Fujirockers: The official Fuji Rock Festival blog

On the wheels of steel and the buttons of plastic

In the old days, we knew what a DJ was. They put records on record players and fiddled with faders. These days it’s not so clear.

DJ-Numark had his decks, but he was using them just for scratching as far as I could tell. He had some samplers, but the majority of his set was just playing of its own accord. Even legendary turntablists have given up on the old style of six decks and lightning fast cueing. Somewhere in the world there must be kids that mastered the old-school art of turntablism just as it became redundant. Future DMC World Championships will consist of people sending in MP3 files and receiving pass or fail notifications six weeks later.

So the next question is: does it matter? People were clearly enjoying the Chemical Brothers’ set. And Nu-Mark’s show was, as the Americans say, pretty awesome.

It went from Adele to Stevie Wonder via Japanese rap trio Schaddarappa, all backed by quick switching modern hip-hop beats and topped with the man’s first-rate scratching.

He’d come on after Soil & “Pimp” Sessions, and saw his set begin with the predictable exodus that marks any changeover from live band to DJ. About 20 minutes later the Marquee was heaving again. Presumably his tunes had wafted out from the Red Marquee and persuaded people to stop stuffing their gobs with kebabs and come in for a dance.

But was it DJing? I think Nu-Mark’s style is, but perhaps the Chemical Brothers’ style isn’t. If you’re performing in front of me, I’d like you to work a bit. For Nu-Mark, it’s about scratching, switching beats and adding effects that really work (not just banging your funble fingers on a Kaoss pad).

The guy standing next to me was a DJ Shadow fanatic who would cut off one of his hands to spend 5 minutes with the guy. He turned to me and said “this is better than Brainfreeze.” I thought so too.

Pic by 近澤幸司 more here

Soil & “Pimp” Sessions are arguably the best thing that’s happened to jazz music in the last 10 years. I say “arguably” but I’ll brook no arguments. Their debut album “Pimpin” showed that jazz didn’t have to be played in musty clubs to ponderous wankers. You could turn up at the Fuji Rock Festival and blow people’s minds.

The first time they Soils played Fuji Rock they were unsigned. That’s not that long ago, but it seems like forever.

“Shacho”, the “agitator”, still looks like pimping genuinely might be his other job, and he’s owning the stage as though he’s been at this for decades. This is a once in a lifetime event, he tells us.

There’s a drum solo. Ordinarily I’m not a fan of drum solos. You’re the pulse, not the mouth, but drummer Midorin launched into an insane beat crescendo that didn’t seem possible with only two hands and two feet. And thenit popped straight into pure party jazz. They call it “death jazz”. I think that means there’s some rock in their jazz.

Last time, the Pimps played the Orange Court in the early evening. It worked a lot better this time, with the roof on and a hard dance floor. Hundreds of hands were in the air. This was one big dance party to finish the festival.

Photos by 近澤幸司 more here

Embodiment of enthusiasm

The food court behind the back entrance to the Red Marquee is always a great place to eat, drink and hang out in between acts. This year I noticed they also had a killer DJ playing lots of 70’s funk and reggae, which is right down my alley. I was lucky enough on the very first night to discover a place that primarily sells Chinese food but also wonderful cocktails. What caught my eye was their Mango juiced based drinks, something you rarely see in Japan. All it took was one taste of their rum and mango juice and I was hooked. At the end of a hard days writing for fujirock.com, there was no better place than here to enjoy a drink. The staff there too were incredibly friendly, asking my name and actually remembering it every time I came back. Continue Reading…

This is where the Chems crowd moved on to. A bit housier, a bit cheesier, but no less danceable. Vying for noone else in the same market, he has a greatly reactive crowd. This is house with cheese so thick you could cut it. I’ll have mine aged, and sharp. Just the way it’s being dished up.

Towa Tei is good at what he does, and that is get a room moving. They like to move it move it. They just can’t get enough. It’s electro house. It’s acid house. It’s anything sped up, slowed down, turned around, lost n found, just not homeward bound. But all too soon it’s come to an end. Too bad. Well, luckily we’re not homeward bound yet. There’s at least four hours to go. Thank Fuji for that.

Are you ready to testify?

There’s something about angry rock. For the Japanese, a very peaceful people in general, they really go for bands that stir up anger. I mean, this is a country where you can avoid arrest for a fairly serious assault if you’re just willing to apologise and shake hands.

