Fan Experiences!

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Fan Experiences!

Posted Thu Oct 06, 2016 10:44 pm

Ok, so I've been wanting to hear from you guys about this, as well as officially share what has happened to me throughout my saisai fandoms Smile Whether it was a quirky interaction, or a lengthy experience, or just seeing them live, I'd love to hear about it!
cherrybomb
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Re: Fan Experiences!

Posted Thu Oct 06, 2016 11:03 pm

I didn't know Silent Siren before I attended to J Pop Summit this year.
I was not interested in Girl Rock. I am more toward classical rock and visual kei like X Japan.

I like Silent Siren now, because I feel the vibrant energy from their music. I listen to their songs and read their lyrics. They are quite interesting.

The concert in SF was shorter than I expected. Maybe it was because they were exhausted in their debut concert in LA. Overall, it was a great show.

The photo session was great too. They are experienced models. They know how to accommodate with their fans in front of the camera. Hope they will come back next year. I also hope they can have more break time in between two shows.

hangway
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Re: Fan Experiences!

Posted Thu Oct 06, 2016 11:18 pm

Prior to the LA concert I only knew about 5 of their songs. I have to admit one of the reasons why I came is because I knew Scandal(one of my favorite bands) wouldn't be coming back to the US for a while so I thought it would be a good experience to check out another J-pop/Rock group. I didn't know what I was getting into. The whole experience was amazing and I fell in love with the group cause of the live. I have to say so far this has been my favorite concert so far. They were so energetic and knew how to get the crowd going. They're also 10x cuter in person lol. I was so inspired by the group too. Watching them made me wanna work twice as hard to becoming a better musician. Not only will I watch them again once they return I'll probably try to go to all their California shows and also do the meet and greet thing in at least one of their shows.
carlo2441
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US leg of the world tour

Posted Fri Oct 07, 2016 7:21 pm

I posted this elsewhere on the internet a day or two ago. It was somewhat rushed.  Depiction of actual events is not guaranteed, just my recollections at the time.  I left out a lot and, in some places, included too much.

===========================

I'm probably not the best person to do a write-up but I was asked, so here it is. Keep in mind my creative writing skills are limited, and worse even, my memory is really bad. Also I don't take a lot of photos, and fewer still that are actually good.

It was clear and pleasant as I walked to the venue with my bag full of snacks. Arriving at 7:05, I met 3 others already relaxing in their lawn chairs. I introduced myself and settled in for the wait. A group of 4 others showed up about half an hour later. They brought a fabulous banner which we all signed and was meant to be given to the girls after the show in San Francisco.  A handful of others trickled in as time went on. There were a dozen or so in line by late morning, and then a long gap without many joining the cue. Then it started getting hot. Our side of the street had no shade what-so-ever. Eventually I went up the street and bought a lovely purple umbrella richly decorated with white flowers, in an effort to beat sun. Well, time crept by and the afternoon came and went. I counted 45 people in line. Finally it started to feel cooler about an hour or two before showtime. Our numbers had grown somewhat. Not long before entering, we estimated around 120 (not sure of the actual final number of attendees).

And then it was time. They were checking everyone's ticket at the double doors to the stage itself. The barcode readers weren't working, so they had to look up each one on their list. Considering our small numbers, it didn't seem to delay the start of the show any. However, it did allow plenty of time to buy merchandise (which was set up right next to the doors) before going to grab a seat. Having seats was really nice. We could wait for the show to start in comfort and make a last minute trip to the restroom without losing our spots.  The pre-show music was mostly heavy metal, which was cool and unexpected. After not much time (at least it didn't feel long, probably because of the cushy seats) a disembodied yet soothing female voice welcomed us and expressly prohibited photos and videos. The stage was dark as the prerecorded intro music began. Small purple spotlights flashed from above, dimly lighting the stage to the beat. After a very long 10 or 12 seconds the girls appeared, leading us in the clap, clap, clapping. I couldn't see them well, but there they were right in front of me, just a couple of yards away. It felt good. After a bit the lights went up and I could see. I wasn't ready. It literally felt like BAM. Their eyes were big and beautiful and sparkling. Their hair looked soft. The pretty pink and white outfits looked exquisite next to their silky skin. They were smiling brightly, and so was I. It was amazing and thrilling. Truly an unforgettable moment. And they were pounding out a pretty awesome intro tune themselves. I noticed a lovely floral scent in the air. Could I really smell their perfume? Apparently so. (I deduced later on that it was Ainyan.) Suu stepped up to her mic, spoke a couple sentences in Japanese, then finished with a shrill "Make some noise!" We all lost our minds. She took a couple steps to her right, stopping directly in front of me, broke into 'milk boy' and it was on. 1,2!

