Japan by Mark (The blow by blow)

I did not know what to expect of Japan, only what I had seen of TV and in
DVD's but it became very clear very quickly this was going to be a very
special part of the tour for us. Our host Yoshi and his son Nebu were just
amazing. I have never experienced any one with the organizational skills
and possitive additude towards music like Yoshi, everything about our
shows ran like clock work.

Best I give some background as to how venue's in Tokyo work. For starters
even the smallest venue's have the lighting of an Iron Maiden show and a
mixing desk to match. All backline (ie. Amps & Drums) are supplied by the
venue. You are given a menu to pick your gear, insane!

The first show at 'Rock-May-Kan' was great, it was a small theater set up
and the show was shot on 4 camera's for what may latter become bonus
material on the Japanese version of 'Kartika'.

So after a selecting our backline we proceeded to soundcheck and go get a
few beers. When we returned to the venue the first band was on and the
audience was seated, all quietly sitting and enjoying the show. Shows
start quite early in Japan and I was suprised to see most of the audience
show up perfectly on time. I was begining to understand that were with a
very well organised race of people:)

After watching 3 Japanese bands, all great and entertaining if not just
for the cultural differences, we walked into the stage with the curtains
closed and as the intro so 'Silence' began we heard the crowd cheer. The
previously seated crowd was going to give us what we wanted! As the
guitars kicked in, it was on on, the crowd were on their feet and hands
were in the air, we proceeded to play an anergetic set; Slience / Without
Reason / Everlasting / A Cruel Misfortune / A Means for an Ending / Blood
/ Down / To Drown.

Our first Japanese show was a blast and we proceeded to watch the last
act. This was a perfect example of Japan, 'Blood Sabbath' the Japanese
'Black Sabbath' took the stage, and not in any half assed way, full
costums and note for note, just amazing. Of course I became very
enthusiastic and began to drink heavily and enjoyed their set, I even
joined them onstage for 'paranoid' which was a blast! The heavy drinking
and excitement was my demise and the rest of the evening became a blur, I
do however remember an after party in a great restuarant after the 'meet
and greet' with our Japanese fans old and new. Many people were coming up
to me with albums from my past to my suprise, what a great begining!

When I woke up I got what a deserved which was something that resembled a
hang over. But a few hours and I was back in form and we made our way to
the next show at a venue called 'Sanctuary' in Tokyo also, its worth
noting tokyo is massive and has around 70 'live houses' for rock bands to
do their thing, all with backline menu's and fantastic in house crews, the
Japanese do not do anything by halves at all!

So after an hour and a hald trip through Tokyo we arrived at 'Sanctuary'.
Slightly smaller than 'Rock-May-Kan' but no seating. We met the owner, who
looke dmuch like a young Geddy Lee of Rush and excanged greetings with the
rest of the crew.After a great soundcheck we set off for a feed and a few
beers, Japanese aong with everyting else take great pride in their food
and every meal was amazing even at 7-11!

We returned to a packed venue to my suprise which many people looking at
us as if we had come from another planet, everyone was obsessed with
Marty's beard in all its bright orange/red glory. By the time the third
band hit the stage you could not move at all and the younger crowd was
very animated and seemed to enjoy all the support acts. Tonight we were
the headline act and it was our time to shine and play a full set.

We took the stage at 'Sanctuary' behing a closed curtain and prepared with
the help of the crew. As the lights went down and the intro to 'Silence'
begain the crowd roared intensely and the curtins opened. Until the
guitars in 'Silence' started we did not face the crowd, this had them in a
frenzy, we had not seen them yet but could hear them. As the guitars
kicked in we faced the crowd and it was on, this crowd lost their damn
minds! screaming. clapping and chanting like nothing I have experienced at
one of our headlining shows before. Everytime we clapped, they clapped and
we maintained control over the crowd for the next hour,  leaning into the
crowd as they went crazy, reving them up into as much of a frenzy as we
could. I've never played into a club where it felt like a stadium show
before, once again, insane! We ended up with 'To Drown' and left the stage
after shaking as many hands as we could. As the lights went down the crowd
started chanting 'The Eternal' and clapping fast, this went on for the
next five minutes before we returned to the stage for two encores, in the
final track 'A Soul Undone' there was a 'slam dancing' pit and I totally
screwed the riff as I stood there looking at these maniacs, by this point
it was very clear, we fucking love Japan!!!

Still in shock we proceeded to the meet and greet and chatted and signed
CD's for an hour before heading off to our after party. This was an after
party for kings, great food and great people, just a damn fantastic night,
what a trip, thank you tokyo!! We will never forget our first shows in
Japan, you are truely amazing.

For the next two days we became tourists. Yoshi with his amazing
organisational skills managed to squeeze so much in we felt we where there
for over a week, this man had it worked out to the minute, so we saw many
parts of Tokyo, old and new, including an amazing temple as well as all
the culenary delights Tokyo had to offer, we chose to eat as much
traditional Japanese food as we could and steer clear of to much western
influence. I must say, to date this has been one of the most delightful
touring experiences I have had.

We made some great friends and great new contacts, I'm looking forward to
getting 'Kartika' domestically released in Japan. I feel very possitive
about the experience and know this can only be the start of something
great. It was sad for us to leave our new friends and I cant thank Yoshi
enough for everything he did for us and we shall not forget Japan anytime
soon...Portugal...here we come! With Australia and Japan done, Europe is
next on our plate!!! - Mark