Pacific Media Expo 2015 ~ Crimson Nail

Hello everyone!

As promised, here is my post about the Femme Fatale concert at PMX this year, the main reason I ended up going this year!

It’s been a long time since I’ve been so deeply hooked on a “traditional” vkei band. I think the last band I was really into was Versailles. Either way, Femme Fatale is the first band that has caught and kept my attention in a long time and not just for Kaya. I had previously been aware of Tana and Iori from past bands they were a part of and Toshi in particular was the bassist of another of my favorite jrock bands, A (ACE). Sadly they disbanded/went on hiatus some time ago.

Since Femme Fatale only formed last year, I did not expect to see them stateside so soon. Their announcement at PMX came as a very happy surprise to me and I must say, they are really awesome and fun to see live! Kaya’s amazing vocals and graceful stage presence mixed with everyone else’s equally incredible instrumental skills and lively personalities made for a show that was so wonderful that I’m taking a whole post on this blog to write about it! XD

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Right before the concert! <3

The air of excitement in the room was strong long before Femme Fatale took the stage and when the lights dimmed announcing the start of the concert, it jumped sky high! The members entered the stage one by one first was Fumiya the support drummer, and then Toshi, from the moment Toshi appeared I could feel his enthusiasm and it was rather exhilarating, to say the least. Iori was next, followed by Tana. When Tana took his spot on the stage I closed my eyes for a second but they bolted open when I collective of intense shrieks from the audience announced Kaya’s appearance, my heart jumped. He was dressed in his “Freya” dress, a gorgeous black strapless gown trimmed with black feathers along the neckline and black and gold lace down the full skirt. In many ways he reminded me a lot of the goddess Freya in his appearance so I guess it makes sense that that was the first song performed.

Kaya commanded the stage with his signature mix of grace and sensuality, when it came time for the Freya chant mid-song; he replaced it with some amazing operatic vocals that seemed to echo throughout the room. After “Freya” was “Jester”, an awesomely fun track. Kaya’s voice was absolutely on point and the bassline of this song in particular is awesome and really showed off Toshi’s skills.

I can not put into words how much I enjoyed the concert! I loved watching each and every member but I must say, Toshi stood out to me the most! He had a lot of energy as I said before and seemed to be really enjoying himself, his smile was very infectious! Many times he would look in the direction of my friends and me making faces as if to pump us up with more excitement, it’s hard to describe but it was really awesome and helped me from surrendering to fatigue all throughout the show. It was so intense. And it goes without saying that Toshi had my attention a lot of the time because I have a thing for bassists’ and he is just so damn sexy he was already a part of a band I really liked. LMAO!

 Iori was also awesome, he and Toshi were the members closest to us and I spent a lot of the concert watching him as well. At one point Kaya left the stage for a moment and Iori treated us to a rock version of the “Star Spangled Banner” on his guitar! It was beautifully done and drove everyone wild!  He told us that how much he loved the US and it made my heart very warm. Such a sweet guy! >w<

During one of the MC’s Kaya thanked us all for coming to Femme Fatale’s debut show in the US. He talked about his solo project for a bit, and how Femme Fatale is very different from that, a lot more rock! XD It’s true and in a lot of ways Femme Fatale is also very different from Schwarz Stein. Another one of the reasons I really like Kaya and respect him as an artist, the versatility of his voice knows no limits. ^.^ 

There was a certain song I was really, really REALLY hoping to hear that night though I worried I probably would not hear it since it’s a very intense song and probably too intense for a convention concert. But I held onto the hope of hearing it throughout the show.

Even though I was waiting/hoping for a certain song to be performed, I still enjoyed every song of the concert and all of my favorites were included.  During another MC, Kaya mentioned a certain song called “Kodou”, it’s technically a new song even though the single was only released for a limited time at lives in Japan this summer. I was quite surprised to see it on sale at PMX and of course, I bought it. Kaya announced that they would be performing that song next and said for all of us to think about someone we really love while listening. At once a bunch of people called out Kaya’s name and he giggled in his cute distinct way, hugging himself and pretending to act shy/embarrassed. I personally WAS embarrassed by this, but for another reason and in a good way.

“Kodou” is indeed a very sexy song and Kaya moved in a way that was quite provocative. I later learned from one of my roommates that Kodou I another word for “lovers” in Japanese. After “Kodou” was another one of my favorite songs, a lovely and bittersweet song about parting called “Voyage”. Another of my favorite songs performed was “Stardust”, it’s also my favorite track off of their first album Arcana. Upbeat and fun, one of my roomates mentioned that she liked this song because the sound reminded her a lot of Kaya’s solo work and honestly I am inclined to agree with her. <3 

Toward the end of the song we sang along with Kaya in what was a very wonderful moment. And then, the moment I was hoping for finally happened. The room when near completely dark for a moment and Kaya performed what I thought was maybe a poem or monologue; either way I could not understand it but I didn’t have to, I knew it was the beginning of the song “Crimson Nail”!!!

