For many people, attending lives in Japan can be a bit of a culture shock, especially if you go to smaller indie band lives. In this post, we will go over some general rules and etiquette you should be aware of before heading to a concert.
1a. For standing lives, tickets are numbered (sometimes even with letters). Numbers will be called in order and you cannot go in any earlier than your number block. For larger lives, they may hold up signs for which numbers they are allowing in. However, at smaller venues, staff will be calling out numbers to the people waiting to go inside. Because of this, it would be a good idea to learn some basic numbers in Japanese so you know when it is time for you to head inside the venue. Please be sure to also check your ticket number to see if it is preceded by a letter. The most common example of this would be A and B tickets. Before B tickets can go into the venue, they have to wait for all the A tickets to go in. Staff will then begin calling for B tickets.
1b. For hall tours, you cannot sit in any seat other than your own. Just because there's an empty seat a couple rows ahead of you does not mean you can take it! It's very possible that that person is late and will come later, and you can be kicked out of the venue if staff catches you. Also, do not leave your seat and rush forward during the live! This is against the rules and again can get you kicked out of the live. The only exception to this rule is if someone would like to trade seats with you. For example, if your seat is more shimote, someone in the same row at the kamite end might come over and ask if you would like to switch. As long as both of you agree, then this is acceptable.
2. NO PHOTOS OR VIDEOS!!! Most, if not all, livehouses will ask you to not take photos, videos, or sound recordings during concerts. THIS IS THE QUICKEST WAY TO GET KICKED OUT OF A LIVEHOUSE, OR EVEN BANNED FROM ATTENDING OTHER LIVES. Most bands do not appreciate being recorded during their performances, so please respect their wishes. This is the rule I see broken most often, and it's really a shame.
3. When you enter a standing venue, do not rush forward! At smaller lives, it is highly frowned upon to push to the front of the livehouse. If you do not have a good enough ticket to ask for a spot in the front or second rows, then you must take whatever spot you can get. This may mean watching from the back, but honestly, this is much better than getting in a fight with other fans and possibly staff for pushing forward. Exception: larger lives often have a massive push forward when the band starts their first song. You may, of course, rush forward with everyone else, but please be aware of others around you, and be careful!!!
4. Leave space for those around you, and do not crowd! At smaller lives, it is a general rule that you shouldn't squeeze into a space next to someone just because you can kind of fit. You want to leave enough space between you and the person next to you to be able to comfortably headbang, do furitsuke, etc. If you do happened to accidentally knock heads or smack someone, a simple "Sumimasen!" will suffice. Exception: larger lives will get extremely crowded near the front, so personal space is not as much of an issue.
5. Do not be loud! At western lives, it is common for people to sing along to songs they know, or to cheer after a song is over. This is not done at Japanese lives, even the larger ones for the most part. Please be respectful and do not be too loud. The only exception is during member calls when everyone is calling for their favorite bandmember, or when a bandman specifically asks you to be loud. Also, when a band member is talking, please do not talk over them or shout things at them, and do not talk loudly with your friends. This is rude to the band and to the people around you.
6. Don't bring in large bags. Many venues will have lockers or bag check, so you won't have to worry about bringing large bags. Other times, you will need to put your things into a locker in a nearby train station. If you bring bulky purses, shopping bags, etc., it could be a hazard that someone could trip and fall over. (Some Japanese girls refuse to put their bags in lockers, so it's possible you will attend a live where people are constantly tripping over purses and shoes. This is NOT fun!)
7. Wear appropriate shoes. Please don't wear uncomfortable shoes, or ones that might hurt someone beside you if you were to step on their feet (i.e. high heels). Many girls will change their shoes before the concert begins. Commonly, they will wear Crocs or room slippers.
8. Most venues do not allow outside food or drink. Pretty self-explanatory. Some venues will allow you to bring in water bottles, but that's about it.
9. If a spot in first row opens up, do not immediately take it! If you happen to be second or third row at a live with multiple bands and see a spot in first row seemingly open up with no one in it, do not take it without asking! It has most likely already been assigned, and that person may be getting a drink, in the bathroom, or putting their things into a locker. If the space is empty for quite some time with no signs of anyone taking it, then you have to ask someone else in first row if it is taken. They will respond with either "Yes, it is taken." or "No, you can take it." Simple as that. This generally applies to second row, as well. For more information on getting a first row spot, please see this blog post.
10. Please don't wear merch from a band not playing at a certain live to that live. This isn't a written rule, of course, but it is really looked down upon. If you are going to a live and wear a T-shirt or jacket that is merchandise of a band that is not playing at that live, be prepared to get some icy glares. It's considered very rude. The most common example I see is people wearing the GazettE merch to small indie VK lives. Please don't do this. Plain clothes are fine.
11. If you don't know the furitsuke, don't worry! Many bands don't care if you don't know all the furitsuke to all their songs! They just want you to have fun and enjoy yourself, so while keeping live etiquette in mind, do just that! :)
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