Writing for an online, blog-style site, I have the liberty of getting a little bit personal with my articles. If a band or artist annoys me, I will bluntly tell you. If someone gives a disappointing live performance, I’ll pinpoint where they fall short. And if for some reason I feel the need to hurl a now retired Walkman on stage while exclaiming, “You’re not funny!” I will most certainly let you know. What, you may ask with a furrow in your brow, does the general readership care about the disappointments of a lowly writer who typically rambles on and on about why music sucks? I’ll tell you the answer with a straight face and a slightly misty eye.

This time, I have nothing bad to say.

On December 23 and 24, LUNA SEA reunited ten years after they disbanded, and a mere three years after their first don’t-call-it-a-comeback performance, for 20th Anniversary World Tour Reboot. This was my first experience with LUNA SEA in all their boisterous, ethereal, and live glory, so my expectations were through the roof. The band had just returned to Japan – home base for the time being – from Germany, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. I decided to avoid most of the buzz around the internet, my cynical mind secretly afraid that the band would appear on stage at the first show in sweatpants and wife beaters, claiming inspiration for their new look and sound as coming from the Jersey Shore. I swore that if I saw vocalist Ryuichi Kawamura fist pump and show off his “situation,” I’d jump into a pit of lava.
December 23 was a national holiday, meaning I spent most of the morning and afternoon mentally preparing myself for the first round of LUNA SEA at Tokyo Dome. I chose this day to go simply as an admirer of their music. I was going to stand with all the little people, unafraid to scream the lyrics while giving lead guitarist SUGIZO the Vulcan salute (it’s an inside thing). And, without an ounce of shame, that’s exactly what I did. I humbly admit that I am a frequent listener and karaoke-er of LUNA SEA songs. Hello, my name is Sarah and I am a LUNA SEA fan. (more…)