reaction from the fans. “The Suicide Circus” was next and it was followed up with “Vortex” which was the only song of the night that Ruki introduced. The most upbeat song played yet, the fans began jumping without any encouragement from the band. Thinking that this response meant that the song was a fan favorite, Ruki pointed his microphone out to the crowd to sing the lines “I don’t want to become the fucking garbage like you”. “UGLY” and “UNDYING” were the next two songs of the set and as one final display of fan service; Ruki slowly caressed the crotch area of his pants which set off shouts of delight from the audience. To the delight of the entire audience, the main set was finished off with “Filth in the Beauty”. It was the first song they played all night that was a throwback to their old music and it was raised the energy level of the fans to a whole new level. The crowd literally went crazy – there was not a single person who was not jumping, fist bumping, or singing along with Ruki. And despite the emotionless faces they maintained the entire show; Aoi broke out into a smile that he couldn’t control once he saw the overwhelming reaction from the crowd for this beloved classic. But Aoi was not the only one – feeding off the crowd’s energy, the band started to head bang for the first time that night (all except Ruki because of his hat). After the last few cords of the song were played out, the GazettE walked off the stage; signaling the end to the show. But there is no way the audience would let them get off easily. Chanting in one voice, “An-Ko-Ru” (the Japanese pronunciation of the English word “encore”) and stamping their feet, the crowd incessantly protested for more. Their efforts were rewarded when about 10 minutes later the band reappeared on stage. Aoi, Uruha and Yuki had swapped on the GazettE T-shirts, Reita with the same outfit and Ruki had an American flag draped around his shoulders which he dropped once he began singing “Agony” also off their 2007 “Stacked Rubbish” album. It was during this song that the only band interaction of the night took place – Reita and Uruha each propped a leg up against the sound equipment in the front center of the stage and leaned on each other, back to back. Continuing to play off of the nostalgia factor, their next song was “Cockroach” from their sixth EP “Gama” in 2005. The GazettE wrapped up the night with a very appropriate “Tomorrow Never Dies”. The band gradually started to walk off the stage and Aoi, Yuki and Uruha stayed on just a bit longer to throw out guitar picks and drumsticks. Yuki was even able to throw a drumstick all the way up to the top balcony. Despite the fans desire to stay and reminisce about the unforgettable live they had just witnessed, the general admission fans were asked to leave the venue while the VIP ticket holders waited for about 20 minutes or so for the meet and greet to take place at 10:00 PM. This encounter was a chance for fans to shake hands or hug each member of the GazettE and to briefly speak with them. And while the fans were waiting, they were treated to a special brief appearance of Yoshiki from X-Japan. Cheers followed Yoshiki as he made his way out of the venue. Making sure to include all attendees, there were also 5 boxes outside the concert hall next to the merchandise table that had each members on it and fans were able to drop off gifts for their favorite members. Without a doubt, the GazettE’s first live in Los Angeles was a night to be remembered by all those who attended. From their outlandish outfits, light display, and impassive expressions, there is no doubt that the GazettE proved themselves as concert masters of visual kei to their Los Angeles fans. -Christina (JRockinLA) Photo Credit For All Photos: JRockinLA  PC: JRockinLA  SEX VIRGIN KILLER is a personal favorite band of both myself and all of us at A-To-J Connections as they have a look and sound that you don't see much in Japanese music today. With that said I'm pleased that today we're going to take a look at their 2013 twin single release "crimson red ep ♂" and "crimson red ep ♀". These two singles were produced by Atsuo from Boris and show a nice evolution of the band's old-school thrash metal sound. We'll start by looking at "crimson red ep ♀" SEX VIRGIN KILLER is a band that formed in 2008 and released their first EP, "Sex or Die", that same year. It was followed up by their first single "O" the following year. Following a break of either hiatus or a reduction of activity, they resurfaced in 2013 and were not only active again, but released two two singles I'm reviewing here. Recently guitarist Masa recorded an album under the name "ASAM" titled "I". SEX VIRGIN KILLER has also been involved in a series of concerts titled "VISU DOL" that feature other artists including dark idol group NECRONOMIDOL. crimson red ep ♀  Track List: 1) Akuma no Uta -Devil Song- 2) To The Last Drop of My Blood (ver.fangsanalsatan) 3) Crimson Red ♀ "crimson red ep ♀" opens with the track "Akuma no Uta -Devil Song-" and we're hit immediately by a rousing chorus that quickly turns into the thrash sound that SEX fans are familiar with. The song continues in a similar fashion