MEETING MIYAVI! CONCERT REVIEW & PHOTOS, NEO SAMURAI TOUR AT VANCOUVER COMMODORE BALLROOM, JROCK VISUAL KEI.
We met Miyavi! The Visual Shock J-rocker electrified our eyes and melted our hearts at his June 17th concert (at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom). Let’s start from the start…
Miyavi’s North American tour is called “Neo Samurai,” and he’s beloved for his vivid makeup and ever-morphing style. So I thought it appropriate to dress as a Glam Rock Samurai.
My makeup is inspired by 1970s David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust. I contoured my eyes with green eyeshadows gifted by Aromaleigh (the latest Victoria’s Revenge collection is possibly the best yet). “The real gold” is gifted from Sugarpill, and the stickers are from Daiso. The photos don’t do the look justice; in real life, the effect is iridescent.
Gold sequins and feather headpiece: gifted by Cutie Dynamite. I love her handmade hair accessories, which go perfectly with Victorian, Steampunk and Lolita outfits. This one matches my hair and clips on easily with a large hair comb. You simply must visit Cutie Dynamite’s Etsy store for more gorgeous designs.
Samurai wrap top: by Dalegare. One of the most unusual pieces I own — it has long samurai sleeves and wraps around the chest and waist. I found it in London’s Camden Market years ago.
Pants: by Lululemon. Very comfortable.
Owl ring: Juicy Couture
DIY nail art: inspired by Miyavi.
I arrived about an hour before the doors opened, and encountered a snaking lineup of devoted J-rock fans. Some had even camped out overnight!
My friend Rose was sixth from the front, looking lovely in Sex Pot Revenge. She did her multi-colored leopard hair and all her piercings herself.
Rose: Part of why I like to get there early is to meet awesome new people, who share my interests. Even though I was teeth-chattering-freezing for eleven hours straight, it was still great fun!
Asta had newly-dyed aqua-colored hair as well. We were on the guest list, so we ducked into a nearby bar for red absinthe cut with egg whites. Yes, I’m obsessed with absinthe. (Remember these photos from absinthe bars in Ebisu and outside Tokyo…)
Thanks to everyone who entered the Miyavi ticket giveaway — it was lovely to meet you at the show! (I kind of look like a Hare Krishna, hence the psychedelic Photoshop…)
I was among the eight individuals who got to watch Miyavi’s soundcheck. He was dressed all in black and wore sunglasses — but that didn’t hold him back from tapping and coaxing his guitar as if he were performing for an audience of thousands. Miyavi ran through several songs that weren’t on the setlist, apologizing in advance for mistakes (“I haven’t played these in a while.”) A needless apology — it was wonderful to hear his voice ring out in a bare room, backed only by drums and keyboards.
At 7:30pm, the doors opened and the fans rushed to the stage. At 9pm, Miyavi walked on and gave a big wave. (Photo from Miyavi’s management.)
Rose: From that second, I was totally captivated by his cute, charming and energetic stage presence! He seemed to be enjoying himself so much — I couldnt help but have a stupid smile plastered on my face the whole time. I was right up front, pressed against the stage… I had to be so I could have a close up view of his cuteness the whole time!
Carmina: Now THIS is a rock star. Everyone went nuts when Miyavi lifted his guitar behind his neck and shredded it. His English is quite good, and it was fun to yell along to his call-and-responses, like “Funky Monkey” and “What’s my name, what’s my f***ing name.” When he spoke about becoming a new father — “Already, my daughter is this tall, running around. They grow up so fast don’t they? You have to savor it…” — oh, a few tears were shed.
Rose: He seemed so happy to interact with the crowd, getting us going with his silly sexy gestures. It was so cute when he jumped up on the speaker to play up there — and did the splits, in tight jeans! I am very flexible and I can’t do that!
Carmina: Miyavi had microphone stands all over the stage, so he moved around and got close to everyone. Drummer Ryo Yamagata, with his years of jazz training, brought the heat to a boil.
Rose: I was excited to hear the two new songs he played, “Torture” and “Gravity.” I liked them very much. Now I can’t wait for his new album!
Carmina: Miyavi did an encore, squirting water from his bottle onto the crowd. When the lights went up, Rose and I went to the side of the stage… because we were two of the eight lucky people who got to meet Miyavi himself!
