I was afraid I might disturb Vivi in the morning but finally, still unable to get a wink of rest in, I got up shortly past four-thirty and set about getting dressed and then headed out to the venue….
It was just around five-thirty when I arrived, the front of the venue rather crowded with sleeping bags and sleepy faces, but everyone exchanged tired smiles.
First order of business!
G-Family!
I don't even remember how most of the day went by.
Card playing. Chatting. Fan Letter writing. Hitting around the Magnum beach balloons. Bonding.
Sisters!
My then wife-to-be and I.
The man dubbed SexyBoi
Nice ass ^_~
The SYH group ^___^v
Look what I found when we went to pick up Iris' dad, along with the bra markers and the notebook (which we passed around the line and had people sign/write letters/draw in)
Speaking of the bras....
It really started off as a simple idea. Just something to amuse the crowd, make the live a little more fun, put smiles on the faces of our two beautiful vocalists, amuse the rest of the band... But....
In the process of being decorated...
Iris hard at work on hers
The finished results
[photo borrowed from anei_no_tsuki's LJ]
There were also the panties Vivi bought for YOU
Once they were made, we strapped them to our hips and flaunted them proudly. We got a lot of looks from people passing by...
[photo borrowed from anei_no_tsuki's LJ]
And all together now!
We went down the lines, telling people about the Brothers/Sisters chants and trying to get them into it... We wanted to do it right for the recording... But alas, didn't work as well as we hoped. At least Amsterdam seemed to get it right.
It really was, over all, a pretty fantastic day. Despite the bees (I got bit T___T), the heat, the disorganization that grew and grew as more and more people arrived and the little bit of frustration that comes when doors open late.
But once again, I ended up the very front, a little to the left of the stage this time around instead of directly in front. And this time, Iris was by my side.
The band was a bit late this time around (but due to the filming, I had predicted this). Yet, we had the press secretary announcements again- which I really fucking love- and after lots of cheering to try to get the band out onto the stage, the lights went dim.
There was more distance between the audience and the band this time around because the cameramen needed room to be able to move and get shots of both the members and the audience. And yet, while the distance and the constant buzz of the cameramen made it less personal, it was still incredible in every single second of it.
The band did spent more time getting the crowd to shout and to react, acting up for the cameras but also quite clearly enjoying themselves as well.
A report of all of the song details would be rather pointless due to the broadcast and the countless other descriptions that have surfaced however I shall address the most talked about subject:
The underwear.
The red lacey underwear.
Originally Iris and I planned to wait until the point at which Gackt shouts “How much do you want to fuck me?!” to toss the bras (as an obvious response to the question) yet the break after Vanilla provided an opportunity that could not be more perfect.
We both hastily unstrapped the bras from where they had been safely tied to our belts and I sent mine over first, thrilled as it landed onto the YFC platform. Jon noticed it immediately and picked it up, and handed Gackt the bra that Iris had tossed almost immediately after me
(Come on, you've all seen the video already, haven't you?)
A little bit of playfulness would have been nice. Just to have them twirl the undergarments around a little or hang them off their belts like Gackt had done with a black bra in Munich.
However, I did not expect Jon to put my bra on. Iris did not expect Gackt to put the straps of hers into his mouth and tug on it with his teeth. We did not expect Jon to strut over to Gackt wearing the red bra or to have Gackt grope his fellow vocalist’s new lingerie or to start tugging it down his chest.
I think Iris and I had exchanged looks of terror, shock and just pure thrill. I do remember Iris whispering “Oh my god oh my god oh my god” as we watched the ridiculous but sexy scene unfold in front of us.
Now, the second part of this. I am sure that the cameras were too busy focused on Gackt and Jon during this whole ordeal but at the same time, Vivi had also tossed the red panties to You. And I know I missed seeing it for the most part, but according to her he rubbed them over his guitar and then kissed them before tossing them back into the audience.
