V-ROCK Festival 2011: Best Performance

Best Performance: lynch.

It was tough choosing a best performance for all of V-ROCK FESTIVAL ’11 but in the end, the two headliners for each area proved they earned the honor. We decided to give this award to lynch. who did so on the smaller stage with less resources and yet dominated with everything they had.

On that small stage, lynch. drew a huge audience with nearly everyone headbanging along to their songs.  Every member of the band was completely absorbed in the performance and the crowd were sucked right in with them. The most intense moment came when vocalist Hazuki shouted with every fibre in his body with the microphone cord wrapped around his hand.

Runner-Up: MUCC

MUCC had the tough job of wrapping things up on the main stage where the legendary LUNA SEA had stood the day before and SIAM SHADE two days prior. They were well-honed for the task. With a set comprised of their greatest hits and dance numbers, MUCC closed the event with panache!

Their very last song, ending a great day, was the now rarely heard “Libra.”  During the verses, the lights flashed purple, green, and red, reflecting off the untainted white of the band’s costumes. As soon as the chorus hit, the lights turned bright and focused on Tatsuro’s cross-like posture as he sang out the passionate words with intensity. What a way to finish!

Honorable mentions go to LM.C, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, and Administrator:

LM.C were the most vocally visual, rockin’ out their opening number “☆Rock the LM.C☆” and then keeping up a constant reminder of how much they and everyone else present love visual kei. As for Kari Pamyu Pamyu, nobody knows what she was doing there, but she was adorable and she certainly won the crowd over. Finally, Administrator get kudos for a solid performance by an up-and-coming act. They didn’t scrape up any awards this time around, but they earned a round of applause all the same.