live report: 2004.9.16 at shibuya-ax

15th anniversary thank you very much, i like you busters

report by terra. 9.20.2005.

first of all, it’s practically impossible to get tickets for this kind of thing until you’re in japan, unless you have a nice friend there. and it’s just impossible when the show sells out within about five minutes =of public ticket sales (i discovered this sad fact reading the japanese pillows bbs). thus i had no ticket when i left for japan. but i wasn’t going to give up!

i went to the venue early on the night of the concert. there were lots of kids out and about with pillows shirts on in shibuya, and there was a long line for t-shirt sales even though the show wouldn’t start for another two hours. and lo and behold, there were scalpers meandering around. one approached me, offering me a ticket. i say, sure, but show it to me. then he tries to tell me to wait 30 minutes or something. uh huh.

later i saw a girl holding up a little sign asking for a ticket: ‘chiketto ichi mae yuzutte kudasai’. at some point a guy (not a scalper) did approach her and sell her a ticket. so maybe someone would take pity on a poor foreigner. i made my little sign and held it in front of me, feeling sure no one would approach me because i was a foreigner. but i waited, and waited, and watched more and more people come, and watched the scalpers approach people. and waited some more.

then, all of a sudden, while i’m staring at the line gathering at the entrance, a voice comes from behind me! i can hardly believe it. i turn around and stare and ask… ‘aru?’ (‘you have [a ticket]?) the girl repeats herself. i am absolutely overjoyed. not only do these girls sell it to me for face value, it’s a special fan club memorial ticket! (which probably explains how the show sold out immediately.)

i rush in and buy two shirts immediately. there’s a row of gigantic flower bouquets with congratulatory messages from yo-king and the like. i run to change into one of my shirts in the bathroom and head into the concert hall. it’s already packed, but standing room only so i manage to nudge my way close to front and center by following two girls pushing their way through. there’s a few people up on the upper balcony- they look like other musicians or at least very important people. music from ‘hedwig and the angry inch’ is playing over the speakers. coolness. there’s a big sign in the middle of the stage reading ‘thank you very much, i like you busters’.

and then, at last, they strolled out on stage, to applause and cheers. i didn’t recognize the first chords they played, but as soon as sawao began to sing i recognized the song- ‘please mr. lostman’. it was absolutely surreal. i was so happy, i almost cried. what followed was the most amazing three hours- their longest concert ever, as sawao said.

some highlights: the awesome ending to ‘thunder whales picnic’- sawao and manabe facing each other, jamming on their guitars. sawao playing with his hair (it’s the first time he had his hair done, apparently. i honestly couldn’t tell.). the entire crowd bouncing up and down and punching their fists as one during ‘little busters’. the two new songs- both were happy and upbeat and simply rocked. the wild jumping during ‘another morning’. the alternate chording in ‘happy bivouac’. ‘hybrid rainbow’, period. sawao’s repeated jokes about how tonight’s concert would be so long- ‘kyou wa nagai desu ne!’ while he pretended to tune his guitar. manabe grooving on his guitar. the funny faces shinichirou made while drumming. and jun just inconspicuously playing his bass. and the fact that my feet hurt and i hadn’t eaten dinner and i just didn’t care. and just about every single song, to be honest.

set list

please mr. lostman
little busters
another morning
one life
happy bivouac
midnight down
instant music
kim deal
trip dancer
let’s see if that’s true or not
rush
paris no josei marii
i know you
good morning, good news
kono yo no hate made
no self control
carnival
walkin’ on the spiral
thunder whales picnic
patricia

funny bunny
bokura no halley suisei
sono mirai wa ima
babiron tenshi no shi
swanky street
strange chameleon
hybrid rainbow

encore
ride on shooting star

terminal heaven’s rock

encore 2
runners high