It’s the kind of texas mickey music experience that any seasoned sound aficionado dreams of. I did my darndest to stuff my ears with the unstoppable geyser of music that is Fuji Rock fest. Here’s some of my top picks!

1. Paranoid Void
These girls rock (like seriously rock) and were in many ways exactly what I was hoping I’d see at Fuji Rock. Undiscovered, up and coming musical talent that I can brag to my friends I saw first before they got big and ‘sold-out’. No, but seriously this 3 piece instrumental, math-rock group from Osaka blew up the ROOKIE A GOGO stage Friday night and will melt you face if you are ever lucky enough to see them live.

Report here

2. TAMTAM
Smooth, soul, sincerity, this group is the Japanese indie dream I never knew I had. With a full extended band performing with them at the Gypsy Avalon stage, they effortlessly moved between rock, funk and even Rnb. From rockin’ ‘Rick and Morty’ t shirts on stage to having songs named after my home country, I think we were meant to be.

Read here

3. George Porter Jr & Friends
Ok, so I tried to focus mostly on fairly niche, independent artists in my schedule but this legend was just too good to pass up! The original bass player of the funk-defining group ‘The Meters’ the 71 year old veteran laid down a literal masterclass in funk at the Field of Heaven stage Saturday evening.

Further funk

4. The Paradise Bankok Molam International Band
Despite the mouthful of a name, this group brought a seriously fun and funky set to the Field of Heaven Sunday afternoon. Traditional Thai instruments mixed with thick drums and groovy basslines, it’s the psychedelic slice of SE Asian sounds you never knew you’d been craving.

Paradise here

5. Nicola Cruz
Traditional Ecuadorian elements mixed with modular synthesizers wrapped in a dancefloor friendly empanada. A special late night set at the looming Red Marquee stage.

Need I say more?

A special mention goes to the live sound engineers and stage crews at Fuji Rock fest. If you consider yourself somewhat of a sound otaku as I, Fuji Rock will definitely hit all the right buttons. All of the 16 stages sounded great 100% of the time, which is really not an easy feat!

This shows that festival organizer, Smash, has mastered the art of running a festival, including grounds maintenance and logistics as well as new toilet areas for festival-goers. Continual improvement in all areas has been impressive with new up-and-coming areas on the radar such as Pyramid Garden.

2. Joe’s Garage
I’ve long championed Fuji Rock’s Joe Strummer Memorial, 3-ton European ski gondola which perched princely above the Palace of Wonder. Unfortunately, brutal snowfall in recent winters has crushed it like beer can. A rescue effort was recently undertaken, cutting it open with a grinder and rescuing valuable works inside such as handwritten, festival specific lyrics penned by Joe Strummer himself as well as artwork attributed to him and others, and whatever other seeds of rock and roll history were left.

These items were then lovingly installed into a first-floor stone cellar space of the Swallow Lounge, a ski hostel just outside of Fuji Rock’s main gate. For many, the Swallow is as a place of last resort, a pub that never closes, and welcomes all customers, rich or poor. Proprietor of the venue, Jun, is a warm-hearted man who on occasion, allows those down on their luck to crash for free.

A modest sound system was set up at the top of the steps near Joe’s Garage this year (no turntable yet) and it’s only a matter of time that acoustic performances and other tributes take place here. Pamphlets about the Joe Stummer Foundation can also be had here.

3. Blue Galaxy
Arguably the stage which pumped out the most music this year came from this Jim West creation which anchors the World Court. West jammed out a 6-hour set on Thursday night and made the venue a safe space during Saturday’s downpour with the only wet spot was a problematic hole in the canvas tent just above the turntable mixer. At just about any time during the festival this stage was pumping out classic rock and other fare at danceable volumes. Keeping all this music flowing is no small feat, largely a tribute to programming which goes on throughout the year, recruiting the talents of vinyl record enthusiasts throughout Japan and elsewhere.

