V-ROCK FESTIVAL 2011: Best No-Bullshit Band

All photographs courtesy of V-ROCK FESTIVAL '11.

Best No Bullshit Band: Vivid

While “no bullshit” usually conjures up images of hard and dirty rock, ViViD’s performance was simply clean from  start to finish: no gimmicks, just great music. It was unexpected but refreshing.

After all, ViViD have been getting a lot of attention recently, and when they took their place on the main stage they showed their readiness for Budokan, delivering a rock solid show with just enough energy and sparkle to set them apart. They opened strong, met by an arena full of clapping fans, and immediately got the crowd participating with jumping and headbanging.

Vocalist Shin was in good form, his voice reaching the entire arena even in the a capella notes of “Fake” and somehow coming in even stronger in “Blue.” The band made some excellent set-list choices, making the most of the time they had on stage and giving each member a moment to show what they could do. They acknowledged in the emcee that it was likely that a lot of people in attendance hadn’t seen them before, and the songs they chose showed variety while still giving a good feel for the band’s style.

Runner-Up: lynch.

Okay, honestly, these guys are all about no bull. The only reason they ran in second this time was because ViViD caught us by surprise. From the first step onto the stage, lynch. sucked in your attention and refused to let go.  Wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and leather jackets, their appearance itself was the very definition of no-bullshit. Each member of the band took over the stage with that care-free aura that only a few solid rock bands can truly emit.

Every song was performed with intense passion starting with the shouts of “ADORE” and the small stage seemed ten times larger just by merit of the performance. Throughout the set, the intensity never wavered and Hazuki’s shouts reverberated throughout the arena. Even in calmer songs, lynch.’s attitude stayed true until the last note.