Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2012

Fuji Rock is Japan’s longest running music festival right? Not. The Japan Blues & Soul Carnival had domestic rockers mixing it up with international stars more than a decade before Fuji came on the scene. Headlining this year’s edition is storied albino Texas bluesman Johnny Winter, best known for ’60s-’70s blues-rock albums like The Progressive Blues Experiment. Also on the bill are Louisiana slide guitar specialist Sony Landreth, local belter Fusanosuke Kondo and drummer Yuzo Goto’s big band.

Zepp DiverCity, May 25 and Hibiya Yagai Ongakudo, May 26.