The lights
are white, blue, green, red. The sounds of the bass, guitar and drums are
played in the background as the last check. A voice is struggling to cover the
fans asking desperately for the band to come.”Please do not take any pictures
or videos. Thank you. And have fun” Everybody is screaming because they know
it’s going to start. Finally, the 4 members are on the stage. The fans are
struggling to get closer to their favorite band’s members and the show kicks
off.
So, this weekend I went to this gig in London. It’s the first time so I can say I’m a beginner in how to mingle in the atmosphere. The band is called ONE OK ROCK.
If you don't know who they are, here some information.
It’s a Japanese band that started with the desire of a high school
student, Toru Yamashita, to have a band. He asked one of his friends, Ryota Kohama,
to join him as the bass and as well Alex Onizawa, as a guitarist. Not long
after, Takahiro Moriuchi joined as a vocalist and Tomoya Kanki as a drummer.
They officially debuted in 2007.
Their name comes from “one o’clock”, the time when they were practicing.
Due to the pronunciation of the Japanese language, soon the “one o’clock” changed
in “one o’krock” which was then separated to become “one ok rock”.
Due to some legal problems, one of the members, Alex Onizawa left the
band in 2009. So from 2009 till now, the band called One Ok Rock made the
audience to jump from their seats and to play with them.
This adventure of mine, started when I bought the ticket. It was quite
hard to get it. For example, in France and Germany, the show sold out in 5
minutes. Because I wanted desperately to see them, I took up my position with
my debit card and I moved so fast, even faster than a beam of light. And I was one of the happiest owners of one precious ticket.
The months flew quickly so here I was, in front of O2 Academy Islington.
This new experience started with a
kilometric queue where I tried to talk with other fans but I hadn't had so much
luck. Everybody seemed to be in their little world so it was quite hard to get
in there and to chat about the band. But there were people ready to ask me
what’s going on there. Strangers passing by were looking at us like we were
some kind of circus that came in town. And, to kill their time and curiosity,
the people were asking me what’s happening there. I was the information
bureau. Every time I was explaining who
was going to sing, the passers were making wide eyes and started laughing.
After these embarrassing moments,
the gates were finally opened. I managed to get a place in from, next to the
bassist, Ryota. They came and they sang and trust me, I really can’t remember
what happened there. It was like an out-of-this-world experience for me. I just
know that the atmosphere was so hot and full of happiness and desire to be one
with the band. The vocalist voice was amazing; I really couldn't tell that it
was live. There were no mistakes, even
though he was jumping all over the place, he was screaming and he was talking
to us, trying to make us feel their music.
There are a few moments which I
remember. The staff was trying to keep us hydrated so they were giving us
water. On one occasion all the water was on my face. My glassed and my shirt
were so wet. But I didn't care that much anyway, I was soaking wet with
perspiration.
The show was amazing fueled with energy provided by the audience and
the band. People were singing with the band almost all the show so I could see
the member’s happiness through their smiles.
There is one complaint about this show, the place. It was way too small
to put the 800 people who had bought the tickets. I’m not sure that this is the
fault of the event organizers or of the band for not knowing they've got many
fans in Europe. I almost got squashed by other people, I was “traveling” from
my place to another because the fans were trying to move closer and the hair of
other girls which was stuck all over my face made the experience a little bit
uncomfortable.
The night ended with a promise of the band to come back in the UK and
with acclamation of the fans for the band. They were great, really good. You,
the readers, should give them a change.
I end my review of this gig with a pain in soul. This show was too short and I had too much
fun. I guess all the memories of this event were recorded not by my head but by
my heart because I really can’t forget the pleasure I had experienced in those
two hours.
