Live in Japan II (2005) just before they broke up. This is one of the only lives (DVD) that I didn't have the chance to watch so far. Also, the fact that it features most songs from their album Need Your Love, I'm excited to hear their live versions from that album.

It was held in Budoukan Hall and so, familiar settings, except the stage is different from the Final Live , basically coz the Final had to be designed in order to put in as much people as possible.



They begin the live with For The Future, a prominent track and also single from NYL album, pretty suitable to move the crowds.


Yes, as always, I love watching Ryo playing his guitar. He's cool. lol...


And this album also features a lot of great solo guitar sounds. So, it's nice to see him showcasing his skillz, with what he's good at.



Tomiko is great too, her vocals. Other than the occasional hard to avoid high high pitch vocals, she's doing fine there.

and i kinda like it when thy decided to hold an acoustic set in the live, sitting/settling down a bit and also interacting more with the crowd. It feels like old times. This also gives them a chance to introduce the band members known as the Great Tour Band *then*, with the old members. Year 2009 with their comeback Revival Live, they have a new band.

I'm so happy they did an acoustic version of Week!. I mean, it sounds so much nicer in acoutics rather than the usual pop/rock version. and the funny part is that they decided to put in little bit of humor and surprise when they suddenly stopped in the middle of the song after the first chorus. Like, they just literally stopped everything. They even possed like a dummy, all rigid. Except for Tomiko of coz, she has to keep interacting with the crowd lol...

And being a naughty girl, she went to give them a tickle. LOL...


Ryo trying to act totally calm but...

No way you can stand a tickle from Ban chan ^^

And then I saw the keyboardist's pose. Like what the heck?! T_T

The cheery mood then turned to solemn, with the next track, Yotaka no Yume. It's basically a song that touches on war and how the night hawk loses its way (it's like a metaphor for war planes i guess). But i LOVE this song.

And this performance? Filled with power and strong emotions emitting right from the start till the end.



Head banging, hair covering face...


guitar jamming....(again, great solo tune from Ryo)


I especially liked her long sorta scream towards the end (well, it's not a scream really, but the way she held that last pitch long enough was amazing). Overall, if there is one song that is energy draining, both to the vocals and hands (guitars/drums), this is definitely one of the tops for them. Well, next to Kyuusou Ryodan, i gotta salute the drummer for the continous intense drumming (now that is what I'd say exhausting T_T) but it is amazing how he pulled it off *live*.



The next track is Need Your Love, the title track for the album.


Great choice of backgrounds.

I think the backgrounds of sceneries, seasons, vast expanses of the earth and skies kinda makes the song more meaningful in a way.

And i like how they speed up the slides of the sky here. Good stuffs.

nice...and this is just halfway through the show.

I'll continue the other half later tonight, I'm still watching an blogging bout it as I go.