1) 突然少年 (Totsuzen Shounen)

Rocking the Red Marquee like it was a stadium, and possessing the humility of a school boy who discovered the cure for a rare disease, comparing Totsuzen Shounen to “a breath of fresh air” would seem trite and inadequate. These fearless young men took the lessons of their musical grandfathers (Nirvana, Sonic Youth, et. al.) and made them relevant, like the rush of adrenaline one possesses in moments of crisis; the strength a mother is inexplicably given to pull her child from under an upturned vehicle. One hears of many efforts made by the Japanese music industry, or the Japanese government, to promote domestic artists overseas. However, as the western entertainment industry truism goes, they should, “Give’em what they want”. This is what western audiences want; rock that actually ROCKS, and ROCK that actually kicks ass!

2) Kotori

Yet another Japanese band, and yet another band that kicks ass. These young men dealt it like they owned it, and they did. If they don’t win the Rookie à Gogo competition – or at least come close – I will be both disappointed and surprised. Mastering the styles of fellow Fuji Rock bill-mates like Death Cab for Cutie and American Football, while being steeped in the lessons of Japanese indie legends that preceded them (like Freezer Noize) Kotori also possessed the hidden ace of being able to shift into peerless grind-core while hardly breaking a sweat. They also flowed through all the aforementioned musical genres seamlessly, and tied them together with exemplary musicality. Like Totsuzen Shounen, this is another band that is entirely deserving of the support of any person – or organization – looking to act as a patron.

3) Death Cab for Cutie

Having followed this band since their second album (2000’s We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes) as a fan who was there at ground zero, I can attest to the unmitigated beauty of the flower into which Death Cab for Cutie has blossomed. While they performed their Pet Shop Boys-tinted new single “Gold Rush” on Fuji Rock’s massive White Stage, it was clear that DCFC is a band that has fully arrived as a world-class pop act. With a huge LED screen behind them projecting a bespoke video show synchronized to their every move, and as they dished out hits such as “Soul Meets Body,” “ I Will Possess Your Heart,” and the heart-wrenching solo acoustic love song that is “I Will Follow You into the Dark,” it became amply clear that Death Cab for Cutie unquestionably deserved the heights to which they have ascended.

4) The Cure

The absence of integral bassist Simon Gallup mitigated their sound ever so slightly, just enough to make it slightly uncomfortable at times. And, even despite his valiant efforts, Eden (Simon’s son) could not fill his father’s shoes. However, thanks to that young man’s courageous efforts, thousands of Cure fans – like your humble author – finally got to fulfill a long-cherished dream of seeing The Cure live. And, nothing could make that experience less precious. For those who get it – like the thousands standing in that mud-soaked field on Fuji Rock’s last night – hearing tracks like “Close to Me,” “Just Like Heaven,” and “Plainsong,” live, reclaimed pieces of our souls that we feared were lost with our youth. And, truth be told, most of us would have stood in a torrential downpour just for a chance to see the legend that is Robert Smith; perhaps the truest surviving Rock God of outcasts and misfits.

5) The Food! The FOOD!

The food! The FOOD!! It would have been literally impossible to sample the dizzying array of culinary splendor on offer at Fuji Rock 2019 without incurring a serious tummy ache. However, this author did his best, and felt both fulfilled and rewarded for his efforts. In this category, my two favorites were Mumbai (an Indian food stall) and 1066 (a British Pub food stall). Both being entirely authentic – with the owner of the former hailing from Mumbai itself, and the owner of the latter being a native of Sussex – they both offered fare that was reasonably priced, and, entirely delicious. Extra points went to 1066 for offering two kinds of British draft beer, and bonus points were accorded to Mumbai for their excellent Vegetarian Set; the latter consisting of two different full-sized servings of curry, one delicious samosa, and a scrumptious full-sized nan.

The lead singer barks something at the crowd, and I have no idea what he is saying, and in what language, but the audience reacts enthusiastically as the next track starts off as a galloping hybrid of Asian music and Iron Maiden. The choruses gallop even harder than the verses, almost like Iron Maiden’s “Aces High,” to which the audience hoots and hollers, and yells “Hey” rhythmically; like the backing vocals on “Rasputin” by Boney M. As this latest song ends, the crowd cheers enthusiastically again.