Based on his posts on twitter, I know whenever Kaya comes overseas he is concerned about playing the more overtly dark songs (and before PMX he posted about the possibility of doing this particular song. I’m very glad that he did. Thoroughly dark and intense, hearing the recorded track is NOTHING compared to seeing this song performed live. For the first time during the whole show, I turned my attention completely toward Kaya and was in awe at the amount of power and rawness he put into his performance. Screaming out and pleading in a way that could make me feel the agony in his voice. I thought maybe he would hold back only a bit since this was a convention but absolutely not, Kaya held back nothing! After his lament he collapsed fully onto the stage, his skirt of his beautiful costume pooled around him as the rest of the band continued playing. When the song was over and Kaya finished off with another pained shriek that bounced off the walls of the room, I could actually feel my entire body shaking. As everyone clapped and screamed in applause, I actually blurted out “Holy shit!” It was a magnificent performance and, in my opinion, the highlight of the show. The shaking in my body remained with me until the end of the concert.

After “Crimson Nail” the remaining songs were all the very dark and intense songs; “BABEL”, “Medeia”, “SALOME” and “JUDGEMENT –the die has been cast-“ “Medeia” was one of the few songs in which Tana came over to our side and actually stayed there for longer than half a minute. So I took in as much of him as I possibly could. I’m not sure if it was “Medeia” or “SALOME” but at one point Kaya went over to Iori in a teasingly seductive manner, putting his arm around the guitarist and at the very last second, kissing him! It was soooooooo cute! Of course, I absolutely enjoyed “SALOME”! I still want to do a Kaya cosplay based on his Salome costume. This has become one of my favorite Kaya songs of all time. Toward the end of the song, Tana Iori and Toshi all went toward the back by the Fumiya, waving their heads in unison while Kaya enchanted us all with his fabulous dancing.

“JUDGEMENT –the die has been cast-“ was the last song of the main set. A gorgeous song about fate, it was the perfect song to wrap up the main set of the show! Kaya, Tana, Iori and Toshi all came very close to the stage, standing together and seeming to never stop smiling. It was wonderful. Kaya thanked us wholeheartedly, waving and smiling widely as the rest of the band reached out to all. I reached out for Tana’s hand since he was closest to me at the moment but instead grabbed Toshi’s with success. XD I did manage to grab Tana’s hand for a second, and then Iori’s before the whole band left the stage.

It didn’t take too long before everyone was calling for an encore; and it didn’t take much longer after than for Femme Fatale to return to the stage, greeted with thunderous applause from the audience. Kaya teasingly responded that they “had” planned to end the concert at the last concert but because we all seemed to still have a lot of energy they would continue! The band members all introduced themselves and spoke a little, and honestly and sadly, I cannot remember what any of them said because of what Toshi had to say. He took the mic from Kaya and began to say in English “My number is…” and at once Kaya snatched the mic from him while manager-san rushed to shush him up. It’s sad how much I was rolling at that.  ANYWAY! The last song of the night was announced: “Grim Reaper”!

If anyone had lost any energy by this point, it was fully recovered for this powerful encore! The headbanging seemed to never end and the band treated us all to a good dose of fan service. At one point Tana, Iori and Toshi were all together on our side of the stage, bending down at times and allowing the fans to touch them. I held back though because I was trying to catch Kaya’s attention; he was grabbing the hands of fans, kissing/biting them and at one point touching one lucky fan’s lips! It was so thrilling!

Such an incredible concert!!! When the band left the stage for the final time, I immediately collapsed into the first chair I could find. I had to take a few minutes to compose myself and take in all of the amazingness of what I had just experienced. My body was still shaking too. Soon I met up with my roommates, we all mused about how great the show had been and soon there would be an autograph session with the band! I watched as people began to line up but I was still quite overwhelmed and remained sitting as I watched all my friends get things signed. Soon enough though I got in line, I decided to get my Voyage poster and Arcana photobook signed. I bookmarked each page of the book I wanted signed with the little gift boxes I had prepared for Femme Fatale: pieces of handmade jewelry using colors and stones I felt suited each member’s respective personality. Finally, it was my turn, my heart was racing but I managed to stay calm and collected through the experience. I first met Fumiya, he was very nice but I felt somewhat guilty that I had not bought a gift for him as well. I do believe that in time he will become an official member of the band.

