V-ROCK Festival 2011: Things You Just Had To see
All photographs courtesy of V-ROCK FESTIVAL '11.
YFC’s Vanilla
Yellow Fried Chickenz opened V-ROCK FESTIVAL ’11, a tall order in and of itself, which was compounded by the fact that even among GACKT’s fans, YFC is divisive. No one, however, could argue with the show-stealing performance of “Vanilla,” complete with shirtless GACKT and Jon, and a six-member hip shake on the podium. As GACKT’s most iconic song, “Vanilla” lives on the “must hear live” list for many, and was a treat even for those not familiar with GACKT’s newer work.
Seek’s Nest
After shedding its wings, Mix Speaker’s, Inc.’s very own condor took to roost among the scaffolding of the rainbow stage. Snug in his nest, Seek kept up impressive bass-work despite his cramped quarters. Well what else can you do with six guys in elaborate costumes and a drum kit on a stage built for four? Nice improv, Seek!
Kyan Gets Mobbed
It’s tough to be a bandman at V-ROCK FESTIVAL. You want to watch your friends and all those bands you yourself look up to, but with the arena set-up, there aren’t any wings to watch from in privacy. Most artists got around this by taking off their makeup, removing their piercings, and donning caps and sunglasses to blend in with the (surprisingly numerous) male fans. When it came time for lynch. however, Golden Bomber’s Kyan Yutaka naively seemed to think it wouldn’t be a problem. As soon as he showed up on the edge of the crowd, two fans noticed and grabbed his hand–then four, then eight, and the lynch. show threatened to turn into a Kyan meet-and-greet before the Golden Bomber guitarist bolted for the safety of black curtains and pass restriction.
These were just a few entertaining moments, many more of which are cited in the Best Of awards, so be sure to read through thoroughly!
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Kate Havas first became interested in Japanese fashion in college when visual kei and anime were just beginning to make their way to America. Having already been involved in the American fashion scene, she expanded her interests to include gothic lolita, Japanese punk, gyaru, and other Japanese subculture styles. Kate signed onto ROKKYUU in order to bring up-to-date news on Japanese fashion trends and the personalities behind these various subculture brands to fans all over the world. Follow her on twitter at keito_kate!
Leela McMullen is a strong believer in the philosophy "no music, no life." Having traversed the range of Japanese fandoms, she found her home at last in visual kei and has made it her mission to share what she loves most with the world. Leela completed her B.A. in Japanese language from Griffith University in Gold Coast Australia. She now lives and works in Japan, striving to bring you the goods, hot from the scene. Follow her on twitter for juicy hints of upcoming articles if you've got a bit of Japanese language under your belt! http://twitter.com/#!/LeelaInTokyo
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