2025/7/20 GIGANTIC

After watching FirstBeat, I was idly thinking, 'I want to see B&ZAI again... they're playing at a summer festival... but summer festivals... it's hot and I might get exhausted... but I want to see them... if it's in Osaka, I can do a day trip and I have the next day off... but going to a festival alone is...' Just then, I happened to meet a friend I hadn't seen in half a year, and when I told them about it, they said, 'There's someone I want to see too! Let's go!' So we bought tickets on the spot and decided to go. You've got to have a friend who's quick on their feet. I had other plans, but I rescheduled them.

Since it had been a while since I went to a festival, I prepared thoroughly...
I covered my skin, wore a hat and sunglasses, and dressed in a T-shirt, shorts, leggings, and sneakers. I prioritized functionality.
(As an aside, the UV leggings I bought at Workman were incredibly comfortable, with no stuffiness or sticking!)

I arrived at Expo '70 Commemorative Park around 10:00 AM. Come to think of it, I think it was when I was on the Midosuji Line, the little TV-like thing above the door was playing a trailer for Laundering, and I was like, '(It's Hashomocchan!)'. My friend is really unfamiliar with this scene, so I explained it, but they were just like, 'Oh, I see...'
I followed the wave of people and arrived. On the way, I saw various band T-shirts and festival T-shirts. I also saw a lot of people in B&ZAI T-shirts. I was so happy. I also saw someone in a Samurai T-shirt. I get it. I almost picked that one up for a second too. (Though I ended up choosing a different white T-shirt for heat protection.)

While I was walking, getting excited about the board, I heard 'Chankapana' playing from where the DJ was, and I got super excited!

At the SKY stage, it was my first YabaT show in over a year. Even though Aribobo was absent, they had guests, so it really felt like a festival, and the setlist was the best! I got so hyped. I was so surprised when Kenji-san from Frederic came out, especially right after being at the SUN stage! I saw something great.

I moved to the SUN stage for Frederic. It was my first time seeing them live, but I'd been listening to them for a while, so it was fun! I was happy when Kenji-san said before 'Oddloop', 'The next act, B&ZAI, also danced to this song.' It made me happy that he knew about them.

I was so happy when this came up. My favorite song and my favorite people.

After Frederic finished, the crowd shifted, and although I was in the back, I moved as far forward as I could. I think I got to about the third row in front of the stage-right monitor. My friend apparently watched from the back because they wanted to save their energy for the main act. It wasn't a crush, so I didn't see anyone collapse in the area I was in. (I did see staff heading to help someone, and I saw people leaving to go to the back a few times.)
While we were waiting, it was amazing how the staff handed out ice and sprayed mist.

While that was happening, the instruments started making noise, and I was surprised that they started their own sound check! (I couldn't see much because I was buried in people.)
They were playing the First Beat instrumental. Seeing them talking seriously and looking at their equipment is something you don't get to see often, so it was good. (Apparently, it was equipment trouble.)

They left the stage once, then appeared again!

Everyone came out and formed a huddle on stage! I was like, 'They're letting us see even that...!' I was so happy.

SHAKE
weeeek
PARTY PEOPLE
Cry out
First Beat
Banzai ~Suki de Yokatta~
Love So Sweet
Sorafune
Zo

The setlist was the best. It really felt like a festival. My friend, who didn't know them at all, said, 'There were so many songs I knew, it was fun!' Also, they said it was fresh because it was their first time seeing something acrobatic.
I never expected a cover of Ulfuls, did you? And at Expo '70 Commemorative Park, of all places? (I like Ulfuls enough that I've gone to see them many times.)
I was so happy that Party People had choreography! They were shooting water guns. And when Hashomocchan introduced Yabana-kun by saying, 'We have a genius bassist!', it really touched me... (A guy nearby also said, 'Yabana is good,' which made me happy!)
Hearing First Beat outside was the best. It felt so good.
The intro to Love So Sweet got me so hyped. I'm writing this while watching the Derby stream, and Love So Sweet is just so good. The vocal parts are great too. I really love Konpi's singing. It was also nice when they said, 'Sing along!'
I think the loudest scream was when Hashomocchan went shirtless during Zo. Hehe.

The eight of them had such good expressions on their faces (even though they looked incredibly hot)... They were sparkling. Truly. I love that costume. Konpi looked hot, though (that Konpi was sweating...!).
Yabana-kun was moving around from one end of the stage to the other, looking like he was having fun. Seeing him hoist his beloved instrument up like a victory toss was great. He said, 'Call us again!', and I really hope they do.
I'm glad I could witness their first festival! I'm really glad I went!

The beer I drank after B&ZAI finished was so delicious. It was the best!
After that, I watched various other things and ate food, and in the end, I cried my eyes out because I was so overwhelmed by listening to Macaroni Empitsu's 'Young Adult'. It's a song I've loved for a long time.

I bathed in so much music, and it became a great summer memory🌻