Toshi was next; next to Kaya and Tana I was most nervous about meeting him! I could feel my hands shaking as I handed him his gift after he had signed my photobook. He accepted my gift with great enthusiasm, thanking me and shaking my hand heartily. <3

My shyness fully disappeared by the time I got to meet Iori. He is so sweet and has a very warm essence about him. I think the drawing he made is supposed to be a seal, he likes seals! <3

I was quite nervous about meeting Tana though! He’s so very gorgeous and my second favorite member of the band. This going to sound very odd, but something about him reminded me a lot of Kyoya from Ouran Host Club, does that even make any sense?! >o<

And of course, I was most excited/nervous about meeting Kaya. However, I don’t know if it’s because I’ve met him many times, or because by this point I had met the entire band without any moments of embarrassment or fail; but when I first went up to him and he said hello to me with a very sweet smile on his face, my heart felt strangely calm with a sense of warmth. He really is such a lovely, beautiful person and seems to really care deeply for his fans and music. At the right moment, I presented my gift for Kaya with both my hands, all the while thanking him for coming back to the US again and telling him how much I enjoyed the concert as best as I could; I could hear the high pitch in my voice but I still kept it together. He took it with both of his hands and thanked me graciously, shaking my hand afterward. Only then did my heart become fluttery again and I nodded my head quickly and went back to my friends. I was so, so happy. *___*

Afterward, everyone had to leave the room, I  watched through a crack in the door when Crystal presented Femme Fatale with the US flag covered with all of the many signatures of fans that had come out for this wonderful show. The band looked very happy and took pictures together with the flag that can be found now on Kaya’s blog and Iori’s twitter. It makes my heart so warm thinking about how much effort all of the fans put into the flag project and seeing the band appreciate it. I can only imagine how happy Crystal felt too!

After the concert! Can you see the exhaustion on our faces?? XD

Despite still being overwhelmed from the show none of us were sleepy just yet. So we decided to go out and eat and muse and fangirl even more. So much fun we had, so many inside jokes made! The last thing of note to mention was that as we were waiting for Crystal in another part of the host hotel, we saw the band, sans Kaya, pass by us to get to the elevators. That was slightly thrilling! LOL!

Yours Jasmine

Pacific Media Expo 2015 ~ Stardust

Hello Everyone!

It’s been a week since PMX and now only a week until AWA! Let me hurry up and post this report before I become too busy again. XD

I actually finished writing my PMX report less than a day after returning home but to be honest I had been debating with myself for a long while about posting this report as it is now or editing it down tremendously. The reason being because soon after returning from PMX I received some info that strongly suggests that I am currently being stalked by a very jealous and very vindictive former friend. In the end I decided to keep this post more or less the way I wrote it originally. Mainly because for the longest time I have tried to promise myself not to let this horrid person control me or make me afraid to post things I want to on my own blog. So fuck this person. Here is my report as I originally intended it!

And so without further ado, here is my report from my great time at PMX this past weekend!! This was my fourth time at this con but have not been to PMX since 2012 and much has changed. It’s in a much bigger venue now and the lolita and jfashion following has grown immensely. The fashion show and boutique are larger now with more brands, indie and major alike, and the guest list was nothing to sneeze at either! I had toyed with the idea of going when Imai Kira was announced but the minute Femme Fatale was announced I knew I was going! XD

It’s funny that, as I mentioned before, my first experience with PMX was when Kaya was there in 2008 and it was the first time I had ever seen him in person. So I had a somewhat feeling of nostalgia as I flew out to California on Friday. But beyond that, the weekend was very lovely and I was so fortunate to have as my roommates a lovely group of girls, two I had met last year at AUSA. So much happened but let me start from the beginning.

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I left for the airport after work Friday and departed around 6:30 that evening. I was able to see the sunset from my window seat on the plane; to see the sky painted in golden and magenta hues and then slowly fade to dreamy shades of dark blue with the moon and stars decorating the sky in the distance was very beautiful, unlike anything I have ever seen. It was already night when I arrived at LAX. I ought to have gotten to my place of logging soon after but I was stuck with an idiot of a shuttle driver who dropped me off several blocks off course. With my phone dead who knows what would have happened if I had not ran into a very kind group of people who directed me to the right place. By the time I made it there I was beyond tired from toting my luggage several blocks all the while trying to adjust my body to PST. Before long I was out like a rock! XD

A picture from our secret place where we stayed. Couldn't get a hotel room this time but an aibnb was just as good. 

My outfit for the first half of Day 1. I call it trying out otona-kawaii style but failing. XD What do you guys think?

