defspiral July 30 LOTUS release and birthday oneman

defspiral performed at Shinjuku LOFT on July 30, 2012 to celebrate bassist RYO’s birthday and the release of their 6^th single, LOTUS. A brand new dance tune, “LOTUS” was unveiled to the many fans gathering to celebrate, sing and dance with the band, the show turning into a party rather than a concert.

The audience started clapping their hands when blue light illumined the stage and the entrance music struck up. Drummer MASAKI, bassist RYO and guitarist MASATO came onstage amid cheers and applause. At last, vocalist TAKA appeared and slowly paced the stage. Once in place, he immediately yelled, “Hey! Tokyo! Are you ready?”

The music sparked the audience right from the beginning with the upbeat tune, “Break the silence.”  Low bass from RYO resounded and aggressive guitar from MASATO lapped over, while the audience followed TAKA’s vigorous vocals. The fans’ voltage escalated with the intro of “PARADISE.” TAKA sang alluringly, rotating his hand in the sensual red light while fans shouted and raised their hands to the sound of cymbals from MASAKI. TAKA messed with MASATO and shouted a flirtatious, “Tokyo! Let’s make love tonight!”

“Let’s dance until dawn! Let’s feel each other! Are you ready?” the vocalist continued. Colorful light flared with the beat of “READY OR NOT.” Strong bass was supported by steady drumming, making the audience dance. TAKA absorbed the excitement from the audience, looking heavenward. He riled, “Tokyo! Welcome to our live! Let’s make the hottest night in the world together! Let’s burn up!” Passionate red illuminated the stage, beginning “REVOLVER.” TAKA let out his strong voice and guitar and bass changed positions to inflame the whole crowd. MASAKI took the spotlight during his short solo before the guitar turned sharp on MASATO’s turn.

The spotlight illuminated MASATO and beautiful guitar filled the floor. Without pause, the intro of “MISTY” began and the audience was led deep into defspiral’s world. TAKA strongly sang the English lyrics then held the mic with both hands to shout. Sweet guitar contrasted beautifully with heavy bass while TAKA’s gorgeous voice echoed along with the guitar solo. MASAKI’s forceful drumming drove fans mad at the end. Following on, “Tsuki to Venus” began from soft guitar.Blue light lit the stage and the mirror ball on the ceiling slowly spun. TAKA’s beautiful falsetto and the sweet guitar sound wrapped around the floor.“INNOCENT” then set off from strong drumming. All of defspiral’s sound became unified at that moment and carried through the number into “Twilight” which started with an impressive guitar line. Fans headbanged intensely along with RYO to the dynamic drumming.

TAKA shouted, “Tokyo! I really wanted to meet you! You are all mad to come to such a heated live house in the hot weather but I really love you mad people!” The audience was delighted and answered with loud cheers. “Thank you very much for coming to our memorial live for LOTUS. I’ve got a brand new jacket. I already took it off, though. You want me to take off more clothes? You’re awful! ” he said with a laugh.
“Have you listened to ‘LOTUS’ yet?” Ryo asked with a shy smile before engaging in an exchange with MASATO.
“RYO’s and MASATO’s feelings entangled outside of MASAKI’s and my own conscious awareness!” TAKA joked about the conversation but there was something more exciting looming beyond the emcee.“Let’s dance together! Are you ready?” Band and fans jumped to the beat of the brand new “LOTUS.” The tune symbolized the live itself, heard for the first time yet the crowd took to it without hesitation. TAKA sang and danced, raising his hands and the fans danced with him, clapping to the rhythm in imitation of TAKA and RYO. “I love you, Tokyo! It was a great view!” the vocalist cried.

Under colorful lights, “NIGHTMARE” began with an ominous intro. TAKA’s voice grew heavier and darker and he gripped his clothes and twisted them with his body. The choir joining TAKA’s voice became heavier before the heated bridge. TAKA’s clapping led the excited crowd. Through shady bass, he shouted, “Tokyo! Are you getting warmed up?” starting an extended call and response with the audience. “We can’t be number one in the world with that level!” MASAKI put the pressure on with his drumming while guitar cut through the air.

