Katchin’

When Katchin’ started spinning 45s at 10:30pm in the Crystal Palace, I was slightly uneasy. 10:30pm is a ridiculously early hour to be in the Palace. Not a single person was staggering drunk, least of all myself. But someone has to set the tone, to break the ice. Katchin’ is a Japanese DJ, a big, middle aged greaser in a tropical batik shirt, playing rock, soul and r’n’b from the 1950s and 1960s. When he played “Lollipop” by Ruby and Ross, I could almost imagine this was the same music the American GIs brought to Japan after World War II, and maybe even the same records. Many of the DJs at Fuji Rock’s small stages, and especially those playing the Crystal Palace, are music historians. Years or research, collecting and passion for music goes into these record collections. Katchin’ is certainly one of these. Saturday night at the Palace, he was there to break in the dance floor. And that he certainly did.