Imagine our slight shock when this little one was waiting for us at the door! We named it George and it stayed there for most of the weekend until the last day, as if to welcome us home every time! XD

Some professional pics of my evening outfit. I think I should have stood behind a lighter backdrop though! XD But I actually learned a lot about posing from my little time with the photographer. All in all, I think these came out rather well! <3

Soon it was time to line up for the concert. Each time I’ve seen Kaya perform whether it was him alone or with a band, it has been incredible, but what I love most about seeing him with one of his bands is that I can appreciate how well he can blend with any musical setting. And the other musicians of Femme Fatale, all of them, are also incredible in their own right. Many times I actually shifted attention away from Kaya to pay attention to Toshi, the bassist who reminded me a lot of a lion in his performance and personality. XD

Obviously, I really enjoyed the show. Afterward, we hung out at a nearby Denny’s before returning home for the night; of course, George was still in the corner of the door to welcome us home. <3

The next day started out good, butor some reason though, I found it hard to focus and became very lightheaded. After Femme Fatale's Q&A panel, I changed into lolita to prepare for the tea party PMX was giving in honor of Imai Kira and the other fashion guest Lorina Liddel. Sadly I was only able to stay for a little bit because I became very sick and sore all over. For a time I was really concerned but in hindsight, I think it may have been a side effect of jet lag. I ended up sleeping the remainder of the day until evening. One of our roomates went off to visit a friend and the rest of us went out to a nice Japanese restaurant for dinner. Afterward, we walked around the con a little more before finally returning home for the night. And that was Sunday for the most part.

Me and my wonderful roomies on Monday, goofing around before the fashion show. I miss them all so much!

The fashion show was the last event of PMX that I attended with my friends. For the first time in about 2 years, I felt absolutely NO insecurity while watching the show.  I still dream of modeling, but I know that it’s not the be all end all for me and I’m even seeing that maybe my place in Jfashion may very well be something else. I won’t say what that thing is just yet but know that I am feeling a lot more confident about things than I was earlier this year and certainly more than I have been in a very long time.

In any case, the fashion show was lovely and very big, certainly much bigger than Anime Matsuri’s fashion show and many more brands too. Not just Japanese brands but indie ones too; from Korean brands to Chinese Taobao brands, even some western ones too. In addition to Lorina Liddel showcasing pieces from Atelier Periott, there were also pieces from Haenuli, Dolldelight, BABY and AATP and R-Series. Just to name afew.

I mostly took notes of the designs I liked best and took video. But here are a few of the photos I did manage to take.

I’m not much one for the headwear but this dress is adorable and perfect for more casual/otome looks! I believe it’s from R-Series. Oh, I hope it can be custom made!

THIS IS SO GORGEOUS!!! *_____*

A Haenuli print. The blue and gold combination is so regal and elegant!

After the fashion show I went to find my friends, and was so happy when I managed to run into David! We had not seen each other since the last time I was in California and I always enjoy seeing him. I was glad to see him again even though we could not talk for long; but we did manage to snap this picture this picture together.

^w^

I said goodbye to him and finally found my friends. They left soon afterward and the rest of my day was spent strolling around Pasadena happily before finally heading out to the airport later that evening for a very early morning departure to home. I mentioned before what an amazing sight seeing the sunset from my window seat on my way to California, but to see the sunrise…. I have no words for how lovely it was to see the sunrise across the seemingly boundless sky. I returned to Baltimore Tuesday afternoon after spending a brief layover in Atlanta. It seemed somewhat ironic to me because in less than two weeks I would be there again for AWA. XD

My little PMX haul, made up mainly of Femme Fatale merch, goods from BABY/AATP and some Imai Kira postcards. Not pictured is my Femme Fatale umbrella and Imai Kira iphone case.

So to sum it up, PMX this year was wonderful! Even with it’s ups and downs, getting sick the second day and the recent slew of drama after I returned home, I all in all had a great time. Like I said before I’m becoming more and more confident in my own natural abilities and am seeing that I don’t need to model or be skinny to have a place in the fashions that I love. I really miss my California friends but I know I will see them again in the future, which, at this moment, could not feel brighter to me.

In my next post, I will write about the incredible Femme Fatale concert that took place on the first night of the con. So look forward to it! ^__^

Recent outfits, Future events, and PMX report Prelude

Hello Everyone!

I hope all of you had a pleasant summer; I did for the most part though I was quite busy with many things from convention planning to other things for the future. I just returned from PMX, I had originally planned to forego it this year since it was before AWA this year but soon after my last blog post renowned lolita illustrator Imai Kira was announced as a guest AND Femme Fatale as musical guest!