But they love them. Take RATM, huge in Japan: a band that basically released one song, re-recorded & re-released it with different lyrics, then finally admitted defeat and actually rereleased the original. Take Zach de la Roche with his new outfit last year, One Day As A Lion. Three original songs they had when they performed. Or about that. Yet their draw was huge. The audience wanted, but didn’t get RATM’s Killing In The Name Of. It was as obvious as the audience for Thomas Yorke looking for Radiohead.

So Atari Teenage Riot certainly know what their audience want, and they are more than happy to give it. In spades. Every track has the audience throwing themselves about, and this ain’t just the mosh, unless the mosh extends back beyond the sound booth, because the madness extends this far back and beyond. There are more surfers than I’ve ever seen at a gig in Japan, and positioned at the outlet for expelled Decembers, there is a constant stream of revellers being ejected rolling past me looking scattered. Or looking for their mates.

But then, we’ve got a lot to be angry about this year here in Japan, and that’s been a theme in itself all weekend here. Be it a DJ with a sign, the official green stage intro, or a friendly rev up between acts at Gypsy, the message is clear: we’re sick of the lies, the bullshit, the secrecy, the boy’s club that surrounds the Fukushima disaster.

Maybe that’s helping, but one thing is clear, Atari Teenage Riot are just what the doctor has been needing to subscribe for Japan this year. It’s obvious in frontman Alec Empire’s vox a few tracks in: Now is the time to play a show in Japan. In response to his friends concerns about whether it was safe to come. Is it? Regardless of the answer, sometimes you just have to do what’s right. And what’s right tonight is stirring up dissent. There never was a better time. Nor, do I think, was there a better band to do it. A message to the politicians: We don’t believe your fucking lies anymore. It’s time to fight! screams Empire. And for Fuji Rock tonight, that it is.

Yes, that it is.

Envy in the Red Marquee

Envy have a very dedicated local fanbase.  Don’t believe me?  There were people literally running through the Oasis food court and into the Red Marquee as Tokyo five-piece took to the stage at dinnertime on Sunday evening.  These folks obviously wanted to ensure that they caught as much of the act’s hour-long set as possible.

Focusing on material from last year’s “Recitation” early on, Envy’s post-rock/screamo hybrid sounded stellar on “Worn Heels and the Hands We Hold” and “Dreams Coming to an End.”  During the latter cut, Tetsuya Fukagawa jumped onto the platform between the stage and the photo pit to holler out his impassioned lyrics while guitarists Nobukata Kawai and Masahiro Tobita thrashed around wildly. Continue Reading…

Samurai style

The person in charge of scheduling the Red Marquee today really wanted to put an emphasis on contrast, having this veteran (they have been around since 97) Japanese metal/hardcore band play right after the sublimely otherworldly Warpaint. When Mo’some Tonebender hit the stage, they completely jolted the audience out of the altered state of consciousness left behind from Warpaint. When these guys started playing, their noisy riffs which at times sounded like a bit like Metallica, tore through the pavilion, sending the headbangers into another realm. See as they headlined a Japan Nite tour of the US earlier this year, I was expecting to see a few more non Japanese faces in the crowd but there weren’t all that many. The volume was massive and the vocalist’s delivery style blurred the boundaries between singing, screaming and chanting. It was great to see them showing their pride for their country having what looked like a giant matsuri fan onstage and the bassist wearing a very smart Japanese themed shirt.

Photo by 佐俣美幸. More photos here.

The beautiful light of Warpaint

Watching the four girls from LA’s Warpaint hypnotise the crowd with their otherworldly indie rock was quite an experience. Their show was not about making the audience dance or get wild but rather it was an exercise in atmospherics. Their often dark, spiraling guitar built melodies had a subtle yet very penetrating way of seeping into your spirit. I think after a few songs many of the people in the audience had forgotten they were in Naeba and felt as if they had been transported into a mysterious alternate universe. Warpaint were obviously proud of their femininity, making a special point of congratulating the Japanese women’s soccer team on their world cup victory. And what angelic female voices they have. Bathed thr0ughout the show in red light, they fully used their voices as alchemistical instruments, and their ethereal harmonising was completely intoxicating. After the final notes had been played, my sister said it was the best live show she had ever seen.

Photo by 佐俣美幸. More here.