The third song of the evening starts off with a gently picking guitar and vocals, before the whole band is off galloping again. This time they sound like “Chainsaw Charlie,” by W.A.S.P. As the band drives the chorus home, all the bodies in the pit pogo in unison, calling out “hey hey hey,” as in the aforementioned Boney M song.

Once again, in between songs, the lead singer speaks to the audience, and I have no idea what language he is using. However, the audience listen with rapt attention, and react with joy. This latest track is funkier rock, with an Asian flare. Nevertheless, the galloping guitars return; perhaps to convey the sense of horses, which are such an integral part of Mongolian culture. As Hanggai drive home another anthemic chorus, the now one-hundred strong people in the pit all raise a hand at a 45 degrees and point in a rhythmic fashion, to show their support. As this song also comes to an end, Hanggai lead singer says, “Xie Xie. Arigatou”.

At one point, the band delivers a track that is a bit reggae-flavored, but also deeply tinged with an Asian flavor; because Hanggai is, first and foremost, a band that plays modern versions of Mogolian folk songs; as well as their own originals in the same vein. The audience cheers warmly after this song as well.

Yet another song to stray from their average fare, is a hardcore Asian number, leaning heavily on traditional instruments, and a call-and-response chorus. During said chorus, the audience is supposed to answer “hey,” to each of the lead singer’s prompts; which they do with surprising enthusiasm, considering it’s 3:46 a.m. After the first verse of this song, the vocalist raises a glass, and says “Kanpai” (“Cheers”) to which the whole crowd answers in kind. Midway through the song, the band goes into double-time feel and the whole audience pogos enthusiastically. The tempo keeps getting more and more frenetic, but the audience keeps up, while never missing a cue to yell “hey!”.

Their before-last song rings out like a mix of nu-metal, funk and Mongolian melodies, with horn section hits to accent the whole. The bridge is then played out on traditional Mongolian instruments – which possess a tone similar to that of a violin – before the chorus comes back thundering in, in all its nu-metal hybrid glory. As the band once again reverts band to a gentle passage, everyone in the crowd waves their hands gently in the air from side to side. And, as this song dies out, the lead singer holds up a flag; presumably the flag of his native nation.

The band seems ready to pack it up at this point, but the audience claps a rhythm demanding an encore, and the lead singer laughingly accepts. The resulting encore is anchored on a rollicking old-school rock feel – mixed with Mongolian music – with blasts from the horn section. The chorus is a ‘waaa-oh-oh-oh”-type affair, which all the audience members seem to know by heart, and deliver enthusiastically in unison. As Hanggai delivers the before-last chorus together a cappella, it’s like watching Bon Jovi pull the same trick with Livin’ on a Prayer in concert. The last song ends on a rhythmic vamp which slows down and grinds to a halt, as the lead singer yells “Arigatou! I love you!”. The crowd then roaringly return their love in kind.

Their next song starts out so slowly and sluggishly – with the bass down-tuned so incredibly low, and the snare drum echoing so metallically – that this song would not seem out of place on the soundtrack for the classic FPS video game “DOOM”; which used to scare the hell out of me. This is not a song you would want to listen to late at night at home all alone, unless you are a fan of horror movies. Then, the singer’s voice comes through once again, singing lyrics that sounds like, “death was difficult”. Afterwards, the band picks up the tempo, but it’s still fairly nightmarish in tone. More high-pitched “oooh” vocals ride over top of the mix, as an insanely distorted guitar solos like the player is trying to break their instrument. As this latest track comes to an end, the vocalist once again voices a gentle, high-pitched “arigatou!”.

