INTERVISTE/ARTICOLI

BARKS.JP: HALLOWEEN PARTY Live report

【Live Report】 Premier of ＜HALLOWEEN PARTY＞ hosted by VAMPS at Makuhari, 「We'll give you a big scare tonight as well」

The 3rd day of the nation's biggest Halloween event ＜HALLOWEEN PARTY 2015＞ hosted by VAMPS, was held on the 23rd of October at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall 9 ・10 ・11. In the splendor of impactful scenes appearing one after another, the ＜HALLOWEEN PARTY＞ Makuhari 3DAYS Premier opened with a boisterous dance.

◆＜HALLOWEEN PARTY 2015＞ Video (link)

「Is everyone dying well～?」. After the concert venue was split by a crack of thunder and lightning, emcee Yamada Hisashi's narration announced the start of the party. Following Kobe's 2DAYS held on 17 October (Sat) and 18 October (Sun) involving 16,000 frenzied revelers, the ＜HALLOWEEN PARTY 2015＞ Makuhari 3DAYS has finally begun.

The opening performance of the Makuhari premier was 『Tommy's Halloween Fairy tale』 by Tommy heavenly6, which was recently released on 21 October. As a part of the HALLOWEEN JUNKY ORCHESTRA, she appeared as a zombie bride, and showcased a rightly appropriate medley with her new song for ＜HALLOWEEN PARTY＞. She livened up the Halloween atmosphere in the concert hall with her seductive voice.

Next was BREAKERZ who appeared in costumes of 『Monster Hunter Cross』. The band members appeared riding on a float then landing on the stage, and unveiled a surreal performance featuring popular mascot character from Ibaraki prefecture, Neba-ru kun, being hunted by the band members. Or so we thought, as they jumped into their aggressive new song「YAIBA」, and showed off their pride as a rockband.

「Last year when I performed solo I was using a Monster Hunter costume too. Last year I made it myself but, this year I borrowed a real official outfit from Capcom. That's because I've become a CM character. Last year when I put on the costume I wondered if this could be tied together with my work」, said DAIGO. After the 『Monster Hunter Cross』 CM was played on screen, he proudly concluded with his "wish pose". Lastly, he livened up the concert by performing 「Shakunetsu」 while twirling towels, properly fulfilling his role as the enlivening captain who will be performing in all 5 performances of the ＜HALLOWEEN PARTY 2015＞.

What came next featured people picked out from the audience are subjected to a spirited fancy dress game and brought to stand on the same stage as the artistes in the 『HALLOWEEN COLLECTION』 fashion show. With costumes like a sexy fly and black rabbit ghost, this day also had an audience rich with personality as they strutted on stage. At the end, the elementary school unit HALLOWEEN DOLLS produced by HYDE took the stage, and they hopped around while performing a cover of 「HALLOWEEN PARTY」. To that image, presenter Yamachan said 「Halloween is normally scary but, cute♡ 」. Tommy and Wakeshima Kanon appeared too, explaining the concepts behind their costumes. Tommy got lost on the way back and had a slight panic when she couldn't return backstage, and presenter Yamachan too went around in confusion.

Shouting 「If you're not having fun I'm gonna prank ya! 」, it was MY FIRST STORY, who showed us a more emotional performance than usual during the Kobe performance. Like the performance in Kobe, vocalist Hiro appeared dressed as Kaneki from 「Tokyo Ghoul」. The rest of the band were dressed in the cloaked appearance of Aogiri from 「Tokyo Ghoul」. Unlike in Kobe where they attacked with upper tunes, on this day, they 「brought various songs on our repertoire instead」 and even performed mid tune 「『Hana』-0714-」. Becoming friends with Aki from SID and Hitsugi from NIGHTMARE by chance, who were also in costume at Kobe, paid off, considering it as a chance where a a majority of the audience will be listening to their songs for the first time, they delivered their songs in a warm and friendly manner. From the mid tunes which are mixed with tenderness and intensity, they conveyed their will straightly.

「We've been called tacky and told that we will disappear soon among other things but... ... I've only lived for 21 years, to me there is nothing but music so, if it's alright with you guys let's all have fun together!」 , Hiro conveyed with an emotional expression in his eyes and voice. The concert goers too raised both their hands, and jumped and head banged in response. After performing 「Fukagyaku Replace」, the concert hall welled up with loud cheers and applause at Hiro's pure yell of 「Thank you very much!」 off-mike.

From the silhouettes of skeletons and jack 'o lanterns flying around in the concert hall, 6 mummy brides appeared on stage. It was the idol group brought together by Showroom, DEEP GIRL. After performing their emotional new song 「I kill」, which had its 「lyrics written by the members together」, they had a realistic performance where they collapsed onto the stage.

Within loud cheers, the school song of GACKT presents Camui♂Gakuen was shown on screen, and the band members appeared on stage. After an announcement that the presenter called a breaking report, the members and Camui♂Gakuen's Student Council President, Camui Gakuto a.k.a GACKT, appeared in super mini-skirt nurse costumes wearing black-framed specs! They suddenly stone the hearts of the audience when they performed a VAMPS version of 「Camui♂Gakuen BABY」 that included HYDE and K.A.Z' s names in the lyrics. After saying 「Everyone, scream hentai for me with all your heart. For all of you hentai people who love HALLOWEEN PARTY, I'll sing Ha-Ha-Ha-HYDE kun's song! 」, the 5 nurses lined up, and performed L'Arc-en-Ciel's 「STAY AWAY」 with the dance reminiscent of the music video and his expected vocal prowess.

