X Japan at Lollapalooza!!!
This entry will probably suck. Mostly because I’m having trouble finding the right words to describe the experience.
I never thought I’d ever have the opportunity to see X Japan. Their live at Lollapalooza was one of the best times in my life.
I waited an hour and half to get my spot. I ended up basically in the 2nd row, and I was so surprised and happy I was able to get that close. I’m pretty sure that the Japanese girls in front of me had been there for most of the day. I chatted with other X fans. Up front, all you could see was X fans, in their various shirts and outfits. The Yoshiki and hide cosplayers were incredible. Everywhere I saw banners, towels, thundersticks, plushies, flags, and the heart-shaped fans that someone was passing out through the crowd.
I can’t even describe the feeling of being there with so many fans. The roadies came out with Yoshiki’s drum set, and almost all of them did the ‘X’ arm sign. Which got the crowd chanting “We are X”. Then, Yoshiki himself came out and started warming up his drums. Everyone went crazy, and we were all screaming his name and taking pixx.
At 4:00, orchestral music began playing over the speakers, and on the big screens, you could see the band walking towards the stage.! As the guys walked on stage, all the X fans in the crowd lost it. ‘Rusty Nail’ began with a huge explosion of fire, and everyone started jumping, headbanging, and singing as loudly as we could. They played ‘Jade’, ‘IV’, ‘Kurenai’, and finished with ‘X’. The band then went to the edge of the stage to take their bows, and Yoshiki threw out about 10 drumsticks.
Some of the specific highlights:
-All the members played fantastically. Toshi’s vocals and English were awesome. Heath and Pata rocked on the guitar and bass. Sugizo was particularily impressive with his guitar, spinning around in circles and swinging it around his body. Yoshiki, was, of course, nothing short of genius on the piano, and insane on the drums.
-Yoshiki & Sugizo’s violin/piano duet of ‘Kurenai’. It was so beautiful!
-Toshi getting the crowd to sing parts of ‘IV’
-When Toshi introduced hide on guitar along with the other two, and pictures of him appeared on the big screens.
-The crowd jumping in the air and crossing their arms throughout the entire song ‘X’. It was cool when even the people who weren’t fans started doing it!
-How the studio version of ‘Tears’ played as the screens showed the band leaving the stage and walking away. All the X fans stayed and sang the song, some crying, then started chanting ‘We are X’ again for a few minutes.
I have nothing bad to say about the live. I just wish it had been longer! It was so incredible to be there, united with all the other X fans, from all around the world. If you have the chance to see X Japan on their upcoming American tour, do not miss it. You will regret it if you do!