and is arguably the most commercial sounding song on this release. While it does carry more of a pop sound, it's still a hard rocking piece, and as we see in the video for the song, it is not one that is meant to be taken as lightly as the "Na na na" chorus initially leads us to believe. This track closes with a nice ambient instrumental bit that is quite unlike their style, but is an interesting touch. We then move into the second track "To The Last Drop of My Blood (ver.fangsanalsatan)" I have not heard the original non-fanganalsatan version (fanganalsatan being Boris' independent label) but this song is very reminiscent of the SEX VIRGIN KILLER I remember from their EP "Sex or Die" Lots of speed, lots of thrash, vocals that do more then perfunctorily serve their purpose, and some great guitar work to bring it all together. The song is my personal favorite in this release and I feel it should have opened this single and perhaps have received a video of its own. The final track "Crimson Red ♀" is an odd, somewhat out-of-place, ambient instrumental piece that features more noise than actual music. Whether this is owing to the Boris influence or not I am not sure, but it's definitely an odd way to close out this single. If you're a fan of noise bands though then this might be right up your alley. SEX VIRGIN KILLER - Akuma no Uta (Devil Song) MV crimson red ep ♂  Track List: 1) Virgin Killer 2) Birth of Stars 3) Crimson Red ♂ "crimson red ep ♂" opens with the song "Virgin Killer" (not to be confused by the classic Scorpions song of the same name) and it too is a throwback to the tried and true thrash metal sound that is SEX VIRGIN KILLER. I like the presentation of the vocals on both the songs of the "crimson red ep ♂" and they actually shine here. With that in mind this is definitely the most melodic of the songs on this release and in that is a bit of a departure from their standard sound, but in a good way. It's my favorite song on this particular single and a close second to "To The Last Drop of My Blood" overall. It has just the right level of all their elements, melodic thrash with a hint of pop, to make it the most accessible track behind "Akuma no Uta". This is followed up by "Birth of Stars" I hate to say it but this is my least favorite song on the release and probably in SEX VIRGIN KILLER's catalog. It isn't a bad song, but they just seem to have taken a step back from the other material in these releases. The mix of this song becomes muddy out of nowhere and everything just doesn't fit right. The vocals are well done here too, but they can't really save this song. There's some geat guitar work here as well, but we get that countered by drums that just don't sound or feel right. It also closes with a weird "Birth of Stars" a capella chorus that would sound haunting if only the rest of the track was as good as this part. The final song on this single is "Crimson Red ♂", unlike the instrumental on the other single, this one sounds more like a song with a little less on the noise. I say just a little less as it sounds like outtakes of "Birth of Stars" in terms of its overall production. Still an odd way to close the single, but it works better here than in the "♀" version. SEX VIRGIN KILLER - Virgin Killer MV There you have it, SEX VIRGIN KILLER's amazing crimson red ep which is only really held down by the odd instrumental tracks and the poor production choices in "Birth of Stars". While I understand this was supposed to be a dual single release, I can't help but feel that this would have been better suited as an actual EP (as the name oddly implies) with all the tracks on one release and the instrumental tracks providing bookend intro and outros. I have no idea why it was presented in this way, but if you are able to I still urge you to grab these singles as they are more than worth listening to! Keep an eye out for more SEX VIRGIN KILLER content from A-To-J Connections soon! SEX VIRGIN KILLER Is: masa: Vocal, Guitar Tozie: Guitar GAKI: Bass OsamxxxExtreme: Drums For More Information: Official Website: http://sexvirginkiller.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sexvirginkiller Twitter: https://twitter.com/SexVK_staff SEX VIRGIN KILLER - crimson red ep Trailer  I personally haven't listened to MIYAVI since his 2010 album "What's My Name?", though he's been active since then with a handful of albums, singles, and even his international acting debut in Angelina Jolie's "Unbroken". To be honest, the reason this review is almost a month late is because this single flew under my radar as well. I only gave it a listen after the "Afraid to be cool" MV dropped, and the neon caught my eye. It's a great video, too, check it out! This song singlehandedly reinvigorated my interest in MIYAVI. It's just... so catchy! I love MIYAVI's signature funky guitar slap style, and the chorus on this song...? There's nothing here to possibly dislike. Not for me, anyway. The melody here is actually very K-pop in its composition as well. Everything about it is very commercial and upbeat, which probably owes a bit to MIYAVI's current residence in Los Angeles. The lyrics are in English as well. The second song on this double A-side single is "Raise me up". I... actually don't like this one much, to be honest. It's an electronic dance piece, bassy and repetitive. It's got that unmistakable MIYAVI guitar slap again, but that's about the only personality that can be pulled from it. I will admit the chorus is catchy. I don't HATE the song, but I wish this chorus had been put to better use. The verses are just a bit boring and generic.  