Fujirockers: The official fansite of the Fuji Rock Festival

Shugo Tokumaru's whimsical music comes to life live

It is still weird seeing Shugo Tokumaru in the spotlight. Even though he’s hovered around the Japanese mainstream music scene for several years now, the soft-spoken Tokyo musician and his sonic whirligig sounds like little else getting highlighted by nation-wide music retailers. His music has appeared in ad campaigns for Sony and Japan Airlines, and his last two albums have appeared on Japan’s Oricon Music Charts. Slightly hard to fathom when you listen to Tokumaru’s intricate, playful pop – he takes cues from Brian Wilson and more than 100 instruments regularly feature on his full lengths. A large chunk of them are unorthodox too – toys, kitchen utensils, animals.

Tokumaru started constructing his playroom pop in 2003. Prior to that, he and several classmates played in a band called Gellers, who continue on and have played at the Fuji Rock Festival. Yet it was Tokumaru’s solo recordings that caught the attention of American record label Music Related. In 2004, they put out Tokumaru’s intimate debut Night Piece, which received critical praise from several Western music publications. Each of his subsequent releases gained more and more attention, his zig-zagging constructions charming critics and labels alike.

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LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM, SKRILLEX WILL BE BRINGING THE DROPS TO FUJI ROCK THIS YEAR

If you don’t know who Skrillex is and aren’t sure whether to add him to your “must-see” list for Fuji Rock, here’s a simple test. Go to YouTube, search for Skrillex and click any of the results on the first page. Any result should be fine, though cuts like “Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites” or “Bangarang” might be the best choices (look, I saved you some time). Play and wait maybe one minute. You’ll be confronted with a bass-heavy, head-rattling sound. Do you want to hear more? Or do you want to lecture someone about how annoying what you are listening to is?

Few artists today are as divisive as Skrillex, real name Sonny Moore. The Los Angeles native has become the poster boy for “EDM,” the abbreviation for today’s resurgent, commercially successful electronic music scene. Despite exploring all sorts of sonic styles, Skrillex has become synonymous with the drop, a term referring to that moment where, after a rollercoaster-like build, a song plunges down into a cacophonous section marked by whirring bass, often mockingly called “wub.” A lot of people hate this sound and, subsequently, Skrillex. Yet many more love it, and Moore’s noisy style has inspired countless producers. His music has appeared in commercials and movies (most prominently, Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers), while the sonic style he helped made famous has been adapted by pop acts from America to Japan. There’s a reason his name appears in such large font on the Fuji Rock line-up.

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Sakanaction put on my favorite show of Fuji Rock 2012

This year’s Fuji Rock Festival was also my first trip out to Naeba ever, so I had a lot to take in over the three days. It could be at times overwhelming, but ultimately I’ve fashioned a top-five list out of my experience.

1. Sakanaction – A thrilling set mixing electronic dance sounds with traditional rock structures, all courtesy of one of the best bands in Japan today. What really pushed this one over the top for me, though, was the crowd – they were totally into it from the get-go, and the atmosphere was electric all the way until the triumphant closer “Rookie.” Read my original review here.

2. Radiohead – The Stone Roses and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds cruised on nostalgia, most people I talked to saying how “great” it was to see the prior group after so many years broken up without offering much comment on the music while everyone I talked to about the latter just said “they played some Oasis songs, cool!” Radiohead played some hits too – “Paranoid Android” as closer, don’t mind if I do – but the bulk of their headlining set focused on skittery cuts from last year’s The King Of Limbs, and they even worked in a new song that could be released on London’s Hyperdub label. Radiohead remain focused on the future, and that was inspiring to hear Sunday night. Read Elliott’s review here.

3. Cloud Nothings – Best set to shout along to choruses all weekend long. Also, solid mosh-pit action. Read my review here.

4. The Beauty – Tokyo outfit The Beauty played their first live show ever at Fuji Rock and everything went well. Part of the reason this mid-day set stands out was the scenery – they played at the Day Dreaming stage, which offered gorgeous views of the mountains, a great visual compliment to the group’s dreamy music. Read my review here.

5. Galactic – A fun way to start Sunday. To quote Corey Henry, “fuck yeah.” Read my review here.

Photo by 古川喜隆, see more photos here.