Being the massive Kaya fan that I am, I could not possibly pass up a chance to see another one of his amazing bands again! I'm incredibly grateful to Fake Star USA for giving Kaya fans the chance to see him in this country not once, not twice but three times! Something I never thought would be possible back in 2009. And I was also excited to meet Imai Kira who is known for her whimsical and cute drawings she does for Angelic Pretty. All in all it was a great weekend but I will talk more about it in the next few blog posts. In the meantime, this post shall be devoted to some of my recent outfit pics, starting from ACEN.

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This is so far my second recorded try at otome-kei, worn on the first day of ACEN for some shopping and meeting designer Mika Takeguchi. I’m still trying to figure out the schematics of this style, simpler than lolita but girlier, cuter, and more vintage than gyaru and otona-kawaii. But I’m satisfied with this. ^.^

OP ~ Plumprimo

Headpiece and shoes ~ Taobao

(Unseen) Bag ~ BTSSB

For the second day of ACEN for the Mika Takeguchi/Akira fashion event, I tried a more mature looking gothic lolita style. I really loved how it came out and Akira even complimented me! <3

JSK~ Bodyline

Lace Jacket~ Wet Seal

Headpiece ~ Mika Takeguchi

Jewelry ~ Necrosarium

Bag ~ AATP

(Unseen) Shoes ~ Sinister Soles

Otakon this year was really simple outfit-wise. I didn’t wear any lolita until the last day of the con. I REALLY love this Bijou wig from GLW!

OP ~ Chocolate Chip Cookie

Brooch ~ Moss Marchen

Hat ~ Target

Bag ~ BTSSB

Shoes ~ Antaina

Jewelry ~ Various Etsy shops

And finally, my outfit for the second half of the first day of PMX this year! 

OP ~ BTSSB

Bolero ~ Taobao

Bag ~ DreamV

Headpiece ~ AATP

Necklace ~ Etsy

Shoes and Wristcuffs ~ Bodyline

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Those are my most recent coords, but more are on the way, in a few weeks I’ll be going to AWA! Look forward to my next blog about my fun times at PMX! <3

Yours Jasmine

Kamijo 20th Anniversary Concert in NYC aka how I spent my International Lolita Day Part 2 ~ Vive le Roi!!!

Hello Everyone!

And now to continue with my International Lolita Day adventures in New York. After taking the subway again from the boutique we made it to the Highline Ballroom a little past 4. By this time there were a lot of people lined up, I saw a few other lolvely lolitas and even a few Kamijo cosplayers too; there was this one Holy Grail Hizaki cosplayer that looked absolutely stunning!

There were two lines, one for general admission and one for VIP ticket holders, which were us; we would get the opportunity to meet Kamijo before the show! The very thought made me a little sick in my stomach such was my nervousness. This all still seemed like nothing more than a wonderful dream to me but as the time got closer and closer it was beginning to hit me harder and harder that THIS WAS NO DREAM AT ALL!! After 7 years from discovering Versailles and 3 years since their announcement of hiatus, I was going to actually be meeting this incredible, talented, beautiful man who’s bands’ music had been such a driving inspiration to me for so long, helping me through very rough times and making me so happy other times. Not to mention all the wonderful friends and experiences I found through his music. I never imagined that I would have this opportunity. At that moment, I could no longer think about the depressing things that had made me stop listening to Versailles and Kamijo’s music for a while, those things just seemed to erase from my mind fully.

And things REALLY began to sink in the minute I saw this!

In any case, while in line there was this very kind girl holding a large US flag with the gold emblem of Kamijo’s solo project in the center and Amanda and I each signed our names on it. Before the meet and greet staff members let bunches of fans in at a time to buy merch which honestly was very slim pickings. None of Kamijo’s music was for sale which made me rather upset and the only size fan shirt left was way too large for me; in the end I settled on 2 photo sets, gifts for Kitty back home and my friend in Georgia who sadly could not make it. 

After buying merch Amanda and I went back to the VIP line to wait a little more for us to be called back into the venue. As it happens the meet and greet started late and honestly it happened so quickly! There were a lot of VIP’s, probably more than 100. We were led to the upper level of the venue where from downstairs we could see the stage and see people beginning to line up for the show itself, this slightly worried me because I wanted a good spot and didn’t pay $120 to stand TOO far from the stage! While waiting Amanda and I looked down below and could see Kamijo being led upstairs and THAT is when the reality of all of this hit me, I’m worried I may have crushed Amanda’s hand such was how tightly I was squeezing it! We continued holding hands until finally it was my turn, again so quickly! With one last squeeze of her hand the staff member guarding the door opened it for me and I went into the room.

