No photographs together this time, but I believe today's Kuroda encounter was truely the most memorable I could possibly have.

I headed to La Citta Della by myself around 2:30, to the Keikyu Kawasaki station. There I met up with Sarah. We proceeded to ask directions from a very kind woman who kept checking "Wakaru?" Do you understand? We did. We found the place easy. Let me try to describe it as I didn't get photos thanks to my phone dying: it was a circular area, smallish, with a little clearing in the center and steps going up around it. We sat on the second step from the front and waited. A bigtime Rin friend of mine who I'd met the previous weekend called me and waved gleefully. Babi-chan, Rin's main guitarist, a short, stubbly, adorable little man, came out and started testing all the mics, strumming and singing "Soundoo cheeeeckii~" and "Rehaaasarruuuuuu~". Funny shit!

And Kuroda came out wearing jeans, cowboy boots, and a long sleeved black shirt. A giant grin was thus permanently plastered on my face and I squeaked. Sad, yes. He's so skinny... was my main thought. I was afraid he would break. He launched into some new music (his 5 song list had slipped from behind his speaker but I could barely read the little writing... only that the third song was called HEART (HAATO).) He danced around, and had a wonderful time. Before singing Water Colors he told us this song was very close to his heart. During the slowish song, I watched him get so into it and started to cry. I flashed back to the moment in Fate Weather when he leans close to Daisuke and dances along with him. And cried harder. When he finished I wanted to leap into his arms I felt so emotional. He then played a very playful song, skipping around and spouting random comedial things to us, some of which I got, some of which I didn't (big improvement from I JUST LAUGHED AT THE EXPRESSIONS!)... and he left. Not without a THANK YOU BABY!! of course!! Afterwards I immediatly bought Sarah and I milkshakes, returned to find she'd moved to the front row when some people left, and made idle chatter about the cute baby while sipping. I then ran to Tower Records to buy albums and singles for myself and Haruka, and get our autograph tickets. My friend came down at one point and spoke to us in shockingly good English. We oogled the lovely photos in the CDs and I decided Water Colors single was getting signed. The song had touched me down~down~down in my heart, and I wanted him to complete the effect.

We watched him sign some albums and postcards, then leave, then run off somewhere (the only door out of the backroom was right next to me, so he skipped past my head and we shared mutual grins), then return again. Haruka came. Rejoice and be glad.

When he came out again for the second free live that night, he immediatly shouted "SAMURAI DO IT!!!" and launched right into my number one Michihiro Kuroda song of all time. I was SHOCKED. Complete with Samurai stabbing motions at Babi-chan (it was only him and Babi-chan performing everything! No backtracks! And it sounded amazing.) and NOT GONNA DO IT! lyrics.

Then came my moment of truth, when Kuroda made me an honorary member of his band. He launched into TIME CAPSULE, which is a fun song (chorus: JUMP AND PUNCH! with fun choreograpy! etc...), and broke out THE TAMBOURINE. My favourite Kuroda instrument, better than the harmonica! I'm jamming along and he walks over to me and gives me his damn tambourine, grinning.

Holy shit dude!

So I played the tambourine for the rest (which was most) of the song amidst my friends squealing and falling all over me. That plastered grin was back. How LUCKY!!!

Afterwards he chatted a bit and they played Water Colors again, then another new song called tasogare TACTICS which rocked my world. The new album is basically fuckin awesome. Oh, did I mention for the final song, Bulldog66, he broke out his harmonica?? And played it a billion times perfectly? And lifted up his shirt to rub his sweet, sweet abs? We all cheered and clapped in the fading daylight. The second concert was by far superior to the first, merely for the fact that he did my song, he had me play in another, and then we got the harmonica. I was drenched in happiness.

We lined up after and he signed my Water Colors single. I thanked him twice and got big smiles and thanks in return. I told him I'd be seeing him again... which got more big smiles.

Kuroda is a happy person, who made me happy, and made me special, at least for one song. It was my first time to see him, not my last, but I don't think it will ever be better. Hey Rin - THANK YOU BABY!!!