All smiles Sunday morning

Having to play at 10:00 A.M. on Sunday is never an easy task, yet Matsusaka Daisuke stepped up and delivered a set that matched the way festival goers’ day unfolded. His set opened with samples of children playing, matched up against airy electronics and flashes of acoustic guitars. There was no beat whatsoever, and the floating feel of the music matched the crowd at the time – sleepy-eyed, with most folks spread out on the grass, trying to fit in a little more shut eye. The next few songs were crystalline, fragile and pretty and far from aggressive.

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Michael Kiwanuka uses those wodnderful vocal chords of his

Michael Kiwanuka’s singing is something to behold. He has a deep voice, one the British singer uses primarily to sing soulful numbers, numbers where the vocals are front and center. Yet Kiwanuka never totally commands the music – he didn’t recruit a backing band as a way to show off his attention-grabbing voice. Instead, during his late-afternoon show at the Red Marquee, his voice came off as strong but inviting, Kiwanuka content to let his voice flow with the backing sounds instead of trying to conquer them.

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Scenes from the Atomic Cafe

Gojira, Hoshano and Hikasyu’s Atomic Cafe ended on a scary moment late Sunday afternoon, when a guest vocalist appeared to collapse to the ground. Various Fuji Rock staff and backstage officials checked on the singer, who had been singing along to a cover of Kraftwerk’s “Radioactivity.” Following the end of the song, she was carried to the back. Details weren’t given about what happened, and her current condition is unknown.

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Howler on the Red Marquee Stage

The crowd gathered at Red Marquee Sunday afternoon didn’t seem particularly energized for anything. It’s a rough period – the afternoon of the last day of a music festival that has been surprisingly, oppressively hot. Summoning up energy for anything at 1:50 in the afternoon sounds like a herculean task. Minneapolis-band Howler had to perform to this crowd, and for the first few songs it didn’t look like the crowd, save for a few arm-wavers in the front, were having any of it. To Howler’s credit, though, they delivered a fast-moving set full of catchy hooks that ended up waking a good portion of the crowd up.

Howler played sun-soaked rock music, the sort of post-Strokes stuff that became the norm of underground scenes for the past decade. The group’s personal touch on it are snarky lyrics (which couldn’t really be heard at Red Marquee) and an appreciation for 1950’s American rock. Some tracks featured beach-pop elements (the appropriate-enough “Beach Sluts”) while others would have felt at home in a Leave It To Beaver-era diner (well, ignoring the lyrics, but it was hard to make those out Sunday). Lead-singer Jordan Gatesmith also came across as very affable, and his laid-back attitude made Howler’s ramshackle rock go down even easier. The crowd could still go for a nap, but Howler helped pick things up Sunday afternoon.

Photo by Julen Esteban-Pretel, see more photos here.

Galactic, with special trombonist Corey Henry, grace the Green Stage

New Orlean’s outfit Galactic brought two very special Coreys with them to Fuji Rock this year, both of whom made the 12:30 set shine. Corey Henry, from the Rebirth Brass Band, played the trombone, delivering a muscular performance that saw Henry pushing the instrument to its extreme. He also set the trombone down at one point to rap over one of Galactic’s many jammers, culminating in Henry crowd surfing over the front of the audience, and ending the song with an emphatic “fuck yeah.” Also along for the ride was Corey Glover, the vocalist from Living Colour, who added soulful singing to Galactic’s music and allowed the group to do a propulsive cover version of Living Colour’s most famous tune, “Cult Of Personality.”

These two special appearances added some flair to the show, but Galactic were ultimately the highlight, a tight collection of musicians switching between funk, rock and even hip-hop styles that got the crowd moving. At some point during the set, every member of Galactic got a chance to flex their skills with a solo, from the saxophone to the guitars to the retro-tinged organ. Galactic are the sort of ensemble practically designed for music festivals – they are loose, energetic and most importantly a lot of fun. Plus, they bring great company.

Photo by 北村勇祐, see more photos here.

A little jump rope to start the day

The Day Dreaming and Silent Breeze area of Fuji Rock felt particularly easy-going Sunday morning. More families made the 20-some-minute gondola ride up, meaning many more little kids running around and having a good time. Many set up chairs, bought some ice cream and relaxed. Others snapped photos of the gorgeous landscape. In one corner, a game of soccer broke out.