Rose: I always appreciate when musicians are willing to meet fans after a show. I know if I just did a live with so much craziness, I definitely wouldn’t feel up to meeting anyone. I don’t know how he has so much energy!
Carmina: As you’d expect, Miyavi was charming and gorgeous in person. He spoke English well, with endearing “hep cat” turns of phrase. Miyavi graciously signed a tour postcard and gave us a sticker.
Need I say it was an unforgettable live? I’ll soon be posting GPKISM, Kaya and SaTaN reviews, so please bookmark my blog and come back soon. For a report on the San Francisco show, check out Kirsty Evan’s article in East Bay Express.
Have you seen Miyavi in concert? What did you love best about his performance?
PS: I added more designer items to my wardrobe clearance extravaganza, including a red and black velvet Lolita dress for only $86. The Japanese clothes and accessories are disappearing fast, so come browse my Online Garage Sale before everything’s gone!
Japanese Word of the Day: Erande kudasai = Please browse
Song of the Day: Miyavi – Aishiteru kara hajimeyou (live in concert, 2009)
SHARE & COMMENT
LA CARMINA
78 Comments
the leopard pattern is so cooooooooool!!
Keep living the good life girl!!! Hope to see you all over film and TV! Dream big!
Hahaha David Bowie~ ^o^ Yay lol
Come back West and play….miss you little friend ♥
Camping out was half the fun ;D
Nice outfit and review!! But miyavi current drummer isn’t Bobo (from the band 54-71 band)?? I thought Ryo Yamagata is not with him this tour.
Oh ahaha really? I guess I got the wrong info about the name. Bobo then!
Love your outfit ^.^
Thanks! Your blog is very cute, by the way. Love the new dress.
the leopard pattern is so cooooooooool!!
Keep living the good life girl!!! Hope to see you all over film and TV! Dream big!
Hahaha David Bowie~ ^o^ Yay lol
Come back West and play….miss you little friend ♥
Camping out was half the fun ;D
Wow, i am very jealous! Glad you had fun though , and your friends hair is amazing….makes me want to get out a razor…mmm.
She has so many amazing hair styles… wish I could post a collage haah
Nice outfit and review!! But miyavi current drummer isn't Bobo (from the band 54-71 band)?? I thought Ryo Yamagata is not with him this tour.
Love your outfit ^.^
AWWWW… I love miyavi…and his style it’s just *0*…
charming…u’re so lucky…
wicked
I love the pictures, it’s so you
David Bowie *drools* Miyavi *Drools more* I really want to see miyavi in concert. Along with Gackt, Dir en grey, VAMPS, Buck-Tick, & more.
A dream-team of Visual Kei bands!
hahaha…basil in concert……lovemiauuuuu
Oh man… with Basil’s voice, the concert would sound like wahhhhh wahhh!
dont care for miyavi any but i like la carmina, so i hang in coquitloam from time to time and go round vancouver etc etc so when im there do i get to hang out with you?
Love the Samurai top and the pants! And your mate´s leopard skin hair, brilliant! ;)
Looks like Basil isn´t into J-Rock though. He probably (secretly!) prefers soft jazz…
Nooo he loves classical music… he lies down and says mm mmm!
Wow, i am very jealous! Glad you had fun though , and your friends hair is amazing….makes me want to get out a razor…mmm.
oh I’m so happy that you got to meet him! ^ ^ I saw you in line (I was near the front too) but I didn’t want to interupt you with your friends (i’m a little shy) but I thought your outfit was really unique & now I know what you based it on!
Nice ABS girl!
You looked amazing at the concert. It really was a totally different effect from the goth-inspired crowd and I am sure that you stood out wonderfully.
It was a breath-taking live and I am so looking forward to hearing about the interview/meet and greet.
*huggles*
Wow, thank you!! <3 Glad you were there to share the excitement!
Ahaha Yukiro and I like to wear whatever goes against the grain… if it's a "white themed party" we'll wear black, etc. Some people love it, some hate it… but at least it's different and makes people react, I guess… :P
This picture somehow reminded me of a painting….. http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_with_a_Pearl_Earring gorgeous Carmina! ^.^ xxxxx
ohh that’s a good comparison!
AWWWW… I love miyavi…and his style it's just *0*…
charming…u're so lucky…
wicked
I love the pictures, it's so you
David Bowie *drools* Miyavi *Drools more* I really want to see miyavi in concert. Along with Gackt, Dir en grey, VAMPS, Buck-Tick, & more.
hahaha…basil in concert……lovemiauuuuu
dont care for miyavi any but i like la carmina, so i hang in coquitloam from time to time and go round vancouver etc etc so when im there do i get to hang out with you?