This photo (not taken by me) shows my view of things more or less Fan Experiences! 14581359_10205781498257247_6222952728713957333_n

Here's a shot (not mine) from the back Fan Experiences! 14479640_858686764231851_3415653446458267654_n

If you haven't found it already, here's a video posted on youtube by Kevin Vilches showing the opening sequence on the second night, in San Francisco. (I was standing next to him, on his left.)

The first show felt much more intimate and jaw-dropping, possibly because the stage was lower and even a little closer. And it was the first time I had ever seen the girls with my own eyes.
The sound at both shows seemed good, not muddy, and well balanced. Suu's voice and each instrument could be easily distinguished. It had that characteristic SaiSai sound, rather heavy. And they played great.
I can't recall the exact set list and haven't bothered to look on line yet. milk boy, August Night, self introductions, Bang Bang Bang with cowbell and solos, Bii San, Love Install, a pine apple dance (only on the first night, not at Slim's. I had no idea what this was, but it was CUTE. Others mentioned later that it was a recent routine from an idol group, whose name escapes me.), cover of a Green Day song, secret base, Happi Marri, Koi yuki, Soukai Rock, Stella, CAFE, DJ Yukako and Dance MusiQ, Guru Guru Wonderland, What show is it?, Jyoshikou Sensou, Sinbad, and Cherry Bomb.

There were a couple of MC parts. They spoke English reasonably well and the interaction was not at all awkward. It seemed to last a little longer on the first night and again, felt more intimate. In Hollywood they asked which songs we like. I called out Mada minu asu wo. They seemed surprised and pleased(?). I guess this is when they said they like Green Day and then did the cover. They asked who had seen them at J-Pop Summit, and who will be going to see them in San Francisco. Also, they took some questions from the audience with the help of an interpreter. I remember someone asking where they would like to visit in LA and they answered "Disneyland". Luckily they chose me to ask a question. Rather than using their names (not sure why), I simply pointed to Yukarun and said "You have a dog.", then to Ainyan "You have a dog.", then to Hina "You have cats.", then looked at Suu and asked "Do you have any pets?" Afterwards I feared that my pointing and not using their names would be considered rude, but they didn't seem offended at the time. Suu answered that she used to have a bird and a dog, but has no pets now because she lives alone. Later she would like to have pets again. When asked what pet she would like to have, a certain male in the front row (name withheld) pointed to himself. We all had a good laugh, the girls included. Suu waved both hands in front of her while saying "No, no, no". Then she tilted her head slightly and winked at him. Later on the gentleman told me she also blew him a kiss, which I didn't see but have no reason to doubt. Ultimately her answer was a bird and a monkey.
I'll share a couple of memorable moments from the first show (apart from the musical performance itself). First one: Suu was getting a little feedback from her guitar. She placed her hands on the strings but it didn't stop. Briefly confused, she wiggled her hands and made a panicky face, with her tongue out slightly. She clicked one of her pedals and the noise stopped. It was extremely cute, of course. Second one: The venue was warmer than I expected and the girls felt it too. At one point, between songs, Suu stopped for a minute or two and pulled down the zipper on her really cool looking knee-high boots. Some of us called for her to take them off, but she soon zipped back up, unluckily. (note: she wore sneakers for the second show)

After much fist pumping, arm waving, towel twirling, jumping, swaying, headbanging, singing, and hootin' and hollerin', the show ended. It was glorious. Don't know what else to say about it. Literally the best thing I've ever seen in my life (excluding the birth of my child). Then one by one, the VIP ticket holders went to meet the girls. I won't even go into that.

Here's a blurry photo I took while hanging around after my meeting Fan Experiences! 14522787_721583101322740_7682951343411931664_n

And a blurry shot of Kubo-san Fan Experiences! 14567959_721583124656071_4261686153783493121_n.


Next up was San Francisco. This time I arrived at 5:00 and was the first mother fucker in line (Yay me!). The weather was chilly in the morning with a couple brief periods of blowing drizzle. It passed quickly and sunny blue skies made for a very pleasant afternoon. I'd say a few more people turned up in the morning hours compared to the first show. At some point a small box truck pulled up and parked by the front door, where we were standing/sitting. I think it was all the rented equipment, judging by the shape and size of the cases: drums, cymbals, a keyboard(?). And various other medium-sized sturdy boxes with wheels. That guy drove away and sometime later, SaiSai staff arrived with their own boxes and began setting up things: posters on the wall outside (one of which I snagged after the show), a sign indicating two lines should be formed (one GA and one VIP. It was just one line in Hollywood), and a table for checking in the photographers and such. I think it was around 11:00 at this point. Everything so far had been carried in through the front door, right in front of us (but then, how would I know of any activity going on around back?). A passenger van parked at the curb and there began unloading of guitars and things. A couple of familiar faces appeared, most noteworthy to me was Kubo Naoki.  I caught his attention with a smile and a friendly hello. He smiled and said hello. And we shook hands. Then I gave him a hug and said thank you for coming to the U.S. He wasn't put off, just smiled and nodded his head. I asked if his arm was healed and strong now. (I remembered it had been broken a little while back). At first he didn't understand, but after a few gestures he smiled and said yes, he's good now. I stepped back so they could continue their work. We both smiled and waved. Not long after that, maybe around noon, a white mini bus/van thing pulled up to the door. We made some room, and as you might have guessed, the girls exited the vehicle and went in. They were smiling and waving, but not overly enthusiastic, which was fine. They were, however, just an arms length (or two) from me as they passed by. So pretty.

