mardi 10 Jui 2014, 16h14m
Mon 9 Jun – CrossFaith (JAP) + coldrain (JAP), předkapela TTIOT
Since I'm on the bus home right now with nothing better to do I can just as well write a review here. The reason why I'm on the bus home is because my friend encouraged me to go to this concert which happened to be in another country. I learned about it 2 days before, and spontaneously decided to go! It turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made! (Despite over 9 hours travel one way)
I've heard about coldrain fairly recently from the said friend. For a couple of years now I've had a fascination with Japanese rock, however, I've never been muchinto visual kei, and finding "normal" bands seems a bit more challenging. I immediately checked out coldrain's Through Clarity, and… I can't say I loved it, but I liked it a good bit. I liked it enough to find sometime in my hectic schedule to go to a concert to another country!
I've never even seen a picture of the band or a video, I had no idea what to expect. Usually having no expectations is for the best, but here I believe I would have gotten blown away even if I had some. My friend praised the band for the contact with fans, and indeed it was great! I can honestly say that in this regard they were one of the best bands I've seen live! Standing in a second row, I've seen a good deal. Jumping, headbanging, admiring. Just a couple of days ago we've gotten to see girugamesh (which happens to be my most scrobbled band, and one of favorites, obviously). Then, I though a venue couldn't get more hot and my top more sweaty. After coldrain the venue in Prague got even hotter than that in Warsaw where girugamesh played.
In the break between bands, when we tried to regenerate enough energy and regulate temperature, Crossfaith's Tatsuya - this inconspicuous boyish-looking guy - sat behing the drums and started entertaining the fans. When they band finally showed on stage in full - true mayhem began. I've never experienced anything like that in my life, only seen on the computer screen. Chaos, stage dives, screaming, jumping, alcohol on stage, passing around Jägermeister and water. Chaos, pure chaos. And I loved it! That atmosphere was something unforgettable.
Even though I didn't really like Zion much, which I've started to listen a few days before the concert, I can't stop listening to it now, after the concert. Hearing that music live totally change my perception of it. Also, I need to mention here their angelic-faced white-clad drummer, who was so incredibly skilled both at drumming and in entertaining people. Looking at him show off was indescribable pleasure! Overall the performance was amazing as well!
By the end of concerts, my top was literally drenched. I would squeeze the sweat out of it, and by no means have I ever experienced anything like that. Not to THIS extent.
Thankfully, learned by experience after girugamesh I took a t-shirt for change, so that at least afterwards I could take pictures with band mambers and talk with them feeling a bit less uncomfortable, haha. I was joking all three Japanese bands I've seen in the recent days demonstrated Japanese climate, with unbearably high temperature and high humidity. It was a metalcore sauna! And, strangely enough, with this term I certainly approve it!
I don't even know which band I liked more. I just wished either of them had a girly-type tee in merch, because I really dislike the unisex/guy ones. I would love it so much! Instead I left with a wristband, where I got white one, and my friends got black and grey, so we covered all colors. Such an amazing experience overall! I'm incredibly glad I decided to go on such a short notice, and I'm also so very thankful to my friend for telling me about the concert and encouraging me to go! It was so much worth going! Time and money well spent!