Nice to hear that everyone had fun.
Now a little longer report of my own experience in Paris. Like a blog~
Day 1 - Saturday - Arrival (NOT REALLY CONCERT RELATED):There isn't much to tell since I was arriving too late to see them at the Kawaii Cafe. But to complete my hardships I had a little problem to find my hotel. Unlike I did with Japan when I had a lot time to prepare (still going to school / being just graduated at those times) I didn't walk the way with streetview beforehand and forgot to print a detailed map so all I had was a map where only the 2~3 main streets had a name. Now at Place the Cliche where my hotel was located there are tons of street going in every direction when you leave the metro. So I walked down a few streets to find a point of orientation it took me a... short while.
Anyway, I arrived at the hotel at like 16:30 maybe. There was a construction going on on the street before it and still is.
After refreshing while having a tee and checking wifi connection I went outside to make sure I know where the concert location is and to grab some food.
Took these pics of La Machine du Moulin Rouge:
On my way back at the Quick Burger at the Place de Cliche (not the one next to la machine) where I had my dark vador burger menu as dinner I think I saw Chobineko from H!O with some guy.. the cafe buono (paris tshirt) caught my attention otherwise I wouldn't have noticed probably. Since I know them even less I didn't even think about talking.
Back at the hotel only some inet and tv stuff going on - having fun switching the tv menu language to German and being disappointed that Arte isn't dual channel in France or the TV didn't support it
Day 2 - Sunday - The Concert (it's kinda negative but dunno, it's just what's on my mind~):
Woke up early just in case (thought about MAYBE going somewhere else ChrNo related before standing in line). Checked the internet including jphip and H!O for updates, saw on H!O that the line was already getting long (at 8:something) so I decided to have my breakfast there and join them but an important note for me is that I
planned to get water and food at a supermarket before going there but I just realized leaving the hotel that it was SUNDAY so I was/am expected shops to be closed and changed my plan spontaneously and went directly to la machine having only a small bottle with a sip of water from the hotel. The line already had a decent size at something past 9 when I arrived so I was already wondering whether to wait in line or not but decided I have a breakfast thus I checked the quick burger but it looked completely empty and as if people were still preparing for the opening. Just the way I am I decided not to disturb them and spontaneously decided to get in line which was a big mistake. Another big mistake was to refuse the croissant some french fan offered me but to be honest I thought he was just trying to sell stuff so I declined without thinking about it, this was mostly because he was approaching me from behind so I didn't know what the heck was going on.
Still early some French people were asking me (and other people of course) if I wanted to write a message to a c-ute member minus airi so those left in Japan with a BERRYZ photobook as writing pad since I'm not enough into c-ute I wrote for another online friend "[nickname] loves you!" on the member card
As the line got longer I didn't dare to leave my place in the line since I was alone thus unlike other didn't have a person to get me stuff form starbucks etc. while saving the space and I certainly don't expect people to "allow" me back in line even though they would probably have like they accepted nimrod being just there (
).
Basically I was doomed to freeze there for hours but listened to some Buono! and Berryz to warm me up, later around maybe 13:00 I drank a very little water once because I was getting worried about my health but wanted to save the rest for after the concert JUST IN CASE to be safe. Around the same time I also stopped listening to my own music and listened to other people's phone music and LUCKILY at some point had some German and Dutch people behind me talking English and German so this was a big relief because I was able to follow a conversation which is what I like even though I don't talk much myself.
During waiting in the line the Japanese fans gave away free stuff, people always gathered around them like... how do you say? crazy. I didn't because 1. I didn't want to risk my position in line 2. it's not really what I'm like 3. the singles are already on the way to my home and I have tons of momochi pics already; so it wasn't worth breaking 2 and 1.
Later another Japanese wota gave away fan-art cards he probably draw himself - those were cute and I would have been more interested in even - kinda.
Maybe someone who got a card of him can post his twitter url that he put on them (I think)*.
I don't know when exactly but I think at something around 15:00, maybe a little earlier, a van with Japanese letters appeared and Buono was leaving the car, from my position with my height I could at least see beautiful(! I mean it REALLY) black hair. There was a really loud mass of mostly girls screaming at the same time (it hurt for the first time during that day) and kinda late I decided to also move forward but they were already gone anyway I just gave in once
but moved back to my place.
Afterwards two French guys appeared who were responsible for the line and announced that we had to group in A-L (wall) and M-Z (street) for the entrance. They only announced it in French so I asked those people behind me that were always talking in English and German but they didn't know either so we asked someone else behind us who was so kind to tell us what was going on (thank you~
)
Mentioning this because it was the only and first time I talked with people there this one guy was asking me a few questions (once he found out I was German as well). It seems that nimrod also knows him because he was the only person who jokingly complained about nimrod cheating in line (directly talking to you/him
) I also have a vague idea who he is but I'm not sure, I saw his last name on the ticket or ID and he told me where he is from (I think Düsseldorf?? my memory is baaaad) but it just adds more confusion to what I heard them talking about before.
