DIR EN GREY was formed in 1997 from the ashes of the band La:Sadie’s. Over the last fourteen years they have held the same lineup in the form of Kyo, Kaoru, Die, Toshiya, and Shinya. Originally a visual kei band with costumes and makeup, they soon transitioned into what you see today. Frontman Kyo’s bout of throat trouble cancelled last year’s tour and as a result they have been absent from San Francisco for almost two years. People were hungry for them and you could tell by the fact that the line stretched down most of a city block.
You could feel the bass begin to pound as the opening notes to Reikatsu Nariseba sounded. The closer you were to the front the more it hit you and right next to the fence it was overwhelming to the point where you might not even know what song was playing.
Frontman Kyo is the heart of the band and his showmanship and vocal variety are the band’s trademark. He entered the stage with a veil covering most of his upper body, only uncovering himself for a few seconds here and there so that audience members could get a glimpse. The band encorporated video as part of the performance and one example of this is where Kyo performed the entirety of The Blossoming Beelzebub with his back to the audience. A microphone stand in the rear played host to a camera whose feed was projected onto a screen behind the band. Kyo played with the fixed position by alternating his distance as well as coming in and out of the light to hide himself. The twenty-foot screen let the audience see his face in all its glory; short, almost buzzcut hair framed his skull facepaint and pinpoint circle lenses.
UROBOROS was featured heavily with the songs Red Soil, Dozing Green, and Vinushka as part of the set. 2011’s DUM SPIRO SPERO was represented by The Blossoming Beelzebub and Different Sense. Fan-favorite The Final was a given part of the show. It is, by far, the most played song of their tours.
Before I knew it Kyo was chanting his customary “SAN FRANCISCO! LAST SONG! LAST SONG!” They chose the high speed (and long named) “Hageshisa to Kono Mune no Naka de Karamitsuita Shakunetsu no Yami” as the closer.
No night could be complete without a few fangirls fighting over a towel thrown into the crowd by the band. This was one of the many things that people brought home. Drum heads, drum sticks, guitar picks, and even water bottles flew through the air. Two of my friends were lucky enough to walk away with guitar picks.
DIR EN GREY, welcome back to San Francisco.