Now there has been a lot of talk about the “All for/my Love” ballad. I think that just as it was Oblivious that touched and reduced so many to tears during RR2, this is the YFC equivalent. Before Munich, I had read no concert reports and since the YFC shows last year were purely rock music, so I was shocked when they started with “You are the Reason” and carried into the second ballad. Both are beautiful and heartfelt, but I know that “All for Love” is going to be a song that will stay for me throughout the decades.
It's simple but, when you're standing right there... it washes over you. Floods you. Connects you to the people around you, to everyone around you.
Because we're all there for the same thing, for the music that brings us together, makes us into one huge, international family. And it's incredible.
Yeah, I cried. And really, it's not something to be ashamed of. I'm glad that I did, because... To be brought up to your highest, to your happiest, to your most complete self by this music and these people, and then being able to be torn down so beautifully to your very core... We really were showing our hearts and souls. Why shouldn't we show our love, our dedication? It's why we were there. It's why we keep coming back.
......
When the time for Uncontrol came around, I got out the sign I had prepared, having already displayed it a couple of times but rather wanting Jon to see it (it was for him after all~) and yet he seemed intent on looking in every single direction other than mine …………… -_____- Jerk
Hey, at least I got it on the film.
When the concert finally ended and the press secretary announcement was made, I made my first step and--- fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck it hurt.
I had been wearing painfully high stilettos the entire day and thoroughout the entire concert. While I had felt no pain during the rally but as soon as the spell had ended, I realized that I almost could not walk.
Getting our things from the closet check, Iris and I went off to try to find some Japanese staff to give the notebook filled with fan letters and signatures from people who had been in line earlier, yet had difficulty finding anyone and the European/venue staff were not in the least bit co-operative despite our polite requests to simply allow us to leave the book or have it taken by one of the staff members to the bus or just handed off to someone that would be able to give it to Gackt.
Finally, we spotted one of the cameramen (can you guess which one? hehehe) and called out to him, stopping him (much to his apparent surprise) telling him that it was a gift from all the fans and if it would be okay to pass it onto G (he agreed)
MISSION COMPLETE! ^______^v
Vivi got an email confirmation from Gackt too, saying he had received the notebook.
And then came the hardest part...
Time to say goodbye.
I had only planned to attend the Munich and Berlin shows but regretted that deeply. However, I know that if I had gone to every single concert on the tour it would have still not been enough.
Even though it had only been a short time in comparison... Getting to meet everyone was incredible. Iris, Xia, everyone that I met, Jess, Josse, Janine, Benjamin (IF YOU READ THIS, CONTACT ME SIR, I lost your wife's Twitter T__T you were so much fun, thanks so much for your help)
But... it stuns me everytime. I think the people are what's kept me here for so long and drew me in so much, in addition to G being an amazing musician.
How people can come from all different cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles and yet connect so beautifully. After the concert, we had a British girl, an Italian girl, a Swiss girl and an American girl, all sitting in a German hostel together, having just gone to see the concert of a Japanese musician.... How does that happen? Who else can bring together people from all around the world, from Taiwan, from the Netherlands, from the US, even from Japan to Germany just to see him stand in front of us for a couple hours?
I can't count how many times I've laughed and grinned so widely it hurt because of other Dears. And on the plane back from Berlin to Munich, I cried because of these Dears, because they are genuinely some of the most incredible people that I have ever met, and I really did not want to leave my new family behind...
It's something you don't find often. When something matters to you so deeply, it's hard to explain it to people. Why do I love him so much, why do I fly around the world to spend an evening in his presence? I don't know. Because somehow, his music has touched me.
And these Dears... they understand. Without us having to talk to each other about how much this means, we understand like no one else in the world can, no matter how hard you try to explain it to someone on the outside they can't feel it. Being with these people and at the same time, being with him...
It's Heaven. For a couple hours, in there, in the too-hot, too-loud, too-crowded venue... We live. We truly, genuinely, honestly live for nothing but to feel at our very highest, our most complete.
So, 兄貴。。。
Our older brother....
Our mentor....
Our inspiration....
Thank you.
For bringing us together.
For bringing us to you.
本当に。。。ありがとう。
