人気ブログランキング | 話題のタグを見る

~ X JAPAN & J NEWS ONLY ~


by yaki101

YOSHIKI AT San Bernadino (19/08)

Good Karma
So, I guess offering the tickets and rides to people was a good thing. I really wanted someone to take me up on it but unfortunately no one did. :(

My roommate Marianne and I left to the Dir En Grey concert late and got there a little late but luckily no one was playing yet. We got orchestra tickets last minute off of eBay. Amazing. Seriously. I am all for the love of the lawn my friends, but I thought, this is a great band, I am lucky to have a chance to see them, I'll fork over more money. (I was out of the country when they were playing at the Wiltern and no one told me they were coming either, so I was a bit upset about that).

So before Dir En Grey comes on stage 10 years comes on and then four rows in front of us comes a group of five people three girls and two guys. Amazingly one of the guys looks like Yoshiki. I hope you all understand. Getting if getting to watch Dir En Grey is a blessing, a band I have loved for eight years, imagine even seeing a look a like of the man who is J-ROCK. Yoshiki. Legend. In 2000 my friends tried to break into his studio before Anime Expo, I have loved them since I was 13 years old, that's 11 years folks. Understandably I was freaking out and fangirling. I even took a video of this guy smoking a cigar. The link can be seen here (you can use download the program here). Anyway, Marianne was laughing at me because, why would Yoshiki be here? And in the fourth row even. That's just too weird. But I am happy. Marianne tells me then, "why don't you go up and talk to him?" I was totally embarassed, so I did what any embarassed girl would do, I asked my friend to talk to him. I asked Marianne to ask him if he was Yoshiki. I told her I would give her five bucks.

Marianne climbs over four rows of seats to get to "Yoshiki" and says, "Excuse me sir, my friend back there thinks you look a lot like Yoshiki."
"I am Yoshiki."
"Are you bullshitting me?"
"No...no, I'm Yoshiki."
?
Then Marianne motions to me to come over. I completely freak out, I scream and hide behind our seats. Then I acted rationally, climbed over the seats and said hello to Yoshiki. I asked Yoshiki if I could take a picture with him, he put on his jacket (you can see in the video that he wasn't wearing a jacket. He even gave me a hug.
Then I said thank you, went back to my seat and blanked out. A girl a row in front of me asked me if that was Yoshiki I told her it was. Marianne then came back and I asked her if she could ask Yoshiki if he could autograph my ticket. It even says to Ariana on it. I still need to scan it. He was so nice. He didn't get annoyed even when after that ten people came up to him asking if he was Yoshiki and asking for photos and the like. He was so nice. He could have said no. I was amazed. I have loved X Japan for so long. I screamed at Kaz at the Hyde concert because he had been friends with hide. And then I meet Mr. X Japan, king of J-Rock...(okay, disputed title) but yes. I was so happy. A couple of guys in the row ahead of us asked who he was and I told them. One girl came up to him and asked "Yoshiki-san desu ka?" It was cute, she started crying. I was crying with her. That's how I felt.

After that the Dir En Grey portion of the concert started. It was amazing. I was so happy. I love Withering so it made me so happy. I felt this immense bond with every one of the Dir En Grey fans that were screaming, headbanging and dancing to the music. It was like a religious experience. If you were there and you saw Marianne and me (or even if you didn't) know that I love you (I don't want to sound scary but along with Dir En Grey of course, you made the mood). It was amazing. Kyo with a bucket on his head walking into the drums was a precious moment. I also love how different everyone was dressed. It was nice to see how diverse DEG's fans are!

After that we ran to get merchandise so we could wait in line to meet and greet Dir En Grey. I was so glad to get the opportunity to do it. Marianne and I pooled all of our money together and but had to go to the atm withdraw. It was lucky that we had taken more money out than was necessary because the singles were sold out and we had to get other things. Luckily it was nothing we already had. If they had had more singles more fans could have gone to meet them, or wristbands or something. That was sad and a bit unfair. And I don't want to say that it was ONLY Kaoru and Shinya, because I am grateful but it was sad that they weren't all there. But I am sure that they were tired. No pictures no autographs. Damn, I shouldn't have bought that disposable camera. But it was still nice, in the five seconds you had to shake hands with the members and that was it. I said thank you to Kaoru, and then another guy started speaking Japanese to them, a girl motioned for us to leave so I quickly shook Shinya's hand and went out of the tent. Then we all watched them walk out and screamed after them. Marianne and I had no more cash left, my ATM card is broken and her's was overdrawn so we had to make a decision, stay and feel like dying because we had no money for drinks or go home. We decided to leave. If any of you had a different experience and had Dir En Grey come out later lucky you. That's amazing and please, please tell me your experience. But I know mine was wonderful, awesome and definately worth the money. I got to meet Yoshiki, I got to see Dir En Grey live I got to shake hands with Kaoru and Shinya and even made friends with a girl standing in line with us. (Hi Violetta!)

If they play again I'd love to go. If they have a fan club here I'd love to be in it. We could all go together and set up an LA fan section and learn all the dances and do fun stuff. But yes, it was worth it. And if you are wondering, I gave Marianne five bucks.

Much love,

Ariana
by YAKI101 | 2006-08-21 14:52 | X JAPAN NEWS