West started Fuji Rock as a constructor of various festival areas such as Palace of Wonder, finding himself frequently bored once the festival began. Hence the creation of Jim’s Vinylnasium, a 6X3 meter tent with the audience dancing directly in the elements. For years this modest enterprise soldiered on before getting the Blue Galaxy’s now recognizable circus tent. When asked why there is no lighting inside, West says “we thought about it and even had some lighting one year, but it’s not a disco so we wanted to keep it dark”. It’s this attention to detail and some very fine tunes coming from the turntables which make it a true Fuji Rock original.

4. Food
This aspect of the festival has been mentioned by others but needs repeating as Fuji Rock continues to offer up fine fare such as authentic fish and chips at the World Court (1066 stall), excellent salty ramen at Oasis, venison sausages at NGO Village (Atomic Café) and a variety of lambchops, pizza, kebabs, and curry.

I largely avoid the best food because of the lines, but have been more than satisfied to eat at odd hours from the less popular stalls. Nary a bad meal could be had at this festival, and it’s all quite affordable with meals costing little more than a cup of Heineken. Cooking all this food and keeping it fresh is a credit to all of the staff doing the preparation and serving throughout the four days of the festival.

5. Don’s Cafe
In keeping with the food theme, I highlight one overlooked area which I found myself frequenting on many occasions, Don’s Café. Located just outside the back exit of the Prince Hotel this establishment offered full dining service at proper tables, a selection of craft beers and spirits, and live music stage with band performances and DJ sets, and a dog run!

Created in honor of festival organizer’s beloved Shina Ibu, a likeness which can be seen in photographic prints, patches, and t-shirts. During the day, it’s a respite for campers making the long walk into the festival, and in the late evening a honkytonk for revelers listening to a local country band pound out a slow downed version of “Straight to Hell” by the Clash.

Oreskaband is now in it’s 15th year and are known for being the very best all-female ska-rock band in Japan. Led by iCas on vocals and guitar and a host of other friends from Osaka, the band formed primarily as friends in junior high school. Their musical competence has earned them invites from Summer Sonic as well as international events including South By Southwest.

If anything, the band are as close to TV friendly as I have ever seen, with a special look and style well suited for overlit TV studios and enthusiastic announcers. The striking good looks of each band member also leads some to believe the band may be an “idol” group, with less emphasis on style rather than substance.

But if you watch for a few minutes, it is obvious that this band is more than in love with their looks and really want to rock out. The band name, Oreskaband,” literally means “we’re a ska band.” And that’s all they really aspire to when you see them bopping and dancing on stage. Lead singer and guitarist, ices anchors the whole show standing center stage and leading many of the band arrangements.

Like other ska bands, the group appeared in two-tone costumes, although they were primarily dress whites with just a hint of black striping. With a compilation, “Best (2003-2013),” already under their fashionable string belts, the band had a lot of material to call upon. Of course, their long term commitment to music has dispelled the preconception that the band may be a one-hit wonder or an idol group as they have definitely grown musically and showmanship.

Furthermore, with years of stage appearances the band has become more vocal in political and social issues. While there was little time to delve into this during their Gypsy Avalon performance, the band mostly stuck to script and breezed through a terrific set. The band will continue entertaining audiences and touring, with one of the upcoming stops being the Taiwan Ska Festival at the end of August. Such international appearances show that this band has no intention of slowing down at all.

There’s a lot on the line for Rookie A Go-Go performers, potentially the necessary exposure to land a record deal or even better yet a slot on one of the smaller festival stages next year. To decide who was merely good and those that were outstanding is a democratic process via the voting box off to the side of the stage.

Morinaga Akimi and his band were such challengers. Musically, he hedges his bet by playing a variety of popular musical genres, unlike other Rookie performers who tend to power pop and punk. From his website, he is a self-proclaimed “Latin-American-pop-singer-songwriter” who absorbs various genres of music such as Bossa Nova, reggae, Japanese New Music (70~80s Pops), idol, and adult contemporary.

