Pierrot
- "A variant Bud" (03/05/2005)

WARNING: This concert review is long, very long, very long, like my reviews always are. But I hope that reading it will make you smile / in a good mood, this is always my aim when I write them. Have a good reading!

I get into the part that was opened looong before the concert began, seeing the huge merchandising part I can't help thinking I will have to be strong to resist, or my bank-officer won't agree; I have a quick look inside the "memories part" (where different items quickly summarize the career of the band... and have a lot of fun facing some of the the photos from old issues of then Arlequin / now Arlequin magazine: big-sized!): I was weak and couldn't resist, but I don't want to see -too much-, or I won't really enjoy it when I will come back the day after with Rita... So I run to the merchandising part, where they sell -all- photobooks the band ever released, goodies for -these two- concerts (which are already really great) + A LOT of goodies from past concerts/tours = I went through all of it, constantly thinking: "you can't buy everything, it's ok, even you never have an occasion to buy this or that again it's fine you'll buy this other or that other,...". Choosing was really difficult, especially as I was in charge of finding some item(s) some people who were still in Europe could have been interested in! So, in the end, I prefer just seeing what is on sale, I will buy the day after, I never like buying all of sudden anyway...

But time is running, and I want to be sure my little Pierrot members -have- what was so long to prepare, and it's publicly known that I don't trust Followers at all (Followers being Pierrot fan-club; I admit the finally pleasant fan-club only concert episode made me have better feelings for them... but still!): I decide I should try to go look for some guy (or lady) with a really kind face and a backstage pass around his neck. I cross one ot two... but my legendary shyness, that follows so weird rules, prevents me from really going to them (explanation: imagine... one day I look for a Pierrot roadie, for something more or less important but that has to be done quickly, and for a reason or another I know that Pierrot members most probably had to see/work with him recently: if I cross even Kirito, you can be sure I won't hesitate a single second to go ask him where can this damn roadie be hiding (similar situations already occured with other people, especially once with one person I may admire as much as I do admire Kirito); but in a situation, like here, where I have to show my admiration to someone, even though I have to "use" an "intermediate" (?), I become VERY nervous only talking to this "intermediate", as... it's about showing my admiration!).
Finally, I see a cameraman who seems to be looking for a good view angle in the middle of the crowd, in front of the giant merchandising: as he doesn't seem to find what would make a good photo for him, I decide to screw up my courage (...after two vain tries... with the same person yes... damn weird shyness!), and ask him (...very very politely, trust me...) if he speaks English: he makes a embarassed face saying "eeer yes but not so well", and here begins the ultimate sioux technics in Japan: if he is able to make this kind of face, it means he understood the question, mwahahaha! So, very very politely again, I explain him that blah blah I come from far, listing for them, one thing for Kirito, and blah blah such, an his embarassed face suddenly becomes a giant smile, synonym to: "but of course, with great pleasure!", he only asks me to precise who all these little things are for... the listing being for everyone it's a little complicated (...had forgotten it isn't done in Japan, you have to -chose- who will get what before the concert, blah...), but well I explain him a little more and he understands, makes a giant smile (from an ear to the other), of course we bend as he leaves, and he goes very quickly straight to the backstage! Good pick! Well of course after that I spend 2-3 minutes shaking as a leaf, I prefer going to some corner, kneeling as if I was looking for something in my bag, my back is beginning to hurt a little again after all: a break is welcome. But I'm glad because I know they got all my stupid stuff! Liking them is another topic, but this is up to them, I only wanted to to my part in this story...

Then I go out, doors will open soon after all, I'm one of the very first ones to be in front of one of the doors, but looking at my ticket I doubt I'm in front of the good one, especially as I see some people leaving the ranks looking at their tickets... so I go to the other door, and there a very kind security guy explains me that yes yes only one door is opened, the one where I was at first, but he also goes back with me to this other door, talking on the way, aking where I come from, what I like in Japanese music, all of this and the rest: nice person to sum up! I like kind people like that! Of course I finally end faaar in the back while I was at the front a few minutes before, but it's ok, it's the tough rule of the war in waiting lines, and places are numbered anyway: it won't change a lot of things!

When I watched some videos, I feared Saitama Arena would be a too large venue for me, as about 10,000 and something persons (at least) can be inside this venue... But actually it isn't, I mean it's big of course, but with a very intimist atmosphere, maybe because everything is painted in black, I don't know, but it was really nice! And the sond will once again eb absolutely great: people in Japan definitely know how to build concert venues! (...I have to say Kirito scared me a little with his very first notes, as some were a little out of key, but it was quickly solved, he probably only didn't take enough time to "warm" his voice backstage.)
I once again forgot the exact set-list, but it was close to the "concept" of the best of albums that are being released these months: A variant Bud was mainly about a-sides of their singles, like the album of the same title + a lot of other songs of course, as we had a 3h long concert all in all! And it was a kind of personnal "best of Pierrot concert" for me in the end: they played 3/4 of my favourite Pierrot songs (they played a lot of their "heavier/gutsier" songs this day, which always sounds good to my ears!): needless to say, I was on my little cloud throughout this concert. Especially when they began Dramatic neo Anniversary, second or third song of the evening, here I really had to fight against myself not to yell a giant: "OUIIIIIIII!!!!!", especially as Kirito was on my side for all the time he waved the black/anarchists flag! (and yes in French, they probably wouldn't have heard/understood it even in English after all...), but being too loud during songs isn't done in Japan... and I have a really low voice compared to Japanese girls... but I had revenge with my arms!

