X Japan 2017 World Tour - Acoustic Special

[Ulquiorra4th]

And speaking of Toshi at his peak, this gem of a moment from the concert. Go to 1 minute into the video for when he starts singing.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=pnZEFWyETS8


By the way I used to be a user on here a few years ago, was just 'Ulquiorra' back then, I used to do long, long ranting posts about the band/yoshiki, not sure if I can jog any memories here but basically I decided to leave after yoshiki hyped a huge announcement and it just turned out to be his Madame Tussauds wax model, I made a long long rant about how this was one fake announcement/album delay too far and that I was done with the band for good at that point and left. I've gotten into the band again since I've changed my thoughts on a few things, so hello again!

If this part of the post is too unrelated to the topic I completely understand and I'll remove it or post it in the returning members forum or something.

Haha, good to have you back man. I was wondering where you went. Band still hasn't really done or released shit. I left for a while, too

Don't blame you XD it's good to speak to you again. Yeah it's a shame this thing still isn't out, pretty amazing, are we at Chinese Democracy timewise yet or has this album overtaken it? Lol

Yeah for the last few months I've been catching up on everything/show they've done the last several years, also Toshis solo shows/his new book on HoH, Patas illness and now what Yoshiki's going through so yeah I'm all up to date. XD

Currently listening to the full live like everyone else, just on Forever love at the beginning, Toshi sounds amazing so far, I think when this video buffers (the bilibili one) it literally shuts down the whole video, just had to start it over again. lol

Update: I think the bilibili site unfortunatly has a strict 6 minute viewing time, as in if you watch a total of 6 minutes whatever point of the video you're on it stops it, well that sucks.

[axlroseX]

And speaking of Toshi at his peak, this gem of a moment from the concert. Go to 1 minute into the video for when he starts singing.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=pnZEFWyETS8


By the way I used to be a user on here a few years ago, was just 'Ulquiorra' back then, I used to do long, long ranting posts about the band/yoshiki, not sure if I can jog any memories here but basically I decided to leave after yoshiki hyped a huge announcement and it just turned out to be his Madame Tussauds wax model, I made a long long rant about how this was one fake announcement/album delay too far and that I was done with the band for good at that point and left. I've gotten into the band again since I've changed my thoughts on a few things, so hello again!

If this part of the post is too unrelated to the topic I completely understand and I'll remove it or post it in the returning members forum or something.

Haha, good to have you back man. I was wondering where you went. Band still hasn't really done or released shit. I left for a while, too

Don't blame you XD it's good to speak to you again. Yeah it's a shame this thing still isn't out, pretty amazing, are we at Chinese Democracy timewise yet or has this album overtaken it? Lol

Yeah for the last few months I've been catching up on everything/show they've done the last several years, also Toshis solo shows/his new book on HoH, Patas illness and now what Yoshiki's going through so yeah I'm all up to date. XD

Currently listening to the full live like everyone else, just on Forever love at the beginning, Toshi sounds amazing so far, I think when this video buffers (the bilibili one) it literally shuts down the whole video, just had to start it over again. lol

Haha, they aren't quite at Chinese Democracy levels (GNR is sadly re-reaching that with a follow up but at least they reunited!) but they're close. About 4 years away.

Honestly, this acoustic tour is one of the best things they have done since the reunion started.

Mixes up the sound, added orchestra, they all seem into the performances, dynamic setlist with new songs, hits, and deep cuts, and less bullshit breaks and padding while still being an acceptable length.

I would 100% accept a USA tour like this

[Ulquiorra4th]

Couldn't listen to much of it, but from the first song and all the news reports of the show on youtube I've seen I def agree with you there, it's the most interesting they've sounded in a while and a couple of choices they made suprised me like performing X just with piano. And yeah it's cool to see the setlist have a bit more of each era, which is the way it should be really.

Unfortunatly I think the large breaks at points in the show are gonna return once Yoshiki gets back on the drums again. xd

[returner]

Thank you hyde26 and Wakyan!

[Teemeah]

Couldn't listen to much of it, but from the first song and all the news reports of the show on youtube I've seen I def agree with you there, it's the most interesting they've sounded in a while and a couple of choices they made suprised me like performing X just with piano. And yeah it's cool to see the setlist have a bit more of each era, which is the way it should be really.

