Amber the Jrock girl

S.K.I.N.

2007-07-03T19:49:04Z

Fateschild's S.K.I.N. experience!!!!!

First of all, this was such an awesome experience. It was so incredible. I would definitely go through it all again to see Gackt live. You can skip down to the bottom if you only want the review of the show. It's marked.

I flew out of Seatac at 7 am Thursday morning, after getting a call from one of our group that she had missed her plane in Virginia because of security. Before I boarded she called to let me know there was hope and that she was working on it.

I arrived in Long Beach around 10 am and met up with one member of our group (Star) from Illinois at the airport. We took a taxi to the convention center and met two more people there. Oasis and Jimmy. Now understand that we have never officially met before this day. We are all North American Dears members. But for this concert we all got to meet.

Oasis and Jimmy had already been in line for the pre-registration since about 8 that morning, so we had a spot in line that was very close to the front of the line. Registration didn't open until 1pm that day, so we took turns hold the space in line while luggage was checked and food was obtained. We moved though the line rapidly once it opened. All this time we were talking to Iconocat, who was still stuck in Virginia. She had to take a train to another airport to catch a flight that would get her in California that night.

After the registration line was the lines for the concert tickets. Now there were three levels of tickets. Premier tickets cost $50 and quaranteed you a floor seat, Hotel block tickets came with the reservation of hotel rooms at certain hotels and then just general seating that was handed out free and was up in the balconies. Oasis and Iconocat had bought the premier tickets. We got Oasis in line for his ticket and me, Star and Jimmy went to go stand in line for our hotel block tickets.

Now, we had only found out recently that our hotel room had been bumped to a different hotel. We were now at the Doubletree. This hotel is 9 miles!!!!! from the convention center. Because Iconcat wasn't there, she booked the rooms, we hadn't checked in yet. So when we got in line for the tickets we didn't have the info from the hotel yet. We sent Star by taxi ($26) to the hotel to get the info. Once she got there the hotel said that they wouldn't give her any of the papers except for hers. I started crying at the ticket booth and she starting crying at the hotel, both from frustration and anxiety. Finally, the hotel backed down and printed all the info. Star rushed back to us and we got our tickets. !!!!!

We relaxed and ate dinner. Oasis and Jimmy headed back to their hotel. Me and Star decided to see if we could ride the bus to our hotel. We talked to the concierge at the closest hotel to the convention and gave us a bus number to ride on. However, she didn't thoroughly do her research, because the bus we rode didn't get us very close to our hotel. It covered about 7 out of the 9 miles to the hotel. Thanks to the kindness of an anonymous lady on the bus who gave us very good directions, we made it to our hotel. But not before we had walked about 2 miles though a very seedy, Mexican part of town. Thankfully, no one bugged us. But it was very tiring and we didn't get to the hotel until after dark. Star had been able to check us in earlier, so we just went up to the room and relaxed. I introduced Star to the first disk of Gackt's Kagen no Tsuki tour. After watching the performance of fragrance she fell off the bed.

Iconocat arrived shortly after 11pm and we mobbed her in the lobby. We jumped and squealed and were just generally happy. Our group was complete.

The next morning all the rest of us stood in line for the premier tickets, while Iconocat worked her way through the mile or so long line of the registration. We probably let about a hundred people go passed us in the line, just so that we wouldn't have to be at the end of another line. (btw. We saw Nigeldamas and in line too)

We went and ate lunch and got in line to get into the concert. It was the worst line yet. There was very little organization, we were out in the full California sun and the show didn't start seat until two hours after the original time. Our seating was assigned by our order of picking them up, so it didn't matter where we were in line. However, we just wanted to get in there.

It took a while to get everyone seated, but then we saw lights from the guitars behind the white sheet over the stage.

***Start here if you are skipping the pre-experience ********************

They played the bands preview video on the sheet and then it dropped and they were all there!!!!!!!!!!! Including the surprise of seeing Ju-Ken as the bassist. (Gackt's bassist)

We had some of the best hotel block seats. We were in the first side section on the right, about level with the stage and we could see all the screens. About 2/3 of the premiere tickets were not as good as ours. It was so sweet!!!!

Gackt was right there on stage, in front of me!!

Everyone screamed with the curtain dropped. And then Gackt asked us "Are you ready to Rock?" I was screaming at the top of my voice.

There were only four songs played and they filled the rest of the time by getting the audience to shout stuff back at them. We shouted the name of the band so many times.

But the best part for me was when he introduced everyone. He said that Miyavi was like a little brother and for Sugizo he said. "I used to hate this guy, but now he is my best friend" He introduced Ju-ken and Yoshiki and then he turned to the audience and screamed "Who am I?" We, of course, all screamed his name back at him. It was indescribable. Here I was responding to Gackt. He shouted and I got to shout back. Absolute bliss.

Gackt's English was very cute. You could tell that he was working hard to speak clearly. The sound system was really good for a convention sound system. I think the bands helped out on that one. lol And, Damn, he sounds just as good in person.

They also had an instrumental part were Yoshiki started playing the piano and then Gackt started playing another one. Sugizo played the violin and Miyavi played the Shamisen. I loved it until Yoshiki started pointing on the keys. *grrrrr* I could probably have listened to that instrumental part for a lot longer than it lasted.

And Gackt kept asking us if we wanted more Skin. O_O Was he kidding!!! Of course, we did. We all screamed our fool heads off.

I screamed a yelled so hard that I got a tremendous headache and was nauseous by the end. My voice still isn't fully back. lol

It was the best experience and I am still wearing my yellow wrist band from the concert. Now I just have to start saving for the road trip for their tour later this year.