Song three starts out with chiming guitars strummed once on the downbeat of every second bar, while the vocalist sings gently overtop; managing to sound a bit like Björk. A swell of feedback then enters the fray once more, and we are back in a whirlwind of distortion. At one point, the composition gets quieter, reduced to gentle chiming guitar, snare rolls and the lead singer’s vocals, and it becomes pretty; like a childhood love story. After a two-minute passage of near silence (the players’ volumes being so low) the drummer clicks his sticks together twice, and the whole band is raging like an angry cyclone of distorted 16th notes, in 8/8 time. Two minutes into that section, the vocalist launches back into her high-pitched “ooh” vocals, then steps back from the mic in order to rock out more with the band, on her Telecaster. As the song cuts to a halt, the lead vocalist once again offers the crowd a gentle “arigatou,” and receives cheers in response.

She then thanks the crowd for staying until the end, as if she can’t believe that they did. The last song starts in a swell of feedback which dies down before a heavily distorted picking pattern emerges. A heavy hiphop beat then joins the fray, and it is in turn joined by a heavy, incredibly loud bass. And, once again, the vocalist’s trademark high-pitched “ooh-ahh”s are heard repeatedly. The song then shifts into a section where all instrumentalists collectively beat each beat of every measure as if to punish it for existing. And then, the song ends suddenly with feedback and static. The few hundred people in attendance applaud enthusiastically with their hands over their heads, and one person in particular continues to clap for a whole minute after the band has left the stage.

As Robert Smith slowly ambled onstage like aging royalty emerging from a deep slumber, the crowd gave him a welcome fit for such a Rock God. When he finally started singing, the huge stage-side screens revealed the drummer’s hair fluttering in the wind, as if by perfect design; matching the music videos of the era from which this song hails. Young Eden Gallup stood in for his bassist father, Simon, and went to great pains to reproduce the formers’s tone and movements.

As the song came to an end, Robert Smith bellowed “Thank you! Hello again!”. Then, as The Cure dove into “Pictures of You” the bass tone was slightly different than usual, and it became apparent that the band was actually jamming out to a live-version intro. Eventually, it became apparent that the whole song seemed reworked, however, in a bit of a remix, and it worked; feeling relevant to 2019. Seeing The Cure in this context was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience with dozens of floodlights overhead in this semi-cloudy mountainous night. The crowd gave them the applause and the cheers these legends deserve. As they performed “Love Song” (once again from 1989’s Disintegration) one was acutely aware of being in the presence of the Rock Gods of the outcasts and misfits. Eden leaned into his playing in the same manner that his father would; wearing it low on his body and delivering his parts with mindful respect of the majesty of the song at hand. When “Love Song” ended, the audience applauded like they knew they might not get to see The Cure again. This is 2019, and Robert Smith has outlasted many legends whom, logically, should have died after him. The band then delivered “Last Dance”, with Reeves Gabrels holding tightly to stage right; ever the wizard, producing what each song requires. Robert Smith paced the stage, telling the story of the song’s lyrics, as if speaking to their inspiration. As the music stopped, the crowd applauded like they couldn’t wait to hear the next song, and Robert Smith quickly said “thank you”.

One hour into The Cure’s set, Robert Smith pulled on a black acoustic guitar bedecked with a white star, and the band tore into “In Between Days” from 1985’s The Head on the Door. Huge floodlights projected large circles of white light onto the forest opposite the stage; as if adding extra moons to this night, and making it even more romantic. A few songs later, as yet another song came to an end, the audience applauded as if asking for an encore, but the band was nowhere near packing it in. The band then dove headlong into “A Forest” with projection mapping simulating walking through a forest on the huge screen at the back of the stage. Ninety-four minutes into their set, the band tore into “Disintegration” – the title track from the album of the same name – but there was something terribly wrong with the mix, and a nasty crackling emanated from the PA speakers. An hour and forty minutes into their performance, The Cure put down their instruments and left the stage without saying goodnight. Most members of the audience clapped above their heads, hoping for an encore. Given the fact that Robert Smith seemed disappointed in tonight’s young substitute bassist, it was unclear as to whether the band would re-emerge.