My head was down staring at my shoes and my heart was racing; I heard the word “Bonjour~” and that’s when I finally looked up at a very gorgeous, warm smiling Kamijo, he reached his hand out to me and all I could say was “Hello!” in what was probably a very squeaky voice as I shook his hand. The staff member took our picture and then Kamijo turned to me smiling and shook my hand again with both of his hands saying “Thank you so much, please enjoy!” This time our eyes actually met and I could fully take in how regally handsome he was! The racing in my heart was replaced with a warm fluttery feeling and I squeaked “Arigatou!” but by this point, it was all I could do not to break down and cry. Even now it all seemed like nothing more than a beautiful dream and only when I took my first look at the cheki of Kamijo and I did I finally realize that this was no dream. I had just met Kamijo, I had shaken his hand twice! I had expected the whole experience to be A LOT more daunting but it wasn’t. Despite having a very commanding, slightly intimidating presence (and *cough* sexy! *cough cough*) on stage he was so kind and gracious and it felt like the fluttering in my heart would never go away. What a true gentleman! It didn’t even matter to me that the whole thing only took at most half a minute.

I’m sure regular readers of my blog already know how rare it is for me to give a full, true smile in any picture. But in that moment everything just felt so incredible and euphoric that I could not help but smile. Thank you Kamijo, I will treasure this picture forever! ^O^

I wandered back down the stairs in a strange sort of daze, waiting for Amanda. And then I ran into fellow MD lolita Erica who had also come up to New York for ILD and the concert! We had not seen each other since Anime Matsuri and it was nice seeing her again. She had also just met Kamijo and she, me and Amanda all mused together about the wonderful experience we had all just had and look at our chekis. 

Despite the meet and greet being late, the concert started promptly at 8. The lights dimmed and we all got up from the floor and went wild with excitement!! A blood-red hue illuminated the stage and the beginning tunes of “Vive le Roi” began. We all chanted along with “Vive le Roi” as the support members appeared one by one, oh how my heart raced when Masashi appeared but not as much as when Kamijo finally strode upon the stage obviously relishing how wild we all went for him! Together we all began to chant “Vive le Roi! Vive le Roi! Vive le Roi!” I was getting really excited and my heart soared when Kamijo spoke out the words “The world is, like a Masquerade!” and the epic symphonic chords of “Masquerade” began! One of my all-time favorite Versailles songs! Kamijo sang with so much feeling and I could not help but sing along with him as loud as I could. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, I never imagined I would ever hear this song performed live so the whole experience was just so surreal and amazing. Kamijo moved with such elegance, twirling the cape of his shimmering black and gold jacket and pointing out to the stage, he never seemed to stop grinning. Then when it was time for Masashi’s bass solo that is when I really lost it! I really wish I had a spot closer to him but it was still amazing seeing him because he is so truly talented!

After “Masquerade” we all cheered and I finally was able to fully look upon Kamijo and admire how glorious he was. He smiled at us all and said “Bonjour!” to which we replied back to him with even stronger applause. “Welcome to my palace!” He said in a very regal, somewhat seductive tone; Kamijo always seemed to me to have a certain “passion” for other languages and his English seemed to have really improved since Versailles! The next song was another Versailles tune “Shout and Bites” and then “Phantom” from his New Sodmy days. During these songs I tried to keep my attention on Kamijo but I found my attention often shifting to the very cute guitarist closest to us but most of all, Masashi. Versailles had ended before I could really come to appreciate him as an equal member of Versailles and I was very happy to see him as a support member during this show. Like I said he is very talented and seems to have a very strong stage presence in his own right. Amanda said she thinks he’s cute. XD

 

Kamijo returned to the stage and performed a beautiful Japanese version of the Versailles song “Love Will be Born Again” to a slow instrumental track that nearly bought tears to my eyes. As he sang I looked upon him without fear and could really see (and feel) all the emotion he was putting into the song, it filled my heart with a mix of sadness and joy. After that song the support members returned to the stage for the next song, a beautiful and romantic Lareine track called “Fiancailles”. We sang along joyously to this sweet tune; I was really happy with all the Lareine songs Kamijo had chosen for this show. My only wish was that I could have heard “Metamorphose” “Fleur” or “Lillie Charlotte” as well. But it’s okay. Midway through the song a guy reached out and gave Kamijo a bouquet of blue roses; he kissed the bouquet and continued to sing with the bouquet in his hands. Such a lucky guy!

 

There was a little video before the next song. Now I will admit, except for the very first few songs Kamijo released and the MOST recent of his solo work, I am not all THAT familiar with his solo work, most of last year I devoted my attention to Jupiter and did not pay much attention to what Kamijo was doing. So to that end, the next few songs were kind of fuzzy to me as they all seemed to be mashed together. I only remember Kamijo performing “Dying Table” and “Throne” but that’s because those tracks I particularly took a liking to. So again I just focused on the way Kamijo was moving to and fro in a very flamboyant, elegant way. It was so captivating! He really does have that noble vampire act down pat! For that night, he truly owned the stage.