Unfortunatly I think the large breaks at points in the show are gonna return once Yoshiki gets back on the drums again. xd

Try the download link Hyde26 posted a while ago. Seriously worth it. This show is amazing.

[nb]

does anyone see the heath solo?

damn, i did'nt know that he is *that* good. I mean, where was this shit before? waited for years to see his real skillz. finally....
also his performance. running around like in the 90s, cheering the crowd, interacte like he did never before.



I always liked heath and believed there is something special in him, but this?

I'm flashed. honestly.

[Teemeah]

does anyone see the heath solo?

damn, i did'nt know that he is *that* good. I mean, where was this shit before? waited for years to see his real skillz. finally....
also his performance. running around like in the 90s, cheering the crowd, interacte like he did never before.



I always liked heath and believed there is something special in him, but this?

I'm flashed. honestly.

Yeah, I wonder why he was keeping low profile. I mean, maybe he didn't want to compete with Taiji's legacy because in any case, Taiji fans hate him no matter what. I was reading reviews like "Yoshiki gave Heath a simple bassline because he is not able to learn anythign complex" and I was like, dude, he has been playing Taiji's parts ever since he joined. Plus, why would Yoshiki (of all people, the perfectionist) choose a bad bassist? Just because hide recommended him? and why would hide recommend someone with lesser skills? Makes no sense to me. I'm really glad Heath got to shine a little. I love him to bits and pieces.

[magucathy]

Thanks a lot for the link, it will keep me very busy this weekend! 

I just watched the first two songs, OMG, Toshi sounds amazing!

Is it only me but I think that Yoshiki's face looks a little bit swollen. (??)

[Teemeah]

I converted it to a smaller (4gb) avi file, if someone has trouble downloading the 32 gb. https://mega.nz/#!el51WbRQ!kHS7WPT0TF3HloU_03mTmtWXQkVgj1dE42aAXDcG3Mc

[nb]

Thanks a lot for the link, it will keep me very busy this weekend! 

I just watched the first two songs, OMG, Toshi sounds amazing!

Is it only me but I think that Yoshiki's face looks a little bit swollen. (??)

s

No it is indeed. Could be from the Cortison

[Wakyan*]

Thanks for the link Teemeah!

[Hyunkel]

Oh thank you Teemeah!

[Teemeah]

welcome, guys. Also, this FB page put the whole concert up song by song: https://www.facebook.com/XJAPANLIVE/

[Hyunkel]

I didn't know this page, it's nice to upload it this way too

[Teemeah]

I just managed to watch all of it and ahh, my heart. Toshi broke down during longing, bawling like a baby, and I cried my eyes out watching him cry.  Just want to give him a hug. Whatever made him cry, memories, the past or the present, I just hope he got comfort from somebody after the concert.

https://www.facebook.com/XJAPANLIVE/videos/1942779489292976/

[denx]

Anyone manage to listen kiss the sky lyric?

[Hyunkel]

I just managed to watch all of it and ahh, my heart. Toshi broke down during longing, bawling like a baby, and I cried my eyes out watching him cry.  Just want to give him a hug. Whatever made him cry, memories, the past or the present, I just hope he got comfort from somebody after the concert.

https://www.facebook.com/XJAPANLIVE/videos/1942779489292976/

It was kind of strange. I mean X Japan's crying and all is also part of the charm of the band but here Toshi didn't even sing (two words at the beginning, barely 2 words in the middle and the final line ; even the crowd stopped singing at some point like "dude we're not gonna sing the whole song" haha, but the beginning with just the crowd singing was nice) and seemed really shaken, broken. Why now? I wonder.

[Teemeah]

He was visibly shaken. I wish we had subtitles to the talks, possibly there was something they talked about previously that might have triggered something. Adónd the fact that Yoshiki didn't even bother to look up when Toshi's voice trembled and stopped, and even at the end he just sat there while Toshi almost fled the stage.... I wanted to grab him and hit him so hard. I get he is an egomaniac and all, and that probably he was really occupied trying to hit the right keys while being in physical pain because of his arm, but still. Not even a glance at Toshi being all broken. I wonder if they ever managed to properly rebuild their friendship after the reunion or all that "we are friends again" was just for the image of the band.