After a few minutes of clapping, the audience had their wish granted, as the drummer resumed his seat behind the kit, and Robert Smith emerged, smiling. After making an unclear comment about things going wrong for him “in this idiot world,” The Cure dived into “Lullaby”, from the 1989 album Disintegration; with Robert Smith doing a crazy little spider dance during an instrumental section. The Cure played seven encores in all, with the audience seemingly applauding and cheering more for each additional number. The band tore through classics like “The Caterpillar”, “The Walk”, “Friday I’m in Love”, “Close to Me”, “Why Can’t I Be You,” and “Boys Don’t Cry”. During “Friday I’m in Love”, hearts and eyes from the artwork of the Wish album floated across the screen at the back of the stage and, despite the late hour, despite the mud, and in spite of the rain, thousands of people danced, jumped up and down, waved their arms and sang along happily to this heartwarming classic. At the end of the last encore, Robert Smith looked exhausted and placed his right hand over his heart as the audience delivered heartfelt sustained applause. Mr.Smith then returned to center stage and said, “Thank you! We hope we will see you again.” After a deep sigh, he wiped tears from his eyes. Then, as he walked towards backstage, he stopped and turned to look at his adoring audience a few times – like a shy child – before finally disappearing, as the applause continued unfailingly.

The second track is shorter and more thunderous, and reaps equally rallied cheers. One of Chon’s members says, “Sugoi (Great) we’re Chon from San Diego, and we’re going to play some more”. As the overhead flood lights shift to hard pinks and blues, the ridiculously complicated riffing bears similarities to The Fall of Troy here, and to guitar heroes like Steve Vai in other places. Once again a song ends, and more applause breaks out like wildfire.

In a splash of cymbals, Chon are off performing their third track, as the back of the stage is suddenly lit up with two burst of blue. For the next song, the band riffs out under a white haze, accented by white overhead floodlights. There is next to no pause in between songs, and no speaking. Almost before your humble author knows one song is ending, Chon is already launching into its next track. This is truly a band that is all about the music – more than almost any other band I have ever seen. And, perhaps it’s because they know their fans feel the same.

Ten minutes and a handful of songs into their set, Chon pauses for a full ten seconds and lets the applause ring out, before diving into their next song; this one being very much like The Fall of Troy – with virtuoso guitars and furious time signatures – but with next to no aggression. Another point of dissimilarity is that there are no vocals; Chon is almost completely an instrumental band. Towards the front of stage right, a handful of dedicated fans wave both hands in the air towards Chon, punctuating each point of musical punctuation, in veneration.

Once this latest song comes to a close, one of Chon’s members quickly and humbly states, “We’re Chon. Thank you very much.” During their next number, six flood lights burn orange at the back of the stage – like burning suns – and light up the tops of the heads in the crowd; as if the audience members are having the time of their lives. The ensuing applause proves that they are.

One loses track of how many songs Chon performs. Perhaps only a dedicated fan would know for sure. However, any die-hard music fan would know that the number of songs doesn’t matter. What matters is musicianship, writing skills, and the ability to give an audience what it wants. All of the above, Chon have in spades. At this point the six flood lights at the back of the stage burn pink and sway violently from side to side, as if searching for a criminal. Once again, another song draws to a close and another one starts; like the endless symphony of life. The screen that covers the entirety of the back of the stage is now pure black behind the white Chon logo, and two large overhead flood lights burn in an orange hue, while a number of smaller ones in between act like white rays of divine light from Heaven. Chon continues to jam out, as if telling the story of a valiant hero defying all odds. Looking back over my shoulder, the crowd flows back past the limits of the tent, enough to easily fill another respectable venue.

Twenty-three minutes into their set, Chon starts a number that is more laid back and contemplative than most of the music they have played so far. Many audience members sway from side to side in a manner that suggests that they might have done this at home as well, and are grateful for a chance to do it while the band performs live in front of them. One young woman in pigtails and a white t-shirt dances with her eyes closed and her fists clenched over her head. As the latest song comes to an end, she smiles from ear to ear, as if recalling a cherished memory. This band holds a massive power over the grateful thousands in attendance here tonight. The aforementioned pigtailed girl grooves even harder and more slowly as Chon dishes out a slow ponderous number reminiscent of early Death Cab for Cutie. As they finish that particular track, in a flash they are flying headlong into another song, as a smoky pink background is punctuated by fiercely searching blue beams from above.

