Fujirockers: The official fansite of the Fuji Rock Festival

Techincal Difficulties Can't Slow Uhnellys Down

Tokyo duo Uhnellys set started five minutes later than scheduled while sound issues were sorted.  When it was finally time to begin, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Kim started making several a capella vocal loops to provide backing for the first cut.  And then things crapped out.

I’m not sure what exactly went wrong, but suddenly four techs were on stage messing with the amps in an effort to get things sorted.  Wanting to keep the people gathered at Gypsy Avalon entertained, Kim called for the stage’s MCs and told them to make the delay into a “talk show” by asking him questions.

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With the recent soul-music revival, courtesy in large part to Amy Winehouse, actual soul legends have probably seen their currency rise a bit in value. (Just in time to offset the toilet paper they carry around in their wallets called $USD). Sam Moore of Sam & Dave fame is ripe for such an honor, and he plied his trade at Orange court 7:30pm on Friday.

He employs a pretty standard issue soul-revue band these days, four-piece baby-boomer horn section, four mostly younger female backup vocalists, and bass, drums, guitar, keys. The band vamped for two numbers alone, the second the theme to Peter Gunn, and then the four female back-up vocalists came on and one of them sang “Hold On”, as in “Hold On, Sam’s coming”. Which he did, about 15 minutes after the start. A real show-biz entrance.

Sam (75 and 10.5 months old) positively shuffled out when his time finally came. A purplish houndstooth jacket paid equal homage to soul flash and graceful aging, but it was left wide open over a cheap t-shirt. His Sam & Dave tenor is still in good shape though, and he flashes about the biggest smile you can imagine, non-stop the entire show. Very happy indeed, he kept Continue Reading…

Panic's Epic Lead Guitarist Jimmy Herring

I once had a step sister and friend (may she rest in peace) who was one of those who followed Widespread Panic all over the country. She had never done so for Phish or the Grateful Dead, though she’d probably seen them; no, Panic was her obsession of choice, the hook on which she hung her peripatetic hippie lifestyle.

Such devotion. At the Field Of Heaven Friday night, there wasn’t exactly a huge crowd waiting for this their first ever show in Japan (just a couple dozen pushed together at the front, and gaggle of others scattered about the grounds), but the ones who did show up engaged in a lot more pre-show “let’s-get-it-on” shouting than is usual, and this was even before their scheduled start time of 9:00. Then there’s this fellow who came from Vegas just for these shows. And Phil said there was a group of six Americans who stood behind him at Amadou and Mariam and just talked about Widespread Panic the entire time. Pissed him right off. All of this has sent me on a quest to find an answer to the question: Continue Reading…

Smoking makes you look like a rock star

Anyway, let’s talk music. It was a ska, cumbia and rock mash. I couldn’t have chosen a better band to knock the hangover from my head. The Orange Court was surprisingly busy for 2pm on a hangover day, and people had come to dance.

The Power had the crowd on their side with a singalong whose only lyrics were “Nihon, Nihon!”. I wondered how they’d play the song in, say, the Federated States of Micronesia.

Mate Power’s big surprise was to introduce Tetsuya Kajiwara from the Blue Hearts, plus a couple of other blokes who may or may not be famous. It gave the band some serious percussion section. It also meant they could finish their set with a cover of the Blue Hearts’ “Linda Linda”, and although I wasn’t close enough to see for sure, I think it was the Mate Power crew that was singing the Japanese lyrics.

Photo: Julen Esteban-Pretel

ONE LOVE

Photo: 前田博史
More photos: http://fujirockexpress.net/11/3572.html

ILLEGALIZE IT!

SFU’s set, incidentally, was a blast. Their music is a strange and probably unchartable fusion of ska, ska-punk, Grateful Dead-style hippie music and various local Japanese strains, and their weird bent for Celtic rhythms, marches and fight songs leaves no wonder that they are often called The Pogues of Japan. But if all this music has one thing in common, it’s all happy. A devoted following was dancing and singing along with their hands in the air. It was a great way to start the festival.

