Introduction The bunka-sai concerts continue in Japan, this time with Acidman playing at Kogakuin University's gymnasium in Tokyo. With approximately 5000 in attendence and ready to rock, it was sure to be an adrenaline-filled night. back to features		Acidman @ Kogakuin University Being the act to follow The Back Horn is not an enviable position, even if your band's name is Queen and Freddie Mercury came back for one special performance. While a whole 24 hours separated Acidman's set from The Back Horn's weekend appearance at Nihon University, their impression was still fresh and formidable. All-too-easy comparisons to The Back Horn aside, Acidman was pulling double-duty as far as expectations from this show, considering how the trio managed to quickly leapfrog their songwriting efforts and strengthen their chops through three successive albums culminating in 2004's impressive equal. Just like in the studio, Acidman performs an impressive show, and can charge up a lethargic looking 5000-member audience in a hurry. But they can't quite grab ahold of those high expectations. Through most of their set, Acidman was unable to present their live material in a significantly more compelling manner than their studio recordings. Songs such as "Sekitou," "Isotope" or "Equal" sounded nearly identical to their recorded counterparts, with only slightly more intensity. Furthermore, Urayama Ichigo's usual percussion warfare played a much smaller role than expected. His precision drumming from Loop and equal was frequently muffled by his counterparts, removing even more of the bite from numbers like "FREAK OUT." Stage presence was hit-and-miss as well. Ooki Nobuo, pulling double duty with vocals and guitar, frequently appeared tied down by both of his roles, but bassist Satou Masatoshi stepped in to commandeer the spotlight. Tossing his fist to the ceiling at the start of every song boosted the crowd's enthusiasm to fever pitch as thousands of onlookers mimicked his movements, chanting and bouncing in unison. Like the band apart, Acidman's bassist moved around and rocked harder than either of his compatriots. In spite these criticisms, Acidman was not even close to being a disappointment. Though their set was dominated by rousing selections, the more subtle "SAI (Zenpen)" was the run-away winner of the night. A single bright bulb behind Urayama's drums provided the only light during the song, emitting rays with a prismatic visual effect that matched the music perfectly. Satou's bass was much more audible than on equal's recording, beefing up the band's powerhouse composition even more. Ooki's decision to use a delay pedal improved his guitar lines immensely; the jangly lick during the transition into the distortion-laden final third of the song transformed from delicate to sublime. Similarly, "Aru Shoumei," a mishmash of reused ingredients from a number of equal tracks, rose to unexpected success live. What once sounded like rehash felt more like the band's calling card. Each section of the song showcased Acidman's signature styles and some of their best melodic hooks, like a furious tour through the band's musical resume. Meanwhile, Ooki's slightly more impassioned vocal performance during the verses kicked in a much-needed jolt of nervous energy. What really sealed the performance, though, was the excitement of the audience. The start of each song (except "SAI" and "Kisetsu no Tou") was preceded by a revved up crowd chanting and fist-pumping in response to Satou's prodding. Nearly every chorus turned into a sing-along backed by thousands of voices. Obvious favorites "Zouka ga Warau" and "Hibikari" were greated with a wild fervor, and even moreso for the finale "your song," which nearly incited a mosh pit in the front third of the venue. Acidman, like many Japanese bands, was not much for mc'ing, but Ooki reminisced about experiences playing many bunka-sai concerts, specifically ones during his college years. The Acidman of the day (then a quartet) played on a makeshift stage in the school's cafeteria, only drawing 10 or 20 onlookers to their performance. He concluded with a special message for the students and dedicated "your song" to them, a number he "wanted young people to hear." Acidman may not match the intensity of The Back Horn, but even with several thousand other concertgoers in attendence, there was a unique feeling of a personal connection with the three men on stage pounding out modern day anthems for the kids at Kogakuin University. Acidman Set List 1. colors of the wind 2. FREAK OUT 3. swayed 4. Isotope 5. Equal 6. Sekitou 7. SAI (Kouhen) 8. Kisetsu no Tou 9. Zouka ga Warau 10. Aru Shoumei 11. Hibikari Encore: Your Song - James Route, concert held 2005.10.30
Disclaimer | Contact | Blog | RSS Feed		© 2005-2007 keikaku.net