 

After the last song of the main set we all chanted for an encore. By that time it was a wonder that I had any voice left after so much screaming and singing along to nearly every song I knew AND already battling with a slightly scratchy throat. But the screaming had only just begun.

 

Another video played that showed all of the best of Kamijo over the last 20 years, from Lareine, to New Sodmy, to Versailles to now. It gave me a strange sense of joy and nostalgia to see how far Kamijo had come in his career and I was happy to be able to be there to celebrate his music with fellow fans and him. Finally, the support members returned and a blood-red hue lit the stage again as a grave, daunting beat began, Kamijo returned chanting “Whoa-o-oh” and we, in turn, chanted back “Whoa-o-oh”, in a strong voice Kamijo then sang “The time has come…” and we sang it back to him before the start of the first song of the encore set: the very intense and powerful “Bastile”! We all tried to get as close to the stage as we could as Kamijo performed and came to our side, singing out “Destroy the…” and we replied “BASTILLE!” as loud as we could! Such a fun song to experience live!

 

Kamijo announced the last song and I swear my heart stopped altogether when he said the words: “Aristocrats Symphony”! The first ever song I ever heard of Versailles and my absolute favorite of theirs, “Aristocrats Symphony” holds a very special place in my heart. Even when I was not listening to Versailles for a while during mourning for Jasmine You or because I was depressed about their hiatus, I would still listen to this powerful symphonic tune. All at once a wave of wonderful memories began to hit me as the song began and continued as Kamijo sang. Memories of seeing Kamijo and Versailles for the first time ever at a con in Dallas many years ago, memories of staying up until dawn with my friends watching their PV’s or live clips on YouTube, memories of passing out Versailles flyers as a member of their US Street Team cosplaying as Hizaki, memories of releasing a purple balloon into the sky every August 9^th, a custom I observed every year until 2012. I had forgotten all the bad things, all the drama and all I could think of was headbanging intensely and singing along with Kamijo to this wonderful song. By this time, I could not hold back my tears any longer but I was so, so, SO HAPPY! Words cannot describe the happiness I felt. We all sang along. I did not ever want the song to end.

 

 

 

After the song Kamijo introduced each of his support members, I cheered for every one. They all had done such a magnificent job. Then Kamijo asked us teasingly “And I am…?” I don’t think it was possible to comprehend the audience screaming out Kamijo’s name, such was the passionate volume of everyone. Then Kamijo was presented with the US flag we had all signed earlier and he put it over his shoulder like a cape and even put it over his head once! So funny! He never stopped smiling, even for a moment!

 

And then sat with the support members close to the stage for a picture, we all squeezed in as close as we could for the picture, I think I actually got a very good spot. ^.^ At the very end, Kamijo instructed us to all jump on his cue and he took the hands of all his support members and together we all jumped as high as we could, but at this point I merely pretended because my feet were crying after hours of walking around in EGL platforms and dancing. Kamijo and the support members waved to the crowd and thanked us all graciously and wholeheartedly before leaving the stage for the last time. The concert was over.

 

Reality returned to me immediately as I realized what a magical experience I had just been a part of. Amanda and I didn’t leave right away though, we ran into my friend Shiro and we decided to collapse into the middle of the floor, breathless and euphoric and musing about how amazing the concert had been. We also ran into a bunch of other familiar faces too. It had occurred to me that I was only able to know most of these people through Versailles and by default through Kamijo. It was so wonderful and I can honestly say without a doubt that this had to be one of the best jrock concert experiences I had ever had.

 

Amanda and I returned to the bus station, still trying to take in what a wonderful day and night it had been. Sadly, my bus left at 1am, before her’s so holding back more tears I bid her farewell and we promised each other we would see each other later this summer for Otakon and I returned to Baltimore. It was nearly 5am by the time I came home and I fell into bed, still fully dressed in my Moitie regalia.

 

 

 

All my purchases from the day. OTK’s from AATP, a headbow from BABY, a Kera magazine and autographed Disacode photobook, the lovely box my Laudree macarons came in and, of course, photos of Kamijo!

 

It was such a wonderful day! Probably the best International Lolita Day I had ever had! It was even better to experience everything with Amanda. I feel like I had been waiting so long for this concert experience and despite the hiccups with the organization, everything fell into place so wonderfully. Even now I’m still sore from that day but it doesn’t bother me at all.

 

Summer is coming but my decision still stands of taking a break from con-hopping until at least September. I’ll be relaxing this summer but I’ll do my best to keep this blog updated throughout the summer. So please look forward to future posts from me! And now if you excuse me, I’m going to go order Kamijo’s new CD on CDJapan! 

