I really had hoped to write up each of the shows as I went along, but time escaped me. I actually started *this* particular write-up the week before ROUND GR and now it’s after Mezamashi….

Rather than write something new up as I usually would, I’m stealing the bullet points I always post on Tumblr after each show, so if you’ve seen those, you’ve seen most  of this before, and it’s a little more casual/personal than I usually write here.

So … this will be a bit long-winded, no doubt, but hopefully enjoyable to those of you seeing it for the first time. I’ll follow up later with ROUND GR and Mezamashi … and probably the GuraP show by time I get to it.

FUKUOKA

This was the easiest show for me, since it involved no more than taking a taxi from Tenjin to get to the venue, and yet probably the least engaging of the shows this tour for me. Perhaps it’s because it doesn’t feel special, just staying here in town. And fueled, no doubt, by being 22 rows back. Had a nice view, but the energy wasn’t as intense at the back of the hall it seemed. And definitely not helped in that sense by the RG next to me who stood there with her hands clasped the entire show. Stock still. It was a bit unnerving.

It was nice to meet up with Jeppiku for lunch before the show, and to hang out a bit. Our seats were only a couple of rows apart, but on opposite sides of the hall, so no cheering together unfortunately.

And alas, my internal babel fish wasn’t working during the show for some reason so I really didn’t understand much of anything the guys said. I did pick up a very few things at the time, and one or two things on Twitter afterward, from nice folks who write up the MC parts of the shows

• e-zuka was an absolute dork during the audience participation part of wonder color, having us call out and mimic local landmarks like Yahoo Auction Dome and Fukuoka Tower.
• Kiiyan made us say that we love him again during wonder color. Heh.
• They really must have been missing Go For It! as much as I was, since they had us yell out IGPX during wonder color
• Apparently the venue for FES GR ROUND is used on occasion for ballet shows, prompting e-zuka to show off his ballet skillz (cracking us up in the process), and “primadonna” Val (so called by Kiiyan) to do a pirouette of sorts behind the drums.
• During the encore, Kiyan was giving Takita a chance to talk, and e-zuka drowned him out with a song (one I didn’t recognize), which all four of them ended up playing for a minute or so. Bad e-zuka!
• e-zuka also demonstrated his version of the kabe don, “Zuka don,” which doesn’t look any different than a regular one.
• Another of the giant balloons popped today. It never even left the stage. Missed what happened since I was turned around, grabbing my towel.
• Kiiyan unleashed unholy hip action during Not for Sale. And there was inappropriate and gratuitous (if appreciated) cupping during baby bad boy.
• Kiiyan was all about wordless vocalizations at this show, 21st Century Lovers (as beautiful as the first show), 追憶の輪郭 and more. Love, love, love it when he does that. Plus his last “my love is so sweet” on 追憶の輪郭 was a damned sexy growl.
• And speaking of sexy, 絶頂ポイズン gets deadlier with each show, which may be why the shelved it for a few of the next shows.
• tRANCE made its first appearance in a long while, which was nice.
• Kiiyan had a bunch of bikini girls in front of him, which I didn’t notice until Can Do, when he walked by them and gave a brief display of appreciation. Heh.
• Apparently e-zuka said that if not all the Karrabbi potato chips were purchased by the expiration date (5/15, so 10 days after the last show), he was going to take them all and return them to the earth so they could grow…. (/facepalm)

 

SAITAMA

This turned out to be a super busy and super fun weekend, including a visit to the ESP Crafthouse on Sunday before the show, where I got to drool over e-zuka’s guitar models and leave him a message from foreign fans.

First day, we were alongside the hanamichi,(runway) just behind the 2nd stage (as in, we had to look over our shoulders to see that stage). When Kiiyan and e-zuka came off the 2nd stage between the acoustic set and Dawn Gate, we could see them, including e-zuka’s lovely, dorky moment conducting the “orchestra” playing the song’s opening.

the show was awesome, and that silly, sexy dork told all us Rodeo Girls to be pretty tomorrow … and grow a cup size for the TV cameras. XDDD

The second day, e-zuka put on his glasses while Kiiyan was reading announcements. He was making faces, so we all laughed, prompting Kiiyan to look over and go MEGANE. e-zuka played up suddenly being able to see everyone’s faces, and hugged himself, saying he was scared. Kiiyan poked fun at him.