Mick Jones: BAD As He Wants to Be!

You knew B.A.D. were going to enter with some cowboy Sergio Leone spaghetti western music in the background, and Mick Jones looked spot on in a black suit and a bolero hat. What you didn’t know was the band was going to back up their tough talk with an impressive array of music ranging from classic samples,  Jamaican style rap or “toasting,” and a couple of tasty  Clash-like guitar riffs.

Mick is due some respect, a bad hombre who still manages to strut,  duckwalk, and strut across the stage. He’s a Rock and Roll Hall inductee and long-time sidekick, Donn Letts probably deserves equal respect. If there was ever  ”rock royalty,” these two were it, and the back it up with  opener “Medicine Show,” a sprawling, jammrific intro that had much of the audience hopeful of a truly epic set.

Jones introduced the song “A Party,” saying it was written about South Africa, but could have been about Libya just as easily.”  Other banter offered by this elder bard included a slight diss on the UK, “Some at home don’t like rock and roll, so we’re happy to be somewhere where they appreciate it.”

Jones even debuted a new song, “Rob Peter To Pay Paul,” which he dedicated to the spiraling global financial crisis.  And then it was on to the hits, “C’mon Every Beatbox’, and the country western inspired “Ballad of All Saints Road,” and the singalong “The Bottom Line.”

B.A.D cut the set short though they were called back for an encore, delivering “E=MC2″ and Jones sheepishly adding that the band also appreciated the chance to play another song before launching into “Rush.”

Hanggai Get The Avalon Hippies Drinking and Moving

Hanggai are playing three sets at FRF in the span of 24 hours. The first was on the very cool Mokudotei boardwalk stage, the second at the slightly bigger Gypsy Avalon, and the third will be in the large Orange Court. If the septet could have worked two more performances into their schedule, we may have seen them gracing the Green Stage before the weekend was over.

Based out of Beijing and comprised of Chinese and Mongolian musicians, Hanggai use a mix of western and traditional Mongolian instruments along with throat singing to create a dynamic hybrid of entrancing world music and folk.

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A fine gray morning

Everybody who is here will agree that it rained all day Friday, though such a statement needs to be qualified. For the most part it sprinkled on and off, so most festivalgoers had more trouble contending with the resultant mud than with the rain itself. The forecast had hinted that the worst would be over by Friday, so that seemed like a good omen.

This morning (Sat.), however, it’s a steady downpour, and one can see the effect as soon as one reaches the entrance. Very few people are exchanging wristbands. There aren’t even any scalpers. (It was 9 when I arrived, so this could change, but I doubt it.) What that definitely means is that few people are coming up for the day on the spur of the moment, and while that isn’t a sizable portion of the usual Fuji crowd, it has to mean something. Apparently, some forecasts changed last night, and there were reports on the news of heavy flooding in Niiagata and Fukushima Prefectures, as well as warnings of the dangers of mudslides. Naeba doesn’t seem to have to worry about mudslides, and the river that runs through it, while certainly swollen, doesn’t seem at risk of overflowing. That doesn’t mean the rain isn’t a drag, though.

Artic Monkeys Fully Radiant

It was a cheeky way to start the concert, playing a tune so completely incongruous as Hot Chocolate’s classic single “You Sexy Thing.” But what do you expect of a band that regularly make the cover of NME and all the celebrity rags?

Tonight, Artic Monkeys were clearly hindered by their set-up slot for Coldplay, bringing perhaps half of their lights and stage effects. Still, they made use of the limited stage space as well as the time alloted to them, slipping easily into numbers like “This House is A Circus” and “Pretty Visitors,” the latter seeing frontman, Alex Turner grabbing the microphone in an embrace ala Julian Cope. It was all bombast and strobe lights, putting the punch in the sound system that had been bog wet through a steady downpour through much of the afternoon.

The audience responded to Turner’s exhortations, especially squealing with delight when they tore into hit “I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor.” Throughout the quick set, Turner added some banter and even a new song which the band tried out such as “The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala.”

