It was so, so good to have Fuji Rock feeling like Fuji Rock again, though here’s hoping next year will be even more normal, with less cancellations and more fun surprises. That being said, it was a blast and, true to Fuji Rock form, it was hard to pick just 5 things that made this year special. Here they are, though, in no particular order:

1 – Ei Wada Electronicos Fantasticos
When I said these are not in any particular order, I lied. Because number one was Ei Wanda’s Saturday Night Naeba Shokudo performance. Feeling like a festival put on by and performed for broken appliances, it was something that needed to be seen to be believed. Pure weirdo magic.

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2 – Dinosaur Jr
This was the show I was looking forward to the most, and it did not disappoint. I have been a fan of Dinosaur Jr since I was a teenager, and to see them and have them still be this good was a total dream come true. J Mascis Rules.

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3 – Terry Riley with Sara Miyamoto – Everything and Beyond
It was super cool to see a legend like Terry Riley perform in the flesh, and even cooler to see him perform with my friend Sara Miyamoto. My only request would have been for a little more cloud cover because boy was it hot! But that didn’t stop it from being an amazingly good time.

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4 – Otoboke Beaver
I love this band. I have been a fan since they just started over a decade ago, and they rule every time. I am happy to see them get the attention they deserve, and I was super pumped to find out that they were the secret pre-festival artist on Thursday night. Sex, shibazuke and rock n’ roll!

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5 – The Weather
It didn’t really rain! Unprecedented! It was hot, but not too hot, perhaps a little too sunny, but at no point was I suffering with wet socks and a wet phone all huddled into my rain gear. Thank you Naeba!

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Hopes for Next Year
Bring back the Oasis bakery! Having a croissant or some kind of pastry in the morning helps keep me sane, and Fuji Rock this year had a shortage of bread keeping me happy. Runner up is bring back the artist name pun cocktails now that alcohol is back. A Jack White Russian? Tom Michelada? Mog-wine cooler? Lemon Dino-sour Jr? The possibilities are endless!