1st day,.when Kiiyan very slightly delayed the acoustic set for a drink of water, e-zuka started singing “Chotto matte, Kishou-chan. Chotto matte, Kishou-chan.” The second day, when Kiiyan was being all serious during the acoustic set, e-zuka was strumming the guitar and vocalizing wordlessly in accompaniment. Until he felt it has gone on long enough and drowned Kiiyan out.

The first day,.Kiiyan whinnied before modern strange cowboy. The second day e-zuka randomly meowed.

Kiiyan skipping along the hanamichi is so cute.

He mentioned about being very in the zone for modern strange cowboy. Then proceeded to comment about how some girls had been in danger of, ah, falling out of their bikinis during the song. Clearly not zoned out there, Kiiyan!

When he mentioned Mamo for day two of GR Round, and we screamed louder than for GR, he said, “All of you, go home!” Heh.

His voice was AMAZING on Tsuioku. He’s playing with his vocal stylizing on it, and it’s just gorgeous.

During the instrumentals, e-zuka challenged Val, then Takita, to repeat what he played. Fucking amazing is all I can say right now. So talented, all three of them.

 

SENDAI

My seat ended up being six or so feet from Kiiyan’s pedestal.

Caught his attention right away, got a nod. Got smiles, grins, smirks galore from e-zuka. And big smiles of recognition from Takita (was able to give him the same coy wave he gave my friend Lexi in Fukuoka).

Kiiyan’s first outfit … dem pants are half shiny, half pleather and all sexy.

The first row was all women. The first four rows were almost all women. Which may explain why Kiiyan was in bad, bad boy mode that night. If anime nosebleeds were a real thing, I would have expired of exsanguination multiple times. I don’t think I’ve seen so much crotch grabbing outside a baseball game. And in dem pants too. Dang.

And Kiiyan was a bouncing, jumping whirling dervish that night. So much energy! He almost spun himself off stage during Once&Forever.

And unholy hip action ahoy! Dawn Gate, Wonder Color, Seedblaster … all had their fair share, in addition to the usual suspects.

During the acoustic set, Kiiyan got not one, but TWO proposals. FROM GUYS. He reminded them it’s not possible, and e-zuka said something about Shibuya and the legal partnerships allowed there now.

Kiiyan also talked sweetly about his grandmum, who went to Aichi and TamaAri and was apparently awestruck by the view from the stage. He said more about her, but I didn’t catch it. Apparently his mum, one aunt, both little brothers and his grandmum were at TamaAri.

e-zuka dubbed Izumity 21 as e-zukamity. Of course. He made us go “gyutan-tan-tan” for Wonder Color. He screwed up the beginning of Hengen jizai and had to retune, start over.

Kiiyan fooled the lighting crew into thinking he was ready to start Wish and they droppped the lights, and he was like, hey!

There was a kid in the audience, so of course Kiiyan started singing a dirty song, then got embarrassed at the shimoneta.

Sweat trickling down Kiiyan’s chest…. Ero-sensei tossing his hair….

We sang happy birthday to Val, who came out from.behind the drums to blow out the candles on his cake. He’s 52 now. Kiiyan went back behind the drums, but didn’t play.

So hard to focus with them all so close. Especially when Kiiyan would have his right leg up on the pedestal. So … well … distracting. In the best of ways.

Kiiyan bounding around the stage during Seedblaster, pointing my way during one bit. His many sexy poses … his phenomenal voice.

e-zuka, coming back to the middle of the stage at the very end, looking surprised to see Kiiyan there. Then the high five and hug.

e-zuka trying to force Takita again to play with his tongue. Pffft.

Kiiyan debating throwing another towel into the audience, seeing the grabby hands of the front row and gently placing the towel back.

They did toss bottles and washcloths again. Not getting bonked on the head this time.

Kiiyan, in defiance of the poor staffers holding us back with a flimsy rope, working his way across the stage to touch hands with the front row. Almost missed me, stepped back to get me. Soft, warm, sweaty hand, plus an “Arigatou.”

So … not as magical as last year. How can a first time get topped? I do miss getting called out specially, but … I am so happy at having gone from an oddity to someone Kiiyan, Takita and e-zuka recognize and seem glad to see.