It’s truly a broad spectrum but if you are a competent guitarist who has a thorough understanding of music, performing boundary crossing songs is possible. On a rainy Saturday night, much of the crowd might have preferred to be indoors, and indeed, only the hardcore were out for this performance. Who could blame them as the only shelter from the storm was onstage with the many members of the Il Paradiso providing a wonderful backing for Morinaga Akimi. We hope better weather next time will make his performance more enjoyable as he is truly deserving of yet another chance to win over newcomers to his music.

To start his late Sunday afternoon set, Iengaga was resplendent in an open collared shirt, a shell necklace, and a sombrero sized straw hat. It was pure Carribean style and we might as well have been on a white sand beach as some good vibrations were surely set to be unleashed. The island vibe was appreciated giving the gloom of rain which washed over the festival the previous day, and festivalgoers were definitely eager to loosen their rain gear and cut up some more underfoot turf.

At the start it was the bracing shot “Tequila” by the Champs circa 1958. This band never had another hit, but they probably didn’t need to either considering the decades this track has ben played at parties and frat houses around the world.

Ienega concluded the track by saying “No more rain, sunshine and tequila. Let’s move on to more music now as he cued the godfather of soul, James Brown. It was definitely “Make it Funky” as the godfather has been a godsend all mashup djs who never fail to drop one of hi signature riffs every 5th song. James Brown is an artist to love and become familiar with as his reputation being the hardest working man in show business has led him to put out, or say 50 dynamic records.

And from there Ienega was just grabbing at tracks an rhythms, like a forklift operator moving cartons of vinyl around the warehouse. He utterly surprised many by going with Beastie Boy jam “Intergalactic” which got the crowd mashing the well worn sod in front of the Dj booth.

For the second half of his set, a luxury that few Djs are afforded at the Blue Galaxy, he went to his comfort zone, hitting the audience with some groovy reggae such as the tune “Stop that Train” by Clint Eastwood and General Saint”. And then it was some hard, hard dub reggae slapping ya right int he face, something he clearly relishes and reinforced with some powerful hand movements. And for Naoki’s final number, confirmed via Facebook Messenger, it was, “Who Knows” by Chronixx and Protojie. It was an island vibe for real, leaving everyone in the crowd thoroughly entertained and ready for the final night of Fuji Rock.

Few other vinyl Djs would have the gumption to wear a t-shirt advertising another medium…um.. CDs. This is the type of antagonism Kitazawa relishes. It’s even his signature go to garb when performing high profile events like Fuji Rock.

“A few years ago he was wearing a t-shirt saying ‘I want to buy vinyl! I don’t think he was serious about it, but that’s the irony I love about him,” says Jim West.

West says he rarely comments on the skills or techniques of other DJs but he believes Kitazawa is well practiced in “the chop” or the cutting off a song without cross-mixing or fading. To do this well, one needs to spend hours practicing and learning the rhythm and groove of each song. It also helps if one is a trained acupuncturist like Kitazawa who is expert at the quick insertion needles into patient’s meridian points each day.

“He’s not prejudiced in his music, playing hot spring bands and other music which he blends so well. You can tell he practices by his jumps and slices,” says West. Precision is his forte, though DJing is a medium that can be cluttered and messy.

It takes time and practice to develop such skills and Kitazawa has been active for over 20 years now, performing at big outdoor events, community centers, and a wide range of ages and tastes. This is what has given him to confidence to play songs such as “In Between Days” ahead of tonight’s Green Stage headliner, The Cure. He also peppers his set list with obscure tracks and rock and roll classics. This goes to show Kitazawa is a free swinging DJs who just wants to expose more people to good music. Here is his set-list. Enjoy