The other tracks on here are remixes, they sound about the way you expect remixes to sound. I don't hate them or particularly like them. Overall, I'm disappointed in this release as a whole. "Afraid to be cool" is AMAZING, I absolutely love this song with a white hot passion. "Raise me up" is just ultimately forgettable, and I could care less about remixes. I'll probably give MIYAVI's upcoming album a listen, but no promises there. If nothing else, I do recommend you listen to "Afraid to be cool". I really love it. I want to like MIYAVI again, so here's hoping his output keeps up that level of quality. I can sit through as many bad songs as it takes for a gem like that! -Justin MIYAVI Self Help Fest 2016 – This year’s punk-rock/heavy metal festival was held on Saturday March 19th at the National Orange Show (NOS) Event Center in San Bernardino, California. The infamous Japanese rock band, ONE OK ROCK, was set to start the musical festivities at 1:35 PM with doors opening at 1:30 PM. Despite the temperature hitting 82 °F, the non-VIP fans ran as fast as they could to the stage. Given the band’s recent popularity in the U.S., it was no surprise that there was already a large audience standing in front of the outdoor stage waiting for the band to play. At first glance, it might appear that the fans were just there to stake out a good spot for the next show but once ONE OK ROCK stepped onto the stage, the overwhelming screams and cheers from the fans proved that theory wrong. The first band member to walk out onto the stage was Tomoya (drummer) wearing a loose-fitting solid black tank top with black shorts with his brown hair just touching his shoulders. He was shortly followed by Ryota (bassist) who was sporting a similarly laid-back outfit of a black and white T-shirt that had a collage of writing and pictures that created a newspaper effect. The two of them started playing the introduction song off their new album “3xxxv5” as Toru (leader and guitarist) took to the stage and the first visibly energetic cheer erupted from the crowd. He was wearing a solid black tank top, gold chain necklace, and black pants with long washed-out aqua blue hair. Finally, Taka (singer) walked calmly out onto the stage where he was instantly greeted with a cascade of screams, cries, and cheers. The beloved singer was wearing a black Metallica tank top and black ripped up pants and his hair was short, brown and slightly permed on top. With all four band members on stage, ONE OK ROCK launched into their first song “Take me to the Top”. Despite the sweltering heat, Taka wasted no time in pouring his energy into the song by head banging and getting the crowd involved by having them sing the “O”s in the chorus. Halfway through the song Taka shouted, “Are you fucking ready for this?” which rallied a resounding “Yes!” from the audience. Once the song had finished and the cheers died down, Taka took the chance to talk to the crowd by saying “We only have a short time so let’s make a good one. Are you guys ready? This next one is called “Cry Out”. This song was a little slower and more melodic than the previous one so for the first time that day it was possible to hear the crowd singing the lyrics. The most surprising part of this punk-rock track was hearing Ryota live backup vocals for the lyrics “Voices all around, we’re going down” since it was even more rough than on the album. The third song of the set was “Decisions” that featured Tyler Carter on the “3xxxv5” album but the track managed to sound fantastic without him live. Taking advantage of the song’s catchy and rather slow verses and chorus, Taka opened his hands wide, an emotional display of embracing the cheering crowd. And in return, the crowd could be heard singing along with Taka for the majority of the song, especially during the chorus where sentiment was at an all-time high. Not skipping a beat, Toru took to the center of the stage and continued to head bang despite sweat running down his face and his long hair that was getting wet as a consequence. It was almost as if he was reciprocating the support that the fans were giving him by singing along. It was around this time that the heat was starting to become unbearable and Ryota took off his shirt. His multitude of tattoos glistened in the mixture of sunlight and sweat to the admiration of his fans.