 

TAKAMATSU

Kiiyan was in dork mode, not bad boy, so his sexiness was at Defcon 3 (incendiary), rather than 5 (melt yer panties with a glance). There was unholy hip action for baby bad boy, but that’s to be expected. And he did comment on someone’s boobs as he left the stage. But nary a crotch was grabbed this fine evening.

I attribute this to the front row being dressed. And Kiiyan being traumatized by today’s windy, bumpy flight. The flight so upset him, he spent most of the.acoustic set saying how much he hates flying … and cutely re-enacting his nervous response to settling in with his drink, only to have the plane shake. He likened it to flying in a Cessna. Or flying a kite. He said his leg clenching would make a good exercise.

We found out e-zuka is not bothered by flying. And he joked they might not come back to Takamatsu unless they walked. Then tortured Kiiyan by pointing out they’d need to fly to Yamaguchi unless they wanted to spend half a day on trains. Kiiyan said trains were okay.

Kiiyan also asked who of us were scared of flying (some), and who had flown abroad (very few of us). He seemed amazed at those of us who had, and mentioned his mom’s recent overseas trip for a wedding.

They’ve been watching Disney movies of late. Cinderella.for e-zuka. Dumbo for Kiiyan. I think he was traumatized by it, since his reaction to something (a character, I think), was “Disney, whyyyyy?!?!”

During the acoustic set, e-zuka made up a song, and then Kiiyan made up a song about sanuki udon sung to the tune of Let it Go. I think I pulled something from laughing so hard.

They played Supernova and Chicken Hero!

Kiiyan thought they hadn’t played here since the Rock Instinct tour, but e-zuka pointed out Takamatsu is where Takita broke his hand on the Crack Star tour. He told Takita to be careful, and Takita said he would do his best.

Kiiyan kept screwing up one of the things he wanted us to repeat during Wonder Color. Had a cute mess up on Tsuioku. Forgiven because his voice on it was so.amazing.

Interestingly, first MC, Kiiyan was talking about food … mentioned sanuki udon, udon in Tokyo, then food in Fukuoka … then randomly asked who there was from other prefectures (most of the 2nd floor balcony) and was /definitely/ scanning the crowd. I shouldn’t read anything into that, but of course i’d like to think….

Finally realized that in Fukuoka, Sendai and here, they asked what the next size up venue was. Hmmmm!! Here it’s the dome, apparently.

They were trying to be coy about the video shoot, but didn’t realize the staff blog had posted a pic from the filming. Boy were they surprised!

 

e-zuka giving Takita a hard time. During Volcano he often goes over and harasses Takita, and that night, in addition to poking him in the chest, e-zuka wrapped his arms loosely around the neck of Takita’s bass. And then during the instrumental interlude, he leaned over and flicked the fox tail. (At TamaAri, he told everyone that while he’s known Kiiyan for 10 years, he and Takita have been friends for 30 years. So since he was 18. Wow. Best buds indeed!)

Kiiyan did not touch hands with the front row. It was e-zuka who went from stage left to right, handing out washcloths and guitar picks while Kiiyan hung back and watched. (So a Sendai thing only!)

Pretty sure when Kiiyan called out for Rodeo Boys during Wonder Color, he referred to them as “the people who can’t marry me/I can’t marry.” Heh!

Kiiyan didn’t substitute “be my babe” for “punky funky,” in Punky Funky Love like he did at Sendai or one or two other shows.

When discussing the WOWOW airing of the second TamaAri show, he asked for those who’d gone, and once we replied, he slipped into TV announcer mode. Cute!

Also cute, Kiiyan curtseying to us a couple of times. Cutie dork princess!

Kiiyan getting mock grumpy at the cheers for OCD and Mamo during the GR FES announcements and making us cheer for Granrodeo (no worries here, Kiiyan. GR has my loudest cheer, always!)

 

KURASHIKI

Kiiyan’s sexiness was at Defcon 5, purely for taking off his t-shirt at the very end and showing us not only his lovely chikubi, but dem abs. /fans self. Lucky girl who got it. Ditto the bikini girl who got the set list.

e-zuka had his own bikini girl tonight, though she.only took her shirt off for the encore. But boy did she give him some devotion the whole show. Pretty sure she was front row at Sendai too, far to e-zuka’s side. There she was shirtless the whole time. Takita and Kiiyan always get the attention, and I think we tend to assume that because e-zuka’s married that he doesn’t look and appreciate. He … most definitely does. Trust me. He’s succeeded in making me blush as just as much as Kiiyan has.