There was the same afternoon slow down, but eventually the sidewalk became crowded. Finally, sometime after 5:00, they started checking in the VIP ticket holders. This time they went through the line outside, giving out pink paper wrist bands to VIP and LED bracelets to everyone. About 5:30 or so, we went in. I skipped the merch this time and secured my spot in front. After the show I purchased a towel (same one available at J-Pop Summit) and another world tour tee, extra large this time. (Forgot to mention before the first show, I had bought a world tour towel, rubber wrist bands, and a large size world tour tee.)

The show was basically the same as the first one except that photos and video recording would be allowed, they played 'What show is it?', and didn't do the pine apple dance (darn it!). The MC parts were different. Only four people would be allowed to ask questions and each would receive an autographed(?) photo of the members taken just prior to the show. Pretty cool. I was prepared with a follow-up to my question at the first show but, not surprisingly, was not picked again. I wanted to know what name Suu would give to her pet monkey. Otherwise I don't recall anything noteworthy from the MC parts except, of course, the girls were sweet and cute.

Photos playing #1 Fan Experiences! 14479818_721589911322059_7976183378555121709_n
#2 Fan Experiences! 14484981_721589881322062_1796492623002369433_n
#3 Fan Experiences! 14563326_721589431322107_5058345904799235946_n
#4 Fan Experiences! 14581418_721589407988776_7679962409967791278_n
#5 Fan Experiences! 14595546_721589387988778_5003897515649873624_n
#6 Fan Experiences! 14568058_721589354655448_2826723654339646704_n
#7 Fan Experiences! 14519878_721589324655451_414858593017301784_n

Photos talking #1 Fan Experiences! 14572361_721589844655399_9174023588621241016_n
#2 Fan Experiences! 14469650_721589777988739_2363099699242507543_n
#3 Fan Experiences! 14463234_721589637988753_6809205786602157866_n
#4 Fan Experiences! 14568117_721589597988757_1502600646597062173_n
#5 Fan Experiences! 14591644_721589571322093_7723844787910047449_n
#6 Fan Experiences! 14469653_721589527988764_4414543912264892947_n
#7 Fan Experiences! 14570474_721589481322102_4937493132242786851_n


The show ended all too soon and we lined up for the handshake and photo. While standing at the barrier watching the crew break down the equipment,
(blurry photo) Fan Experiences! 14517428_721589184655465_1641638219341798121_n
I caught Naoki's attention with a wave and a bow (edit: The bow may have been after the first show). He stopped what he was doing, hopped down off the stage, and came over to see me and another one of my new friends. We said hi and Kubo-san asked if this was the first time seeing Silent Siren live. My friend answered no, this was his fourth time. Suddenly I heard a shout and looked over to see that the line had moved way ahead of us. Rather than waving for the people behind to go on ahead of us, I rushed off to catch up.

(video of the incident on instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BLL26TPj9IK/)

Why the hell didn't I just stay and have a nice little chat? I'm an idiot. I regret that decision. Also, I regret not taking a few more seconds with each of the girls during the handshake (at both events). This very possibly could have been the only chance to meet them. I didn't savor the moment. Won't make those mistakes again, I can promise you.

That's about it. The memories are numerous and oh so sweet. I'll never forget the girls in their various states of joy, concentration, and (just a few times) slight confusion. And so much eye contact. It was crazy. Dancing and singing with everyone was just plain rapturous. Really. Sorry if I'm gushing.

Let me close with this: Ainyan is a goddess. She was always "on". Utterly cute and engaging, interacting with her band mates and the crowd almost constantly. It was incredible to witness. Aina rocked our world.  (Edit: In all fairness, all four of them were wonderful (Sumire pretty much kicked my ass).  Maybe it's just that Ainyan is the most free to move about the stage, while the others are more stuck in place.  That, or the fact that she has been my favorite for a while now, and I was probably closer to her side of the stage. Smile  

Any corrections or criticisms are welcome. My powers of observation and recall are often lacking. Please, share some of your special memories.
Craig
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