“Suddenly” was the fourth song and it was at this point that the pit in front had become noticeably bigger with an incoming swell of festival members attracted by the punk rock sound emitting from the speakers. It was the slowest song of the day and yet despite the increased viewers, the audience was not singing along, fist pumping or jumping around. Picking up on this energy slump, Taka asked the crowd “Are you guys having a good time?” and the crowd’s responding scream voiced their happiness. Without delay, Taka replied with “Me too. We only have two songs left so l want to feel more energy from you guys”. He then began to prompt the crowd to lift up their hands and clap and shouting “Make some noise everybody!” This was just the rally that the crowded needed and almost everyone in the first four rows clapped during the entire duration of the introduction of their next song, “Stuck in the Middle”. Keeping up with the renewed vivacity, Ryota and Toru swapped sides of the stages to which the crowds on either side went wild. Similar to “Crying Out”, Toru provided backup vocals that were rough, almost as if he was screaming. Without any prompting from the band, the audience clapped during Taka solo in an exhibit of encouragement for the band they all so dearly adore. “Mighty Long Fall” received the loudest response yet just within seconds of the opening notes. In order to cherish the last song of the day, almost everyone in the crowd was either jumping up and down or bobbing their heads in time to the music. It truly felt that the fans had taken a “Mighty Long Fall” that day – they had fallen into love with the diverse and memorable ONE OK ROCK’s album“3xxxv5”. From the end of the song and until the band walked off, the crowd screamed the entire time in happiness and in protest that they were only able to enjoy the Japanese rock band for a matter of 30 plus minutes. Once the ONE OK ROCK fans were absolutely sure that there was to be no encore, they quickly pushed their way out of the pit that had morphed into a massive blob of hot and sweaty bodies and rushed to the band’s table. The extended version of “3xxxv5” was being sold for $10, “3xxxv5” zip-up hoodies for $40, “3xxxv5” T-shirts for $25, and “3xxxv5” wristbands for $5. Regrettably only those fans who bought the ~$200+ limited VIP passes were able to do the meet and greet and pictures with ONE OK ROCK. But for the other fans that had gathered at the merchandise table, they all seemed content to chat and relive their favorite moments together.  Friday, March 11th – A dedicated group of twenty plus people are waiting outside Xenon in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles for a full-member Meet & Greet/Talk Show with the Japanese rock band RHEDORIC to start at 7PM. Anticipation peaked and then dipped once the fans realize that only two people will be allowed into the store at a time. Upon being beckoned inside by the store manager Justin, fans are presented with a wide range of merchandise to choose from: Newest Mini Album “Garyou Tensei” that released on 12/23/15, full album “Jiggy”, EP CD “Katasumi no Sekai”, T-Shirts, towels, stickers, checkies (polaroid photos) signed by a band member, posters, pins, glowing wristbands and glow sticks. Once a purchase had been made, the audience was directed to sit to the left of the room to make way for the band’s arrival later. To keep everyone engaged for the fated entrance, there was a TV in the front of the room playing the band’s music videos, along with the U.S. message to the fans that can all be found on RHEDORIC’s YouTube page.  Finally the clock struck 8 PM and a few minutes later Justin introduced the band who proceeded to walk in a single-file line into the store. Tomo (leader of RHEDORIC and guitarist) was the first enter and take the seat on the far right in the front. He was sporting a black zip-up jacket that was lined with sparkles that complimented his distressed jeans. Naruka (newest member and drummer), followed close behind wearing an off-white baseball cap backwards and sunglasses along with a white Diesel T-Shirt and a grey zip up jacket. Yuji (singer) was in the middle and he wore a very clean-cut look: black baseball cap, blue mid-length long-sleeved collared shirt with a grey shirt underneath, and solid blue jeans. Shigure (bassist) was second to last and his short permed black hair and classic black framed glasses helped frame his face in an altogether attractive way. Last but not least, Yusuke (guitarist) and his casual look involved a black knitted beanie with glasses, white khaki pants, and a black T-shirt/black jacket combo. With all five band members seated, Justin kicked off the night with questions from the band to the audience. He volunteered Naruka to go first who asked, “What kind of men/women do you like?" A female fan replied with “Japanese guys” to which Naruka gave an enthusiastic “Very good!” in English. The next question came from Shigure who was curious to hear which RHEDORIC goods the fans were happy about and what would the fans like to see in the future. This was a fantastic question since it set up the audience for a rapid string of replies. Suggestions for bags (which Shigure is going to be making in their next YouTube video challenge), hats/beanies, puzzles, photo books, keychain to patches were thrown out. Guitarist Yusuke then asked the audience, “Where do you guys find out about Japanese bands?” which would give RHEDORIC a great chance to up their social media/online presence. The fans responded with Tumblr, YouTube, Visual Kei Heaven, Nippon Heaven, JPop Asia, Twitter, and Instagram (follow Tomo @tomo.rhedoric and Yusuke @suga_yusuke). Upon finding out that people followed him on Instagram, Tomo replied with “I love you” to those fans. Yuji changed the topic away from promoting the band and asked the crowd, “What Japanese words do you like?”