Forty-one minutes into their set, as their latest track pulls to a halt, one of Chon’s members states, “This has been so sick! We hope you have enjoyed it. We sure have. We have a few more songs. This next one is called ‘Pitch Dark,’ and it’s kind of scary.” And, off they go. A woman towards the back of the hall climbs on someone’s shoulders to get a better view, but her enabler cannot support her, so she goes back down. A young man in a black t-shirt in front of the sound desk jumps up and down with both fists in the air, as if witnessing a personal friend’s great triumph. A young woman to the left of the sound booth – also in a black t-shirt – holds her boyfriend’s arms around her body, and shakes them with glee.

In a rare second of silence, one of Chon’s members announces, “The before-last song is a singing one,” and he invites the crowd to sing along; if they know it. Before their very last song, in a two-second pause, one of the musicians quickly interjects, “Arigatou, Fuji Rock,” and Chon is off again in a flurry of guitars, bass and drums. The last song has different points in the instrumental chorus where the audience is seemingly supposed to yell “Hey!”. About half of the attendees oblige, many of them jumping into the air with both fists as they do. As the last song comes to a thumping halt, the audience cheers as loudly as if they had witnessed the Beatles or The Rolling Stones in their heyday; such is the loyalty that Chon inspires. The crowd seems to want to ask for an encore, but they know they will not get one. Instead, they are treated to a thirty-second promo video of the band’s current tour. As this also comes to a sudden close, it garners as much cheering as if it were one of Chon’s most beloved songs. Contentedly, their fans then file dutifully out of the hall.

American Football took the stage in a downpour that looked like it was created for a movie; especially lit up as it was by the overhead stage rigs. Hundreds of rapt fans stood attentively waiting, as the band tuned their instruments onstage; possibly fighting the humidity to little avail. Towards the end of the sound check, their lead singer started singing “raindrops keep falling on my head,” and, as if by magic, it started raining even harder. The band then left the stage for a few minutes before their official start time. At exactly 8 p.m. the crowd started to cry out like banshees, but nothing happened. Then, the lights dimmed, and the crowd went crazy again, as a 16th note rhythm of glockenspiel music came over the PA. The stage-side screen revealed it to be played live. Then, a quick hi-hat rhythm started to accompany it, like a crowd clapping for more. A swelling of guitar notes became audible, and then the kick drum kicked in. Following the entry of the drums, American Football’s trademark syncopated single-coil guitar sound rang out, and the crowd went wild as the vocalist’s voice made itself heard. It must have been a newer composition, because there were strings and there was more of a cinematic sound than they possessed in their early years.

Electronic twiddly bits filled the air after the first song ended, along with ambient horns fading in and out, like an indie-rock version of some instrumental passages from Music for the Masses-era Depeche Mode. Suddenly the second song started with a syncopated kick drum patterns to match their trademark guitar licks. The classic longing of this band is conveyed in the lyrics “stuck on yesterday”. Gentle female backing vocals complimented the lead singer’s languorous voice well, and the song ended in a long instrumental passage which would be perfect for the soundtrack of a movie about shattered love. It’s no surprise that they were placed on the same stage as – and right before – Death Cab for Cutie. They both carry the same melancholy, seemingly proprietary to the rainy regions of the Left Coast. This latest song in their set evolved into a polyrhythm of the chiming guitar picking against a counter rhythm on the kick drum. Very progressive. The rain continued to mercilessly pelt the crowd like animals in a rain forest. Suddenly, the current song ended, and the audience hooted and hollered its appreciation. The lead singer said, “Hi, we’re American Football, and we’re so grateful to be invited here, to share this moment with you, on this beautiful day.” No one laughed. American humor.

As a collection of yellow stars made out of light beams danced over their heads, American Football performed a song on the happier side of their nature. And, in a flash, things got more aggressive (yet still happy) and the crowd roared with its own wave of happiness. In a sense, this band are heroes to thousands of Japanese people because of their shoe-gazer nature; it’s brooding and anthemic, and concentrates on creating something beautiful without seeking to glorify itself. The song then died down to a rattling of glockenspiel.