[Ulquiorra4th]

That's extremely unlikely, they've done piano solo concerts together, as well as hug/cried with each other many times on stage, they've appeared on many chat show shows together when they absolutly didn't need to for the sake of keeping up an image, and on those shows they're constantly laughing and joking with each other like best friends, and Yoshiki I think gave a subtle hint that he's at least read some of Toshis book on what they did to him at hoh or at least learnt what they did.

I can't possibly imagine he doesn't understand what Toshi went through and hasn't forgiven him for the initial breakup, he certainly better not be playing up that he's just as much the most hurt member of the band as ever. Really I'm 100% certain they're best friends again, it's a little wierd though that Toshi's cried at X shows several times now, after everything they know he's suffered and not once has anyone comforted him, maybe they do it backstage when he walks off but idk, Yoshiki didn't do anything this live.

And I 've watched the concert, it's amazing, incredible atmosphere, Toshi was mostly awesome, and he was hitting high notes he hasn't hit for a few years now, but that's also why I was irked by some of the other things he was doing this concert (excluding Longing of course) but I'll leave it at that. XD

[Teemeah]

Then I really don't know what happened. It wasn't a few minute breakdown, he was completely broken for the whole duration of the song. Maybe he has just become more sensitive since his HOH experience. I was just shocked that this time Yoshiki paid no attention. I don't mean hugging or anything, even just an understanding, encouraging glance would have sufficed. But he wasn't even paying attention.

[AsukaMiyu]

Yeah, watching Toshi not being able to sing anymore was so so heartbreaking!!!
Like really, SOMEONE HUG HIM PLEASE!!!

...and then the song ends, toshi keeps standing there while Yoshiki turns his back towards him/audience to sort his sheets, turns back and start talking about whatever again, totally ignoring Toshi. WHAT THE HELL!? Dunno what that was, trying not to interpret too much into it!

Anyway, about their relationship in general, I feel like something changed. That basically Toshi got more independent (also from Yoshiki), which I think is great. And while there's less hugging on stage, there's more Toshi making fun of Yoshiki now, that that is just so much fun!

Edit: Ah, actually there are two things that made me wonder if those two ever talk to eachother about Toshi's HOH times at all! The first was when that dodumentary-thing about Toshi's time there was aired on japanese TV and Yoshiki tweeted about it. I don't even remember what it was but it sounded so shocked as if he realized it for the first time. -_-
The other thing was in the we are x documentary, when Toshi told Yoshiki that he was still totally under HOH's controll when he first met Yoshiki again, and Yoshiki was just like "....eeeeeh....?"....WHAT THE HELL THAT WAS FLIMED IN 2014 OR SO!? >_<
I don't even know what to think of it! My POV is currently that Yoshiki never asked Toshi because "if he wants to say something, he will do it" and Toshi on the other hand being like "I don't want to bother anyone with it". Oh well. This is getting to long again, I'll shut up now.
...and this is pretty offtopic... Do we have a Y&T analysis thread somewhere? ;P

[Teemeah]

They don't talk about things like this. I guess it's old school Japanese male behaviour. I read a lot of interviews with Kijak, and also listened to the X Japan Podcast interview and somewhere he mentions that indeed, Toshi and Yoshiki ONLY talked about that in front of the camera for the first time, they have NOT talked about Toshi's HOH times at all in private. To me, this is incredible. How can anyone call themselves friends when they only talk about trivial stuff, dining and work? Maybe it is a cultural Japanese thing, I don't know.... But I found it shocking and really sad It really seems like that Japanese culture has these many crazy things exactly because poeple find no other outlet to release their frustration. They don't tal about feelings. Toshi also mentions in the dcumentary that he was not aware of the suicide of Yoshiki's dad for a long time and only later did he understand what the songs HE SANG FOR DECADES really meant. It's incredible.