. Replies ranged from “Roppongi” to “Daisuki” (“I really like you”). In a joking manner, Tomo told the audience that he had a suggestion for a good Japanese phrase, “Yuji ga dai kirai” which meant “I really hate Yuji” which rallied up laughs from the audience. The next question from Naruka highlighted an interesting difference between the U.S. and Japan - middle names. Naruka posed the following to the crowd, “My last name is Sugiyama but I don’t have a middle name because it’s not something that Japanese people have. So can you please give me a middle name?”. With little hesitation, the suggestions started coming from the crowd - Marie, Matthew, Brett, Trent but Naruka replied that since he likes visual kei he would like a more visual kei sounding name. On that note, he decided to go with “Sullivan” since it was the edgy name of the deceased Avenged Sevenfold member. Shigure was next and he broke the stereotypical image of Japanese boys who don’t like sweets by asking, “Do you have any recommendations on dessert places to visit in Los Angeles because I went to Cheesecake Factory and I loved it!”. This one was easy for the fans and they got so excited that they began to chime over each other with suggestions like Marie Calendar’s, Porto’s, See’s Candy, and Yum Yum Donuts. There were so many proposed dessert places that Justin passed out post-it notes so the fans could write their recommendations down for Shigure. The conversation took a more serious turn with Yusuke’s next question - “What kind of band do you want us to become or to be?”. One brave male fan pipped up with the iconic word, “legends” which Justin wittingly said would make the fans history. The fans all gave touching and emotional replies, “to be themselves”, “to express themselves in ways people wouldn’t imagine, “to have fun and love what you do”, “to have passion and pride”, “to not be like other bands” and to stick together as a band since they’re family. In true leader fashion, Tomo strongly replied with “Leave it up to me!” after each answer from the crowd to which the fans giggled. Emphasizing the strong feeling of loyalty that each fan just expressed, Yuji asked the audience the last question of the night - how they would describe the band or band members in one word? The crowd responded with uplifting words such as, fantastic, unique, “the best”, inspiring, passionate, and enthusiastic.  Now it was time for the fans to ask the questions. The first one was well-posed to kick off this portion of the event because it was an inquiry into why the band decided to name themselves RHEDORIC. Yusuke took on the challenge of answering this by explaining that the name is based off of the word “rhetoric” which means to say something clearly. This is something that RHEDORIC wants to do with their music even if it’s messy. That is why they switched the “t” to a “d” to represent the dirtiness that may arise from saying whatever it is they want to say. Bringing the conversation to the concerts that were to take place the following two days, a male fan asked what kind of reaction RHEDORIC wanted to see from their American fans. Yuji promptly responded with “Passion!” and Yusuke followed up with saying that he wants a natural reaction from the fans since they won’t want to provoke a certain response. The last question of the night was deeply insightful - if each band member were to take a mentee, what would their advice be? Naruka bravely gave the first answer; to keep people laughing and happy in any way that you can (through music, jokes, etc.). Shigure replied that he would tell his mentee to evolve his/her experiences and ideas. Yusuke preached a message of “Don’t do the same thing as others” and Tomo said to express your own identity. Yuji was last with a firm theme of not listening to what other people tell you to be and to always keep to your own beliefs. With all the questions having been asked and answered, each member of RHEDORIC went around and expressed thanks to the fans for bringing them to the U.S., the other bands that they are performing with and for the opportunity to be here. The overall message from the band was that the fans should be themselves and express their true feelings. The most touching part of the ending was Yuji’s speech about appreciation and how the band has so much appreciation for their fans and in turn he wants the fans to keep appreciation for the other people around them as well. The meet and greet took place shortly after the Q&A session. RHEDORIC first began with signing the large RHEDORIC posters purchased before the event. Once the autographs were finished, the band animatedly began to take selfies and checkies with the fans. There was no end to the cute poses - from hugging, peace signs, to gangster poses, the fans were pleased with the quality time they were able to spend with the RHEDORIC member of their choosing. But every good thing has to come to an end and once the pictures were done, Justin ushered the fans saying that the band wanted to sleep and get ready for Whiskey A Go Go the next day. Little did the fans know that the next two days of back-to-back concerts (3/12 at Whiskey A Go Go and 3/13 at Amplyfi) would shine in their memories like a bright star.   