It was a thoroughly solid set from the group, and a good spot on an evening which saw other up and coming Brit bands such as Kaiser Chiefs and The Vaccines. A recent bout of touring has made the band especially tight and proficient at all their instruments.

The Sherberts, a local rock quartet led 浅井健一 (Asai Kenichi) took  the stage in the late afternoon and quickly got the crowd moving in their camp chairs with with a spirited blend of funk and grimy old rock and roll. It was an afternoon treat, a performance on a stage albeit a little small for Kenichi who with Blankey Jet City became is just one of two Japanese acts to ever headline the Green Stage (the other act was Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, and both performances were farewell shows.)

Over the years, Kenichi has found himself busy with many projects including UA, Ajico, June, Pontiacs, and today, The Sherbets. This makes him a Fuji Rock regular and a contributor on a mind-numbing 50 albums. Today, that audience was treated to his musical virtuosity and his deft ability to transition from one style to another, banging out straight rockers, while shifting into slower, funkier tunes that contained a bit of soul, framing a vocal style that is high pitched, yet thoughtful in its yelps and choruses. As for the rest of the Sherbets, and they handily kept down the beat, and supported their frontman.

It may have been poor luck to follow Noah and the Whale as the band faced an audience that was quite literally exhausted from the last performance. Regardless, The Sherbet’s did what they could and made the best of a difficult situation, playing in a time slot when many may have felt the fatigue of the festival, or wished that Kenichi could grace a bigger stage. Still it was a thoroughly entertaining performance and well worthy of the crowd. A nearby stall did a brisk business in gelato this afternoon, further enhancing the pleasures of the Field of Heaven this afternoon.

To learn more about Asai Kenichi check out his English bio here

A Taiwanese promoter has brought three Taiwanese bands to this year’s Fuji Rock under the theme “Rock Together”, and we’re viewing this as a good thing. It’s also a chance to get free towels and t-shirts! Look for them at upcoming gigs by Taiwanese bands.

Taiwanese bands @ FRF 2011:
Sugar Plum Ferry @ Gypsy Avalon 7/30 (Sat) 12:15
Silverbus @ Gypsy Avalon 7/31 (Sun) 18:00

TOGETHER EVERYBODY HAVE A PARTY

And I mean that in the sincerest sense. These guys exude a chill vibe, calling to Jah on high, I and I Rastafari between every song. Rising above the mud below, from questioning lyrics of “Who are you, who are you?” to the later “Have a party!” The lead preacher (singer) and hand drummer Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah clad in authentic garb, white/gold robe and dread cap, was there at Orange Court to brighten your day, keeping you bobbing up and down dub style in your rubber boots. The guitarist’s gear was an ostentatious yellow plaid suit/vest set, and the hype guy, who actually just stood to the side smiling the entire set, more like a spiritual assistant than a hype guy, had dreads down to the floor; and I am not even embellishing. The keyboardist was a little stoic, younger than the other members by at least 20 years, hopefully there to give longevity to some of these songs and styles being passed on and around a rotating musical cast revolving around Bonjo’s effervescent high on Jah life stage presence.

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TOSSING RHYTHMS BACK AND FORTH

Otofuke could not have asked for a better setting for his Fuji Rock appearance. A guy and a guitar, that often sounds like three guitars and a drum set, filled the small Mokudotei stage off the boardwalk, nestled amidst sweet smelling pine trees and white-eye birch. He had Cajon (drum box percussion) assistance on a few tracks, to make 4 hands sound like 20.  I swear the Cajon players fingers turned purple after a solo that made his fingernails smoke.

But, he had to keep up with Otofuke’s percussive beats, knocks, slaps, strums and bangs on the body of his simple guitar, adding his own rhythm to open chord magic, often playing the guitar on his lap, slide style. Hammer-on and slide technique has never utilized so magnificently as when Otofuke bangs on two strings and slides to create melodic hooks, making sure the audience never misses vocals, as the guitar speaks volumes for itself.

