any local peeps up for seeing trans-siberian orchestra nov. 21?

read: who wants to take me for my birthday? :x

ahhhhhhhhhhh tori ♥

i haven't seen her live since 2003 in nashville and she's released a lot of new stuff since then, so i was a little wary but still really excited for this. our seats ended up being pretty damn amazing, especially considering i only bought them a week ago and it was the first show on her new tour.

( *stabs phone* )

the only problem was this seriously high or tripping girl two rows in front of us who kept dancing in her seat and swooshing her hair side to side and raising her arms in the air. i felt bad for the guy directly between us; he pretty much had his top half leaned over into the aisle to see around her. luckily she moved after a couple of songs. :/

and the songs. omfg. crucify (of course), precious things, cornflake girl, bliss, past the mission, china, datura, icicle, baker baker, carbon, space dog, a handful of songs that were either new or i can't remember the titles of, and something i never thought i'd ever get to hear in person: landslide. fdsjtdsjfkjmdfjnfhsdhndshbdfnjyf.


also recently got to see colin raye thanks to kitsuneyujji. that brought back memories, wow. it's been a really long time since i've actively listened to country music, but his show was so good. i'd forgotten how many of his songs i loved and the new pieces he did were really enjoyable as well.

since i don't listen to the radio any more i miss out on all the news about american bands. decided to check and see if anyone was going to be doing any concerts in the near future, and lo and behold...

tori amos @ seattle, july 10 (have tickets. nem, mousie, you each owe me $90.50 next weekend. fucking ticketmaster. -_-)
tool @ atlanta, july 27 (when i'll be back home) sold out *eyes craigslist*
coheed and cambria @ puyallup, september 16 (anyone wanna go with?)

and am going to see colin raye with kitsuneyujji this weekend. hello, nostalgia. :)

so, a slightly longer epik high report.

saturday: concert day

we went up to the venue early (around 3-ish) to stand in line since it was all first come for spots. then after we'd been there, we found out there was a very very short line up front for 21 and up. score! snagged goods on the way and i got the very last black t-shirt they had. ;P

then while we're standing out there, this guy comes up to me and starts asking me questions like why and how long i've liked korean music, how did i get into it, do i have the cds and how do i get them, what other artists do i like. turns out he's a reporter from the korea times (?). and he was taking pictures of the crowd and our group. >>;

once we got inside, we decided to sit up in the back so as to avoid being crushed, which ended up being a smart idea. everyone i've talked to that was in the crowd said it was crazy. the concert was pretty much a blur of awesome, and i know there'll be better fan reports from people that can actualy name all of their songs *cough*. i'm just happy we got this.


sunday: meet and greet

perfect timing. we got there at 11:30 or so and ran inside to buy stuff to donate so that we could get into the vip line and go in first. right around noon a ton more people started showing up. they did random contests and stuff, but we just hung out until the guys arrived.

when we got inside, they were only letting people have one thing signed so when i got up to tablo and:
me: umm... i know we're only supposed to have one thing but canyousignthistoo?
tablo: *picks up my anyband dvd* O_o wow, this is really rare.
me: yeah. ^^;;
tablo: *sees the sticky note they wrote names on* your name is really tabs? cause... mine's tablo. :)
me: *trying SO HARD not to facepalm* LOL, yeah. i know. :D thank you~

and by that time mithra and tukutz had already signed my book album and the staff was urging me out the door. :/

we then decided to head over to the bookstore in pal-do world where i cleaned out the big bang stuff they had and elise got the mirotic photobook. after we ate, we noticed that there were still a handful of people left so we wandered back to verizon just in time to see the guys leaving and say bye (and thank you). XD


in conclusion:
epik high is awesome
i am sunburned like mad but it was so worth it

( pictures )

the concert was fucking awesome.

there'll possibly be a longer report later. we're going to try to leave in 7 hours to go to the meet and greet.

all i have to say is:

