[SunshineSlayer]

This is a copy of the review I wrote at the Tofu forums. I should have asked before, but did any AHSers go to this show and are any planning on going to the Hollywood show tomorrow?

I'm going to start with the negative first because I want to make sure Tofu reads it before the show on Sunset tomorrow. I'm not sure how similar architectually the 2 House of Blues venues are, but I am going to assume that they have the same basic layout - floor, vip section, balcony. For those that were in the balcony, on the sides, visibility was next to nothing due to the people in the VIP section which from what I understand were mostly Tofu employees. I'm not sure how the visibility was on the balcony if you were straight back (I'm assuming it was at least a little better), but if you were on the side, it was hard to fully enjoy the show. I would not be mentioning this unless it was really bad and it was - I've seen better shots of the stage from the most crappily shot bootlegs than what I saw tonight.

Anyone in the VIP section that was standing or leaning forward in the booths, you just could not see around them. I had to half stand on my stool the entire time to even somewhat see Hyde. I tried standing up all the way, but security wouldn't allow it. Most of the people around me just gave up trying to see anything about half way through and just listened. Security even asked some people in the VIP section to sit down, which I think one did, but the rest just moved and continued standing. I even saw several people in the section look back at the people behind them in the balcony and they had to see that everyone was really straining uncomfortably to see anything, but no one really tried to fix anything.

So, for future reference for any other Tofu concerts at this venue and the one at Sunset tomorrow, if you are in the VIP section: Please do not stand and try not to lean forward too much if you are in a booth. Or better yet, sit in the stools that were directly behind the booths - you are still going to have a perfect view and you won't be blocking the people behind you.

Setlist: This setlist I'm sure is very innacurate. Smile I'm probably forgetting a track or two and the only order that I am sure of is that Jesus Christ was 1st, Dolly was 3rd, Midnight Celebration was last before the encore and the encore I remember. I haven't listened to the Faith album a whole lot yet, so I may have forgotten some of those or gotten their order wrong. So just take this as a rough guideline.

Jesus Christ
?? Something noisy, from Faith. Smile
Dolly
Seasons Call
Evergreen (rock version)
Perfect Moment
Sweet Vanilla
It's Sad
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Hello
Midnight Celebration
Encore -
Countdown
Hideaway
Unexpected (rock version)

^ I THINK Made in Heaven and Faith were in there somewhere as well.

I did think some of it just sounded too "noisy", like a lot of the tracks from Faith. (that is my general complaint with that album really, I prefer his first two albums.) That's not to say that those songs were badly performed, they weren't. They are just not my favorite from Hyde's song catalog. The main album track that I like from Faith, Mission, unfortunatly was not played, which I found suprising since that sounds like it would be a great concert song.

Best/most memorable performances:
Hello, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, and the entire encore.

The crowd suprised me durring Hideaway when they pretty loudly sang the "Get your hands dirty" line - Hyde must have been proud. Smile Also, if you don't know the lyrics to Hello by heart, you should bruch up for the concert because Hyde let the audience sing a good portion of it and not wanting to disappoint Hyde, I shouted it at the top of my lungs. Smile

While Hyde's english pronounciation isn't perfect when speaking, I definitely hear an improvement over Otakon '04. He seemed to really be enjoying himself and asked the crowd "are you having fun?" and saying things like "get crazy with me!" Also, before Seasons Call, he said "This is a Japanese song." "Is it OK if I sing in Japanese?" (personally, it's often harder for me to understand him when he is singing in English. lol) It was a cute moment though Smile

Hyde's voice sounded excellent throughout.

Also, they were filming from the VIP section, but only from one angle. So I doubt if a DVD comes out that it will be of this show. If a DVD is released it will be from a different show or they will cut and past footage from the 4 shows together.

Oh, and the opening band actually wasn't half bad.

I'm going to the HOB show tomorrow too and will definitely avoid the balcony this time. I actually want to SEE Hyde. Smile