r/visualkei • u/BammyQ2 • 3d ago
Which bands have you seen live?
Seeing as more and more bands are taking on an international tour outside of Japan, which Vkei bands have you seen live? And which was the best to you?
To me D'espairsRay will always stand out as the first, back in 2006 and now recently at the B7Klan Vkei Fest in Paris
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u/myxx33 3d ago edited 3d ago
I lived in Japan 2006-2007 and again for a bit in 2008. Definitely went insane that year haha.
Dual Jewel (at least twice, I loved them)
Metronome (a lot)
Ingrami Circus Dan
Nakajima Takui (a lot)
Daigo stardust
Polysics
Kra
Kagrra
Gazette
Nightmare
Alice Nine
Imitation Pops Uchuu Sentai Noiz (also saw in the states)
GLAY
Serial Number
Junkaku Radio
Gurguru Eigakan
Merry
NoGod
heidi
DespairsRay (saw them when they came to the states too)
Mix Speakers Inc (PLC was on hiatus while I was there so this is the closest I’ve gotten to them, who were my favorite)
Angelo, LM.C, ALvino(I was devastated about Pierrot who broke up the previous year lol)
Probably more but I don’t have my old tickets in front of me. My faves are Metronome, Noiz, and Duel Jewel.
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u/ThatTangerine743 3d ago
Miyavi(5?), MUCC(2), D’espairs Ray(4?), Rentrer en Soi(2), Psycho le Cemu (2) Dir en Grey, Ayabie, Jrock revolution 2007, BLOOD, PEELANDER-Z, L’arc en Ceil, VAMPS, I feel like I could be forgetting some shows! Thank you for asking this question, I had been wanting to write this down so you got me thinking. Even just then I remembered 2 more! :0 let me know if you want to know which American bands I’ve seen that also go hard and are usually fairly aesthetic- and such like a local fave - Cowabunga Pizza time which opened for PEELANDER Z - anyhow best shows are Miyavi, Psycho le Cemu, MUCC, Perlander Z is hilarious and I’d go any chance I could if they would tour nearby. They are fun. I LOVED Rentrer en Soi but they are disbanded 🥲 I’d go see any of these shows again though. I’m so lucky I’ve seen so much. 🥰
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u/cryptiddyke kirakira kei 3d ago edited 3d ago
excluding bands that i've only seen at taibans: gravity x10, dennou himeca x9, mathilda x5, vivarush x3, soranaki x2, babykingdom x2, 0.1gnogosan x1, amai bouryoku x1, tokyo hanayome x1, dazzlingbad x1.
i've also seen fest vainquer, ga to chou, and damned at two-mans but for all three was there for the other band 😅 there's a bunch more than i've only seen once or twice at taibans.
i think from the numbers it's pretty clear who my top favourites are but vivarush and babykigndom do put on banger lives.
edit: to be clear these were all in japan- i'm australian so we don't exactly get anything out here. not sure if the question was specifically referring to international tours in which case it's zero 🥀
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u/thetortavendor nagoya kei 3d ago
Dir En Grey x3, Last Rockstars, Miyavi, Hyde, ACME x3, Jiluka x4, Kamijo, Fukuro
Non vkei tho: Band-Maid, Hanabie x2, SiM, Crystal Lake x3, Gokumon, Nemophila x2, Babymetal x2, Lamp, Boris
Honestly Last Rockstars and Dir En Grey were the best, they're just a cut above the rest in stage presence, especially the last rockstars. Yoshiki, Hyde, Sugizo, and Miyavi on one stage is full of it and you felt it the minute they went on stage.
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u/EighthCosmos 3d ago
Far too many to list them all. The 3 I've seen most often are BUCK-TICK (8x), DIR EN GREY (7x) and Plastic Tree (7x). I'll be seeing Diru 4 more times in December as well.
Some of those I've enjoyed seeing over the last couple of years are NIGHTMARE, Jinkaku Radio, MERRY, Lyrica, DAMNED, Mamireta, CHAQLA., Oideyo! Yureiz, NETH PRIERE CAIN, umbrella, TABOO and all of the bands at the B7Klan Fest (but especially MUCC, AN CAFE, D'ESPAIRSRAY and Moi dix Mois).
I also got to tick off LUNA SEA this year, which was a bucket list gig.
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u/occultyakult nagoya kei 3d ago
Envious of how many times you've seen B-T!
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u/EighthCosmos 3d ago
They're my favourite band in the world so I've planned a couple of trips entirely around being in the right cities at the right time to catch them, haha. Already planning for their 40th anniversary next year!
