Hey! First time posting, and sorry to be the person to make their first post a question… Lol.
I’ve purchased VIP fanclub tickets to the Versailles x KAMIJO Spotify O-East concert on 7/19. From my understanding, my ticket gives me access to the section closest to the stage, and is seated. It seems I can pick up my tickets 1hr before doors open, in person, at the ticket counter for the venue.
I have a few very specific questions:
- Within this specific ticket type, is it usual for them to still be numbered? Or should I anticipate trying to queue early to maximize my odds of being on the barricade?
- How typical is it one can pick up tickets earlier than posted? For further context, these instructions were what was posted on the international fanclub page. So I’m unsure if they reflect venue rules or not.
- What is queue culture like? Will it depend on the venue, on the artist? For example, for lots of USA shows (even j-rock shows!) even if I was first in line, I could ask my line neighbor to hold my spot while I went to get us drinks - and could return right to my spot. Similarly people will ask me to watch their stuff or hold their place in line while they go to the bathroom, etc. And in general it isn’t unsual to see people queueing extremely early in the morning, even for smaller venues or bands.
This will be my first concert overseas (first Japan trip in general), and I’m so lucky the stars aligned to let me see not just KAMIJO but Versailles too; it’s been fifteen years since I saw them last. So you could say I’m a little nervous about all the rules, hah! I really have no idea how much things differ from queue/concert culture in the USA.
Thanks for your help (and if you’ll also be going… Let’s chat!)
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I’ve just came back from Japan, and attended more than a handful of shows this month.
The concerts I went to either fell into one of two categories.
Either seats were assigned, and lining up early didn’t matter. Or, tickets were numbered entry and lining up early…did not matter. Numbered entry tickets resulted in a venue staff calling each number out, sometimes skipping into units of five once they get past 100.
I asked my ticket guy why some of these shows restrict when you can pick your tickets up, and it seems to be that they wanted to cut down on super fans buying up several tickets and discarding or selling off the low-priority entrance tickets.
Standard procedure is that if there are assigned seats, those are yours. If standing floor, you mark your spot by dropping your merch or purse.
Saizen (front row spots) are tricky to navigate, because the dynamics can still be pretty cliquish. Unless you know enough Japanese to converse or you know the local Versailles jouren pretty well, you may not get a Saizen spot regardless of how much you try. I got a few second or third row spots at these shows, and people left me alone entirely.
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This is all so incredibly helpful (and articulate), thanks so much! I feel relieved knowing my ticket is seated and thus my place is secured, and it’ll be nice not having to waste an entire day of the trip sitting in line. I was fully prepared to! Is it safe to assume that if your ticket is designated a Seated Ticket, it’ll thus have an assigned Seat Number? Is that why lining up isn’t necessary? I can’t imagine “general admission seats” is a thing, but doesn’t hurt to ask.
Saizen dynamics aren’t surprising to me, I’ve seen it a few times at some USA shows for non-jrock/vkei bands too. I’d hoped to fraternize a bit with other fans before the show starts, so we’ll see what happens!
So I did look up the event, and the seated section is mentioned as reserved, while the back section would be standing, and likely numbered entry would be called after the reserved seating tickets (ie. you and other FC members) have been given their chance to enter. So yes, all you would really have to do is be on time for the door entry. The seat number will be shown near the bottom right of your ticket once you get it printed off at a participating konbini store.
In hindsight, the numbered entry system for general admission might have come about to discourage lining up for hours before the show (either not wanting kids to skip school, or businesses surrounding the live houses viewing concertgoer lineups as a nuisance).
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Did you find this info on the JP fan website, or posted elsewhere? I looked at the venue’s site too, but my Japanese is rusty and was second guessing everything I read.
I could imagine several reasons why they’d do it that way, yeah. It also keeps things more equitable; not everyone can get off work early to queue early, for example.
Once again I appreciate you going above and beyond to offer me details here - thank you!
On the Versailles website for the event. https://www.versailles.jp/schedule?no=Ke6ScnFbc3Fys6CdCDcpc
If your ticket cost ¥7700, or ¥11,000 w/shirt, then you have the reserved seating ticket. The standing section were the ¥5,500 tickets.
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Ah! That’d do it. My avenues have been strictly through Kamijo’s FC… I didn’t even think to check the Versailles site. So thanks for doing my homework for me, I owe you. 
It’s listed out much more explicitly here!