“Thank you, Tokyo! We’ve got your voices! Now please listen to this song which we put our feelings into.” Soft guitar echoed, beginning the intro of “MELODY.” TAKA sang sentimentally, his voice strong and the drumming drove the tune. The excitement from the floor was high in the following “RESISTANCE,” MASATO playing an aggressive guitar solo in the center of the stage after RYO’s smooth slap bass. TAKA linked shoulders with MASATO, riling with shouts to which the audience responded enthusiastically.

“Did our feelings reach you? I was looking forward to the oneman live here today. I can tell that you were looking forward to it as well from your faces.” To prove the statement, “DIVE INTO THE MIRROR” broke out after TAKA’s shout of “Dance with us!” RYO danced with TAKA at center, having fun with his bass. The band let fans sing to the popular number before “SALVAGE” kicked off with headbanging, red and blue light brightening the stage in turn.Powerful drumming from MASAKI supported the tune and the audience followed TAKA to the exciting end of the main set.

The excitement continued as fans shouted and clapped their hands, demanding an encore. All but the vocalist came back to the stage and RYO confessed his most birthday-like activity: “I called my mother to tell her my gratitude for bearing me but it was an answering machine.” Out of nowhere, “Happy Birthday” sounded and TAKA appeared with a birthday cake for RYO, yelling “Let’s sing together!” The audience sang all together along with MASATO’s accompanying guitar. Once the song finished, the birthday boy blew out candles and took a bite out of the cake then and there. He asked the jeering audience for permission, “May I wipe my mouth?” TAKA did so for him with a towel.

To the intro of “SHINING(IN YOUR HEART),” TAKA yelled again, “Happy birthday RYO!” The whole audience flew high as if they celebrated RYO’s birthday with jumping. The fans waved their hands with TAKA in the chorus and he got together with MASATO and RYO at the center of the stage, the cheerful mood highlighted at once with the bright tune.

“Tokyo! Are you having fun?” The fans answered TAKA in a squeal.“We’re making the next album now. We are making it with all of you. We want to make one only we can. First, there are defspiral sponsored lives at Shinjuku LOFT here on August 31 and September 21. Also, we will a live in our hometown, at Himeji Beta with Mix Speaker’s, Inc. on October 27 and are even going to have a oneman live at the same venue the day before on October 26. We kicked out the band that was booked in! …Just kidding. The last announcement is a oneman live at Shibuya www on December 29.It’s close to MASATO’s birthday… MASATO was jealous of RYO today.”After a bout of laughter, the announcements wrapped up.“I received an amazing sensation from all of you. Thank you very much!” TAKA sang “STORY” gratefully and MASATO’s quick guitar joined to the beautiful bass line in the bridge.The members looked very satisfied with the night as they watched the excitement from the floor.

The fans cried for one more encore for a long time until the members returned to the stage in answer to the shouts. The highlight of the show, “LOTUS,” began again. TAKA danced heartily, jumping in the blue and yellow light while MASAKI lifted his sticks and spun them.Backing vocals from MASATO and RYO overlapped with TAKA’s strong voice. The audience grooved to the tune even more enthusiastically than the first time around and finally, TAKA cried, “Let’s blow away the petals of our lives! Thank you very much! We’re defspiral!”

With greatly varied music from agitato numbers to dance tunes to catchy pop-rock etc., defspiral make full use of their talents onstage. They satisfied the whole crowd with their mutual enjoyment and desire to cherish every moment then proceeded to party with the fans, providing some acoustic music and quiz games in the LOFT foyer. With much more to come in 2012, defspiral continue to evolve their onstage presence and dynamic music.

Setlist

1. Entrance music
2. Break the silence
3. PARADISE
4. READY OR NOT
5. REVOLVER
6. MISTY
7. Babylon
8. Tsuki to Venus
9. INNOCENT
10. Twilight
11. LOTUS
12. NIGHTMARE
13. MELODY
14. RESISTANCE
15. DIVE INTO THE MIRROR
16. SALVAGE

Encore 1

1. SHINING (IN YOUR HEART)
2. STORY

Encore 2

1. LOTUS