B'z Live-Gym 2003
"BANZAI IN NORTH AMERICA"
House Of Blues, Las Vegas, October 12, 2003

Report by Shingouki

Oh my, Im pumped up!!!! Cant wait until they come to my home--Seattle!

So, I got there in line sometime about 930ish in the morning. There were a good 15-25 people in line. It was hard to tell cuz the kept on comming and going. But I made my place and sat for the longest time. A little later four girls came and sat down behind me. We got to talking. The two important names were Eriko and Ayumi!
There was this girl (some called her the 'super-fan') sitting off by herself by a column. At first none of us could figure out why she was out of line...?
So I sat and sat for several hours... the line condensed. Talked with Ayumi and Eriko. Then after about 2 1/2 hours I remembered an email I got from HOB after buying my ticket: Pass the line! So I went to the box office and checked... sure enough, pass the line was in effect and the 'super-fan' was the first person in the pass the line-line (it later was known as 'first line'). I felt kinda stupid cuz she was already guaranteed to be first even tho I arrived so early and first line would get the first entry even tho the other line was at least 50 people and we'd been waiting there all morning.

So then I conferred with Ayumi and Eriko about switching lines... so we took turns eating and as soon as all of us had finished lunch at the HOB, we switched to 'first-line'. SO many of the guys in the other line were confused.

Finally time ran down and the gates were getting ready to open. At this point Ayumi noticed the sign for the camera check was translated wrong. So she volunteered to correct it. But then the staff/security was having problems controlling the crowd. They then got her to be translator.
We later come to find out that the 45$ ticket was balcony and cheeper ticket was ground floor. So there was a crazy rush at the last minute from the balcony crowd to buy gound floor tickets. Ayumi again helped to translate. For her reward she got to meet one of the senior tour officials and take a sneek peak at Tak and Koshi rehersing. (IM SOOOO ENVIOUS!!!)

Finally the concert doors opened, the staff was completely overwhelmed. Small Japanese girls where too much for the big, burly security gaurds who screamed helplessly for them to "wait" and "slow-down". It was so funny. I got my spot directly in front of Tak. It was so loud, so hectic, so sweaty... I wouldn't have changed anything about it. The concert seemingly never ended... hit song after hit song then finally they retreated behind the curtains. Impatient we screamed for more. Another white-guy then yelled "We love the B'z!!!" and I had to give him some props for that! ^_^

Seriously, I was the second tallest guy there (cept for this big black guy). After the concert ended and I tried to regain my hearing, we bought tshirts... Man, japanese girls are viscious! All the pushing and shoving. No room for mercy. Oh, and lastly I got to make a fool of myself in front of the camera--they were interviewing American fans to get their reactions. I told them to get bigger tshirts. I bought the largest size (just like last year), a medium. Anyone who knows me knows thats WAY too small.

I love the concert. We did a threefold Banzai at the end, just like the japanese of WW2... My great-uncle, the WW2 war hero is rolling in his grave right now. ^_^

So, if anyone recognizes me from the concert give me a shout-out... okay?!
See ya in Seattle!!!

–Å