30.12.11

DIQ 2011

This year's DIQ was a tour through Buck-Tick history, with one song from each album, in chronological order, plus "Sakura" and "Jupiter," during which Sakurai had the whole audience sit down, so we could "listen with a feeling of requiem for the earthquake victims." Whereupon, no one was able to see anything, not because you can't see when you sit down in the Budoukan, but because everyone was too busy crying their eyes out. Wild jets of fire shooting out of the stage during "Kyokutou Yori Ai wo Komete" was another high point. Props to the huge team of video jockeys who created the beautifully shifting landscape of PV clips, original video footage put together as a backdrop for the concert, and live video of the band members that was being filmed by track cameras and simultaneously broadcast to the large projection screen hanging over the stage. For the first time, I feel like I got a better view from the second floor.



Also, we have a lot to look forward to in Buck-Tick land in the coming year. Following the releases of the special anniversary boxes on March 7th, dear Mr. Sakurai's birthday, the band will be releasing their first new single off Lingua Sounda in spring 2012. In June, we can expect two shows at the famous outdoor venue in Hibiya Park, the Hibiya Yagai Ongakudo, where the Mona Lisa Overdrive Xanadu concerts were also held. Then the band will be playing a standing tour from June through July to support the release of their first full-length studio album off Lingua Sounda, in addition to a second tribute album! And we all know what that means...in September they are doing another festival! No word on where yet, I hope it's Minato Mirai like last time. The Yokohama business district deserves to get its eardrums blasted out by Buck-Tick! Following this, the band will be playing a hall tour from October through December, followed by the DIQ on December 29th. Save your money, and send your prayers to Sakurai that he doesn't drink too much, and to Imai, that he doesn't up and break his hand again.

If you are thinking of sending New Year's gifts to the band members, my recommendations are:

Imai: gourmet dried figs
Hide: Wii games
Toll: drugstore box wine
Yutaka: a gift certificate to Acchan ramen in Nagoya
Sakurai: Helene hairspray, and a dance belt...wait, maybe he doesn't need one after all.


Auto-Mod gets the prize for best bouquet.

Happy New Year to you all.

10.12.11

Imai Custom Guitar

Displayed outside Zepp Tokyo after the concert last night, which included no hairsprayed Sakurai but did include a lot of aggressively ill-mannered fans. Fangirls: when you elbow your way in front of the person next to you and then scream "Acchan!" in a piercing voice, it makes Acchan cry.

On the other hand, pretty sexy guitar.



Next up, the DIQ.