The sight that stood out the much, though, was a giant jump rope being swung around. Adults and children lined up to take turns making a solitary leap through the rope, as the crowd surrounding the game counted how many people could get through without getting snagged in the rope. The highest I saw it get was nine people, although it looked like this would be going on for a while.

These folks ran to get spots under the shade near the Green Stage

If you had some naive hope that crowds would be a little smaller Sunday following an elbow-to-elbow Saturday, abandon all hope now.

As the official Fuji Rock gates opened at 9 in the morning Sunday, punters ran…not jogged, not dashed…towards the Green Stage, some at a speed that made you fear for anyone who accidentally got in front of them. People making a beeline for the Green Stage area even dropped bottles and other assorted items, but they didn’t pick them up until after they had plopped their camping chairs down. The majority of folks went for the shaded spots underneath the few trees dotting the area.

It can’t be assumed they are there that early in order to guarantee a good spot for Radiohead…but the amount of Radiohead t-shirts already seen before 9:30 is pretty telling.

Elvin Bishop jammin' out

Elvin Bishop and his band sang about simple pleasures at the Field Of Heaven Saturday night. Bishop has an affinity for working food into his lyrics, from a mention of red beans and rice (as a way of informing the crowd that there is no place like New Orleans) to a line about a party having “all the chicken and ribs you can eat.” Another song was about fishing. Bishop, though, is a disciple of blues music, so his songs weren’t really about food or fishing, but about the joys and sorrows of life told in an every-man type of way. His set was easy-going blues, rounded out by big horn blasts, a nice throwback set for Saturday evening.

It also fell around the same time as many punters’ dinner, and Bishop’s music sounds good while digging into food or even waiting in line. That’s not a diss – Bishop knows his blues, but his spin on it tends to always sound optimistic, even when zeroing in on heartbreak. The horns and back-up singers accompanying his guitar work gave his songs an American-South sound, everything jaunty even when the subject matter wasn’t. It was a nice way to transition into the dusk – breezy blues that were easy to take in.

Photo by 花房 浩一, see more photos here.

Sakanaction's Ichiro Yamaguchi Saturday night

At 8:25, the five members of Sakanaction walked onto the White Stage to claps and cheers from the hundreds of fans lining the field in front of the stage. They calmly lined up side to side, and as the intro music stopped they simultaneously opened something in front of them. A second later, the white glow of the Macintosh logo appeared. Sakanaction had taken up position behind laptop computers, and then launched into an electronic dance song.

It was a striking way to open one of the biggest shows in the young Japanese band’s career, but a memorable image. After the initial digital fury, they moved the computers aside and picked up traditional rock instruments…but electronics still played a heavy role in Sakanaction’s songs. Their triumphant set Saturday found the group channeling all the music that had influenced them over the years into a sound all their own, a sonic style simultaneously physical and anthemic. The night highlighted not just one of the best festival acts from Japan right now, but one of the country’s best bands.

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Swnka Shanka

Let’s not bury the most important information in this post – Swnka Shanka, near the Field Of Heaven stage, sells the best beer at Fuji Rock. Heiniken and Kirin are perfectly fine beverages, but for the exact same price (600 yen) you can get a cup of Tokyo Ale, an extremely tasty brew and easily the best drinking option I’ve seen at the festival. Disagree? Comments are down that way.

Anyway…Swnka Shanka fits in marvelously at the Field Of Heaven area, a place that has a bit more of an organic feel to it then the Red Marquee zone. The sign trumpets the fact they sell “fried bread,” and that might not sound like the most nutritious option but it is worth the extra 15 minutes at the gym. They stuff various delicious foodstuffs inside the fried bread…I see you, chorizo…but the best item actually sounds a little healthy. The vegetable taco features various, errrr, vegetables placed inside of the crispy bread, with a spicy sauce added to the inside. It brings to mind a puffy taco…a San Antonio delicacy…and is very yummy. The line for Swnka Shanka can get long, but before Fuji Rock closes for the year, make a trip to get some fried bread.

And sweet, sweet Tokyo Ale.

