jkleinAUGUST 15TH UPDATE
Thought you were free of VAMPS? Not yet! From their official MySpace: "Ticket requests are now available through JTB Hawaii Event & Sales Promotions Department of their 2155 Kalakaua Ave, 9th Floor, Honolulu, HI location." Intrigued? Check out VAMPS’ Official Blog for more ticket information on this historic show!
TWIN TITANS OF TOKYO ROCK ARE COMING
The summer of 2009 just got a hell of lot hotter!
HYDE (L’Arc~en~Ciel) and K.A.Z (Oblivion Dust), have merged to form the most powerful rock band in Japan, VAMPS, and they are coming to America this summer!
VAMPS will kick-start a large-scale, three-week tour from the legendary Fillmore in New York City on July 11th and close the tour at the historic Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles on August 1st.
"VAMPS"
Since 2003, the two have been collaborating on HYDE’s solo project, but last year L’Arc~en~Ciel front man HYDE and guitar virtuoso K.A.Z started a new band called "VAMPS".
They debuted in July 2008 with the hit single "LOVE ADDICT". It scorched its way up the Japanese billboard chart, Oricon, just missing the top slot by one.
VAMPS played 46 live shows in 6 cities in 2008 on the strength of their debut single alone. The first live DVD released in February 2009 and the second single followed in March 2009.
They’ll be back on the road in Japan from May 28th before traveling half way around the world to christen the "VAMPS US Tour 2009" in New York City. They’ll be rocking their way west (with appearances on the WARP TOUR among their headline gigs) on a coast-to-coast party to Los Angeles.
HYDE (Guitar & Vocals)
The dynamic vocalist of L’Arc〜en〜Ciel, has been working on a variety of exciting projects since his solo debut in 2001. His first solo album "Roentgen" (X-ray in German), released in 2002, launched 3 hit singles, "Evergreen", "Angel’s Tale", and "Shallow Sleep". In 2003, HYDE made his major, motion-picture acting debut in the film Moon Child, co-starring fellow Japanese rockstar, Gackt. Later that year he released his 4th and 5th solo singles, "Hello" and "Horizon", from the December release "666".
2004 marked HYDE’s inaugural solo tour for the "666" album, as well as an English language version of the "Roentgen" album and the "Roentgen Stories DVD." In 2005 HYDE composed "Glamorous Sky", the theme song for the hit film "NANA", while also releasing his 6th single "Countdown." Both "COUNTDOWN" and his 7th solo single "SEASON’S CALL" (released early in 2006) topped the Japanese charts.
In April 2006, following the release of his 3rd album "FAITH," HYDE launched his second nationwide solo tour ("HYDE TOUR 2006 FAITH"), which sold out instantly. Later that year he played 4 shows on the West Coast of the US, which also sold out instantly. At the close of 2006, HYDE rejoined his L’Arc〜en〜Ciel bandmates for a few, rare 15th Anniversary performances.
In 2007 HYDE was back in the studio with L’Arc〜en〜Ciel, then back out touring all over Japan. The group finished the year with a series of large arena shows in Japan’s biggest cities. HYDE has been continuing his work with L’Arc〜en〜Ciel, while working with K.A.Z on VAMPS.
K.A.Z (Guitar)
K.A.Z formed the band "Oblivion Dust" in 1996 and within a year had placed 3 singles, "Sucker", "Numb", and "Falling", in the Japanese charts from the debut album "Looking for Elvis."
In 1998, K.A.Z joined Japanese icon HIDE’s band, "Spread Beaver." Two singles, "Rocket Dive" and "Pink Spider" scorched the charts as did two more Oblivion Dust singles, "Therapy", and "Trust", from their album "Misery Days."
In 1999 K.A.Z and Oblivion Dust released 4 more singles, "Blurred", "You", "Goodbye", "Crazy", and a music video for the song "Overdose", all from the album, "Reborn." 2000 saw a quick reunion of HIDE with Spread Beaver, and another single, "Designer Fetus", followed by another album, "Butterfly Head" with Oblivion Dust. The next year, Oblivion Dust released their Best Of album, "Radio Songs", and the group disbanded. Also in 2001 K.A.Z started work with Tetsu from L’Arc〜en〜Ciel on his solo project TETSU69.
In 2002, he formed the rock unit "Spin Aqua" with vocalist/model/actress Anna Tsuchiya, producing three singles and one album, "Pisces". Soon after, K.A.Z started to co-write and co-produce songs with HYDE, for HYDE’s third solo album, "FAITH." He wrote 5 songs -including the single "SEASON’S CALL," and co-produced the entire disc. K.A.Z then accompanied HYDE on his "Faith" tour (as guitarist) throughout the summer and fall of 2006.
In 2007 K.A.Z and two-thirds of his Oblivion Dust bandmates reunited, spending most of the year writing and recording their January 2008 self-titled release, "Oblivion Dust." Earlier this year, Oblivion Dust embarked on a short tour to celebrate their reformation. While still actively working with Oblivion Dust (and developing various other projects), K.A.Z joined HYDE in the formation of VAMPS.
VAMPS US TOUR 2009
July 11th (Sat) New York NY The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
www.irvingplaza.com/
July 12th (Sun) Hartford CT Warped Tour New England Dodge Music Center
www.warpedtour.com/
July 14th (Tue) Columbia MD Warped Tour Merriweather Post Pavilion
www.warpedtour.com/
July 16th (Thu) Baltimore MD Sonar Baltimore
www.sonarbaltimore.com/
July 19th (Sun) Seattle WA The Showbox at the Market
www.showboxonline.com/
July 20th (Mon) PortlandOR Hawthorne Theatre
hawthornetheater.com/
July 25th (Sat) San Francisco CA Regency Grand Ballroom
www.ticketmaster.com
July 27th (Mon) Las Vegas NV Wasted Space at Hard Rock HOTEL
www.ticketmaster.com
VAMPS OFFICIAL PARTY
July 29th (Wed) San Diego CA SOMA
www.somasandiego.com/
August 1st (Sat) Los Angeles CA The Wiltern Theater
www.livenation.com/venue/the-wiltern-tickets
NEW!