The Spooky Fest 2008 in The Netherlands

Featuring The Candy Spooky Theater

Author - 1-5
Venue - Tivoli de Hellin, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Bands - The Candy Spooky Theater
Price - 26 euros

Setlist (not in order):

1. Devilish Kidnapper
2. TRICK or TREAT
3. Strip
4. Present For You (new song)
5. Nemureru mori no hanayome / The Bride of the Sleeping Forest (new version)
6. Bordeaux After Midnight
7. Murder Toy in the Closet
8. Nejimaki denki isu / The Wind-Up Electric Chair
9. Merry Go Round
12. Spook House
13. Prince of Darkness

Encore:
14. Devilish Kidnapper (New Horror Taste Mix)
15. Merry Go Round


Report:
After travelling from the UK to The Netherlands with a friend, I was pretty tired, but also really happy and hyper about seeing The Candy Spooky Theater live for the first time, after waiting 3 1/2 years to see them! We met another friend at 2pm and got the bus/train to Utrecht, and then went to Tivoli de Helling. We got there around 3.30pm and there was about 5 or 6 people stood by the doors waiting, but that was about it. I was surprised, because at lives I've been to in the past people were waiting hours and hours before.

It started snowing, and got really cold, but it was okay because I met some more friends in the line and it was fun.^^ The band was late (but since they were in Finland the day before and planes were being cancelled due to bad weather, it was understandable) so we had to wait longer than planned, but it didn't really bother me to be honest, and we went in at around 6pm (I think). There was a bring and buy sale and a Japanese book/magazine stall, but I didn't buy anything. The DJ who was supposed to be playing after the band played before them instead to give them a little more time to get ready. He played Japanese music, including deadman, X-Japan, Maximum the Hormone and Psycho le cemu. Originally, Selia was going to be playing at The Spooky Fest too, but he cancelled a few weeks before the live. I was actually happy though, because even though Selia is great live, seeing a TCST one man was a lot better! We waited around in the room next to the live hall for a while, then kept going in and out of the hall, waiting for the band to start. We also got free Calmando Qual DVDs then as well.

A little before 8.30pm was the raffle with random things signed/used by Sisen, Calmando Qual, The Candy Spooky Theater, BAAL, Aural Vampire and various other bands/people. I didn't win anything, but oh well XD By this time there was between 100-150 people in the live hall and one of the organisers came out and told us the rules, like we could take photos but not use flash, and just basically told everyone to behave. Then Steff from Astan made us shout the band members' names, Peggy first, then Kiddy, then Jack, and the band came out one by one and "This is Halloween" started playing. Peggy was wearing a puffy black dress with a white shirt underneath and polka dot socks, Kiddy was wearing a mesh top with another top, a waist sincher, leather shorts/hot pants and leather leg warmers (and his hair looked really cool, randomly), and Jack was wearing a black Alice Auaa top that had white cobweb over it, 3/4 length trousers, white Alice Auaa knee-high socks with black cobweb over the top and a black top hat. And of course they all had full make-up on and they looked really good.

Their performance was excellent!! Jack Spooky's voice sounded really, really good live, better than on the CDs even. He puts a lot of emotion into singing and I was impressed. He did his broken doll/zombie dancing and kept saying little phrases in English, the usual ones he says: "Let's go crazy together!", "Rock'n child's spook show, baby!!" etc., and then one I haven't heard him say before..."I want brains!" XD (though I know he said it at PMX too). He's really charismatic and completely goes into character on stage. It was wonderful!

Kiddy Skeleton is a fantastic guitarist and he really played to the crowd a lot. I think it's great how well he fits into the band ^^ He has a lot of confidence and a great stage presence and brings a lot of energy to the performance. I also really appreciated the fact that he has his own personality and wasn't just trying to be like Zull number 2.