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THE MIDDLE EAST COMES FAR EAST

My girlfriend doesn’t particularly like “rock,” but she has already remarked about the great sound quality seemingly ever-present at Fuji Rock. And for a 7-piece like the Middle East, that’s very important business.

To experience the subtlest vocal inflections or the twinkling twang of a banjo, the most gentle accordion squeeze, a trumpet’s triumphant yet distant crescendo, a barefoot beardy man’s wispy refrain, a flickering flute melody, etc. a with-it sound guy is key. And a muted day of overcast weather puts us all in a muddy soundproof sort of booth here in Naeba, a perfect setting for vocal harmonies to strum your soul strings; is that too emotional for the first day?

Anyway, The Middle East start with vocally strong, goose-bumpy tracks like “Blood,” that amazingly sound just as good live as recorded. Then tracks like “Jesus came to my birthday, I was only 17,” makes you wonder if this ensemble has just reworked some pesky worship music and gone international. But followed by a harmonica intro, like an old steam engine pulling out of the station and a tumbleweed whacking you upside the head, barefoot beardy man in flannel makes you wonder if in fact this band sold its soul to the devil at the crossroads like Robert Johnson, or the band Low, take your pick. Continue Reading…

STANDING ON A BASS DRUM FOR BREAKFAST

Three guys from Sapporo walk into a bar… no really though, front row fans of 8otto, three guys all the way from the road up north Hokkaido, Japan, can tell me they love 8otto, but don’t remember any song titles. They like the ensemble for their energy and stage presence. And, for the opening show at the Red Marquee at 11:30, that better be the case…And it was!

Drummer/vocalist Maenosono Masaki, clad in a bright red “Dubstep is DEAD” T-shirt started the morning off right with screams of “NAEBA!!!” that might have actually been heard about 8 hours south in Osaka where 8otto hails from. His Rasta-style red/yellow/green snare drum may have had you thinking these guys would start in with reggae beats, but actually 8otto sound is more like The Strokes or Pixies, with a bit of disco/punk edge thrown in the mix.

The power ensemble had at least half the crowd clapping along with the first song, and by the end of the show the entire red tent had succumb to the multi-genre barrage. With the dyed-blonde, dark-rimmed glasses wearing bassist, all of 5 feet 5 inches jumping off the bass drum, and the archetypal lead guitarist, black clad, tight pants, jet black hair holding his guitar overhead, the stage tricks where present for breakfast in the Red Marquee.  Only at Fuji Rock will you get guys jumping off bass drums before noon. Continue Reading…

Little Tempo

Norwegian Wood was the first song they played. Well, it was an extended reggae jam, with some quotations of Norewegian Wood added to the mix. Not revolutionary, but pleasant. The next song featured an extended sax improvisation. I was expecting the steel drums to be more prominently featured, but it appears Little Tempo aren’t out to break the mold of what a steel drum fronted band would do. I counted eight musicians up on stage, and a small crowd like that can sometimes regress toward a mean.

Still pretty sparsely attended, way out at Orange at half past 3 on a Friday (Orange Court is already a bowl of mud, by the way). Put on some reggae though and you’ll always find a few people ready to throw down. The steel drums really punch things up.

-Kern

photo by Samata. more here

I Met Him In A Swamp Down In Dagobah

A certain Mr. Yaguchi with a most excellent Yoda Rucksack, spotted at the Gypsy Avalon early Friday. You put your books and things inside, which is the dark portion of it, see…

(and sometimes if space is tight, you might have to use force to get them in.)

For those who can’t get enough of shopping, you will be happy to know that this little outlet is located just a few meters from the stage.

You will find everything from T-shirts of bands who are performing on this stage  (special notice for Noah and the Whale fans) as well as distinctive FOH t-shirts.

Prices range from 2,500 to 3,500 yen and its kind of a nice option considering the long lines at the other official shops.