Here are some low quality recordings (cell phones mostly) of the concert that have been posted on youtube. There are now about 6 pages of short concert snippets on youtube. Wow!!

this is the best one on youtube so far. The audio is incredible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PIAlol-bM8

the distortion on this is due to the recording not the music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOb0QP2XnC4

Anime Expo

2007-05-31T16:47:14Z

Gackt is going to be in California next month. It looks like I am going to be able to get there and see him. I am really excited. I have been trying to see Gackt in concert for almost three years now. He is going to be part of a super band called S.K.I.N. All I need to get now is my airline tickets. The tickets to the concert and the con are already taken care of. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Gackt book specifics

2007-04-13T23:09:44Z

Picture of me with Lin Clover

2007-04-11T02:09:16Z

Artist found at Sakuracon

2007-04-10T02:59:33Z

I found this cool artist at Sakuracon, she draws anime style Gackt.

www.pzbart.com

I bought two book marks one as Inuyasha and one as Sesshomaru. Check it out.

Sakuracon 2007!!

2007-04-10T02:39:51Z

Oh, the fun I had this weekend at Sakuracon. Staying up later and watching anime or movies. Taking pictures of cosplayers. Stalking Lin Clover. Ahh, the memories.

Friday, we got up crazy early to get there in time. Bow was very nervous about her interviews. I don’t blame her. We wandered around the vendors rooms for a long time and took lots of pics of the cosplayers. I spent way too much on Gackt stuff.

Bow had her interviews in the afternoon. I was waiting for her to get out of the interviews, so after the Move interview I was outside the room for the Lin Clover interview. However, the interview was moved to an open court yard and I got to sit at the next table and observe the interview. Very cool.

After the interviews we wandered around Seattle looking for a decently priced restaurant. We finally found one and we were very happy when another group came in and was talking about Gackt behind us. Tickled us pink. One of the funniest things that happened was that our bill was taking a millennium and a half to arrive, so we all broke out in “Fleademption” right there in the restaurant. Amazingly, our bill arrived very soon afterwards.

Saturday, we messed around until the concert. Bow and I went to the Tea Ceremony. I got the stand right near the front of the stage. I had a great view of Ren, but there was a tall security guy standing nearby and I could only see the rest of the band about half the time. Bow was way closer. She was right in front of the stage. After the performance we got to see the band moving their stuff back stage and Ren kind of laughed when he grabbed his guitar while bow was still taking a picture of it. He held it still for a moment so she could get the shot.

After the concert we were close to the place that the Lin Clover signing booth was moved to. Yuri heard Cassie’s talking Pikachu and came over to tell me how cute it was. She is so tiny. You just want to pick her up and cuddle her. I got a Lin Clover shirt signed and their cd. And a picture with the band!! But Bow took that picture and she hasn’t sent it too me yet. I took a few pics of my own. But they aren’t as good.

We stayed up late watching AMV’s and some anime. I introduced Bow to Gilgamesh. Which has some very hot boys/monsters in it.

Sunday, we packed up, and spent our last few hours at the con. All the Q&A’s and official autograph sessions were that day. I went to the Lin Clover sessions.

Questions and some of their answers.

What do you do in your free time?
Nao – drawing pictures
Yukkie – drinking whiskey
Ren – watching videos and movies. Adult videos.
Yuri – watching normal movies, in the theater.
If you could be an anime character which one would it be?
Yuri – Bubbles from the Powerpuff girls
Nao – Goku
Ren – Ichigo from Bleach
Yukkie – Piccolo

A big one was:

Some of you have worked with big name bands before and Yuri was playing piano solo. How does your current experience differ from your previous experiences?

The poor translator was trying so hard to answer the question without specifically mentioning Gackt. The answers were pretty typical for the question. Nao answered for both him and Ren. He mentioned that it is different because the big star has almost all the say in the creative process and they had to work around this person. Whereas, in the small band they have a lot more creative input into the music. Yuri liked the energy and expanded creativity that comes with working with other people and their instruments.

And my personal favorite was Ren’s answer to how did you get into music?

He answered that there was always music around him and then when he was a teenager. He and his friends decided that they would make a band together. They couldn’t decide who would be in what position. So they played Rock/Paper/Scissors and he got bass. That is how he became a bass player.

After the Q&A, Cassie looked at me and asked me which one had said that he liked to draw. I told her that it was Nao.

So at the autograph session, while Bow was getting a cd signed. I mentioned to Nao (via translator) that my daughter like the fact the he draws. So they had a conversation about drawing and he shook her hand. Awesome cool.

Wow, this is long. I will stop now. If anyone has anymore questions feel free to ask me.

Pic from the signing session. Not me in that picture.

Me and my crazy family.
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more crisis core

2007-04-02T20:56:12Z

Gackt's character in the Crisis core trailer

2006-12-11T16:26:18Z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwVf7DAPIBs

North American Dears commercial

2006-12-07T16:59:04Z

I made this for the site North American Dears.

youtube videos

2006-12-07T16:57:32Z

These are my youtube videos. All are Gackt related. I am working on a series of videos with Gackt songs, some pictures and subtitles. Not very elaborate, but great for showing to your friends and family. When they complain about not understanding what he is singing. they seem to be reasonably popular.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HCMPDltbWM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5a4jZwaUEg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLi82bEKJko

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOYz2I8ozes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAcL0dARRDg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ei0_XIBzIc

new account

2006-12-07T15:42:23Z

I finally got an LJ account. Woot.

new account

2006-12-07T15:36:48Z

I finally got a LJ account. Are you all proud of me.