April 30 saw the initiation of the GazettE’s 2019 world tour titled THE NINTH Phase #04 -99.999-. A long line of fans gathered around the Los Angeles Wiltern Theater anticipating the chilly evening to ignite with exhilaration. This would be the second time the group performed both in Los Angeles and at the same venue. The theater housed fans of diverse, unique styles, and the GazettE’s enlarged logo glowed as it stood among the stage background.
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Shortly after 20:00 PST, the theater lights gleamed from pale yellow to pink as a hard-rock track boomed. The crowd slowly clapped their hands in unison. Finally, the venue went dark and the sound system began playing 99.999, the first track of the GazettE’s NINTH album. White lights flashed off and on until the stage lit red once again, revealing the band members as they walked onto the stage. The first to show up was drummer Kai, who was then followed by lead guitarist Uruha, bassist Reita, rhythm guitarist Aoi, and last but not least, vocalist Ruki. All members were dressed in their sophisticated black uniforms worn for promoting NINTH.
The band immediately kicked off the night with FALLING. Fluorescent blue and red lights similar to those used in the song’s music video shone along to the vibrant tune. After a few more songs, Ruki paused to greet his fans, saying “We are the GazettE. Everyone’s looking forward to the fucking show. Let’s make some fucking noise everybody!”, this gathered excited cheers from the audience. As NINTH packs many heavy tracks such as NINTH ODD SMELL and ABHOR GOD, fans were constantly headbanging along with the band throughout the show. The audience also enjoyed rocking out to VORTEX and more recent songs such as BIZARRE and UGLY. In the middle of the show, the GazettE performed Sono Koe wa Moroku to display their mellow side.
The band members were more engaged with their fans this time around. Reita would occasionally throw his arms up, motioning for the crowd to jump around and go wild. Uruha headbanged in nearly every song, and Aoi’s smirk and sway of his hips expressed his enjoyment. Kai’s bright smile was visible as he played his drums with intense passion. Ruki also treated the audience to some fanservice. During Filth in the Beauty, he seductively touched himself, which was met with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.
Each member also had their moment of spotlight. Uruha played a mesmerizing solo in UNDYING, and Kai finished off the track with a powerful drum solo. Aoi’s acoustic guitar playing skills were displayed in Filth in the Beauty, and Reita took to the center pedestal during INSIDE BEAST and impressively played his bass as he crouched down to face the crowd. Ruki showed off his vocal talent with growls, screams, and deep vocals.
The GazettE ended the first act of the show with UNFINISHED. The members left the stage one by one as the stage lights faded into dimness. Fans began clapping and chanting for an encore. Around ten minutes later, the stage lights gleamed red once more. The band members returned to the stage, this time with Uruha and Kai wearing t-shirts instead of their fancy attire.
The band began playing INSIDE BEAST, and danced around on stage while the audience jumped around and waved their hands in the air. The enthusiasm continued with the old but fan-favorite COCKROACH track. TOMORROW NEVER DIES concluded the performance with its lively and hopeful tone. The band thanked the fans and threw guitar and bass picks to the crowd. As Ruki, Reita, Uruha, and Aoi exited the stage, Kai brought out a phone to record the fans. The audience gave out one last wave of joyful cheers for the video. As the drummer left, the music stopped with the theater going dark, signaling the end of the show.
Although the concert was rather short, it was still full of vibrant energy that fueled a strong start for this year’s world tour. Their passion captures their love for their fans, and we hope that the following shows on this world tour will be just as exciting!
If you attended the GazettE’s Los Angeles show, feel free to share your experiences with us! What were your favorite moments of the performance? Did any of you get the VIP experience? For those of you who are going to see GazettE perform at another city or country, where will you be going? Which songs do you hope to hear them play?
Setlist
- -99.999-
- FALLING
- NINTH ODD SMELL
- Vortex
- GUSH
- BIZARRE
- THE MORTAL
- Sono Koe wa Moroku
- UNDYING
- ABHOR GOD
- UGLY
- TWO OF A KIND
- Filth in the Beauty
- UNFINISHED
Encore
- INSIDE BEAST
- Cockroach
- TOMORROW NEVER DIES
More Info:
Official Website
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
Twitter (Ruki)
Twitter (Aoi)
Twitter (Reita)
Instagram
Instagram (Ruki)
Instagram (Aoi)
Instagram (Reita)
Instagram (Kai)