Japan's own visual kei rock band The Gazette just kicked off their four continent world tour, in support of the band's ninth full-length album titled "Ninth". This tour starting off at The Wiltern theater, this being the band's second appearance at the venue, which surprisingly enough did not sell out to the massive long lines awaiting to get inside. Some of which waiting since 6AM of the breezy cloudy but sunny day that Los Angeles had to offer it's California residents.
After 7PM hit though, fans were let inside, some gathering to the merchandise area to purchase numerous items from key chains, CD's, t-shirts and hoodies, along with other miscellaneous products. Whilst the band was suppose to play at 8PM, they did not hit the stage until 8:08PM, playing for what was close to 60 minutes.
Throughout the entirety of the venue, upstairs and downstairs, fans alike were in sync with the music, as they banged their heads to the beats of the tunes, others jumping up and down, with all else there just partaking in the excitement that The Gazette was in town yet again! The setlist this night would take a good amount of tracks off the band's "Ninth" album promoting it as such on this run of tour dates. Such tracks that were played from it included "Falling", "Gush", "Abhor God" and "Unfinished", to name some. All the rest were old tracks ranging from "Ugly", "Filth in the Beauty", "Inside Beast", and " Tomorrow Never Dies", with several others that kept the crowd's energy hyped til the very end.
But there was a downside to this performance, as the mixer arranging the music, controlling the lighting, sound quality and what not, after the band had begun their set, playing through their encore even, the sound was turned up extremely loud. Knowing that this is a concert and it's environment is meant to be this way, it was set up to be a little over done. The mixing was just not mixed very well, only a few of the kick drums and snare could be heard. While the guitars and bass seemed to be drown within one another. Microphone duties done by vocalist Ruko was clipping at times, even when he got a little loud with his screaming antics it was hard to hear what he was even singing at times. This may have been one of the down sides of the entire night's performance, making their second appearance a bit of a let down but still slightly entertaining, as the band played on with enjoying themselves during their set, and the fans there were indeed thrilled nonetheless.
Although their encore performance, had the band take in a break period intermission of 20 minutes, before concluding with a three song set, fans who were longing for their return, shouted with glee, as the band took the stage once more. Many accidentally leaving the venue beforehand, as they had thought the band was done prior, had missed out on what was a conclusive set that would be cherished, even with that downer of a mixing issue, all there took it with stride as they were glad to have waited, seen, and heard The Gazette.
SETLIST:
1. 99.999
2. Falling
3. NINTH ODD SMELL
4. Vortex
5. GUSH
6. BIZARRE
7. THE MORTAL
8. SONO KOE WA MOROKU
9. UNDYING
10. ABHOR GOD
11. UGLY
12. TWO OF A KIND
13. Filth in the Beauty
14. UNFINISHED
ENCORE:
15. INSIDE BEAST
16. Headache Man
17. Tomorrow Never Dies
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