And, we made this photo B&W to give it an old-timey, folksy feel which is sort of what this stage and surrounding area is all about. Expect a big crowd when jam band extraordinaire, Widespread Panic, play tonight and tomorrow at 9PM

…absolutely rocked the green stage just now, this blurry phone camera view from the backside during the last song of the set. Look out for a full review from Dave very soon.

I was thinking that I’d love to see these guys on a more intimate stage… And then they announced that they would be the Very Special Guest at Crystal Palace come 1:30 tonight! For that, you don’t even need a ticket, so get your traveling shoes on!

Charlie Fink from Noah and the Whale

One of this blog’s writers thinks this band is adding to biblical ignorance, purposefully mixing up the tale of a well known  prophet from Galilee who was saved from drowning by a big ol’ whale who swallowed him whole.

Well, I can forgive the band for this slight because they flat out rock!  Yeah, they brought it big time in fancy suits and a little piano intro music before they walked on. It was instruments galore as no fewer than 3 keyboards were on stage, with musicians shuffling between them through well known songs such as “Blue Skies are Coming”  and singalongssuch as “Give It All Back.”

But the band really hit their stride when they strummed into “Life is Life” with the audience raising their arms in exultation and keeping them up for the duration of the song. A gaggle of Australian girls planted squarely in the center of the stage, near the fencing, danced so ecstatically that they forget to put on their ponchos as a heavy rain came down.

Frontman, Carl Fink, pronounced the Field of Heaven “the most beautiful stage we have ever played upon.” And he didn’t even see it lit up with lights. It was a terrific show with the audience reacting to each new song with a squeal of delight and relish, and it would be only a few moments before they would rip into “L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N” which was performed in a celebratory, nearly religious like manner.

Like The Vaccines earlier in the day, this newcomer to Japan will certainly be back for more, perhaps sooner than later, and lets hope it won’t require the belly of a giant whale to bring them back to these shores.

SOGGY PORT-A-POTTY

Japan does a lot of stuff right.  Festival toilets are among them. I have been plenty festivals, where the norm is stink to an unsettling degree, never ever TP, and tons of entertaining (yet a real beast to clean, I’m sure) bathroom scrawl graffiti, you know the kind, fake phone numbers, clever philosophical battles of wit, little cartoon penis characters, etc.

Sometimes the lines can be a little long for the lou, but that’s just because Japanese have small bladders; so the turnover is quick enough to keep your waste properly jettisoned and you partying the night and day away.

If you aren’t a fan of the squat toilet, however, you may be in for an unplanned treat and quadriceps workout as you do your daily morning “doodie.” (Get it? Duty? Ha!) And just try to remember that all that brown stuff around your feet is mud…probably. Actually, come to think of it, I don’t know if this is a good toilet review or, well, shitty one. But, come Sunday, I hope I can say the same about the stink and TP anyway, for my own sake! This has been your insider camper’s tip of the day; camping with the best of ‘em, and all the rest of ‘em. Happy pooping!

Sketch by J Muzacz

Fujirock.com Writer J Monkeying Around

The FRF Kids Land just got a whole lot more fun!  This year they’ve added a very cool tree house in the forest next to the entrance for young Fujirockers to hang out in and unwind.

There’s a sign posted in front of the area saying that the new play park is only for kids.  Luckily a handful of Fujirock.com writers were able to check out the tree house last night before the area was officially opened to the general public.  The area’s staff were happy to let us embrace our inner children and climb up into the tree house (which smells wonderfully pine fresh).

There’s a small stage nearby with log benches.  I didn’t see a schedule posted anywhere, but I’m guessing there will be some kid-friendly performances scattered throughout the weekend.

Meet a Rock Star at Ganban

This weekend, 18 acts will be stopping by Ganban’s booths in the Oasis Food Court and outside of the main gates to greet fest-goers and sign autographs.  CSS are up first at 2 pm today.  The Ganban shop outside of the main gates will also host a handful of late night performances tonight and tomorrow night.  Duck over there if you need a break from the madness at the Palace of Wonder.