The life of an overseas visual kei fan is incredibly tough when it comes to buying your favorite band’s CDs. Majority of the time, single and album releases are exclusive to Japan and we have to go through specialty stores like CDJapan or Yesasia or even Amazon Japan to make such a purchase. The game gets even harder when you look for bands that have broken up. Also, don’t get me started on pricing… I was excitedly overwhelmed by RarezHut’s selection of hard-to-find, older singles, albums, and DVDs from many indie bands that broke up years ago! Not to mention a good majority of their stock is less than $10! For my first purchase, I limited myself with to 2 CDs: Plastic Tree’s 2005 single, Sanbika and Cannonball vol.4, a visual kei band compilation album. When I saw Plastic Tree (literally my favorite band ever, don’t get me started) CDs on the website, my heart skipped a beat! I already had Sanbika on my ipod, but there’s that great sentimental feeling of owning the physical copy of a single or album. Not to mention I did not have the B-side song. I chose Cannonball vol.4 when I was searching up an old band I use to love, Canzel (they’re literally the predecessors of current band UNiTe). Canzel disbanded in 2010 and I still do not have their full discography, so I jumped at the CD when I saw they were featured on the compilation. I was also excited to see songs from other older bands like DaizyStripper, D=out, and CellT. Honestly, many of the bands featured have disbanded since then (this CD did come out back in 2008), so it’s a nice sampler of older bands that you may have never listened to.
•Shipping
I got a confirmation email later the same day updating me that my package was shipped. My order came within a week which I was quite happy about! Being able to get same-day shipping is always an awesome surprise for someone who does a huge amount of online shopping! •Delivery When my order came, it was safely packed in bubble wrap. The shipping was domestic, the journey for my CDs was not very long at all. For CDs that have been used previously, they were in good condition. Beside general scratch marks on the CD that occur over time with use, everything in the case was included like the lyric booklet and cover art. I’m happy to say that my CDs were playing perfectly as well! I can easily say that as a fan of Visual Kei who looks for CDs from older bands and older CDs from popular bands, I had a super positive experience with RarezHut! Remember when I said I was limiting myself to only 2 CDs for this purchase? I already have my eye on a few LM.C and SuG singles, so this will not be my final purchase from them! If you love old indie bands, I would totally recommend checking them out! I’m excited to see their next livestream to see what will be in stock soon! Also, A-To-J has a coupon special going on for 5% your first purchase when you use the code: A&J05 www.rarezhut.net -Paloma A.K.A Alpacqueen   They’re back! After just over a year since their last release (WORLD MAKER) exist†trace is back with their new 3/8 web release of DREAM RIDER! This awesome new song is going to be a part of their new 6 track mini album web release, along with THIS IS NOW, Shout Out, Neo-Japanese Heroine, TWIN WINGS, and BLAST, coming out on 3/16. Now for the song! DREAM RIDER provides an awesome high tempo beat alongside the never disappointing instrumental abilities of each of the girls that all melds together perfectly with the main singer Jyou’s vocals. Since DREAM RIDER is a bit more on the rock side of their recent repertoire of songs, I can easily see it being used as one of their go to hype-building, crowd-stirring songs that would be a very essential part in many live performances.  The music video is done in a very simple, easy to watch and follow manner. What I mean by this is that since the video is just the band performing in a circular room with a white ceiling and floor, as well as black walls all around. With all of the very intricate and complicated music videos nowadays, this refined video is almost relaxing to watch, even though it’s such a high tension song. It really allows you to appreciate the band themselves and their talents as well. Having such a straight forward video also allows all of the fans to completely enjoy watching their favorite members and the overall group to their utmost potential. Everyone should definitely run over to YouTube in order to check out this new song by the wonderful group that is exist†trace! The sooner the better! -Eric exist†trace are: Jyou (ジョウ) (Lead Vocal) Omi (乙魅) (Lead Guitar) miko (Guitar & Vocal) Naoto (猶人) (Bass) Mally (Drums) Official Website: http://www.exist-trace.com/ Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/existxtrace_19 exist trace - DREAM RIDER MV  BUCK-TICK is a famous, influential, and just really important rock band from the 80s. Credited as one of the founders of the Visual Kei movement, BUCK-TICK has been playing their unique brand of punk-infused New Wave pop nonstop since they got together in the early 80s. They have influenced so many bands that it's impossible to even list them all, but they're without a doubt a fairly big name in Japanese music. Today I'm here to talk about their classic 1990 album "Aku no Hana", by far their best-selling album to date.  "Aku no Hana" may not be BUCK-TICK's most unique album, but it's the one that has resonated with the most fans, being certified Double Platinum by the RIAJ (over 500,000 copies sold). "Aku no Hana" came at a high point for the band, coming off of both a handful of hits as well as the arguably perfect album, "Taboo", an album which had solidified the band's place in the darker side of pop music. "Taboo" is also notable as being their first album to chart at number one on the Oricon Charts. At the point of "Aku no Hana"'s release, BUCK-TICK was already a nationally famous band and they were ready to take it even further. "Aku no Hana" starts off with "National Media Boys", one of the best songs on the album. It has all the elements of classic BUCK-TICK, from their bouncy beats to their classically-influenced melodies. It's a little bit baroque, a little bit rock. Along with the band's new gothic imagery, this style probably helped to influence the 90s wave of Visual Kei, especially big names like Malice Mizer. BUCK-TICK had been playing with gothic imagery before, but it was after this album that they took it to the next level, and still use elements of it in their music today. Another song of note is the title track, which comes in right before the end. It's much darker than the rest of the album, and one of the band's closest links to Post-Punk. It also has one of the best guitar riffs in the band's discography, in my opinion.  There are a lot of really strong tracks on "Aku no Hana", and it's a great mix of more straightforward New Wave music and that classical influence, with a couple ballads thrown in for good measure. One of those ballads is the final song on the album, "Kiss Me Good-Bye". This song is considered by some to be a masterpiece, and it really is one of the band's best ballads of their career. "Kiss Me Good-Bye" is definitely a unique ballad, though. Within the six-minute run time, the song has jabs of gothic rock and just an overly dark and heavy overtone. Even as a love song, it sounds just a little bit sinister. Vocalist Atsushi Sakurai does some of his best vocal work, crooning out "kiss me good-bye" as he professes his endless love, to last even after death. Again, "Aku no Hana" may be a great album, but it really just paved the way for the band's much more intense experimentation to come later during the 90s. Still, it really is a powerful record. With classics like "Kiss Me Good-Bye", it's no wonder this album shot up to number 1. It's an essential album for any BUCK-TICK fan, or anybody trying to get into the roots of Japanese gothic rock, Visual Kei, or Post-Punk. -Justin BUCK-TICK Is: Sakurai Atsushi (櫻井敦司) (Vocals) Imai Hisashi (今井寿) (Guitar, Vocals, Noises) Hoshino Hidehiko (星野英彦) (Guitar, Keyboard) Higuchi Yutaka (桶口豊) (Bass) Yagami Toll (ヤガミ ト ル) (Drums) For More Information: Website: http://www.buck-tick.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BUCKTICK_INFO Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bt.18th.album BUCK-TICK - Kiss Me Goodbye (Live)  RarezHut, a US-based web-shop specializing in rare and hard to obtain CDs from Japan, has announced a new branch of their store. RarezHut Imports works as a new and different type of shopping service. Leveraging the team's knowledge and partnerships, RarezHut is able to offer free international shipping from Japan by shipping in bulk. This service is recommended for people who utilize and buy from auction sites in Japan without going through the several steps most shopping services use.
While RarezHut has announced Imports, they still keep their site updated with a current list of high quality used CDs at very low prices. This inventory continues to grow as their team is working to obtain all that they can to meet the needs of their customers. Plan on visiting more than just their main site! Their facebook page is regularly updated with livestream sessions where they auction off rare and hard to obtain items. Most items start as low as $3!!! When checking their site out to see what type of goodies they have, make sure to enter 'A&J05' at check out for a 5% new customer discount. Can't find anything in their inventory that tickles your fancy? No worries, hang on to that code until you're ready because it's good for all of 2016! Please note that this code is only valid when ordering from their store and not when placing an order for their Imports services. -Tomina For more information, check them out at: Website: http://rarezhut.net Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rarezhut Twitter: twitter.com/rarezhut Tumblr: http://rarezhut.tumblr.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7f3zcTdBlbc9WlSq0P9l1A |
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