Onda Vaga still going strong Saturday

Argentina’s Onda Vaga have been averaging two shows a day at this year’s Fuji Rock, and that’s just going off of what the official schedule lists. Their iron-man resolve is plenty of impressive, but trumping that was how energized the crowd at their Orange Court gig Saturday afternoon was. Despite already playing at least two shows with another set for tonight, the fans loved Onda Vaga’s playful take on Argentinian music, swaying along to it even as the afternoon sky turned ominous and even breaking out flags to wave along with their tunes.

Part of the appeal lies in Onda Vaga’s let’s-put-on-a-show-gang feel, the way their songs sound like they were constructed by friends afterschool who happen to have a lot of time on their hands and a few horn lessons under their belt. Almost every member of the group sings the vocals, resulting in a sound resembling impromptu singing in the street. The horns and percussion lend Onda Vaga’s music a hip-shaking quality, while the acoustic-guitar strumming offers softness. Despite being sung in Onda Vaga’s native tongue, the Japanese-centric crowd sang along, and the group even provided cue cards with Japanese translations of a song for them. The highlight, though, came via a tune that has managed to cut across various cultural borders – Onda Vaga’s relaxed cover of The Monkees’ “Daydream Believer” prompted a massive sing-a-long in the Orange Court. They could probably pull that trick out for their next three gigs here at Fuji Rock and get the same thrilled response.

Photo by 府川展也, see more photos here.

Cloud Nothings gracing the White Stage

Here’s a disclaimer right away – this report comes from my time spent near the front of the White Stage during Cleveland rockers Cloud Nothings early-afternoon performance. It’s the part of the performing area where mosh pits tend to form, where pushes and elbows aren’t acts of violence so much as shared enthusiasm over the energy pouring out of the speakers. Other people watching the show didn’t have to worry about a crowd-surfer’s foot grazing them across the face, but I did so apologies. Cloud Nothings probably think that’s the optimal way to partake of their music – their set was a showcase of blistering rock, fueled by emotions ranging from anger to passion. It was the most fun I’ve had at the festival so far.

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Frontier Backyard Fly Their Flag On Saturday

Japanese outfit Frontier Backyard came ready for their 11:30 A.M. They used Funkadelic’s “Get Off Your Ass And Jam” as intro music, a move that had the crowd around the White Stage clapping before the five-piece (usually a trio, but joined by Cubismo Grafico’s Chabe and Riddim Saunter’s Taichi Furukawa on synths) played a single note. They had extra water bottles to douse the crowd with. Lead-singer Syuta-Low Tagami pulled out a brown Frontier-Backyard flag, and then proceeded to run around the crowd waving it, attracting an even larger crowd around him. They had towels ready, which served as a nice visual aid when they told the crowd to “put your towels up.” Most importantly, they brought energy, delivering one of the most energetic sets of the weekend during what should have been a lethargic spot.

The group’s take on rock music is unrelentingly cheery, the sort of propulsive noise that seems like it could fly off the rails at any second, yet Frontier Backyard always manage to keep it together. The group, formed in 2001, are products of the 90’s, when all sorts of new types of music filtered into Japan. During their 45-minute jaunt, Frontier Backyard incorporated elements of punk rock, ska, J-Pop and even hip-hop ,highlighted by Tagami’s frantic vocal delivery, and his love of call-and-response shouting with the crowd. Tagami was less a lead singer and more of a cheer captain, dashing around the stage and keeping the crowd involved, giving them cues when to jump and to twirl their towels around in the air. Any traces of Friday-night hangover weren’t present from anyone at Frontier Backyard’s set.

Photo by 直田亨, see more photos here.

Kick off the Olympics with some fish and chips

The London Olympics kicked off tonight with the opening ceremonies, which featured performances from Fuji Rock veterans The Arctic Monkeys, among others. Yet it’s likely that many people at the festival this weekend…in particular those roughing it in the camping area…haven’t had a chance to watch the highlights of the Olympic kickoff, and will miss the first few days of competition. Fest-goers can still enjoy the tastes of London…especially during a Fuji Rock soaked in Union Jack flags…and celebrate the Olympics at the same time. In the international-themed food area, located very close to the back of the Red Marquee stage, is a booth selling fish and chips, among other English items. For 700 yen, you get an impressive-sized piece of fish and some fries, which makes for a lovely meal at any time of the day. The stand offers up plenty of vinegar and salt to drizzle over your food, as well. And for 400 yen more, you can get a gin and tonic to try to beat the heat. Picture (poorly salted, sorry gang!) after the jump.

