Fuji Rock veteran Yukihiro Takahashi –member of Yellow Magic Orchestra and Sadistic Mica Band– took to the White Stage Friday afternoon with his newest project, Yukihiro Takahashi with In Phase.


The band consists of members such as James Iha of The Smashing Pumpkins and Kiyoshi Takakuwa of Curly Giraffe, with three other seasoned members playing the keyboard, euphonium and guitar. Takahashi took on the rare role of vocals and drums with In Phase, propped in the middle of the stage surrounded by the rest of his band.

Takahashi mainly played numbers off his most recent release “Life Anew”, a 60’s and 70’s inspired album with a classic pop sound. The sunny, feel good tunes had instant appeal with the crowd, drawing more and more people in throughout the band’s set. James Iha, who played the same day at the Orange Court stage, also played some of his own songs like “To Who Knows Where” when he joined Takahashi on stage.

The slow, innocuous pop got a little drowsy in the warm sun, but it was interesting to hear Takahashi explore new musical grounds with his most recent project.