JACK IN THE BOX 2009 SUMMER - Part 2

Going on with Kinniku Shoujo Tai, it was easy to tell beforehand that the majority of the rather young audience wouldn’t be that familiar with this old school rock band that began their activities as early as 1980. But even though a lot of people may not have known much about this band beforehand - after their great performance that day, they surely would!



Kinniku Shoujo Tai live at JACK IN THE BOX

As they started their gig with Odoru dame ningen, it was quite obvious for everyone that this band was anything but ordinary - indeed, they turned out to be a welcome change in the refreshing, humorous way they performed their songs. They weren’t only aware of how to entertain, they also knew how to rock and carry an audience. And as is right and proper, they kept that pace from the very beginning to the very end, getting the crowd jumping, dancing, screaming, laughing and just having a good time. Whether within the course of the following songs or the hilarious MCs of vocalist Kenji in between, the crowd was visibly enjoying the freshness of the band and kept on going along with their tunes. In the end, it was safe to say that Kinniku Shoujo Tai did an awesome performance, showing more than impressively that there’s still life in the old dog!

Set list

1. Odoru dame ningen
2. Nihon indoka keikaku
3. Ningen kirai no uta
4. Moretsua Tarou
5. Shaka

The screams for Yukihiro immediately filled the venue as the lights went out and the starting signal for acid android’s appearance was given. Opening with enmity, the sound of guitars took the fans by storm; they soon merged with the vocals of Yukihiro, but came to a dynamic, somewhat sudden end. The succeeding cheers from the crowd were answered directly by their next song, egoistic ideal. Just as the previous piece did, the music literally engulfed the audience, and they in return accepted it with extreme joy. However, the crowd hushed as soon as the first tunes of daze arose. Living up to its name, it left the fans enthralled. Nearly everyone was holding his breath up until the chorus kicked off; then the fans left their trance and finally joined in, shouting, dancing and waving their hands. But this was not acid android’s coup de grâce because with ring the noise and let’s dance - two of the band’s most popular songs - following, the great finale to acid android’s performance that day was saved for last!

Set list

1. enmity
2. egoistic ideal
3. daze
4. ring the noise
5. let's dance

Starting with the heavy guitars and powerful lines of petty, Kiyoharu got the crowd immediately ready for the energetic and glamorous show that was to follow. As he continued with the slower, but no less powerful GROOVER, he certainly had the undivided attention of the audience, who enjoyed the rather heavy tunes as much as the catchy chorus of the following Darlene. Kicking off ALIEN MASKED CREATURE, Kiyoharu showed once again not only his highly appreciated showmanship, but also his rock star attitude that made himself the centre of attention wherever he went. Praised with loud cheers from the crowd, he continued his performance with COME HOME and immediately carried the audience away. They just couldn’t help but go along with the music and wave their hands in the air, unable to resist the commanding presence of the singer. Striking up the SADS classic Sandy, Kiyoharu concluded his set of heavy, but powerful songs and finished a show expected of a singer of his calibre.

Set list

1. petty
2. GROOVER
3. Darlene
4. ALIEN MASKED CREATURE
5. COME HOME
6. Sandy

Except for a "Keep on looking forward to them!" message on Maverick's website, there was hardly any information about Karasu before their performance, so there was no choice other than to be surprised by the band's appearance! The lights went out and the band’s introduction started via the big screens beneath the stage, and happy screams rose around the venue as the line up was revealed.

Kenzo from ayabie would be on drums. dunch from jealkb played bass. Mitsuki from Sadie, as well as Hiroto from Alice Nine, were the guitarists. And finally, MUCC’s Tatsuro revealed himself as the vocalist.

It was definitely a surprise, and it was a line up you probably wouldn’t ever think of – but with them standing together on the same stage and kicking off a show, it would be hard to forget them after!

Starting off with a vibrant cover of the Kuroyume classic Like @ Angel, both fans and the band went right in to rocking, dancing and jumping from the first moment on. There was no need to gain momentum as the band continued with Creature Creature’s Red: the audience was heated up to full extent, and it was clear that the musicians enjoyed this special occasion as well. Vocalist Tatsuro, as well as dunch, Mitsuki and Hiroto kept on rushing around the stage and the catwalks and riled up the audience countless times. After paying their tribute to Kiyoharu and MORRIE - both present that day - the self-titled "special unit" proceeded with an original song called Lastica, a fast-pace tune with a dynamic rhythm that got you moving. By giving everything they got towards this grand finale, Karasu left a lasting impression on the astonished and cheerful audience - and they also promised that Lastica would be recorded. Their set ended with excitement towards what surprises the special unit Karasu has prepared for the future.

Set list

1. Like @ Angel
2. Red
3. Lastica

Choosing S as the opener for his show, Ken made sure that the audience didn’t get too much time to rest. The song had its very own novel charm by way of the female singer Tomo, who not only performed as a background singer, but also joined in the vocals as a duet partner, adding some spice to Ken's familiar, guitar driven melodies. He continued with ETERNAL REST, finally giving the fans some space to catch a breath while they listened to the peaceful song that featured serene, almost quiet parts as well as sudden vigorous outbursts. Its last chords had barely faded away when In Physical began to show the strength of both vocalists. Tomo’s voice had already given the first few songs a little something extra, but now it reached a whole new level as other facets of the composition were highlighted. Accelerating the pace again, the stage was set up for the energetic Gimme Your Name, getting the audience to dance and clap their hands along to the rhythm. With Spin Along, Ken and his fellow band members were able to show both their skills as well as their dedication to the music, and finished their performance with a bang.

Set list

1. S
2. ETERNAL REST
3. In Physical
4. Gimme Your Name
5. Spin Along


Being the last group performing before the intermission, BREAKERZ didn’t lose any time; they got their show started with NO SEX NO LIFE, initiating what was to become a boisterous, entertaining party. Whether rushing around the stage or heating up the audience with a repeatedly shouted "Jump!" vocalist Daigo and his fellow band members Akihide and Shinpei did their best to keep the vibe going strong. With the rather catchy, guitar driven song Summer party, they didn’t fail: the crowd kept on dancing and waving their hands enthusiastically in the air, and Daigo didn’t miss the chance to add fuel to the fire by doing what he’s best at: kissing his guitarist!

Taking a short MC, the vocalist explained the special choreography the band had thought of for the following song, and then they continued their show with Bambino. The crowd visibly enjoyed the fun dance, inspired by the pulsating Latin American rhythm of the song, and two female dancers twirled around the stage. All out of breath, the crowd listened closely to Daigo as he began speaking about "a song that is always sung at karaoke with hyde and yasu." He then gave his tribute to hyde by striking up the Southern All Stars tune Tsunami in a very "hyde-ish" kind of way. No need to mention that the audience joined his singing just a few moments later and acknowledged this short interlude with loud applause. After winning the audience’s heart, BREAKERZ didn’t need much effort to get the crowd going crazy for their final song Shakunetsu, and they enjoyed an energetic finish with a cheerful, towel-swinging crowd.

Set list

1. NO SEX NO LIFE
2. Summer party
3. Bambino
4. Shakunetsu