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Vladislav Delay working late

Sasu Ripatti, who performs under the name Vladislav Delay, has had quite a hectic Friday at Fuji Rock. First, Moritz Von Oswald couldn’t make it to the festival for his set today, which meant that the Moritz Von Oswald Trio (also featuring Ripatti and Max Loderbauer) was down its titular member. The duo of Ripatti and Loderbauer, though, still put on the show. Then, American producer Araabmuzik’s late-night set was cancelled and Fuji Rock needed someone to step up. Taking his place? Ripatti’s Vladislav Delay, who would play a special dub set at the Red Marquee starting at 2:15 in the morning.

The tent housing the stage was about half full as Ripatti dove into his mix, yet those who remained standing were greeted with samples of police sirens. After that jarring intro, the music began, as Ripatti delivered on his promise and spun nothing but reggae-tinged music, complete with booming bass. It was a relatively laid-back set from Ripatti, which was probably welcomed by the folks still dancing during the wee hours of the morning. It was probably also a good thing for Ripatti, who deserved a lot of praise for all the work he put in on the opening day of Fuji Rock.

Photo by 加藤智恵子, see more photos here.

James Blake sings friday night at the White Stage

James Blake offered an alternate-universe take on a festival performance during his headlining set on the White Stage Friday night. Most music festival top billings aim for the anthemic, music graced with huge choruses that will get a massive crowd of strangers to pump their fists in unison while singing or waving flags (see the sort of footage festivals use to promote themselves). Blake and the sizeable crowd that watched him, though, imagine an experience where people come together to appreciate individual sounds, who don’t scream when the chorus comes around but when the singer loops his own voice.

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U-zhaan x Mabanua love the drums

One would be forgiven if they took one look at U-zhaan x Mabanua’s stage set-up and concluded the dominant sound would be that of the drum. Both members of this duo play drums – one a traditional rock kit, the other a bongo-heavy assortment – and taking a glance at them before their 7:30 set at the Gypsy Avalon that’s pretty much all one would see. The percussion indeed ended up being the most vital sound of the pair’s set in front of several hundred fans, but the most crucial detail of their style were the electronics, sometimes a loud beeping and other times a barely-there buzz, and with them U-zhaan x Mabanua delivered a solid early-evening performance.

The duo’s drumming grabbed ears and eyeballs, both members smacking away at their skins, their rhythms slowly growing in intensity until they became hypnotic. It was a live show setting out to get heads bobbing, the beat always at a pleasant gallop while never sounding too stiff, the duo able to add in dashes of improvisation (which sounded and looked good) that spiced up otherwise looping beats. On a few songs, they even introduced French horn. Yet the songs worked so well because of the electronic touches, sometimes clear and sometimes subtle, which anchored their songs. Without them, the energetic drumming could have spun off into pointless jamming, yet the electronic burbling always forced them to avoid meandering.

Photo by 北村勇祐, see more photos here.

Dorian during his Friday afternoon set

There is a moment in the middle of Dorian’s afternoon set at the Day Dreaming stage where a woman in sunglasses dashed into the middle of the crowd and began raining water from a biggie-sized bottle onto the audience. It was a welcome moment of hydration – the crowd had been spending the last 40-minutes dancing along to producer Dorian’s 80’s tinged music, and many looked to be drenched in sweat (including Dorian himself). The water was a welcome gesture during an especially physical dance session under the scorching sun.

Dorian’s music borrows sonic ideas from the 1980’s – think glossy synths right out of an episode of Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous merged with cheesy New Wave touches and the occasional 8-bit bloop – but it crucially never comes off as just nostalgic imitation. His dance productions retrofit the sounds of the past into songs that are all about the immediate, pounding numbers that had the Day Dreaming stage jumping along for almost an hour straight. The weather also made Dorian’s set feel special, as the sunny skies went well with songs like “Morning Calling,” which is one of several Dorian songs with a Balearic feel to it. His set ended with the climatic “Like A Wave,” a long-burning track that built up to a dizzying, feet-moving finale that probably made some in the crowd wish the water was still a flyin’.