SUCKS SCREAMING DISCUSTING

A sweet new banner hangs behind drummer Sang-yun, like an alien eye half open looking at some netherworld universe, or a still half-drunk Fuji Rocker on Sunday morning, and an epic intro track plays with blue strobes blinking. This would be awesome at like 9pm tonight. Drawing an 11:30AM slot on Sunday, unless you are as well known and loved as Oh Sunshine, apparently, is a rough time. Even still the power trio gets down to business. Set starts heavy with songs off A18’s Blue Album. Thanks to the trickling rain outside, people have trickled into the Red Marquee as well. The A18 guys knew that rain would play in their favor as they don’t have a lot of name recognition in Japan yet (this ain’t Korea anymore, Dorothy).

Lead singer and thrash guitarist Hyun-seok, aka Sucks (he introduced himself to me 3 years ago in Seoul like, “I’m Sucks.” So I said, “You suck?” “Yes, I’m Sucks.” And that was that), had a funny jiko-shokai (self-introduction) translated into Japanese that got some grins from the motley crowd.

The onslaught continued with heavy songs, including a new one “Sonic Boom” off their album Gogol, set for release early fall. Besides Envy, and arguably Atari Teenage Riot, this year’s festival is light on the heavy rock acts. So A18’s volume and swagger is welcome reprieve from all the world music and jam rock.

“Get the fuck up!” Sucks screams on “Discusting,” surely heard throughout the nearby campground, decreeing all the late risers peek their sleepy heads out there tents and in fact “get the fuck up.” It wasn’t until “Warm” off their Red album that the psychedelic clouds rolled in and the wind (fan) blew on drummer Sang-yun, giving the moment that much more of a refreshingly ethereal feeling. It too though would crescendo in post-rock finale fashion.

The last song showcased a bit of the guys’ characteristic careless stage presence, tossing instruments and wobbling off stage into the arms of front row fans over the barricade, feedback still screeching. I would have liked to see a little more of that madcap movement throughout the set. That ought to rile up the crowd and keep attention of everyone not in love with their post-hardcore psychedelia.

Very last, the dudes tossed out some promotional iphone covers to try and increase that name recognition, and I would put money on them being back in the future too, on a better stage and time slot for their style. After all, their work ethic, raw skills, and personality all together seem like every successful band in the rising star stages. No doubt A18 will keep shooting for the moon. Just next time, not so damn early!

Photo courtesy 佐俣美幸. See more photo reports here

Oh Sunshine Help Usher In A Sunny Sunday At FRF

On Friday, Sunny Day Service were unable to stop the rain at FRF.  Oh Sunshine fared much better, though.  The light rain that had been falling all Sunday morning let up right before the act took to the stage at 10:20 am.

Despite their early starting time, the Tokyo-based band were still able to half-fill the Red Marquee.  The duo of vocalist Emily Connor and guitarist Mikio Hirama brought along a backing bassist and drummer to help them flesh out selections from their eponymous debut EP.

Connor bounced around and sang while the group knocked out solid bluesy rock.  Hirama got his chance to shine on “I’ll Take You Down To The Riverside.”  The track had a bit of a southern rock feel and included a searing solo from Hirama who hoisted his guitar above his head and shook it as the track came to an end.

Making an effort to look as good as they sounded, during the next cut, Connor paused mid-song to compliment Hirama’s fashionable footwear, exclaiming “I love those shoes.  Those are some great fucking shoes for Fuji Rock.”

Photo by 佐俣美幸
For more photos go here.

Seoul rockers Apollo 18 are only the second Korean band to play FRF since 2005.  And it appears that the Red Marquee staff are happy to see them!

I visited briefly with the group this morning before their Red Marquee set (which starts in 20 minutes) and they were backstage answering questions from stage staff about where to get good Korean BBQ in Seoul.  The happy workers were eagerly scribbling notes with directions and restaurant names.  Nothing like some tasty Korean eats to bring people together!

Washed Out At The Red Marquee

Admittedly, my expectations for Washed Out’s 11 pm Friday night Red Marquee set were low. Band mastermind Ernest Greene and his backing players made there Japan debut back in May at Freaks Music Festival ‘11.  Reviews of that gig were far from glowing.  One friend simply said, “Yep, they definitely sounded washed out.”

That wasn’t the case in the Red Marquee.  Greene was a full on rock star as he lead led his group through chillwave anthems from his new “Within and Without” full-length debut.  It was a huge party onstage with one of the supporting musicians sporting a headdress and Greene bouncing around and waving his arms to rile up an already excited audience.  Hopping off the stage onto the platform above the photo pit, he ran end-to-end clapping his hands above his head, causing the crowd to follow suit.  Getting back onto the stage he shouted “Pick it up” to both his bandmates and fest-goers before starting another mass clap-along.