Love the Samurai top and the pants! And your mate´s leopard skin hair, brilliant! ;)
Looks like Basil isn´t into J-Rock though. He probably (secretly!) prefers soft jazz…
Oh ahaha really? I guess I got the wrong info about the name. Bobo then!
Thanks! Your blog is very cute, by the way. Love the new dress.
She has so many amazing hair styles… wish I could post a collage haah
A dream-team of Visual Kei bands!
Oh man… with Basil's voice, the concert would sound like wahhhhh wahhh!
oh I'm so happy that you got to meet him! ^ ^ I saw you in line (I was near the front too) but I didn't want to interupt you with your friends (i'm a little shy) but I thought your outfit was really unique & now I know what you based it on!
Nice ABS girl!
You looked amazing at the concert. It really was a totally different effect from the goth-inspired crowd and I am sure that you stood out wonderfully.
It was a breath-taking live and I am so looking forward to hearing about the interview/meet and greet.
*huggles*
Wow, thank you!! <3 Glad you were there to share the excitement!
Ahaha Yukiro and I like to wear whatever goes against the grain… if it's a “white themed party” we'll wear black, etc. Some people love it, some hate it… but at least it's different and makes people react, I guess… :P
Quite frankly Miyavi sama is a God in music. He has his own style of rock…it’s not your everyday kind of hardcore/metal/alternative/punk you hear. I mean he just breaks the genre and just does it so wonderfully.
Some of my fav. songs by him include: Dear my Friend, Dear my Love, Ashita, Tenki ni Naare, Ashita, Genki ni Naare, Itoshii Hito, and Kimi ni Negai Wo.
I have yet to see him in concert but sadly get the feeling that I’ll never see him in concert……due to some obstacles in my path.
Glad to hear that you had so much fun in the concert. I’ve seen videos of him in concert and he gives his all in them. He puts his whole entire being in there – heart, mind, soul, and body. That’s what makes them so special even when you’re watching through a medium of a television screen emitting “blue light” and disrupting you from sleep in the middle of the night. It truly feels like a dream. And if it feels like a dream when just watching Miyavi sama perform on the television screen…God I have no idea what it’s like to see him in concert.
Now regarding your (that’s you – La Carmina) style at the concert. TALK ABOUT DAMN CREATIVE. While everyone else just wears black, emo/scene mall clothing – you blow them away with your all out original creativity. Haha I think I saw some jealous faces!
Honestly – 100% resplendent. 100% unique. 100%…La Carmina.
Kiotsukete
Thank you^^ I really appreciate the thoughts, as always. Hahah one must take risks… sometimes it soars, other times it falls flat. I’m happy you like this outfit and the concert review! Miyavi is a god, for sure, he spans so many disparate influences…
This picture somehow reminded me of a painting….. http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_with_a_Pearl_Ear... gorgeous Carmina! ^.^ xxxxx
ohh that's a good comparison!
Ahhh! Pefect!
I just got back from Miyavi in Toronto. AHHHHHHH! It was amazing, as expected, but still. All three musicians were so on point. That drummer was a beast! The only problem I have at any VK related shows are the fan girls, only because they are not even close to as sturdy as I am so I have to watch how much I move. I moved a lot at this show regardless. Oh, and did anyone else get the eXciting announcement at the end? (you know the one I mean……)
Wowwwwwwww! Everyone was on an energy high after the show — yeahhh!
Quite frankly Miyavi sama is a God in music. He has his own style of rock…it's not your everyday kind of hardcore/metal/alternative/punk you hear. I mean he just breaks the genre and just does it so wonderfully.
Some of my fav. songs by him include: Dear my Friend, Dear my Love, Ashita, Tenki ni Naare, Ashita, Genki ni Naare, Itoshii Hito, and Kimi ni Negai Wo.
I have yet to see him in concert but sadly get the feeling that I'll never see him in concert……due to some obstacles in my path.
Glad to hear that you had so much fun in the concert. I've seen videos of him in concert and he gives his all in them. He puts his whole entire being in there – heart, mind, soul, and body. That's what makes them so special even when you're watching through a medium of a television screen emitting “blue light” and disrupting you from sleep in the middle of the night. It truly feels like a dream. And if it feels like a dream when just watching Miyavi sama perform on the television screen…God I have no idea what it's like to see him in concert.