Once the passionate performance of GACKT's 「Jounetsu no Inazuma」 complete with them pressing down their nurse caps while headbanging with girl power, the stage was swept away, cuing a video which led to the enthusiastic performance of 「X」 by the X JAPAN copy band, SEX JAPAN. GACKT sat topless at the drum set, hitting the twin bass at high speed. Without breaking a sweat by the time he stopped hitting, GACKT's high speed drumming was a masterpiece.

The day's special performer, with their first appearance at the HALLOWEEN PARTY, was Jooubachi X Team Syachihoko, who appeared on the special stage which was well attached to the main stage. With her beautiful long legs and outstanding Japanese style monster cat costume, Avu-chan performed with her powerful vocals and Team Syachihoko's candy voice, it was an exquisite combination as they belted out each other's songs. They livened up the concert with cute and bewitching performances of nostalgic rock melodies.

Last, of course, came VAMPS. With the sound of ropes creaking in the hall, the front doors of the stage opened, and they appeared as vampires hanging from the ceiling. While suspended, the 5 man band performed 「HALLOWEEN PARTY -JAZZ Ver.-」. HYDE alone had white smoke rise from his feet while suspended, and right as 「EVIL」 started playing, pillars of fire were shot up from the bottom of the runway stage nestled in the middle of the hall, and from there, HYDE appears in the customary costume from the 「HALLOWEEN PARTY」 PV! To the effect of illusion beams, the hall erupted with cheers.

「Getting into this look is the most fun. We'll give you a big scare tonight as well. Nwaaaah !!」, HYDE yelled into the camera. Upon doing so, his face which was projected on the screen transformed into a number of frightful monster faces. For 「TROUBLE」, both sides of the runway became disconnected floats, on which HYDE and K.A.Z headed to respective sides of the arena, performing and singing enthusiastically close to the audience in the back of the arena. Metal percussion of 「SEX BLOOD ROCK'N ROLL」 resounded as a giant Jack O' Lantern appeared on stage, K.A.Z spins his guitar in the center of the runway, and Ju-ken went to a crowded area of the stage to stir up the audience. Lastly 「KYUKETSUーSATSUGAI VAMPS Verー」 was performed, and the temperature and hype was raised to the max in the hall.

A duo with their whole boy in blue, a duo wearing HYDE and GACKT's faces, a Wally who was easily found, and more, were part of emcee Yamachan's fashion check of the audience. Following that, it was time for the HALLOWEEN JUNKY ORCHESTRA to start. As the doors to a spider's lair opened, waving what looked like a baton/sword （？） was not a bat, but HYDE dressed as Kaneki from 「Tokyo Ghoul」. On stage was the members of HALLOWEEN JUNKY ORCHESTRA: VAMPS, BREAKERZ , Aki dressed as Kaneki (SID), Tommy heavenly6, Hitsugi (NIGHTMARE) dressed as Kaneki again, Wakeshima Kanonm, ROLLY, MY FIRST STORY's Hiro, DEEP GIRL, Jooubachi's Avu-chan, and Shinya （DIR EN GREY） dressed as Cheburashka.

Anis（MONORAL） appeared on Lady Gaga's 「Poker Face」, and they jumped into a traditional 「game for African children」. The first one to carry out the loser's punishment of kissing a mannequin which appeared on the runway was DAIGO. 「I won't show you a lukewarm guy like that last time in Kobe, but I'll show you a serious person」, he said in response to Anis' unreasonable request and did a gentle kiss. The cameraman was so excited over DAIGO's actions that he/she almost fell over. Next ROLLY did a fierce passionate kiss, and the next one was Hiro. However, where he sat down was at HYDE's dear kyo's designated seat, and HYDE took the penalty in his stead. In addition, Anis was made the standby of the one that the embarrassed HYDE, with his face hidden in the Kaneki mask, was to kiss. Anis ran out of patience watching him hold onto the mannequin, and the concert hall exploded in a frenzy as the screen projected him and HYDE's lips touching. On stage, Hiro lowered his head multiple times to HYDE, and DAIGO exclaim 「Did anis-san kiss HYDE-san」.

Shinya's hand-made Cheburashka and other performers' costumes were touched on briefly, and HYDE, Aki, Hitsugi, Hiro, the 4 Kaneki's gathered. When Hiro said 「Thanks to putting on this costume, we made a Tokyo Ghoul LINE group between the 3 of us」, HYDE replied 「Please add me into the group」. Upon hearing that, DAIGO lamented, 「If only I went with that costume too」. The busy Camui♂Gakuen, HALLOWEEN DOLLS and Team Syachihohko, were unfortunately not present for the HALLOWEEN JUNKY ORCHESTRA but, at the end, while singing 「HALLOWEEN PARTY」, majority of the performers descended the stage and paraded through the arena sprinkling candy as a big treat to wrap up. 「HSS huh. Halloween is the absolute best!」, HYDE exclaimed as the curtains closed grandly on the extremely satisfying first day of the Makuhari ３DAYS

The ＜HALLOWEEN PARTY 2015＞ which welcomed the strongest performers. With of course changing rooms and cloakrooms necessary for putting on costumes, at the rest area in Exhibition Hall 8, there were Halloween special food menus, a body paint corner where you can put on the VAMPS original logo, a photo studio with a professional cameraman for visitors to use, and more, which were further enhanced with the HALLOWEEN COLLECTION's audition booth, a free photo space, and an experience corner where you can VAMPS' 「REPLAY」 on the arcade game 『crossbeats REV.』 as attractions. Even before the live, one can enjoy a whole day in the Halloween atmosphere.

Source: BARKS.jp

Translation: GACKT ITALIA Team

Translation © GACKT ITALIA

by SaiKaiAngel