PEE WEE HUNT / SOMEBODY STOLE MY GAL
GORO NAKAGAWA / KOROSHIYA NO BLUES YUUKADAN
OSOUJI OBACHAN IZUMI YUKIMURA
SEVENTEEN WHISTLE BAIT / DAYDREAM BELIEVER
IGGY POP / LUST FOR LIFE
GEORGE BAKER SELECTION / LITTLE GREEN BAG
ROCKPILE / HEART
JOHNATHAN RICHMAN & THE MODERN LOVERS / ICE CREAM MAN
PAUL ANKA / BRASIL
THIRD EYE BLIND / SEMI CHARMED LIFE
THE CURE / IN BETWEEN DAYS

Early on, Blake emerged from London’s emerging dubstep scene, invigorating the modern jazz with a degree of seriousness and modern aesthetics. His take on dubstep made it more popular with young audiences around the world, achieving fame with minimalist arrangements and clever lyricism. Lights and his simple on-stage formation also highlighted a performance style stripped of every excess. The conscious decision to strip away artifice allow the audience no escape from the sadness and melancholy of his music, a direct confrontation like a slap in the face, which can be frightening to some but comforting to others suffering deeply from their own demons.

Trained in classical pianist, Blake continues to do all aspects of composition and recording in the studio and on stage. He’s a focused songwriter who doesn’t rely upon production tricks to carry a tune. The only exception may be live loops he creates and uses on stage.

As the White Stage filled up for his performance, many were anticipating his first track which was predictably “Assume Form”. After a simple piano interlude, Blake’s powerful vocals hit you immediately, both soothing and unsettling, anchored mainly by a drum beat and Blake’s unusual time signature which includes empty moments to reinforce chorus and refrain.

Today he his performing as a trio with drums and supporting guitar and synth. These instruments are orchestrated to support rather than mask Blake’s primary instrument, his voice. In the second track, “Life Round Here” and the next number, “Timeless”, his voice takes on a haunting, ghostly presence, bouncing around the forest surrounding the White Stage. It’s a contemplative moment, with many hanging their heads and swaying to the downbeat tempo.

Blake’s slowed-down musical style helps resonate specific notes and melodies, but make no mistake he’s about vocal manipulation, creating waves of music which wash over the audience like a slowly rolling wave. His expert arrangements lead to meticulously crafted soundscapes. Commanding the audience from behind a keyboard isn’t easy, requiring full confidence and practice.

“Mile High” had the reckless feel of a party, bringing the audience to different areas where it had never been before. He led the audience into a festival mood, a proper feeling for the final night of this year’s Fuji Rock. The mood continued to get a little wild with “Voyeur” which had a four by four time signature which bounced and fluttered over this night time audience. And then it was time to conclude the show with the highly anticipated “The Wilhelm Scream” which left everyone breathless and fully satisfied.

Vince Staples previously participated in James Blake’s “Timeless” and the latter has worked with just about all of the top hip-hop talent in the world. Through cooperation with Blake, Vince Staples has been able to take the next step, moving beyond his allegiance with Odd Future, with lyrics that transcend life in the hood.

Today, Vince Staples frequently referenced his hometown of Long Beach, CA, and pre-recorded seagulls could be heard in the background whenever he took the mic and spoke to the audience. Known as a lyricist, he still takes pride in doing the heavy lifting on many songs, instead of singing just the chorus as is want of others artists in hip-hop these days. As for his music, it is mainly trap inspired, which is the main genre in clubs and NBA locker rooms.

Vince Staple also falls into the new generation of rappers who put more emphasis on individualit such as Chance the Rapper, Tyler the creator, Frank Ocean, and Kendrick Lamar. In this way he is more modern than old school crews such as Wu Tang and Public Enemy.

On stage, eight huge oversized TV screens emerged with each playing a different channel such as u”Office” re-runs, Jeopardy, and other common US television fare. It symbolized the divided state of the nation. Some image even featured Vince Staples randomly appearing. It was a clever visual trick, and at one point I wondered if the TVs were real, they were in a sense, much more than simple screen projections.

