MUCC at Metaltown, Sweden

Out of the three Japanese performers at the Metaltown festival, MUCC seemed to be the most unusual choice for many – musically, their style deviates the most from the typical line of the event, metal. But as the festival brochure pointed out, there is no single genre that would successfully describe their music. Therefore, the fans could only hope that the metal elements of the band's sound would be enough to rouse the interest of the metal folk.

MUCC was to perform at the smallest of the three scenes of the festival, a separate pavilion. Before the concert, it seemed there might not be much of an audience. There was another artist playing at the exact same time on one of the main stages, and according to a small survey done earlier (to be featured soon, at the official JaME blogspot), there weren’t as many dedicated MUCC fans to be found, compared to the fans of the two other Japanese bands. But when the gig started the worry proved unwarranted; A cheering crowd had filled every nook and cranny of the space available.

The band started the set energetically with two songs, Howling (Houkou) and Ageha, from their newest album Kyuutai. From the beginning of each they impressed everyone present with their ability to dominate the stage. With their heavy but calm presence the group created an emotion-packed show that reached even the furthest edges of the pavilion. During the concert there was no question about who was mastering the situation. With his entertaining and yet provocative expressions and gestures, Tatsuro kept the audience tightly in his grip, animating it with his already familiar shouts and questions like "Are you with us?" which recieved a loud and enthusiastic "yes" in response.

The group seemed to be in a very good mood, smiling between songs. Their high spirits could also be seen in their playing; The band members seemed to really enjoy being on stage, and that feeling was definitely projected out into the audience. The performances of Yukke, the bassist, and Miya, the guitarist, kept the audience's attention as they interpreted the songs, at times with their eyes closed, with rich and concentrating expressions on their faces. This combined with Satochi’s faithful drumming and Tatsuro’s strong and emotional vocals created a very positive impression of MUCC’s live performing skills.

The set list consisted mostly of songs from their two newest albums, Shion and Kyuutai. For most of the audience, it was their first chance to hear songs from the latter live, and the fans were doubtlessly curious to see how the band would experiment with them. As could have been expected, the band proved its versatility and ability to smoothly switch between their earlier style and newer material. Regardless of the level of electronic elements the songs could hardly have sounded more natural. This was also thanks to the outstanding set up and electronics of the stage. All instruments and the vocals sounded clear separately, and perfectly balanced when combined.

One of the highlights of the gig was the performance of their 2007 single, FUZZ, a song that became a decisive point in MUCC’s musical career. The audience turned euphoric as soon as they heard the first notes of the intro. The energetic and catchy song had the already excited crowd jumping and dancing along to the music. During the chorus spirits were soaring high, with the entire pit delightedly singing along.

The only older song heard in the gig was Ranchuuu from the album Zekuu, which has gained an almost legendary status amongst their live songs. Tatsuro was vivifying the lyrics with his personal sign language, and in the middle of the song he asked everyone to sit down. After a moment of confusion the crowd really lowered themselves onto the ground, and jumped back up when Tatsuro showed the time. The funny and even surprising trick worked, even though the mild confusion lessened its intended effectiveness.

MUCC, continuing their familiar habit, finished their set with Libra. At times the violins on playback would drown out the live music, but otherwise the lovely acoustics of the pavilion helped the band convey the message of their music almost perfectly. Tatsuro’s low, soft vocals during the verses were as hypnotizing live as on the CD. The smooth and balanced vocals of the chorus, sung even more vigorously than on the recording, accented by the deep beat of the drums, were the last memory to be imprinted into the minds of the audience. The varied and intense song worked as a powerful, yet soulful conclusion for a concert that once again proved the unlimited strength of MUCC’s live performances.

While a part of the audience was, quite obviously, already familiar with MUCC, there were also lots of people attending who were listening to them for the first time. The music of the group might not fit the advertised taste of the festival’s target audience, but it was a performance that apparently touched and impressed many.