One of the most common adjectives used to describe Tamio Okuda is “regular,” which is misleading. A gifted songwriter whose love of the Beatles has served him excellently, Okuda is only “regular” in the sense that other pop musicians aren’t as naturally talented. Actually, Okuda is extraordinary, since very few Japanese singer-songwriters have his gift for tune and ability to make language actually sing.

He and his band were dressed as policemen for their Saturday afternoon show on the Green Stage, though what was more distracting was the thunderstorm that struck about halfway through. Okuda’s presentation style is to dress up fairly sophisticated guitar pop as sloppy indie rock, as evidenced by the work he did for Puffy in the 90s. The hooks kept coming and mostly did the trick, though the occasional crack of thunder added a little too much drama for some people. A good portion fled for the relative safety of the Oasis and food court, even if there was a premium on dry spaces. In a way, it’s a shame because Okuda put on a spirited, high-energy show. Was he inspired by the weather or defiant of it? Either way, he’s hardly a regular star. -Phil