What can I say to show you how this concert was like paradise...

The audience first: Forget about the people who went to the fan-club only concert, here, from the very first song, -everyone- waves his hands, from the very first row to the very last, from the pit to the "gradins"! And no groupies, ok musicians names are shouted, but not into ultra-sounds registries: they are shouts from feminin fans, not from groupies. And as much as I hate groupies, I love fans, of course!
Little funny detail: I didn't know all hands-choregraphies / there aren't such choregraphies on every song, but I can't help moving my hands in the air (/doing my own hand-choregraphies) as soon as I hear a song I really like, would it be a Pierrot song or not (I did it even faaaar before I knew Pierrot): I did "movements in the air" on -every- song. As my moves always "follow" the music, they (very) often matched what Kirito did on stage, sometimes even "official choregraphies" when I didn't know them: the girl on my right seemed to believe I did "official choregraphies", because she alsays tried to follow what I did! It was cute, it would have been complicated to explain her: "no no no, it's just me and how I have fun, nothing official!", so I let her do it... it was gratifying for me too, eh! And it proves people like my completely improvised hand-choregraphies!

Of course a band always loves seeing his audience is so much "into the thing" / reacts so much: they were running in every corner of the stage, smiles to their ears, banguing their heads on really heavier songs, and so on: in French we say "le panard", in English I will say "it was over-great". Oh and as they hadn't built the part of the stage "going to the audience" on the other side of the stage compared to me (I was on Aiji's side once again, not because I decided it as you don't decide of your place at concerts in Japan, but it -is- what I wished: perfect!), I very often had all of them below my little eyes making big smiles and other funny acts between themselves or to the crowd, not only on the screens but also under my very happy eyes. To sum up, it was the usual story of the exchange between a band and its audience: one of both is happy and shows it, which makes the other happy so he shows it, and so on and so on...: how nice!

And -here- I will have the pleasure to enjoy Kirito's endless and most funny speeches (...who will call us "sutoroberiisu-chan" (-"Strawberries") for all of the concert: don't know, maybe we had red or pink lights on our faces for all of the concert...), with his most happy voice and his usual way of trying to make the audience react by telling us stupid/kind things, he was happy to sum up. And he had a good reason for that!
This being said, -one- of his speeches really made me regret I don't have a better Japanese, the one just before Last Letter, last song of the "main set": he sounded really moved (trusting his voice), and through his voice I heard he was more and more sincere: I wish I could have understood what he was saying... I believe I understood there were three main "points" in his speech, and that he dedicated this song to some people, probably the fans, but this "dedicace" (or whatever else) was really sincere, really came from the bottom of his heart: it was really moving to hear, even without understanding the exact/precise meaning. And while Last Letter used to be one of these songs that really quickly bores me a lot (because yes there are a few Pierrot songs that do bore me!), here it was as strong as a Birthday, maybe more... I had goosebumps during this song honestly, and even Kirito sounded like he was moved when he came back on stage, for the first "encore"... Really a special moment, I only regret I couldn't understand what exactly it was all about.

The band itself was so "into the thing" that even songs that I usually don't like so much sounded -GREAT- to me this time, I did the chores with a giant smile, great fun to sum up. Writing it makes it colder, but really, trully, it was an exceptionnal concert.

(Another funny detail: We often see Jun as the "forgotten member" of Pierrot from our sountries, and popular belief says that he's not so appreciated in Japan, at least far less than Kirito or Aiji... but he actually was the one who got the loudest cheers on the three concerts I saw, only Kirito got cheers about as loud as him, but really most of the time Jun over all of them at the "cheers-contest"!)

Finally note that, contrary to Dictators Circus VI that had taken place in the same venue, there was no weird stage-show at this concert, or dancers who er... should learn again the meaning of "grace", "sensuality" and the difference with "vulgarity" or "looking stupid"?: Such things usually mainly "jail"/"block" a band, most of the time, and DCVI was far from an exception (they limit the possibilities or occasions for a band to interact with its audience). And this come-back to simplicity was a great thing, because -HERE- we see a band play on stage, with great lights, a simple but really nice scene (a kind of giant lustre obver their heads in the middle of the stage, flame motifs on both sides and around the stage, a giant screen on each side of the stage, so that those who are on the other side of the venue may have a minimum view over what is happening on stage), and the band finally didn't have to lose time with a useless because too complicated stage show: Here they were in good shape, and you didn't feel asleep when you looked at them! On the contrary! And contrary to DCVI! Damn it!

I only regret one little thing: I didn't let myself out so much, while it was the perfect set-list for letting me out... but my voice -really- sounds low compared to japanese girls' (boys never react at such concerts in Japan, even the boy on my left, who seemed to enjoy the concert though, accepted to move his arm a little when they played Creature... and only Creature!) + I have a really loud voice when I want to + I don't like being noticed so much = I only clapped in a very sounding way! (Japanese people have a very soft/not really sounding clapping technics...) But it didn't prevent me from going out of the concert with a smile to my ears, knowing that I was going to have my revenge the day after anyway, as I came back with Rita... (you always let yourself out far more when there are people you know around you!)

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