 

Vive le Roi!!!

 

Yours Jasmine

Kamijo 20th Anniversary Concert in NYC aka how I spent my International Lolita Day Part 1 ~ Adventures in the City

Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a great International Lolita Day, I know I did! In truth, this had to be one of the best days in recent memory for so many reasons.

I know it’s been a long while since I have written about my favorite Jrock band Versailles since they went on hiatus back in 2012. The truth is, I was feeling a lot of very deep feelings of sadness and disappointment during that time and I did not want to write about them anymore. Between drama going on within the street team in the last few months and me having to make probably the most difficult decision of my life to decide whether or not I would go to Japan completely alone for their final concert (only those extremely close to me know the answer) it was just a bunch of stress and sadness that made me feel bad because this band that had once brought me so much joy and given me so many beautiful memories was beginning to be a cause of pain for me.

Naturally, when their vocalist Kamijo went solo and the other members formed another band called Jupiter, I followed both projects loyally but I suspected I would never see any of them live at all. So you can imagine my excitement and joy when in January it was announced that Kamijo would be doing a world tour this year to celebrate his 20 years in the music business THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE US!!

A lot like Versailles, no?

It was like a miracle, I had already decided in my mind that I would never see any of the members of Versailles perform after 2012 but now I would be seeing Kamijo in NYC and in addition to that, Masashi, the bassist for Versailles after Jasmine You passed away, would be joining the world tour as Kamijo’s support bassist AND they would be playing Versailles songs in addition to music from Kamijo’s other projects like Lareine and New Sodmy (I LOVED Lareine!)!!

It was a recipe for probably one of the best lives I’ve ever been to! And since it landed on International Lolita Day, I decided what better way to spend ILD Summer 2015 than to make a day trip of going to NYC, doing loli things during the day and ending it with the concert! And so that, along with Amanda, decided to do!

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No front outfit shot as of yet, but here is what I decided to wear. EGL with blue roses in honor of Lareine!

JSK and Headdress ~ Moi Meme Moitie

Blouse Brooch and Bag ~ Taobao

Shoes ~ Bodyline

Parasol ~ Baby, the Stars Shine Bright

Selfie in the bus station before heading up to NYC!

Amazingly, I was not at all tired or sleepy the entire day as I was way too excited to sleep the night before and was too afraid to sleep on the bus out of fear of ruining my makeup. I was as giddy as a clown all the ride up there, not even the grey skies or early morning rain could dampen my mood! I made it into the city around noon and met up with my uncle who is a photographer and lives in the city. He helped me and Amanda navigate the city that day and took many pictures of us as well. Sadly Kitty fell sick last minute and could not join us. Her presence was very sorely missed and probably one of the only bad things about the day.

Waiting for Amanda to arrive. Photo credit goes to my Uncle Eddie who took this picture of me in the SoHo subway station. 

Amanda was set to arrive around 2 so while waiting I decided I wanted to go to Laudree in South Village. The name Laudree should be easily familiar with any lolita or enthusiast for macarons. It’s a beautiful French restaurant and tea room specializing in fancy French pastries but is best known for their wonderful macarons! 

Oh, it was heavenly! Almost magical! And the lady who packed my macarons did so in such a fancy way in a beautifully crafted box that I will probably never throw away.

Sooooooo lovely!!!

I almost didn’t want to leave; I surely want to go back to Laduree next time I’m in the city. After leaving we went to pick up Amanda, she looked so lovely in her summer hime lolita coord, dressed in blue with pink roses in her hair. Together we made an interesting contrast, I in black in blue with my black BABY parasol and her in pastels and a white parasol.

We are so lovely! Photo credit again goes to my uncle. 

In any case, after meeting with her, we went straight to Tokyo Rebel/BTSSB NYC for some jfashion shopping! On our way there we saw a group of beautiful lolitas crossing the street with parasols. They looked so lovely! I think they had just left the boutique because when we went in, we were the only ones there for a while. It was nice though, I remember when I went to the store on opening day it was very crowded and there was no time to look around. This time we actually had time to browse and I showed Amanda a few nice BABY dresses I thought would suit her. In the end she got something from LISTEN FLAVOR and I got some OTKs from AATP and a few other small things. Sadly no pictures were allowed in the store but I was very happy to visit there again and even happier to be able to show Amanda the store too.

Me outside the store with my purchases in tow.

Our next destination was going to be dim sum in Chinatown but by this time it was nearly 4pm and line up for the concert was going to start at 5. So we left the boutique and made our way to the Highline Ballroom for what would be an incredible night!

In my next post, I’ll write about the concert and my experience meeting Kamijo! So stay tuned! :-D

Yours Jasmine