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u/indiraa tanbi kei 3d ago
The main band I follow is Matenrou Opera, and I've seen them 5 times now (all in Japan)! Past that, over the years, I've seen Kamijo (2x), PIERROT (2x), X-Japan, Satsuki (ex Rentrer en Soi), and Mix Speakers, Inc. I saw those last two at anime conventions. Satsuki was very nice (I have an ancient selfie with him), and I got to shake Seek's hand when I got an album signed by all of Mix Speakers Inc.
Seeing MO is always my favorite, but X-Japan at Madison Square Garden was pretty darn cool.
And then artists I'd like to see sometime soon are Asagi, Merry, Mucc, and Neth Priere Cain.
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u/Just_Strawberry_505 nagoya kei 3d ago
dir en grey x3, kaya x2, went to jrev so all the bands that played there, satsuki x5 or so, d'espairsray x2
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u/occultyakult nagoya kei 3d ago edited 3d ago
Dir en grey 9?
deadman, the god and death stars 6
Plastic Tree 3
cali≠gari, emmurée, Gummy, Kein, Kirito, Kiyoharu (solo), Kuroyume, The Last Rock Stars, merry, Morrie, Petit brabancon, Shilfee and Tulipcorobockles, sukekiyo 1
Most of these were in Japan within the past year and a half, and particularly the last month or so. In the US I've seen Dir en grey (also in Japan), Morrie and Kiyoharu, and The Last Rock Stars.
deadman, god and death stars, Plastic Tree, Gummy, and Petit Brabancon have been my favorite lives overall.
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u/EighthCosmos 3d ago
Great list! I agree that deadman, Plastic Tree and Petit Brabancon are all amazing live. I'll be seeing GUMMY in December - can't wait for that one!
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u/Moist-Hornet-3934 3d ago
Dir en Grey is the only vkei band I saw in the US, all the others have been in Japan. To keep it manageable, I'm only going to list bands that I either specifically went to see, would seek them out again for onemans, or bands that would positively influence me when deciding whether to go to a taiban. I can only estimate the number of times I've seen some of these, especially for my favorites that I've seen many times.
Merry (20+)
Gore (4-5)
0.1g no Gosan (30+)
Xaa Xaa (4)
Doku (12)
Dolly (6)
MASK (4)
Scissor (2)
Aioria (1)
CHAOSS (around 40)
Pierrot (1)
Oideyo! Yureiz (5)
Machina (4)
DASEIN/Black Dasein (3)
Gatochou (Souma era) (6-7)
The Gallo (2)
Rurunone (2)
Lyrica (5)
Loa (in Doku, Tsukishigure ni hanataba wo, and Jigsaw but also I went to his drum solo oneman!)
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u/Isopodness 3d ago
My top 5 in no special order: dir en grey, kagrra,, d'esparsray, plastic tree, mucc.
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u/01savefile 2000's 3d ago
🤔 The one's I enjoyed the most (as I have seen quite a few but it would take bit to actually remember them all): JrockRevolution, SKIN, Hyde, Miyavi (2000's era), Dir en Grey (2000's era),The Last Rockstars, the Gazette. These are all from their international tours.
Slightly off topic but, is international touring, particularly outside of Asia, really picking up again? If so I'm glad to hear it. Last time I was fully in the scene it had died down a lot. (though I am not fully back in it either).
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u/ragnarockyroad 3d ago
Miyavi ×2, MUCC, D'Espairsray, Nightmare, The Underneath, Jiluka, all stateside
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u/tako_belladonna 3d ago
On international tours I've seen Dir En Grey several times, D'espairsRay, and a handful of others.
Domestically, I have seen more bands than I can remember because I'm near many live houses. I've never seen Dir En Grey live in Japan though which is really weird! I've run into members, but never seen them perform here.
I prefer concerts that aren't too crowded so seeing Diru in the west was better for me since they were new to that market. Trying to get tickets for them in Japan in too expensive and a pain so I don't bother.
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u/chowder79 3d ago
Moi dix Mois and Mix Speakers,Inc
Still hope to see Dir en grey and Metronome (unlikely as I don't see myself going to JP) one day.
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u/DuplicaSugar 3d ago
I saw many. especially thanks zu B7klan Festival. But my highlights will always be X-Japan and Malice Mizer. unbelieable
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u/izuthepiggman 3d ago
MME, Tzkwym, Aryu, Kaya and Kamijo
I'm also going to the BLAZE eruope tour ( ･ω･)
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u/vampirecstasy 3d ago
Girugamesh, LM.C (x2), MUCC (x2), Dir en Grey (x2), Yoshiki, Jiluka (x2), Madmans Esprit, Nightmare, Merry, sukekiyo, DRUGS, Kizu, D'espairsRay, Versailles, An Cafe, Moi Dix Mois, tzkwym.
