Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - The Official L`Arc~En~Ciel Thread

got back from Paris last night, and couldn't wait to post my report/thoughts. This'll probably be quite detailed with not-so-important details at points and not very detailed at others, as I find, once I'm out of a concert I find it difficult to remember how the songs sounded and can never remember a setlist lol.

01. get out from the shell -asia version-
02. Driver's High
03. Killing Me
04. DRINK IT DOWN
05. DAYBREAK'S BELL
06. winter fall
07. Kasou
08. My Dear
09. forbbiden lover
10. MY HEART DRAWS A DREAM
11. Caress of Venus
12. REVELATION
13. SEVENTH HEAVEN
14. Pretty girl
15. STAY AWAY
16. READY STEADY GO
17. NEO UNIVERSE
18. HONEY
19. Link
20. Anata

My friends and I set out to checkout Le Zenith on the morning of the concert. I was qutie excited/nervous whilst riding the metro to the venue and as I was starting out one of the windows realised Hyde was staring back at me! There were other fans wearing t-shirts on the train! (Though I was too shy to say anything). But they had really cool t-shirts that they must have got from Japan, with Hyde's face on it and some japanese writing. So if the venue wasn't going to be easy to find, we could just follow these people! Luckily the metro came up almost inside the park, so it was very easy to find Le Zenith. It was 10am when we got there and people were alreading queuing! Since it was a holiday for my friends too, and because I'm not sure if I could have waited that long, we had decided to come back at 4pm (which was just as well).

So we finally arrived back at Le Zenith - after a day of walking around Paris, probably not a good idea! - at 4pm and went to join the queue. The only problem was...where was the queue? There was no queuing system in place and it was more of a crowd of people sitting around with people queuing at the two entrances, though it wasn't obvious where this queue ended. I was also unsure if there were two entrances and if we were going to be let into both of them. I wished there had been a queue as then maybe I would've got talking to more people, but because people were just sitting around anyway I think most people stuck to their own groups. And wow it was really hot outside! My shoulders got sunburnt (though I'm ginger which doesn't help). Anyway luckily at some point, some other people from the UK came to speak to us! I had my Scottish flag so they noticed that and we got talking as we waited. (Though was it just me, or was there a lack of flags? I was expecting a lot more. Still it means I'll be easier to spot on the DVD) There was also a French TV crew going around interviewing people - luckily they never spoke to my friends and I lol. We also got to hear L'Arc practising too, which was cool!

I did get a bit confused about the time we were supposed to get let in and the time L'Arc were supposed to be on. My ticket had the time of 7, which I had thought was the time the doors opened. Then before I left Digitick e-mailed me to say doors open 6, show at 7. Great - I get to see them sooner than I thought! The doors, opened after 6 and it took them a while to get everyone in and tickets scanned etc. At this point, one of the guys from the UK I had met made the comment that the japanese fans were getting in first, which I didn't really pay too much attention to or think about. I guess I just assumed they'd been there first. If they got in before other people who were queuing from 9am or however early people got there and got in first, that's pretty unfair. I know fanclubs over here too, giving people priority on ticket sales, but letting people in earlier then people who have been sitting out in the heat for hours? I think everyone should have a fair chance to get a good spot, no matter which country they are from. Luckily for me, due to the lack of a queuing system, I may have got a better spot than I should have.

We got in and managed to find out way to the mosh pit and grab some much needed water! Although I wasn't right at the front - which from reading that fan's LJ was probably just as well - I was happy with the place I got, even if the view wasn't perfect and I had to watch the screens at some points. Think I was in the middle of the pit...maybe a bit closer to the front than that. I have to admit at this point I was getting really irritated. My feet were really sore which my fault from all the walking I'd done that morning and I was getting quite impatient. I don't care when they're on, but I'd just like to know when! I was getting a bit confused about what time the concert was supposed to start. It didn't help that there were a lot of "false starts", everytime a curtain twitched or a light went one people would start cheering and screaming, but it did make for a great atmosphere. My only other worry about the concert is that it would be really uncomfortable if I was getting pushed and shoved around and if there was no space to move really, luckily my spot was OK. It's really crap for all those other fans got the front only to be pushed around by some of the Hydeist members (at least I heard they were the Hyde fanclub members and looking back to the reports of Hyde's concerts in the US, this ties into their behaviour....not to generalise....but some of these fans seem really vicious. I read on another forum that a fan got punched! And good on that LJ who fought back and took no crap. If I were in that situation I'd feel really itimidated and would be scared I would get chucked out if I retaliated.) Luckily, I had a good experience in the mosh pit.