Anyhow … if I haven’t said here how much I love watching Rodeo Boys get down to Infinite Love, let me say it now. It makes me giggle happily. And hearing it live makes so happy that I could cry tears of joy….

Doubt they noticed me. e-zuka came up to the edge of the stage and asked how we were doing on the third floor … only there’s no third floor! Heh.

Kiiyan was a bouncy, twirly Kiiyan tonight. But aside from one boob gesture near the end, well-behaved. Not even any unholy hip action.

Val actually messed up in the challenge with e-zuka. He was super disappointed.

At one point, something happened with the amps and it was just bass, drums and vocals until e-zuka got it sorted out.

Val tossed a cymbal out to the crowd.

No hug. But another bow for the pair….

The falsetto was back for Hengen jizai!

Ryu confirmed when he tweeted that Kiiyan’s neck was bothering him at the show. Enough that he actually said ITAI! and was tilting his head to the side during wish.

e-zuka really is amused by the light sticks, likes to make fun of folks using them.

They claim the new single has no name yet, despite having been recorded, and the video completed.

 

YAMAGUCHI

Ran into an RG I met at Osaka last year (who remembered me from Can You do the Summer?) at the station, so had someone to hang out with for the almost 4 hours in line.

We met a college-age RB from Fukuoka who became a fan because of Can Do. He’s a big Kiiyan fan, which just made me smile. I managed not to laugh aloud when he said he had gone to watch Togainu no Chi because of Sugita and Toriumi. Heh.

While waiting to get in for the actual show, noticed that the woman I was sitting near had a nifty looking Granrodeo binder … and she was going around asking people to write messages for Kiiyan and e-zuka, which she was putting in the binder. She did eventually ask me, and I squeezed my message onto a business card sized card. Handed it back to her, grateful, and she thanked me profusely.

Those of you who saw the first Terebi Yamaguchi special on Kiiyan … that interviewer was running around interviewing just about everyone waiting to get in. Not me, unsurprisingly, though I ended up in some of the footage when she interviewed the woman about the binder/messages.

I did get filmed lining up … and if there were any crowd shots inside, possibly. Terebi Yamaguchi filmed the entire show! I suspect we will hear about a new Kiiyan special soon.

Show started a little late, and was the same basic set list as the Karma to Labyrinth tour. Except … Can Do was in the middle of the set. And … the audience participation part of Wonder Color was really short. And that’s … because Go For It! came back! As the very last song. Kiiyan actually said natsukashii  when they went to start the call and response. I think I’ve never been so happy to hear a song! I really missed it.

During the acoustic set, Kiiyan was talking about various prefectures, and e-zuka gave him a bad time about being “Taniyama Kishou, famous tv talk show host.” Kiiyan … was like “just no.”

Kiiyan was well-behaved, save for, ah, a strategic mic placement during Zetchou Poison, and a couple of boob call outs. Of course, as e-zuka pointed out, there were a lot of people Kiiyan knew in the audience, which Kiiyan said was embarrassing. Aw.

During the announcement part of the encore, when Kiiyan was introducing the acts at GR FES, he listed everyone BUT Mamo, and said “that’s it.” Those of us who caught what he was doing laughed, and then he went on to mention Mamo’s single debuting at #1 … and of course we all screamed like mad for Mamo (and Kiiyan said he was a good person).

Tsuioku no Rinkaku was even better, if that’s possible … and when they finished, Kiiyan gave us one of those preciously cute doumo arigatous.

Ero-sensei has cut his hair. Wah!

The sound system was horrid. The speakers on my side of the hall went out SEVEN times during the show. Ugh.

Kiiyan stripped off his shirt again as he was leaving the stage and tossed it no where near me, alas, but oh, oh the belly shot from the 6th row … worth the price of admission! And he got Val’s signed drum top close to me – he tossed it center, but it curved way right and landed one row behind me, closer to the end of the row.

The streamers were especially for these shows. Haven’t checked what Kiiyan wrote, but e-zuka wrote “I LOVE NIIGATA.”