V-ROCK FESTIVAL: Sunday, October 25th - L Stage

The first act to grace the main stage on Sunday was Kagrra,. This beloved advocate of Japanese-influenced rock drew a large crowd early on of fans bearing fans with which they danced delicate choreography to. Kagrra, began with a pleasant surprise, Kotodama, a song from early in their career, and the space in front of the stage was filled with paper fans held aloft like butterflies fluttering. Together with the music, the artistry of classic koto driven melodies and the imagery created by the fans, Kagrra,'s performance was quite the vision.

Nao's koto playing was mesmerizing throughout, intertwining with the airy notes of a shakuhachi to provide a neat contrast to the western electric guitars in Paraizo. It also combined with a taiko-inspired drumbeat from Izumi during Ayamatsuri, which was a hypnotic performance. At times though, one wondered where Kagrra,'s mind was; the band seemed rather subdued. Despite some gorgeous music, they lacked a certain spark.

Set List:
SE
1. Kotodama
2. Paraizo
3. Ayamatsuri
4. Uzu
MC
5. Shiki

Matenrou Opera graced the L Stage afterwards, a huge achievement for a band of their size. With music powered by a grand orchestra of synths, it occasionally became difficult to see exactly where the band was. Despite that, their stirring pomp certainly got the fists pumping.

Matenrou really hit their stride with Hiai to Melancholy as the catchy melody and anthemic refrain of "call me call me" during the chorus got the audience singing along and waving their arms in time with the music. They even gave the fans a ballad, a beautiful, heavy gothic affair with a slight twinge of Arabic inspired notes. Sono's vocals, particularly resonant throughout, managed to shine over the synths. The set wrapped up with the high-powered and grandiose ANOMIE, filling Makuhari Messe with their gorgeous gothic rock tones one last time.

Set List:
SE
1. alkaloid showcase
2. Hiai to Melancholy
3. Faust
4. EVE
5. ANOMIE

Little of the same could be said for Tsuchiya Anna, whose set was a welcome relief from the visual kei and proved she could rock as hard as the boys, despite her being four months pregnant! Anna appeared in a black lace dress, looking fantastic and brimming with a confidence that emanated throughout her performance as she strutted across the stage. Her set of bright, attitude-filled pop rock energised the early afternoon crowd, and chants of "oh baby" during Sweet Rishi Boy got the fans singing along.

She took a turn to some heavier stuff with Guilty, as a harder, metal influenced opening drove the sexy melody. Anna's vocals were stunning; she was purring her lyrics in gravelly tones. The following, Without You, was even heavier and pleased the headbangers in the audience. It was not unusual when she finished with rose, the "Nana" tie-in song that had catapulted her career skywards, but in a nod to the weekend events, it was a heavier arrangement and performed with added feistiness. Tsuchiya Anna's spirited performance surely won her some new fans that day.

Set List:
SE
1. masquerade
2. Sweet Rishi Boy
3. Brave vibration
MC
4. GUILTY
5. Without you
6. rose

It was Vidoll up next. Their short set kept to their newer material and even daringly included a new song. For the duration of their set, the quintet entranced the audience, who found a moment to relax in the calm of Jui's beautiful vocals. Opening with the active Tree, they got their audience moving to the catchy, anthemic melody. Bassist Rame seemed to be enjoying himself as he jumped about.

The rest of the set was equally as positive, with an uplifting, bright performance that ensured all could feel the energy emanating from the band and fans. During Togaru Ai, Jui showed off his tambourine skills while anyone wanting heavy headbanging was satisfied by the more aggressive Cryptic Tokyo, with which they concluded the set. They even announced the release of Eve, out in December, and they played the song after a brief MC.

Set List
1. Tree
2. Togaru Ai
3. EVE
4. Lostvoice
5. Cryptic Tokyo 


The penultimate act on the L Stage was INORAN, who began with a cool demonstration by the DJ. With the sound of the guitars, the club music gave over to rock and he delivered to the audience with his clear vocals the first number, Determine. As ever, the powerful guitar rock got the audience moving about, warming them up neatly for the GazettE.

During SENNENKA though, the music took a more relaxed approach. INORAN's heartfelt, emotional vocals filled the hall, stunning the fans and showing them his unique attitude to the laid-back music. With the DJ collaboration, it was a truly electric set, but underlying it was something that showed his songs as simply great examples of simple but powerful guitar rock.  

Set List
1. Determine
2. Lyrical rampage
3. Kuchibashi
4. SENNENNKA
5. Felicidad
6. raize
7.Jika 

The hall shook as if there was an earthquake. This might have been the moment when the history of visual rock moved to a new era. This large, two-day event was finished off by the GazettE.

Makuhari Messe became a flood of headbanging from the first song, Filth in Beauty, with a violence that left those watching with mouths agape at the spectacle. the GazettE fans were certainly a devoted lot.

This huge power increased even more with their latest single Before I Decay, as the ground quaked with the sound of the strong guitars and the violence of the fans. The band then showed their more relaxed side with medium tempo numbers Guren and Chizuru, although defined by the GazettE, relaxed still meant a few thousand bodies were thrashing around.

Afterward, intense tunes such as Hyena, COCKROACH and Ruder were drawn out in succession. The band closed with LINDA, which ended their set spectacularly. Their performance was played in earnest and did not give the audience time to rest at all. This spectator's euphoria, the excited condition of every person…it was an effort worthy of them as they progressed, like their great predecessors, to become a great band of the future.　 

Set List
1. Filth in the beauty
2. BEFORE I DECAY
3. Maggots
4. Psychedelic Heroine
5. A MOTH UNDER THE SKIN
6. GUREN
7. Chizuru
8. Hyena
9. HEADACHE MAN
10. COCKROACH
11. DISCHARGE
12. Ruder
13. LINDA