[returner]

denx, Kiss the Sky Lyrics have been posted online before... I think it was on a piece of sheet music or something? It wasn't official... I'll try to give it from listening:

When God speaks in silence
I bury myself for life
Let the wings of my loneliness be holding
I know everybody hurts
but love, can we keep ourselves away?
feel the rain of roses lead us to ecstasy

We'll kiss the sky
We'll be fighting
Til' dreams come to life (sounds like it changed to LET dreams come to life?)
Til your dry tears dry

Woah woah woah

So love, don't say goodbye
Don't you surrender
I'll be your light
I'll be your darkness

Woah woah woah

Side note: I really hope they were recording at this concert because the audience during the last "Woah woah woah" (6min of the facebook song upload) was amazing! They really felt it!


Edit: Just watching some songs for the first time... Who else thinks La Venus is SO much better as an acoustic? With that wonderful symphony in the background it doesn't sound empty at all.

See... see the roses of life
Stand in the rain blooming with flowers
Breathe, keep breathing my love
No reason to let the world bring you down

Til we die, I'll be loving you dear
Til we fly from here to Heaven
Til we die, I'll be the roses you tear
So don't you cry, it's the end of the world

You say everything's fake. Everything breaks.
The color of the night veiling your faith
I swallow your pain that bleeds through your veins
Cause we'll see the daybreak, stay true to your heart La Venus

I'll be loving you, dear
Til we fly from here to Heaven
Til we die, I'll be the roses you tear
So don't you cry, it's the end of the world

Everything's fake, everything breaks
And we won't be the same
but I want you to know my love

I'll be loving you, dear
Til we fly from here to Heaven
Til we die I'll be the roses you tear
So don't you cry, it's the end of the world

See... see the roses of life
Stand in the rain blooming with flowers
Breathe, keep breathing my love
No reason to let the world take your life tonight.

[nb]

Edit: Ah, actually there are two things that made me wonder if those two ever talk to eachother about Toshi's HOH times at all! The first was when that dodumentary-thing about Toshi's time there was aired on japanese TV and Yoshiki tweeted about it. I don't even remember what it was but it sounded so shocked as if he realized it for the first time. -_-
The other thing was in the we are x documentary, when Toshi told Yoshiki that he was still totally under HOH's controll when he first met Yoshiki again, and Yoshiki was just like "....eeeeeh....?"....WHAT THE HELL THAT WAS FLIMED IN 2014 OR SO!? >_<

Yes, makes me wonder too. I thought " oh, he didn't read Toshis book, did he?"

[Kurenai_Akari]

Just wanted to say thanks for the links to watch it. So far, I've only watched the "Longing" video since I haven't been up to really doing anything else.
(the past couple of days has been dedicated to mourning another artist who just passed away & dealing with the current heat wave at home)

[StarWarsArtist]

Just wanted to say thanks for the links to watch it. So far, I've only watched the "Longing" video since I haven't been up to really doing anything else.
(the past couple of days has been dedicated to mourning another artist who just passed away & dealing with the current heat wave at home)

Chester? I'm with you.

[Hyunkel]

I learnt it while watching the live ; stopped it right away and was like "No way!" and, unfortunately, yes, way...

[Kurenai_Akari]

Chester? I'm with you.

Yeah. I've begun to really despise July as a whole, as silly as it is to say.

I learnt it while watching the live ; stopped it right away and was like "No way!" and, unfortunately, yes, way...

I stay up until 4 or 5 AM on most nights, so I end up waking up around early afternoon. Hearing the news just as I woke up really messed me up. I'm grateful to have seen LP in concert a few times before Chester passed away.

Anyways, I digress. I'll edit my post after I watch what's been posted in full.

[Ulquiorra4th]

Rewatching the concert again I noticed something during the start of Drain, Toshi was running a little bit on stage (and all that spinning after) I don't think he's run on stage once in the last two or three years of live shows they've done. Does this mean his legs are getting better? Maybe he exercises in some way privately and the condition of his legs are improving, I really hope so. We saw that footage of him in the wheelchair and had no idea wether or not this was a permenant problem, guess we'll find out what this means eventually.

[Teemeah]

He looked really energetic all through the concert, up until the very end when he started to lose his voice and then broke down during Longing. He was really really impressive. Not just singing-wise but also his stage command and everything. Like good old tower-hair Toshi back in the days when he rumbled on stage half naked (I want half naked Toshi back. And Toshi without sunglasses, too)