
Dueling
The rain had finally stopped and everyone was looking forward to hearing some sounds that would make them happy. Cake did not disappoint, delivering a set that was very easy to enjoy and unwind to. They played some funky, almost bluesy numbers which made for a good platform from which frontman John McCrea to try and convey his esoteric messages. He was excellent at getting the crowd involved, at one point dividing them into two sides. One side he labelled as the escapist half and got them to sing “I wanna fly away.” The other half represented furious and serious people and it was their job to chant “I’m sick of you, so sick of me.” He continued his abstract monologues at various other breaks between songs, illuminating his ideas on the nature of the human condition. I am guessing that the vast majority of the Japanese audience had no idea what he was talking about, but one thing they did understand was when during one break he told the crowd: “I just wanna say one thing, gambatte nihon, you can do it.” During the 3 days of Fuji Rock there were a couple of artists including Marc Ribot who offerend their condolences and support for all the tragedy that struck Japan in March this year but I was hoping that there would be even more words of encouragement from the artists who performed at this year’s festival.
Photos 古川喜隆. More here.

Subscribe








Yeah, it’s Asian Dub Foundation again. Fuji Rock’s favourite band. This is their 8th appearance at the festival. You know what to expect, you know it’s gonna be wild, and you know you’re never going to wish you’d seen that other band on the other stage.





I got to the White Stage very early. The roadies were doing their soundcheck for New Mastersounds. I was standing at the back of the field, drinking a beer, chatting to my pal. The soundcheck was pretty good. A bit too good. Then my pal said “this must be the band – roadies don’t play like that.” He was right. The band were on stage, doing their own soundcheck by playing a mini set. “Don’t listen yet, this isn’t the real show,” says one of them. But the field was already jumping and the Mastersounds can claim the Best Soundcheck of the Festival award. 