Peggy Giggles's bass also sounded great, except for his effect pedals being the wrong way round at first, but they hadn't really had time to set up properly and he sorted that out really quickly so it didn't matter. ^^ He was jumping about and shouting, really got into the performance and was really lively and animated throughout.

Tsutomu also made an appearance, which made me very happy XD For those of you who don't know, Tsutomu is a doll/puppet that TCST always have with them, and I think he's fabulous! (Yes, I'm a dork! XD). He didn't have his top hat on, but had a little black ruff around his neck instead, which was kind of cool ^^

Jack got the audience involved the whole time, holding the mic out for us to sing sometimes and doing an MC with Tsutomu XD. Everyone jumped around to songs like "Devilish Kidnapper" and "Spook House" and sang along to "Murder Toy in the Closet", "Merry Go Round" and "TRICK or TREAT". It was a lot of fun! ^^

The new song, "Present For You" was brilliant, with kind of swingy/jazzy elements like "Strip" and heavier bits like "Bordeaux After Midnight", but it didn't sound like either of those songs to be honest. Actually at first, from the chords, I thought they were going to start playing "Making Christmas" from The Nightmare Before Christmas. I really hope they release "Present For You" soon because I want to hear it again! I hope they release the new version of "Nemureru mori no hanayome" too actually, because even though I have that song on the "Murderland" single and their album, the new version IS different (just like the Dororo version was different to the TCST one. Although this version wasn't AS different as that one), and I think I like the new version more actually ^^ It had kind of an echo-y piano type instrument on it and the beat was different - more bassy - and it sounded really haunting and pretty.

After the last song, the band went off, Peggy and Kiddy first, then Jack (after saying "thank you Netherlands" and blowing kisses to the audience). People started shouting for an encore and after a little while Peggy came back out on stage, with a big pink vibrator, and played his bass with it for a bit. Then he put it in his mouth and pretended it was Tsutomu's penis, which was just really silly and amusing. Then Kiddy came out again with...A BOTTLE OF WATER and was getting the crowd to cheer. Peggy suddenly shouted "JAKKU!" so everyone shouted for Jack to come back out too, and after quite a long time of us all shouting his name, he did. After playing the two encore songs, they left the stage again and Peggy made Tsutomu wave goodbye. I was kind of sad that the live was over, but also really happy that it had been as good, if not better than, I had expected ^^

After the live they were selling merchandise (but not CDs...which must have been kind of disappointing for people who don't have "Prince of Darkness"...or the other CDs for that matter... yet), so, because I am the sad fan I am, I got both designs of T-shirt, a photoset, 3 little stickers (though I was given 4 actually) from Party Monsters Collection 4 and The Bedroom, 2 European tour stickers and a European tour poster.

Then there was the signing and they sat behind tables near the bar; Jack first, then Kiddy, then Peggy. I got the poster signed and shook hands with Jack and Kiddy. Jack was looking kind of grumpy (I don't think he really was though), but to be honest, if I'd been travelling as much as them I'd have been grumpy too! He did smile though, so I think maybe he was just tired. Kiddy looked really happy the whole time, which was cool. He seemed kind of nervous though, and even when he was signing things he took ages on it to make sure it was right XD

Then I put the poster on the table for Peggy to sign and laughed because I felt silly getting him to sign it, but he found it amusing too. It was good to see him again ^^ Then I gave him the presents for them, including the new TCST dolls I made for them and we talked for a little while, but I couldn't hear what he was saying to start with because the staff person behind him kept asking me if the presents were...presents. I said yes, but she kept asking me, so I had to ignore Peggy and say yes a few times (I know the staff must have been a little stressed though, so I can understand her needing to make sure). Then he showed me he was wearing the pink sparkly wristband thing I gave him before and grinned, and I'm glad he liked it haha

For me, it was a really enjoyable live and, if it's possible, I like them even more now than I did before XD It was well worth the long trip and stupid amount of money I spent on it. I'd highly recommend going to see TCST live, and I really hope I can again soon!



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