Jrock Revolution

Here's a live report from Bee, who got to go see LM.C rock out live at Crash Mansion in Los Angeles, California on July 5, 2008.

After standing outside for about an hour, everyone was finally let into CrashMansion. After passing up the stairs immediately at the entrance, everyone was led into the main live room where the stage was raised four or five feet up from the floor. I didn't get too close to the front as there were a lot of people let in first, but as far as I could tell there was definitely a barrier separating everyone from the stage.

It didn't take long for everyone to trickle in, and for once, it felt like a pretty relaxed live atmosphere. I was close enough to see the stage perfectly- had a perfect view of where Aiji would be standing and from where the main mic stand stood. Around me were people sitting on the wooden floor of the venue, relaxing before the show itself. I could spot a few girls who'd flown in from Japan here and there. During this time I took a break to get a cup of water and check out the merch table which was selling t-shirts, bandanas, coin purses, and the new LM.C PV DVD. I think there were a few more things, but I couldn't avoid the bandana set and snatched that up right away. 

The live itself started shortly after 8pm and the pretty relaxed crowd really jumped into vibe quickly! The few hundred people that had littered the floor scrunched together and as maya, Aiji, and the rest of LM.C's back up crew took the stage, the energy finally picked up. Opening with the nice intro of "No.9", the members of LM.C were all grinning.

 The early half of their setlist included "OH MY JULIET." and "Bell the CAT"- both of which were definite crowd pleasers. During this time, people in the audience got to really experience one of maya's favorite things to do on stage—watering them down with water bottles! Averaging about five or six water bottles per song, by the time maya's MC took place, the audience and floor were completely soaked.

 I have to say that I was actually extremely surprised, impressed, and interested in not only maya's relationship with Aiji, but also his relationship with the fans. Both Aiji and maya seem to be in their own worlds within the show itself, but they play off each other extremely well. maya amuses himself by jumping around and taking souvenirs from the audience like hats, stuffed plush toys, and small fans while Aiji generally stays near his mic stand, enjoying the simple act of playing. Aiji made lots of eye contact with the crowd, acknowledging them a lot, but maya's attention is what surprised me the most. During the middle of "Bell the CAT," maya suddenly looked panicked and then pointed at a specific section of the audience. Seconds afterwards, fans fell out from that area of the pit; someone had obviously just fainted. A minute or so afterwards, another couple fans staggered out after another girl fainted. 

As the songs slowed down, maya's vocals were finally showcased. "Haunted House make a Secret" was an unexpected fan favorite and instead of the usual rock "horns", fans swayed and nodded their heads. Watching Aiji's guitar skills was something I was really looking forward to and I wasn't disappointed with—I just wished there could have been more!

The timing of the MC was really great; it provided a nice breather for both the audience and the band. One of their staff members came onstage to translate for maya who was extremely concerned for the well being of the fans. He asked everyone to move back a few feet from the stage and to forgive anyone who might bump into you, as well as to allow everyone to enjoy the show without worrying for their safety.

The show restarted with extremely energetic songs like "mr.Century", "88", and "Sentimental PIGgy Romance" all of which had their odd, special moments. LM.C's supporting member, JayKay, sported a Mickey Mouse glove, flashlights were waved around the stage, maya acted out lyrics to "Sentimental PIGgy Romance". "Yellow Beauty" shortly followed, ending in another short MC where the band members were introduced. Aiji seemed extremely shy for his introduction, but said a few words that weren't translated. maya, however, took the opportunity to scan the crowd for fans who might be able to translate what he had to say. He crouched down at the edge of the stage and spoke in Japanese to a fan who yelled out into the mic. maya explained how they are coming back and his reassuring words about people's worries were extremely inspirational: no one will make fun of you if you're really following your dreams!

Songs after this last MC were probably some of the most fun of the live: "BOYS&GIRLS" and "little Fat Man boy". During the first, bags of confetti were thrown and the crowd jumped around wildly. During the second, beach balls were introduced and the band and crowd played together by hitting the ball back and forth. Aiji was hit in the head and maya was almost hit as well, but soon afterwards the balls disappeared after fans claimed the logo-splashed beach balls.

The last song started with the entire band leading the familiar chant of "rock the LM.C!" which the crowd followed along with shortly afterwards. By the time the song was over, the audience was soaked once again in maya's water bottles and completely exhausted. Still, however, everyone had the energy to reach for the Chupa Chups lollipops and guitar picks that were thrown out into the audience. The band exited the stage after smacking hands with people in the front rows, leaving with a smile.

Encore chants were repeated over and over until the band sauntered back on stage, grins all around. The two encore songs were "BOYS&GIRLS" and "OH MY JULIET.", reprises that really left the end of the live show on an extremely energetic and positive note. Aiji took a few moments to speak to the crowd, saying "thank you" before throwing out more guitar picks and smacking people's hands.

By the time the band exited the stage for the final time, the energy in the room was upbeat, appreciative, and friendly —which is what LM.C's music and attitude is about.

Live report written by Bee