As expected, he started the show with “FUN!” pacing the stage like a panther challenging the audience by swinging one arm freely, and accentuating his stage swagger with an occasional leap and spin. He was in full on in performer mode relishing the spotlight of the big stage.

The words “Applause” on the screen behind and Vince Staples takes a moment to address the crowd telling everyone he is from Long Beach and that he is happy for his first performance in Japan. “I am glad it’s here, we’ll see, I love it here”.

Then it was “Big Fish” and “Rain Come Down” from “Big Fish Theory”, which is electro- bass heavy and tone. Staples takes a break and tells everyone to step back and make a big circle, and when the music begins again a huge mosh pit emerges. This shows that he can comfortably rock such a crowd.

Staples then steps back and looks at the madness he has orchestrated noting “that was nice, that was crime.” Seagulls once again chirp through the PA speakers and he’s about to soon finish off this stellar yet short set with what he describes as “my magnum opus’’.

The tune is of course “Norf, Norf” with the famous refrain, “I aint run from anything but the police.” The audience knows the song, you may even know the song, as this young star is rising quickly with high profile performances like the one we just saw tonight. It was a thoroughly enjoyable performance, and we will surely be seeing more from this up and coming young rapper.

On the the last day of Fuji Rock, the weather was quite good and nearly perfect, to the relief of many and especially Smash boss, Masahiro Hidaka, who took the stage 10 minutes before the band started. He was no doubt here to watch the band perform though he left the introduction to Fujirocker leader, Koichi Hanufasa, who did the honor of introducing the band.

For the uninitiated, Banda Bassotti have deep roots in the ska-punk and Oi music scene. The love of this music led the band to develop a relationship and deep affection with the Clash, and later, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros. Formed in 1987, the band have always championed anti-Fascist causes and regional battles for equality ranging from Ireland to Latin America, often performing and attending protests on the behalf of these causes.

As the story goes, members of the band Sigaro, Picchio, David and Pasquale in the ’80s worked on building sites and helped build stages for political rallies. After listening to the Clash and the Specials, and other Latin rhythms, they decided to mount these stages and perform, and that’s how Banda Bassotti was born.

Says the band in a documentary film “in those years in England there was working class music, in Italy the working class was making music”. It was this love of political action that brought the band to places such as Nicaragua and elsewhere to support such causes.

Band member “Sigaro”, a nickname of the late Angelo Conti, died in December of last year. A soccer uniform hung on a mic stand near the drum kit representing as one band member said, “his soul is here”.

A screen drawn behind the band said “Save Donbass Children” appeared, referring to an area of the Ukraine engulfed in war with many children in the middle. Then an air siren blared and the song “The Internationale” played over the sound system. The first song the band played was “Luna Rossa”

Later it was a slow tempo reggae number “Avanzo De Cantiere” making the mosh put an interesting place to be. Banda Basotti’s punk attitude was in full effect, with flags of Che Guevara and Joe Strummer front of stage. The soul of Sigaro was also with them as they sang together, “O-O-O”.

The next song they said was “dedicated to Joe Strummer” dropping the Clash cover from London Calling, “Revolution Rock”. The band have recorded this song earlier, releasing it on the album Vecchi Cani Bastardi (2006). Their performance of the song is and they very much similar to the the Clash in style. Furthermore, they fully agree with the power of music to change the world, and create a world where weapons are not needed.

It was a performance that was inspiring and later it was “L’altra Faccia Dell’impero” with a little heavier beat and speed as it was full skank mode on stage and in the audience as heels kicking led a sort of mini dust storm to rise up. Lastly, it was the anti-fascist hymn “Bella Ciao” and ended with the “No pasarán!” banner which means “don’t pass them over” and then the re-appearance of the song “The Internationale”.

The audience signaled their approval and the band would later appear at Ganban Square for a press conference and sign their special edition “Fuji Rock/ Revolution Rock” 45-inch which was marked as “Limited Edition for Fujirockers”. Copies are limited to just 100 so hurry up and get one.