OHFUCK WE GOT BREAKDOWN.

i has mail. :Dv

*drags twinnie along*

it's getting to be that time of year when all the fangirls start going to japan. i've had several people ask for tips and advice on staying in japan and what all to do when there, especially concerts. it's much easier to have it all in one place, and this way i can just link back. if this helps you out at all, feel free to link back to it. ^^

the idiot's fangirl's guide to japan


getting concert tickets
( ~of primary concern )

making your way around
( ~because you have to get there )

where to stay
( ~and have a place to stash your loot )

food!
( ~stuff your face )

shopping!
( ~snag even more loot )

so... that's it! if i've made any glaring errors or you have any other questions, please ask. ^^

anyone in the seattle area up for seeing coheed and cambria at the showbox sodo on may 20th with me?

very very very preliminary planning...

kenaressa, thoughts? very end of august looks the most promising. anyone else planning on going then?

*crosses fingers and hopes she actually gets to go back this summer*

list of all concerts for those 2 weeks:

8/16 w-inds. @ hiroshima (hiroshima kousei nenkin kaikan)
8/17 w-inds. @ hiroshima (hiroshima kousei nenkin kaikan)
8/17 one ok rock @ kobe (kobe star club)
8/18 one ok rock @ osaka (osaka big cat)
8/19 w-inds. @ kagawa (alpha anagaki hall)
8/20 w-inds. @ kobe (kobe kokusai kaikan) *points and flails*
8/23 w-inds. @ osaka (osaka-jo)
8/23 kanjani8 @ (mieken eisan arena)
8/24 kanjani8 @ (mieken eisan arena)
8/26 kanjani8 @ (guran messe kumamoto)
8/27 w-inds. @ tokyo (budokan)
8/27 kanjani8 @ (guran messe kumamoto)
8/28 w-inds. @ tokyo (budokan)
8/29 one ok rock @ iwate (morioka club change wave)
8/30 w-inds. @ nagoya (rainbow hall)
8/30 kanjani8 @ nagano (nagano big hat)
8/31 kanjani8 @ nagano (nagano big hat)

as you can see, several of them overlap. unless something changes, the w-inds. nagoya show is the tour final, so i'd really really love to go to that one, and one of the budokan shows will probably be the one that gets filmed. nagoya, budokan, and osaka-jo are all pretty big venues, which will satisfy my desire to see them in a huge crowd, but halls are much easier to see without having to look at a screen. :/ lessee... stay in kobe/osaka/nagoya for a week and then go to tokyo? something. as far as going all over the place, we'll have a rail pass, but staying in kobe for the first part would mean less travel time back and forth. even if i would rather stay at the ryokan in nagoya again. and i am dragging you to at least one one ok rock show. it's up to you if you want to go to any of the others with me. i really only have a desire to see k8 once, but i have no complaints if you want to ditch me for a night. ;P

ps. plane tickets? $1500. *cries* we've got to see what jtb has.

WHY IS NO ONE ONLINE RIGHT NOW?!?!

HUH!!

I WANT TO FLAIL AT SOMEONE. *CRIES* T_T

I DON'T CARE IF I HAD TO STAND ON TIPTOES FOR NEARLY THE WHOLE CONCERT.

I HAVE A CUTE HAT.

AND I HAVE THIS.

*SPAZZES*

FINALLY!

fdhgfdhfdhnfghdfgsgdfshfgfdbhfgdfgdnfdxgfdjgdfhyrshtfdnhgfjhfdjk :O

you know you all love me. now someone sign on to messenger!

( ;P )

FLAIL WITH ME, DAMMIT.

[edit]
see? i told you i'd remember something. XD
during the little dance improv break, instead of doing the usual fairly simple dance he's been doing, ryu did his acrobatic stuff, flipping across the stage. ryo's breaking was even more extensive than usual and was amazing. i wonder if going right after ryu had anything to do with it. :x