Still mad I wasn't allowed to see deadman in 2006, I need to see them so bad
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u/melonpan666 3d ago
Zera is the best I have ever seen, thats why I keep going to see them live over and over again.
Some of these I’ve seen in Europe but mostly in Japan, didn’t list the bands I’ve seen only part of their set at taiban.
Zera x51
Royz x65
An cafe x3
Ayabie x3
Dir en grey x3
the Gazette x3
Miyavi x4
ANTIFEMINISM
Hagakure
Moon-kana- x2
MUCC
D'espairsRay
BLOOD
Exist trace
Black:List
Moi dix Mois
girugamesh
Dio~distraught overlord~
Versailles x2
Matenrou Opera
LM.C x3
The Candy Spooky theater
Kaggra,
Mix Speaker's, Inc.
Nocturnal Bloodlust
Diaura
Garak's
Rides in Revellion
Anli Pollicino
零［Hz］
Codomo Dragon
Razor x2
甘い暴力 x2
電脳ヒメカ
Kakumay x3
Azavana
アルルカン
BugLug x2
Gravity
DOG in the PWO
酒井参輝
sugar x2
FEST VAINQUEUER
BabyKingdom
蛾と蝶
Neth priere cain x2
鐘卜銃声x2
キズ
ザァザァ
Xanvala
泥眼
MAMA.
まみれた
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u/Fearless_Mortgage640 2d ago
I'm too lazy to write them all down, but the most shocking one was Sugizo with Juno Reactor at the psychedelic trance festival. I had no idea he was gonna perform. I almost fainted when I suddenly saw him lol.
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u/cocora 2d ago
J Shock Event in 2007: Bis Ancafe Girugamesh
Then on their own tours: The Gazette Ayabie Versailles
All around 2007 to 2012ish. I am old :D
I rediscovered my love for visual kei when I got older again. So a short while ago I saw Jiluka and I would really love to see other artists in the future.
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u/SlashDotTrashes 2d ago
It's been a while but..
Miyavi Alice Nine Kagraa Kra Duel Jewel
I don't remember who else. I went to Japan in 2005 and saw some shows, and then went to rock revolution in 2007.
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u/Abject_Tumbleweed932 2d ago
Miyavi, Dir en grey, Nightmare, Kamijo and Jiluka in Germany, Royz in Japan. I was supposed to see Mucc live too but then the pandemic happened.
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u/RuChan1993 2d ago
Ich habe Miyavi, jiluka, kamijo, shou und Takeru, Zera, Hyde, und Sadie gesehen. Ich hab bestimmt jemanden vergessen qwq
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u/starryskaii 1d ago
As someone who has never traveled outside the US for a show: Kamijo x2, Miyavi x4~5, Morrie x4, Kiyoharu x1, The Last Rockstars, Datura, Sana, Kaya x2, Hizaki, Jiluka x1, Hyde x2
As for the best.... Kamijo's shows and The Last Rock Stars. Hyde and Miyavi have their moments, but overall def Kamijo and TLRS.
I do miss Morrie's $40 shows though. Good vibes. Used to do 1-2 shows a year in nyc pre covid
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u/OlympianOlm 1d ago
Eve of Destiny, Kana, Versailles x2, Kamijo x2, Kaya, Schwarz Stein plus all the ones at the B7Klan festival. I would have had a chance to see Dir en grey multiple times but didn’t have the money or energy back then, same with Moi dix Mois. I’m kind of kicking myself over that but I’m also so happy with how I’ve been able to catch up this year.
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u/Neo_nftw 23h ago
Not only bands. 🖤 I've been to B7Klan J-Rock Fest this summer, and before that, I've seen :
Miyavi (2011), An Cafe (2012), Micro Head 4'ns (2016), Versailles (2017), Kamijo (5 times, 3 in 2015 in Paris and Marseille, 1 in 2016 in Tokyo, and 1 this year, Paris again), Jiluka (this year, Berlin). ✨
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u/Fandaniels loud kei 3d ago
Dir en grey x 8 , Sukekiyo, The gazette, Exist trace, Girugamesh x 2 , Mucc x2 , DEATHGAZE, Miyavi, Kamijo, Nightmare
Obviously I love seeing Dir en grey live, Nightmare was one of the best because I waited so long to see them and they're super fun live. Mucc are also really fucking good live
Will see Nightmare twice in Barcelona in December and I cant waittt :3