V-ROCK Festival 2011: Most Versatile Performance

All photographs courtesy of V-ROCK FESTIVAL '11.

Most Versatile Performance:  Vistlip

As Vistlip entered the stage dressed in dark clothing and sporting Final Fantasy-inspired hair, first-timers expected their music to reflect that image. The first song, “Omoide CG” was a rock tune but not as heavy as expected when the poppy chorus came around. The following song, “Dead Cherry,” was poppy yet featured hip-hop rap verses reminiscent of the band Baroque. By the third song, “Ozone,” the crowd had grown larger with nearly the entire audience dancing along to the choreography.

Overall, Vistlip gave it their all: from rock to pop, to hip-hop and an overall VK tune. Their versatility was showcased extremely well by the set they chose, and by the end of it, it seemed obvious that their look stands in as a metaphor for their sound, the dark jackets symbolizing rock while the lighter-colored shirts represented their pop side. The final song, an upbeat number, “Hameln,” left the audience with smiles on their faces at the sounding of the last notes.

Runner-Up: DaizyStripper

DaizyStripper split their set down the middle, the first two numbers headbanging treasures, and the latter two featuring a poppy flair. However, even those distinctions were broken down further, the band displaying their versatility in only four songs: “Tsuki ni Jyuusei” brought the band out angry and dangerous but despite the heavy music, “PSYCHEDELIC HEAVEN” was a wild trip of a number.

One moment, guitarist Nao was spazzing out and doing his best to destroy the stage equipment with his feet and the next moment, he was grinning cheerfully and dancing along to the friendly, laid back “Sunday Driver.” However, before this number, DaizyStripper further expressed their versatility with that rare gem of a talent… the emcee. Yu-Giri chattered away, teaching dance steps to the crowd and warming them up like buns in the oven. By the time the old pop-favorite “decade” wrapped up the set, the crowd had been skillfully manipulated through a series of emotions to end on an elated high as they danced back and forth across the floor.