The next song started off with a gentle trumpet solo which turned out to be an instrumental. The drummer then struck a gentle rhythm on a hand drum and, as the guitars kicked in, the crowd erupted into cheers. It seemed like an instrumental of hand drum, guitar and trumpet, but then a gentle vocal came through, singing “thinking about how I should say goodbye”. The bass and the kick drum then jumped into the mix. The crowd cheered wildly at the end of this song, but their enthusiasm was dampened by the sudden start of the heaviest downpour Fuji Rock 2019 had seen so far.

Fuchsia and white lighting danced over the band as a song about father issues commenced, with American Football’s vocalist crooning “Now as a father, I blame the booze.” Beautiful female backing vocals and glockenspiel counterpointed the percussion of the rain. This song ended, and then another started, with chiming 16th note picking on a Telecaster; with counterpoint being played on another single-coil axe, to angelic effect. After about five minutes of intro, the drums and the bass came in, with a triumphantly homecoming feel.

The before-last song started with a 6/8 pattern on the high hat, and a 3/4 pattern on guitar, accompanied by gentle glockenspiel punctuation. After a few minutes of intro, the drums came in kicking heavily on the kick and snare; as if there were a passive-aggressive point to be made. The song then broke down to a chime-y 6/8 pattern on the guitars; as they supported the vocals, before the drums came back in with a vengeance. An outro of funky bass, drums and glockenspiel then riffed out before the song suddenly ended.

Once that track drew to a close, the lead singer gently stated “We’re just going to play one more song. Thank you for being here!”, before launching into “Never Meant” from their eponymous debut album released in 1999; perhaps their first indie hit. It sounded as fresh as when it came out twenty years ago. The crowd went wild as if they were watching global superstars, when the first guitar breakdown came around. As the last strains of clean guitar died out, the crowd applauded enthusiastically, and the band left the stage with a simple and gentle “Thank you very much”.

They then emerged two minutes before their call time and dove straight into a latin-flavored jazz song that was difficult to describe; stretching the limits of explorational jazz and catchiness; all layered on top of an elaborate bed of Afro-Cuban percussion. Trumpets blared passionate melody lines over trombones and funky keyboard parts; the latter dropping hints of Deodato. An expansive and eclectic crowd of audience members bobbed at the knees, while swaying from side to side and nodding their heads to the funky beats. A few minutes in, the trumpet player took a fantastic solo which started to meld in counterpoint with the chords of keyboardist and band leader Roberto Carcasses. Then, the whole band swung back into the head of the song in unison, before a breakdown in which Mr. Carcasses showed off his chordal skills. Soon thereafter, the bassist soloed along with the keyboardist. Some audience members hooted and hollered their approval. Interactivo’s band leader called out for all musicians to come back together and, as they did, the audience roared with a wave of pleasure. This was a particularly beautiful sight to see under semi-sunny skies; which offered whimsical lighting as well as idyllic temperatures. Just as the song seemed about to wrap itself up, the drummer took a solo of syncopated rhythm hits against the main flow of the time signature; to stunning effect. Almost ten minutes after they launched into their first track, the band wrapped up their latest composition with horn hits, and the audience exploded into cheers.

As the band leader warmly called out “Arigatou! Gracias,” repeatedly, the bassist launched into a stunningly funky groove that threw the whole audience into fits of latin-fevered dancing. A solid-looking woman in a blue, pink and purple one-piece dress with a fantastic mane of black hair sang with a passion and delivery akin to being Amy Winehouse’s great-grandmother having traveled through time to teach this audience a thing or two. The overhead screen captured every moment in all its glory. The band leader then joined into the vocal fray, interacting beautifully with the former vocalist and, afterwards, they collectively drew the song to a close.