Sadly the act wrapped things up five minutes before their scheduled finish time.  Everyone definitely would have been happy with one more song.  Before exiting, Greene called out, “Thank you so much.  It’s been incredible!” He wasn’t kidding.

Photos by 府川展也.
More photos here.

Best Coast started their set with California Girls. I mean they played the record. They didn’t cover it, they just played the record. Bandleader Bethany Cosentino is a California girl, and she conceived of Best Coast while living in New York and dreaming of California, so it makes sense. I dig.

I predicted, and it came true, that the Red Marquee would be too dark and stuffy to host the sunny lovelorn surf garage of Best Coast. I also think the sound is crap there, but in this I might be alone. I was disappointed with the way Naked And Famous came off there just prior to Best Coast, but Dave and Phil both loved it, and Phil didn’t even like the record. Still, I’d like to have heard more presence in the guitars for Best Coast; they should cut through like a razor (a big reverb drenched razor) to really get the energy up. (I griped about this a few years ago with Maximo Park).

The flagging energy infected the crowd. People had been fists in the air right away for Naked And Famous, but happy as everyone was to see Best Coast, it didn’t translate into much action. “Bratty B” (a personal favorite) three songs in did get some reaction, as did of course “Boyfriend” and “When I’m With You”, but nobody was cutting loose the way they would have if Continue Reading…

A couple months ago I wrote extensively on what I hoped to hear at Jamie XX’s 2:15 am Friday night/Saturday morning Red Marquee set: lot’s of the off-kilter shuffles he demonstrated mastery of in his two great remixes, the xx/Florence And The Machine’s “You’ve Got The Love” and Adele’s “Rolling In The Deep”.

I got a bit of that at the start. None of the complex shuffles of those remixes, but the beats were definitely off-kilter, alternate snares and kicks dropping a few fractions of a beat off. I thought it was grooving, but most people just seemed bored or confused. The Red Marquee at this point was about as empty as I’ve ever seen it, with most people either out at the Palace Of Wonder (epic back-to-back Manu Chao and Obrint Pas sets at the Crystal Palace) or at the other DJ party way out at Orange Court, All Night Fuji.

Maybe he always does this, or maybe he just decided to give in, but as soon as he dropped the four on the floor Continue Reading…

Riotous

One song from Ra Ra Riot’s second album sums up the band’s sensibility: “Too Dramatic.” It has less to do with willed emotionalism than with the band’s musical choices. Employing a full-time string section (well, violin and cello) isn’t so impossible for an indie band any more since The Arcade Fire showed up, but in Ra Ra Riot’s case it seems more a case of the band adjusting to the instruments than the other way around. Wes Miles is a good singer, with a clear tone and articulate phrasing. He can afford to be dramatic, and the words just flow out of him like water. The bass, guitar, and drum configuration, with keyboards occasionally thrown in, seem enough for the kind of soaring chamber rock Ra Ra Riot specializes in, so are the strings necessary? Continue Reading…

THIS GIANT SUN MIGHT BE THE ONLY ONE WE SEE THIS WEEKEND

N+F does have some great, catchy synth hooks and a brilliant pop sensibility. They do sing about a more personal universe and a sense of unempowerment (”Passive Me, Agressive You”, “Punching in a Dream” and so on). And I fully expect that “Young Blood”, their big hit with which they ended the set, will some day end up in a Volkswagon commercial for its great carefree affirmative chorus of “Yay-yay-yay-yay”. But N+F are also not afraid to get genuinely noisy, as in “Frayed” which rocked so hard and furiously in a sort of post-rock mien of wailing guitars that I have a whole new appreciation for the tune after seeing it live. And if anything, “The Sun” reminds me of the great synth riffs of the French band Air from its album Moon Safari. Continue Reading…

Wu Lyf frontman Ellery Roberts

One of the most anticipated acts of the whole festival is Manchester based Wu Lyf. Little is known about the band because they shy away from the traditional record industry hype machine. Their reluctance, or should we say distrust of the media has created an image of the band that fits nicely with their music: anarchic, challenging, immediate.

Wu Lyf  are not for everyone, and one American woman in the crowd pronounced the band “crap” immediately after the show ended. The fact that she sought me out to make her case known seemed odd to me. She obviously was moved by something and hoped I would share her convictions. Unfortunately, I didn’t and neither did the trio of  Australians and Englishmen flanked me. Their analysis was “brilliant.”

