the GazettE LIVE TOUR 2011 "VENOMOUS CELL" 2011/10/10 at Tokyo International Forum Hall A

the GazettE LIVE TOUR 2011 "VENOMOUS CELL"
2011/10/10 at Tokyo International Forum Hall A


With the release of their fifth full studio album "TOXIC", the GazettE headed towards a new frontier in Visual-kei. It was not just about the visual aspects of the members' costumes and looks, but the over all visual artwork and means of expression that goes hand in hand with each track of the album.

This became even more apparent with the opening performance of their tour "VENOMOUS CELL", which started at the SOLD OUT Tokyo International Forum only days after the album release.

While the writing "VC" was displayed in huge LED letters in the back of the stage during the standby period, each and every song was underlined with its unique lighting, video and CG sequences.

"INFUSE INTO" opened the set with quickly changing pictures as the band members came on stage, each taking their spots, almost unnoticed, yet of course amongst the cheers of the audience.

The visuals for "VENOMOUS SPIDER`S WEB" opened simply with the words rapidly flashing by, underlining the hard rhythms and the electronic sounds, which the GazettE made to fit together perfectly. The hall was shaking with excitement during each song, where especially the title track of the album "THE SUICIDE CIRCUS" caused the hall to cheer.

However, the audience celebrated the previous songs like "VORTEX", "HEADACHE MAN", "AGONY" or "Hyena" just as much as each new tracks, which created a complete new scene every time.

Songs like "痴情 / CHIJYOU " and "MY DEVIL ON THE BED" had a blunt sexual appeal, be it due to the snake draping itself around a woman's body on the screen, or RUKI's enticing moves with a cane together with the sexy bass lines from Reita. All the while, songs like "Maggots" or "PSYCHOPATH" expressed pure aggression. The fans moved accordingly, head banging wildly, pumping their fists and not giving in to the moments of silence between the songs. Instead they shouted out the names of the band members vigorously.

A different kind of aggression was shown with "RUTHLESS DEED", which was still as powerful as the previous songs, but movements slowed and the tunes were pulling more on the inside; sorrowful and emotionally straining. It had calmed the audience, to perfectly lead into "UNTITLED", which had the audience listen not only with their ears but with their hearts. The shooting-star-like lights wandering over the screen expressed the feeling of the song in all its simplicity and together with the howling guitars of Uruha and Aoi, eventually burst into applause.

"It's been six years since we last played here. It doesn't feel that long at all", RUKI said during his MC. "We have grown a little, though. From here we are starting the new tour and looking at you right here, I am already pleased. There are a lot of new songs, but let's create the mood and flow for all of them together."

"I love you", he added under his breath, but it was received with all the fans cheers and hearts, and it never mattered, how often the band had expressed their compassion for the audience in one way or the other, it was taken in again and again with gratitude.

"The main set was finished with "OMEGA", rounding up the visuals with references to the opening as the band members disappeared from stage for a while.


As it is the GazettE tradition, Reita and Kai were the first to return, presenting their new version of "RIDE WITH THE ROCKERS". The drum and bass duet was followed by the GazettE latest single "REMEMBER THE URGE", which in contrast to the songs from TOXIC seemed much lighter, making it a good opener for the encore.
"BREAK ME" caught the audience by surprise, as it was not only a coupling track from "VORTEX", but also with a number of huge black and white balloons that were thrown into the audience just for fun.

However, the complete set was finished off with well known "classics" and the fans' all-time favorites "COCKROACH" and "DISCHARGE", before demanding everything from the audience once again when finishing with " LINDA ~candidive Pinky heaven~" in the well known manner.

It showed without a doubt, that the old and the new the GazettE songs can fit together perfectly without repeating themselves nor without sounding awkward together.

With this performance the GazettE have certainly shown that Visual-kei, has its name for more reasons than just the looks of the members. They carry the visuals of their art work and their performance to a new level in perfect synchrony, with the spice of being daringly blunt in their way of expression.


the GazettE LIVE TOUR 2011 "VENOMOUS CELL"
2011/10/10 at Tokyo International Forum Hall A

Set list:
SE INFUSE INTO
01 VENOMOUS SPIDER'S WEB
02 SLUDGY CULT
03 VORTEX
04 THE SUICIDE CIRCUS
05 HEADACHEMAN
06 AGONY
07 RUTHLESS DEED
08 痴情 / CHIJYOU
09 UNTITLED
10 Hyena
11 MY DEVIL ON THE BED
12 VERMIN
13 TOMORROW NEVER DIES
14 Filth in the beauty
15 Maggots
16 PSYCHOPATH
SE OMEGA

Ride with the Rockers
EN1 REMEMBER THE URGE
EN2 BREAK ME
EN3 COCKROACH
EN4 DISCHARGE
EN5 LINDA ~candidive Pinky heaven~

Posted in: band jepang