The story of my first time going to a HIP HOP concert
The time was March. Somewhere in Tokyo.
“Ah, what song is that?”
I suddenly remembered a song playing in my head, “♪ Natsu no sei~” (It’s summer’s fault).
It was a song that played constantly at Shibuya Parco last summer, and I couldn’t get it out of my head.
When I looked it up, it seemed to be called “Summer Jam '95”.
Apparently, the original was by Scha Dara Parr, and the version I had been listening to was a cover by a trio called U-zhaan x 環ROY x Chinza DOPENESS.
“Ah, this is it!” I pressed the play button on the album titled “Tanoshimi” (Enjoyment).
……I was hooked immediately.
It happens in an instant. I wonder what that is. That feeling.
Three days after pressing the play button, I had already bought a ticket for a concert in Kyoto. (Wait, what?)
Hip hop was a genre I had never listened to before, and I knew absolutely nothing about the live music scene. Yet, the first concert I ever went to was in Kyoto. Several friends teased me about it. But, I actually like this sense of initiative I have. Or rather, when I encounter the real thing, I get this feeling like, “I have to go!!!” It’s only natural that I’d end up going, so I suppose it was inevitable.
The concert was on May 4th. I had bought the ticket without even realizing it was Golden Week, so I worked hard at my job with the mindset that I would survive until May 4th while being chased by various preparations. (I later took a leave of absence, so I changed my schedule and was able to take it a bit easier.)
Finally, May 4th. I headed to Kyoto by Shinkansen.
Since it was my first hip hop concert, I was a little intimidated, but I had the 7th spot in the ticket guide, so I was fully determined to watch from the front!!
When I entered at 9:00 PM, the crowd was still sparse, and there was plenty of room in the front.
I had inquired with the club beforehand and confirmed, “It’s a club event, so it will go until 5:00 AM,” but I didn’t know what time the three of them would be performing.
Is it time yet? Is it time yet? My anticipation grew.
While securing my spot and enjoying conversations with other guests, I heard that they would be performing around 11:45 PM.
While swaying to the music of the opening acts and DJs, my anticipation and the suspense built up, and finally...
The three of them appeared!!!
“Kyaaaa!!! Ah!!! So cool!!! Ah!!!!”
Setting aside my lack of vocabulary, the fact that they started with Tabla'n'Rap was super hot...
And then, the moment we were waiting for, Summer Jam!!!
Cheers erupted from the venue.
(I want to write about it in detail, but I’ll keep various things to myself.)
From here on, a story about my personal highlight.
I was watching from the second row, but there was a beautiful woman in the front row who danced really coolly.
Then, during “Ginbis,” Chin-san handed out Tabekko Dobutsu snacks to the people in the front row, and that beautiful woman in the front row shared those snacks with me. Kyaa! I was so happy. Even just that was enough to make me happy, but to my surprise, when that woman made eye contact with me, she said, “Come in!” and actually let me into the front row.
………Is she a goddess!!??
This is my own theory, but cute and beautiful women are seriously kind. It’s like they know how to carry themselves, or they have a sense of composure...
I want to be that kind of woman too...
(By the way, that woman was a beauty who looked like Giorgia, the girlfriend of Måneskin’s Damiano.)
From “Ginbis” on, I was allowed to watch from the front row, and I enjoyed it with all my might.
The excitement of the concert reached its peak, and the three of them finished their set.
I had been pushed around in the front row and felt a bit overwhelmed by the crowd, so I took a break outside by the Kamo River. When I returned, Chin-san was already on his way home. I couldn’t see Kan-san anymore, and U-zhaan was busy. Since this was my first time on a trip like this, I had intended to say something to the three of them, but I didn’t want to be a nuisance, so I was grateful just to have been able to watch from the front row and saw them off.
It’s true that I have some regrets about not speaking to them, but that just leads to a rematch. It means I have a reason to go again.
Having a little bit left undone is just right.
Because of that, after 1:00 AM, people started to trickle out. Since I hadn’t booked a place to stay, I kept dancing until 5:00 AM (it was practically close to 6:00 AM), but by that time, almost everyone left were the staff... well, that’s how it goes, haha.
Even though I was out of place, Misa-san, who works at Kyoto RUB A DUB, spoke to me along the way.
She introduced me to other staff members, saying, “She came all the way from Chiba! Her name is Mio-chan!” I felt warmly welcomed, and she was such a wonderful woman that I want to meet her again.
To all the performers, those who reached out to me, and the staff at Kyoto CLUB METRO,
I was so happy to be able to participate in such a warm and wonderful event!
Thank you all so very much!
And with that,
my first ever hip hop concert in my life!!
came to an end!