REAL CONCERT RELATED REPORT SLOWLY BEGINNING HEREDue to my last name I was in the A-L line on the wall, I was just stopped by this French guy before getting in, at the front of the line now with this Dutch guy (also Momochi wota~). Then they let in A LOT of the M-Z people and by A LOT I mean A LOT. They were running in masses like wth, I think to get people from blocking the sidewalk but it's just me guessing.
When entering people were yelling again to separate in A-L and M-Z lines, got quite annoying, but entrance went smooth without ID or backpack/etc check. They had a box full of smaller sized glowsticks before entering the actual hall and staff guy was holding a GREEN one in my direction, NO THANK YOU.
I had enough pink ones in theory anyway so I didn't bother.
Right after that on the left you were able to buy non alcoholic drinks and on the left was a seating area changed to the goods/merch booth. I was standing in line for about max. 1 min when people rushed in and I got worried to end far in the back so I got out of line (note: the dutch guy was also in the goods line right in front of me) to get on the floor ground. There were also seats little above floor ground and on the second level but most of them already filled with people.
So there my real misery begins. I get out my main glowstick that was thick enough for an original Japanese foam handle (needs 15cm diameter!) that I saved from years before and got out the glowsticks for a bracelet that I tested again and some I was able to put around my arm somewhat smoothly but the one I tried didn't work very well. People started to group behind me so I felt like I was running out of time and space so I gout out of my jacket and tried to put it in the backpack like I used to in Japan at Berryz concerts but it was too thick so I wasn't able to close my backpack and was left with it with the jacket being insecure and the cardboard roll for the glowsticks not fitting in anymore, that being said also have two cellphones and one tiny laptop in my backpack. You need to keep in mind that people were already going literally crazy with those PVs they were showing.
Upon entering I saw the C-ute one, berikyuu one, smileage (WTFHell), kikkawa, some other egg or something, upupgirls vdeo (with special message) and dream morning musume ... so all from c-ute onwards just listing them for people who didn't attend. I don't want to insult anyone or most people but I don't really get two things: why did everyone activate their glowsticks before the concert started and secondly why was everyone going nuts and crazy during the PVs? I understand that you have a party and enjoy H!P, I do too but I was already like deaf before the concert even started and Buono! (momochi) was the reason I was there not the other groups~ and I was surprised how many people seemed familiar with those less known songs because personally I didn't even know the new s/mileage song yet
The real intro was the Buono! event video where they got the message regarding paris by staff separated by pieces of all their single PVs. Once that was done I activated my glowstick but had still a couple in my bag being unable to get hold of them because of my jacked in there and the little space to move but this was really the most little problem I had because I didn't want to hold more than 2 anyway. Since I didn't want to leave my place AGAIN I didn't dare to give my backpack to the locking place that was way back at an upper level close to the entrance but now I was stuck with my backpack with valuable devices inside between my legs/feet and the glowstick cardboard roll that kept falling out - being unable to move or even jump. My place was middle of the middle I think, maybe very little in the back of the middle but don't know. With my luck I had one crazy short but "big" French miya fan to my right that kept going nuts and bumping into me and another dude that was jumping friggen BACKWARDS throughout the concert, at the beginning there was one person between us in the middle but the guy between left his place probably because of him getting closer to him already so he was ready to get closer to me and he managed to do that (I didn't move at all because of may backpack). When he jumped on my backpack a few times he maybe realized what he was doing or at least he stopped moving backwards. On the other hand there was also a person pushing in front of me (slightly on the side) and all but those were all within an limit that I can totally accept for such a concert and ground level, they were hitting me but noticeable watching out as well trying NOT TO so that everyone can enjoy it.
During the show I was disturbed not only by people bumping into me but of course also by securing my backpack and just as important almost from the first song on I started thinking of having a nice cold coke. It got so intense that I couldn't wait for the concert to end and finally drink something. Supporting my worries was an incident of a girl passing out or something. After a few songs I noticed people moving away like two people to my right, not knowing what happened but it was kinda obvious so yeah, one moment later someone or some people got up a girl, helping her to get to the back (thumbs up for that) though maybe she just fell or someone was bumping into her too hard but from what I saw she was barely able to walk.
Having this in mind I stopped most chanting and reduced movements even more because I only had that little bit of water in the early afternoon and didn't want to risk anything myself already having a dry mouth and having pain in my back etc. from all the standing.
Buono! did some MCs during the concerts as you can maybe hear in the recordings but since they were all french I didn't get much and just stood there. When I thought I understood something that I also approve I clapped though.