So they finally got on around 8pm! It was quite exciting to seem their sillhouettes behind the curtain. And as soon as they came on I forgot about the heat and my sore feet. Even though I'd had a look at the previous setlist, Get Out From The Shell still seemed quite unexpected but was good to hear anyway! Again Driver's High and Killing Me were fun to bounce along to and I had fun singing along to the english parts. I must say I was very impressed with all the French fans singing - they were belting out all the choruses and seemed to know a lot of the words! (I also quite liked hearing them chant L'Arc~en~Ciel too, so now I know the proper pronounciation and have more confidence saying it lol)

I enjoyed Hyde's mc, though I was surprised he did it all in French since he previously did that message in english. Still, even though I couldn't understand I enjoyed it (his French accent was quite hot and I think he did a good job of speaking French, though obviously I have no idea if it was any good!) I really enjoyed Drink It Down - was looking forward to belting out "Drink it, drink it down!" at the end! Daybreak's Bell was great, though like previous concerts the piano wasn't easy to hear. Winter Fall was unexpected but nice to hear! Was so glad they did Kasou! Had fun singing along to what I could of that! Was glad they did My Dear as it was one of my favourite songs off Awake and it was cool to hear Forbidden Lover too! Next was my favourite performance of the whole concert - My Heart Draws A Dream! Great guitar solo at the start! And I loved singing a long! I only wish I knew the verse at the end that everyone sang along too. I vaguely knew the sounds but that was it. Caress of Venus was a LOT of fun, everyone went mad for it in the mosh pit! It was good to hear Relevation as well as that was one of the songs I really loved when I first got into them. And Seventh Heaven!! Loved SH - anyone who's not sure if this song would change their mind if they could to experience it live! I was very chuffed I got one the streamers that were released from the ceiling with their name on it! Still trying to figure out a use for mine. (Think I might frame a bit with my poster and am wondering if it would work as a curtain tie back?)

Pretty Girl...not bad but I wouldn't have minded if they'd replaced it with another song. Though they seem to enjoy doing it. Loved seeing everyone doing their thing on Stay Away! I loved Ken's MC too - it was pretty funny from what I understood. Can't remember much from Tetsu's, actually I felt I didn't get to see much of Tetsu I was surprised Yuki did one as I thought he was quite shy. Another thing I liked about the concert is that they were equal love for everyone! No one member got more cheers or shouts than another. Ready Steady Go was the next tune and wasn't as much fun as I'd thought. It's not a song I usually listen to, but I thought it be quite good live. It wasn't bad, but didn't stick out from some of the other, better songs for me. (Plus I thought all the cheering for RSG was giving them the wrong idea lol. And I love FMA and L'Arc....but RSG ain't their best song) I attempted to call my friend during RSG so she could hear it, though I was a bit parnoid someone would see my phone and chuck me out. Not that I was holding it up in the air and taking pictures like other people. But I didn't managed to get through to her anyway...and the sound probably wouldn't have been great. Neo Universe, Honey and Link were all quite fun. And I hadn't heard much of Anata TBH - need to listen to more of Heart - so it was quite nice to hear!

After the concert and never having been so sweaty in my life - luckily my flag came in handy for wiping the sweat off my face lol. Then I went off to get the merchandise and wow that queue was mental! More pushing and shoving than the moshpit! Luckily I managed to get the stuff I wanted eventually (though I wish they had better fitted t-***** and that the designed tied into the tour more. I think Olivia's t-shirts were better!)

What suprised me was the amount of people I saw wearing L'Arc t-shirts the next day. OK, I didn't see loads of people but I thought it was cool to see any! We saw someone in the queue at Disneyland for the tickets and on the Metro! I felt qutie sad the next day when it was over, I really hope they come back! I can't wait for the DVD either (so we're actually getting one of just the Paris concert? I thought it might be one of the whole tour) I can't wait to watch it back, cause although it was totally amazing to be there, you get a better sound from the DVD and can then remember how all the songs sounded live. I did think at some points Hyde wasn't that clear and that maybe they should've done another ballad to show off his voice *coughAloneEnLaVidacough*. Hopefully I shall be easy to spot on the DVD, or my flag will be anyway!

mi|kshake~