♡ Hyper Japan // Nocturnal Bloodlust ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

It has been, now, over a month(?!) since Hyper Japan and I am still feeling it all. It's also the summer holidays here in the UK, and my work hours have dropped dramatically (YAY for term time children!) yet all I would like to do, is sleep. Besides the hours I have had at work, I have been so, so, so lazy with stuff - I've literally just eaten, slept and watched TV series, oops.

Hyper Japan is, now, the one and only convention I do these days, and every year it is very up and down with its organisation skills. Last year, their organisation was as good as it could be for a last minute venue change, where as this year, it just seemed very... "splot we're here, deal with it" kind of attitude. But anyway.

Before Hyper Japan, on the Friday (15th July) Saph and I went to a gig in Camden Underworld - more particularly, we saw Nocturnal Bloodlust - who are a deathcore/metalcore band from Japan and holy shit... they were just... they were seriously amazing. Besides seeing LOST ASH at Hyper Japan last year, seeing this band was near the top of my list and wow. They honestly blew me away during the live! I was lucky enough to get a V.I.P ticket, but it was kinda disappointing because all we got to do was walk past, and have a handshake with the band members - and I know this probably sounds extremely whingy of me, but in the past, a meet and greet was a little bit than just a handshake - especially when it was £20 extra for just that?! Best meet and greet for me (besides LOST ASH shhh) was SCREW back in 2012, because for that little bit extra money, they did photographs, handshakes, signatures AND a Q&A slot... so yeah guys, sort it out there.

ANYWAY. The live was amazing, and there was even a death/mosh circle pit! Not a literate death circle, but Saph did want to go and throw herself in it... me? Not so much. I have to admit, in the past, I would have been up front, as close to the centre as possible but this time around, it was nice to be at the back and away from the................. squishing. All in all the set was amazing, and they played quite a lot of songs, and a encore. 10/10 would go see them live again. It was just so energetic, and the surge of power from the band, well. Just epic. I got some brilliant goodies - two cd's and a photoset, whilst Saph got a poster.

Moving on to the next day - where I must admit, I wasn't too achy but I did have blocked ears - the bane of being RIGHT next to a bass speaker during a gig... and my ears didn't unpop all weekend so I felt extremely old, yelling at people and saying "FUCKING SPEAK UP, SERIOUSLY" yes, that's what I said, and I regret nothing. We managed to wake up at 9am (WOW, CHECK US OUT) and get to the venue just before midday - which to us, it's nice because we were able to do things at our own pace, and our own leisure.

We are so cute together, shhh~

Normally, I don't stop and listen to bands that are performing - unless they are someone I like? - but this year, it was Saph's turn to be happy as larry, as CHARISMA.COM were performing, and I'm not going to lie. I was hooked. They are super catchy and really know how to get the crowd going! I was also lucky enough to meet them afterwards! They are both super cute, and easy to talk to!

This duo wasn't the only lovely people I met up with - I was able to hang out with Toni, and Milly, and meet Saph's boyfriend Tom, and some of Saph's friends too! It was just nice to hang around with people, who enjoy the same things I do, and not feel............... ridiculous?!

The second day was just as hot as the Saturday - I honestly hate the warm weather, I am just NOT a warm weather type of person... pft. But we managed, and we had just as much fun as we did on the Saturday. I can't really tell you much else about the weekend - it was literally; food, friends and fun! What more could we ask for?!

What was nice about this year, was everything was spaced out, so no one was crushed together, but the whole event did feel slightly... haphazard? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy everything about Hyper Japan in general, but this year, it definitely felt different. I can't quite put my finger on it with why, but I just have that niggle. Oh, and the fact that the venue has a glass ceiling. Glass ceiling + hot weather = grumpy and sweaty people. Cries.

Before I finish off - I didn't purchase as many goodies as usual, but nothing really grabbed my attention, besides what is pictured above! Annnnnnnnd, an amazing friend of mine managed to catch Caqui's pick from the gig! She caught a couple, as well as found a couple on the floor - so I was lucky to nab one from her! I do like collecting guitar picks from gigs...

Thanks for reading!
xoxo