Also to mention is that after seeing so many people it was a bliss when Buono! got on stage, it was really like 3 angels descending from heaven to say it with religious words. They were so beautiful and perfect compared to everything else it was really astonishing.
During the middle of the concert I also noticed the dutch guy who was in front of me in the goods line almost next to me so I guess going away from the line was not really worth it.
At the end of the concert everyone was expecting an encore, French people also prepared (now for after the concert) these song lines printing out flyers for people before the concert started (maybe I'll scan it later) to sing at the REAL end so since everyone expected an encore they shouted encoru and didn't sing the line for MINUTES until they turned on all lights and this woman appeared telling it's over to what most people boo'ed and at that point I left the place. I think now looking back when people are honest it was obvious there would be no encore when Buono! said it's really the last song (honto ni rausto/saigo namba/song) since it kinda always goes like that but at that time nobody
wanted to believe it because it was over quite fast (me including! though I was also hoping it was over).
On my way out I checked the goods booth and the R-E-A-L momochi towel was sold out and also most other goods except for paris only ones I think but the momochi towel was what I wanted the very most and the line was long so I didn't want to risk that either the cd or even tshirt or poster is sold out by the time I'm in the line wasting valuable time I could have used to drink something so I didn't wait for everyone to leave, nor did I even try to go to the quick burger meeting that I seriously thought about going to but went right away to the quick burger at the place the cliche and got myself another star wars dark vador menu with big coke and one extra coke both 0,5L and cheeseburger to take it to my hotel and recover.
Now like daigong said I was awake too long so even if the report sounds little negative at some points I got enough "energy" out of it still but then again it's nothing compared to the rush I had after most berryz concerts in Japan.
My own little resume is that I'm not really made for what I tried to do under these circumstances. I should have cared less about the line and place or prepared much better or both. I will probably always prefer a regular Berryz concert in one of these normal halls with fixed seats where I can buy goods wayyyy before the concert starts and all without loosing my place and without people bumping into me from front or behind (only from the side) having all my focus on the girl. So if next time Berryz goes to Europe I'll very likely be there again, Buono! ... I'm not so sure, not because of the girls but other things, the concert they did was awesome no doubt!
Though the sound quality was a little bit meh and I still have a noticeably louder tinnitus now, hope it's gone by tomorrow. Now I still have these Buono melodies playing in my head as well but that's a good thing
Here my waiting line pics
The line at 9:51, only a few people behind me (I wasn't really in the line yet).
At 10:56, Japanese wota giving away stuff (new Buono! single and photos mostly) - I'm in the line now.
Guy with Tanaka Reina happy selling his suitcase full of various H!P goods (pics, towels mostly I think). Pic taken at 12:12 but he did that after the Japanese guys gave their stuff away till like 15:00 or something.
Also at 12:12 the line behind me, growing but not really long yet.
Japanese stuff guy (looking like a Samurai~) with "all access - photographer"-card or something taking pics, here of these two girls.
The line behind me at 14:34. I'm not sure how long it was at this point and if it got longer. To me it always, also later, looked like it was ending where the picture "ends" but it's difficult to tell since there were shops 'n stuff.
Day 3 - Monday - Departure (NOT REALLY CONCERT RELATED AGAIN):Yet again not much so say, even less. Flight was scheduled for 10:20 (am). Alarm started at 4:50, got up at 5:50, left hotel at 6:30 and was extremely happy and relieved when I saw a ticket clerk at the place de cliche station who was also selling RER-B tickets to CDG Airport telling me where to change the line all in decent English, this blew 90% of my worries for that day away. Got up so early to take my train before rush hour but in the end I was also just max. 2 hrs early so not that wrong anyway. Flight was 10 min late, arriving at 12, unloading my package at home and going right away to work.
Last but not least, no offense Paris people but the place around the moulin rouge looked very dirty and uncomfortable and the RER (non private line) was the worst I've ever seen in my entire life in terms of quality and cleanliness. Good thing that it made my appreciate the situation here more but I would wish for the sake of everyone that instead of renewing the rer stations far outside they would get new trains or clean them at least.
But I had the feeling that there were more green glowsticks the red/pink around me .
Certainly! In the front, or in front of me, most people had both red AND green. Overall most were green. If you take people with
only red it was probably more pink but that's just my impression, you can probably see it on pics and videos what it's really like....
disclaimer: I tried to re-read and correct stuff, also found parts where I wrote something different to what I wanted to write and corrected it but I can't check it all so if something doesn't make sense just ignore it please~
edit:
*found the twitter url on 2ch, go check this~
https://twitter.com/#!/sk_neo/
Topic: [2012/02/12] Buono! Concert in Paris (France) (Read 29557 times)