Now regarding your (that's you – La Carmina) style at the concert. TALK ABOUT DAMN CREATIVE. While everyone else just wears black, emo/scene mall clothing – you blow them away with your all out original creativity. Haha I think I saw some jealous faces!
Honestly – 100% resplendent. 100% unique. 100%…La Carmina.
Kiotsukete
Ahhh! Pefect!
I just got back from Miyavi in Toronto. AHHHHHHH! It was amazing, as expected, but still. All three musicians were so on point. That drummer was a beast! The only problem I have at any VK related shows are the fan girls, only because they are not even close to as sturdy as I am so I have to watch how much I move. I moved a lot at this show regardless. Oh, and did anyone else get the eXciting announcement at the end? (you know the one I mean……)
Omg! I wish i could have gone to the Miyavi concerts but as always i was busy on both days. The 12th was my brothers bday and the 17th was the beatles tribute band concert. All was fun but i wish i could have made it there. I hope to meet u someday, right here in alaska. I’ll let u know about anime conventions up here. I love you so much~ Jealous of all the gothic lolita stuff u have. I have no money to get such nice clothing for the one anime convention up here.
It was quite the experience… he’s a magical performer! I’ve never been to Alaska, but my dad has several times… xoxo
Thank you^^ I really appreciate the thoughts, as always. Hahah one must take risks… sometimes it soars, other times it falls flat. I'm happy you like this outfit and the concert review! Miyavi is a god, for sure, he spans so many disparate influences…
Wowwwwwwww! Everyone was on an energy high after the show — yeahhh!
Omg! I wish i could have gone to the Miyavi concerts but as always i was busy on both days. The 12th was my brothers bday and the 17th was the beatles tribute band concert. All was fun but i wish i could have made it there. I hope to meet u someday, right here in alaska. I'll let u know about anime conventions up here. I love you so much~ Jealous of all the gothic lolita stuff u have. I have no money to get such nice clothing for the one anime convention up here.
It was quite the experience… he's a magical performer! I've never been to Alaska, but my dad has several times… xoxo
I went to a David Bowie Concert in 1984!!! Awesome Show!!! His warm up act were “The Tubes: They sang the song, “She’s a Beauty, One in a Million Girls!!!” – Gotta Love Bowie!!! And now, Gottal Love Miyavi!!! t
I went to a David Bowie Concert in 1984!!! Awesome Show!!! His warm up act were “The Tubes: They sang the song, “She's a Beauty, One in a Million Girls!!!” – Gotta Love Bowie!!! And now, Gottal Love Miyavi!!! t
I saw him July 3rd in Dallas and it was phenomenal! Me and my friends were the first to go in and at the front center of the crowd. A ten hour wait was well worth it! He kissed the neck of his guitar at one point and held it above the crowd’s heads just above our reach! Kinda like he was playing with cats lol, he did the splits at our concert as well and even the matrix while playing! I adore him and his cute smile and mad guitar skills and singing!
That sound amazing!! :D
Wah I was at the concert too with my brother. I seen you I thought your outfit was really unique! A lot of people were looking at you and your friends some were a bit jealous becuase you got to go in a bit early I think. haha ;;
So lucky to meet miyavi ! I was just lucky enough to be in front of the crowd. I hope he comes back soon ~!! ; v; )
hahaa <3 It was a great show!
hahaa <3 It was a great show!
Wah I was at the concert too with my brother. I seen you I thought your outfit was really unique! A lot of people were looking at you and your friends some were a bit jealous becuase you got to go in a bit early I think. haha ;;
So lucky to meet miyavi ! I was just lucky enough to be in front of the crowd. I hope he comes back soon ~!! ; v; )
I saw him when he came to toronto. it was the most amazing experience i have ever had. there is NO WAY i am ever going to forget that concert.
Sweet! Love the outfit! Bowie is great live, though I saw him in 2002 for the Area2 tour. Miyavi I saw 3 times this year: NYC and Tokyo (Harajuku & Shimokitazawa). All concerts were awesome. NY stands out for being seriously intense, with sweletering heat and fangirls passing out. Shimokitazawa was beyond small and tight, but with a real, gritty, underground, rock feel to it. I just got lucky that 2 concerts were on while I was in Japan for a wedding.
Did the cat enjoyed the concert?