While reviews are colored by personal tastes and advanced knowledge of the band, what was indisputable was that the band was  loud, raw,  percussive, an utterly unique. While they lacked the songs to explore a larger musical range, their unique song structures has peaked the interest of many alt-music fans.

Frontman Ellery Roberts stood at his keyboard most of the show, crooning in a strained Tom Waits voice that cracked and strained under his earnest heart. His voice is well suited to tracks like  ”Spitting Blood” which warmed the audience. And drummer, Joe Manning who set the tone for the next song, throwing his sticks at the drum kit and setting a beat simulating a heart beat. This was the beat for the band’s early hit ”Go Tell Fire” which is featured on their website.

Between songs, there was banter between the band and the audience. Guitarist Evans Kati unexpectedly had to leave the stage to relieve himself, leading front man, Ellery Roberts to tell the audience that the group began as a “football club who moved inside when it rained and putting together songs.”

And then it was on to “Heavy Pop” a song that Roberts introduced by saying was autobiographical in nature, a song about ” a bunch of boy who got beat down, were kissed by girls, and are here now.”

At the end of the show, he implored the audience to put their hands up and think of their last wish on earth, seconds later cocking and imaginary gun and blowing everyone away. That’s what the concert sounded like to me: the sound of a gun cocking and then zipping through the air and hitting its mark and bringing sweet release.

OKAHAYO GOZAIMASU

10.20am on a Saturday may be a bit early for rock’n'roll, especially for Fuji Rock attendees that spent the whole night partying over at the Crystal Palace. Even so, the Red Marquee was packed with people before the clock struck 10. I wondered if it was more for shelter from the rain rather than for the band, but I got answers soon enough.

As OKAMOTO’S took to the stage, the crowd moved forward as one, trying to get closer. Well, it wasn’t the rain then.

They opened with the powerful “Yaritai dake” and what followed was an intense, energetic performance from all band members – in particular their frontman and vocalist Sho.

More garage than psychedelic, they had the audience in a frenzy – jumping up and down and cheering, wide awake and full of life.

Sho announced the release of their new single, which is due out on the 3rd of August before the band kicked into that one, and continued with covers of “Walk This Way” (Sho did both Run DMC and Steve Tyler’s parts!) and “I love Rock’n'Roll”, as well as a couple more of their own tracks. All in all it was a high energy performance full of fun and true rock spirit, a great way to start the morning and I wouldn’t mind waking up to that again.

It was a great way to start the morning, and well worth dragging oneself out of bed for.

Photo: 古川喜隆

Medi Making Some Magical Music

There was some magic happening on the Red Marquee this afternoon as Medi kicked into some pretty fine jams. Earlier, Kern wrote that Medi is alot like Lenny Kravitz, (read here) and he is mostly right, but Medi tends to move around alot more drifting from keyboards to guitar to drums.

Despite stepping out as a solo act, leaving his long running backing band, the Medicine Show, behind for this tour, Medi was still in competent hands, flanked by a congo drummer, a bass, and backing drums. He played tracks from his latest release such as “How You Would Do It,”  all played smartly by his backing 5 piece band. He even gave it up for Amy Winehouse, asking the audience to applaud and later, asking the audience about their love for another pop star, Michael Jackson. I have a feeling that this won’t be the last the we will see of Medi, he may be due for a bigger stage to make even more noise.

Yusuke Chiba From The Birthday

I am just going to write this review like a fan, because this was one of the best darn shows I have seen all festival. And you know what, I even want to buy one of their T-shirts. The one with all of the misspellings and copious references to drinking and partying.

The Birthday drew a big crowd, and they have lots of fans  party due to frontman, Yusuke Chiba, who used to  lead The Michelle Gun Elephant.

Their music is blues inflected, and an homage to late 80’s rocker such as The Replacements and Goo Goo Dolls. It’s sloppy, rough, and ragged stuff, but something that is sadly missing from many of the younger acts performing at the festival. Genre specific bands like emo-core and ska also miss out on this essential element of rock. Here’s a link to the website (click here) to learn more about their latest release “I’m Just A Dog” and some other awesome merch.