The third track started off with something of a gypsy violin part, and melancholy piano riffing, before both musicians broke into bumble-bee like 16th notes. And then, the horns led the band into a heavy groove. The aforementioned woman in the purple, pink and violet dress wielded a violin masterfully, in between her vocal cues. A female guitarist then tore into a fierce soloing section that would give Carlos Santana a run for his money. As they closed this song with a thunderous vamp, they were met in kind with matching applause.

A woman in a green tank top and short blond dreadlocks who hitherto seemed to act as a backing vocalist, told the audience that the next song was a new number called “Anana Oye”. It started off with her vocals and an incredibly deep bass line, while the audience accompanied the musicians flawlessly by clapping a clave beat in unison. Towards the end of the song, the entire band started jamming hard like an undertow, and the audience clapped on the ones and threes. An impressive piano solo was then featured, followed by a bass solo. Most musicians fell back during these solos. Post-solos, the whole band roared back to life with the “Anana Oye” chorus, with horns blaring and cymbals crashing. The band then died down slightly again, and the vocalist in the green tank top asked the audience if they’d like to sing with her. When they agreed whole-heartedly, she played a call-and-response game with them, before the whole band burst back into a raucous rendition of the chorus. The audience collectively shook their hands above their heads like leaves in the wind. Their applause at the end of this track might have been the most enthusiastic at Fuji Rock 2019 so far.

As the keyboardist assumed the vocals for the next number – a hard grooving uptempo track – the entire audience was swept away in mimicking the dance moves of the backing vocalists displayed on the screen above the stage. It was a call and response number, with the male vocalist passionately calling out vocal lines to which the female vocalists replied in rhythmic counterpoint. The male vocalist at center stage laid on the ground shaking, as if carried away by the passion of the music, and the audience laughed heartily. As the song ended, he said, “Arigatou” to audience cheers.

The female vocalist in the pink, blue and purple dress then told the captive audience that she was so happy that her band could return to Fuji Rock for the second time this year, before the band launched into a tune reminiscent of the Buena Vista Social Club. The seemingly endlessly-growing crowd continued to dance enthusiastically, while putting the odd hand in the air in emotional support for these stunning musicians. Towards the end of this latest song, the tempo sped up and then the track seemed to end, but – just as quickly as they had stopped – the whole band launched back into the same chorus while slowing it down gradually to a crawl; where they drew it to a close. As they did, the audience erupted in cheers, and the lady in the blue hat yelled out “Arigatou! Nihon Saiko,” (“Thank you! Japan is the best!”) to which the audience cheered wildly again.

The before-last song started with a deep and funky slow riff from the fire-haired bassist (who also assumed lead vocal duties for this song) and the audience accompanied her by clapping a clave beat. The rest of the band then joined them. This song featured a fantastic trumpet solo by a black male musician in a white golf hat and matching shirt, and his skills transcended all genres; while marrying the groove without fail. As all the other vocalists lent their skills for harmonies and a chorus effect, it became dream of a track. Towards the end of this song, the trumpet player lead a call and response section with the audience, also to lovely effect. Most audience members never stopped dancing, but some of them seemed a bit overwhelmed by so much goodness; like when you’ve already had three desserts, and are offered a fourth. The band then drew this song to a halt after a rollicking vamp and, without missing a beat, they were already performing their last song.

For the last track of Interactivo’s set today, the overhead lighting rigs burnt bright yellow like dozens of marigolds and, although your humble author could not understand the lyrics, the song undeniably had the feel of “feeling good and enjoying life”. As if on a magical cue, the clouds parted overhead, and hot sun rays came pouring through. The lady in the blue hat dove into some rhythmic vocal phrases that bore a resemblance to dance hall vocals, but with more melody. The band then vamped triumphantly behind her, and drove back into the joyous chorus; seemingly giving the audience the energy to dance even harder. Even a white guy in his twenties – dressed all in black, like a priest with a fisherman’s hat and shades – could be seen trying to be funky on the far right-hand side of the crowd. As the song broke down repeatedly to bongo riffing, all the singers took turns assuming lead vocal duties. Then, suddenly, the track drew to a jubilant close, and one of the female vocalist called out, “Arigatou Nihon! Saiko!”. The musicians then all formed a line at the front of the stage, wrapped their arms around the shoulders of the musicians next to them, and collectively took a bow before leaving the stage to warm and thunderous cheers.