Photo by 府川展也, see more photos here.

The Beauty's Yuji Oda

Tokyo project The Beauty weren’t just making their Fuji Rock Festival debut Friday at 12:30 at the Day Dreaming…they would be playing their first live show ever at the festival. Before this mid-day set, The Beauty has primarily been the solo project of Yuji Oda, who recorded the bulk of his dreamy music from his bedroom. This past May, he released his first full-length album Love In The Heart Of The World Shout, a collection of gauzy songs full of synthesizers and vocals that swirled together into one lovely blanket of sound. It’s the sort of atmospheric record one wouldn’t expect to see performed at a festival, yet The Beauty expanded to a trio for live performances and played their first gig at Fuji Rock.

The Day Dreaming stage’s vibe ended up meshing with the band’s sound – the fans assembled their were a mix of people looking to dance in the early-afternoon sun and folks who just wanted to sprawl out in the grass and relax. The Beauty’s woozy synths were perfect for the latter fan, the majority of the songs built to envelop the listener in whatever setting. That was to be expected if you’ve listened to The Beauty before, but the real surprise was how physical the trio could sound live. The addition of a guitarist and bassist live beefed up The Beauty’s sound, the noisy outbursts provided by the two newest members of the group slicing through the hazy quality of the synths and, at times, adding an element of funk to the proceedings. Oda himself incorporated some live percussion as well, smashing a cymbal at various times during the set. This more forceful beat – joined by the machine-generated sounds found on the album – had many dancing around the Day Dreaming stage. The Beauty has a few missteps, but they recovered gracefully, and ultimately delivered a set suitable for those who wanted to move and for those who wanted to zone out.

Photo credit: 府川展也, see more photos here.

Official sign

American producer Araabmuzik’s late-night set at the 2012 Fuji Rock Festival has been cancelled according to announcements posted around the festival grounds late this afternoon. The producer was scheduled to play from 2:15 in the morning until 3:00. A reason for why the set was cancelled was not listed.

Filling Araabmuzik’s spot will be Finnish producer Vladislav Delay, who will perform a dub set in the same time slot. Vladislav Delay has also recorded under the name Luomo among others.

An impromptu concert Friday at the Day Dreaming area

Here are an assortment of observations from the Day Dreaming and Silent Breeze stage, gathered mid-day on Friday:

- The 20-minute gondola ride might seem like a pain at first, but the views of the surrounding wilderness from the seat of your car and once you reach the stage itself are well worth it. Many festival-goers walked to the top of a nearby hill just to snap more photos of the majestic view.

- The Day Dreaming and Silent Breeze area features one official stage, but that didn’t stop other acts from busting out into impromptu performances. One outfit called Ayashii Sanin Gumi, consisting of four performers pulled out of the American Civil War, played ramshackle music powered by acoustic guitar, violin, banjo and drums. They gathered a decent-sized crowd around them, and played a brief but energetic set featuring moments that had the crowd laughing. At the end, they guided the audience over to a table where they tried to sell them CDs and shirts.

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Fuji Rock Punters Wait In Long Lines For Official Merch

Despite the fact that Thursday night promised performances from the likes of Los Lonely Boys and Onda Vaga on the Red Marquee stage, many fans at Fuji Rock risked missing large chunks of those sets in favor of standing in line. In particular, to buy t-shirts.

Official Fuji Rock t-shirts are a hot item, and lines for said articles of clothing always end up being long. Many attendees who arrive on Thursday decide to get their official shirt as early as they can, in order to avoid waiting in long lines later in the fest. At 7:00 tonight, the line at the official Fuji Rock merchandise booth near the main gate stretched far back, with waits to get to the front of the line nearing around one hour and 40 minutes. The situation hadn’t fastened any around 8:30, the line looking as long as it did earlier in the night.

Even though a fair amount of festival goers can now lay claim to some official swag, expect lines at Fuji Rock’s various merch booths to be formidable all weekend long. Either get there early, or try to plan your purchases around blank spots in your schedule.