A FINE PAIR OF FELLOWS

One of this year’s most anticipated acts in my 2011 Fuji Rock Schedule was this London-based producer on the rise, and his running mate Sampha. I have seen enough live electronic shows however to expect either lots of madcap glow stick frenzied dancing, or in bitter contrast, a musically edifying yet somewhat of a let down anti-climactic live show. Like, “hey dude, I could have listened to your album at home in my underwear if that’s all you are bringing to the stage good chap!”  Luckily this was not the case, though only three or four glow sticks were thrown.

So, midnight at the Red Marquee has to be one of the best night slots you can get, everyone trickling from other muddy corners of the festival grounds, and following their ears to the tunes still grooving. Sure enough, this Friday was no different, and for SBTRKT the tent was packed. Live drum kit rocking with the mixing and Sampha’s voice, even sweeter live than recorder in my estimation, made the show busy enough to stay entertaining, not allowing the audience to zone out to the cool visuals zooming on the screen behind the mates. No lip syncing, no press play and sit back and watch the record spin lazy business on stage. Although, for their final hit track, Wildfire, Drake and Little Dragon were both pre-recorded, canned, and popped for the solid finish.

But, as Dom so eloquently put it, I don’t think I would have SBTRKT’s babies…

Not his LIVE show babies anyway.

Photo courtesy 府川展也. More photo reports here

DJ Nobu spins in his sleep

So you know what that means, don’t you. Most of Nobu’s set fell on other people’s ears. But I did manage to catch a half hour or so. When I first arrived, about an hour into Nobu’s set, it was banging at a rate similar to Protoculture, who I’d just escaped. His was relentless, and unchanging. This wasn’t the Nobu i’d seen a few months back, surely. But any worries I had were quickly put to rest as he changed it up, lightened the mood, and began to wind down his set. The audience was sparse by this point, but these are the people you need to play to. No treating the most dedicated of your crowd with disrespect. Nobu moved through the end of his set in a fluid motion, and was able to keep his existing crowd going, and bring in the latecomers (me) with great tunes, played with great skill.

Nothing more. Nothing less. A fantastic end to the night.

Photo by 府川展也
More photos Here

Fuji Rock is 4 days of brilliant live music but I think that I may have reached the peak of my music exctacy at around 11 p.m. on Thursday night, before the festival had officially started. I am not sure which of the 2 DJs at the pre fest party in the Red Marquee it was, Mamezuka or Katsu but one of them played one of my favorite songs of all time. A lengthy masterpiece by quintessential British shoegazer band Ride. When I heard that blissful opening to “Dreams Burn Down” I felt a chill run down my spine and I knew that for the next 6 minutes or so I would be in another world. DJs in clubs playing electronic music serve their purpose but any DJ that plays an ultra distorted, psychedelic opus like this song deserves some kind of medal. Check out this video of it being played live back in 1992.

Andrew Eldritch checks his cheat notes for tomorrow's maths test

Hitting the stage in a blaze of invisible drums, I assume the famous Dr Avalanche, Andrew Eldritch’s distinctive voice was almost drowned out, when the guitars of Chris Catalyst and Ben Christo were added into the mix. I know vocals are meant to get buried somewhat in this kind of music, but it wasn’t just me, a friend remarking on the lack of strength too. as the set wore on the mixers recognised the problem, and rectified it somewhat, but a couple of other small technical difficulties persisted.

It was interesting that, as my tastes run now more to the minimal side of electronic, to run into at first the promoter of Tokyo’s series of minimal techno parties, and a DJ I consider to be one of Tokyo’s best techno DJs. We reminisced briefly on the Sisters of Mercy being influential in shaping our musical tastes. It would seem that fans of this style of music have been herded in a certain direction, whether it be on the same track, or off on an obscure tangent.

A lot of the 80s sounds have aged in a way that does them no favours. Not so this group. The sounds emanating from the speaker stacks are as fresh as they were when they were (or for that matter weren’t) recorded. If “fresh” is a word you can apply to the industrial gothic style. The light show is perfect, keeping the band clouded in smoke, illuminating them just enough to reveal Eldritch’s sense of humour with his florescent yellow & orange shirt illuminated in the black light after discarding his generic white sweater. A lot of unrecorded material I don’t know forms a backbone for a set peppered with classics from my musically formative years. This is a set that is rock n rollicly correct.

Those who chose to stay rather than head out for a good spot for Coldplay were rewarded with This Corrosion followed by Temple of Love to finish which is, I’ll wager, a better gift than anything Coldplay will give tonight.

Photos by 熊沢泉
More photos HERE