As the song ends, Ben Gibbard yells “Konnichi wa! We’re Death Cab for Cutie from Seattle, Washington!” and the crowd cheers in a surprisingly American fashion. Their second song of the evening seems very “21st Century” , with a hint of the 80’s; in a distorted lead that echoes a hit by the Power Station. Bassist Nick Harmer is also playing with a more electronic tone than ever before ; perhaps akin to New Order’s Peter Hook. Ben Gibbard sings “I don’t know why. I don’t know why.”

The third song is started with a four-four pattern on the hi-hat, and the crowd claps along enthusiastically in unison before the bass jumps in; followed by a dreamy reverb-heavy guitar. Death Cab for Cutie deliver “Long Division” from their album Narrow Stairs, with Ben Gibbard crooning, “The television is snowing softly”. The projection mapping at the back of the screen flows downward like a fountain of gold. As the song comes to an end, Ben Gibbard cries out, “Thank you so much!” And, once again, the audience hollers as if they were from the U.S.

Two songs later, Death Cab for Cutie suddenly leap straight into their recent single “Gold Rush,” which is embraced warmly by the audience. It’s good to hear Ben Gibbard sing in such a relatively happy voice. Towers of fuchsia light explode on stage at different points during the chorus and Ben Gibbard dances around merrily with his guitar, as the song draws to a close. The crowd quickly cheers, and then quiets down, as Death Cab once again flashes back to their 2008 album Narrow Stairs; jumping into “I Will Possess Your Heart”. As Ben Gibbard sings “I could build you a home in my heart”, shapes like the components of an impressionistic painting dance on the LED screen behind the band. All members of Death Cab for Cutie being decked out in black tonight, seems to accent the fact that they are all about the music now; in case there was any doubt before. The crowd roars like a stadium audience as this song comes to an end as well.

Three songs later, Ben gently states, “arigatou gozaimasu !” before strapping on an acoustic guitar and performing “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” solo. The audience cheers wildly at his first vocal break, throwing him off guard for a second. During this song – about following a lover into death – the pouring rain returns to pelt the crowd mercilessly. As the song ends, the crowd cheers louder than ever.

There’s a slight dip in the vibe, however, as the band performs “Black Sun” (from their 2015 album “Kintsugi”) despite it being a brilliant composition. Perhaps it’s because of the rain. Perhaps it’s due to the fatigue of the crowd; as the crazy downpour shows no sign of letting up. Ben Gibbard runs over to bassist Nick Harmer in order to work up some energy during the intro of the next song.

As two more songs draw to a close, Mr. Gibbard says “Thank you! Sing along to this if you know it!”, and Death Cab for Cutie dives into “Soul Meets Body”. As pillars of flesh-colored light stand in front of an LED display resembling ocean currents of blood flow, Ben Gibbard’s vocals bring home an epiphany that Death Cab for Cutie has indeed become a world-class pop band. The audience cheers wildly as the before-last song ends. Mr. Gibbard then gently states “arigatou gozaimasu! Goodbye!” as the piano strains of the last song’s intro starts. While the band performs “Transatlanticism” from the 2003 album of the same name, projection mapping on the LED screen flows in blues, greens and purples, like the ocean itself. Overhead lights burn bright blue, as Ben Gibbard and a second guitarist riff in a chiming fashion; like the old-school version of this band, but with a more forward-moving, and – dare I say – a more positive or optimistic spirit. They bring the chorus back in (“I need you so much closer”) over and over again, then vamp on the chord progression of the song’s ending as the drums get louder and louder. As the last song suddenly ends, the pillars of light burn white against a background of blue, green and purple static. The crowd cheers wildly as the music dies out, and they won’t give up. Despite the ridiculous downpour of rain, they’re demanding an encore. The White Stage’s MC then walks up to Ben Gibbard’s microphone to announce that there will be no encore, and encourages everyone to get home safely.