Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2014
Nuclear outages, Abenomics, an aging, declining population… it seems nothing will dampen Japan’s appetite for summer music festivals. The sheer number of events can be overwhelming, so we’ve cherry-picked the best.
Nano-Mugen Fes.
Headliners: Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Quruli, Owl City, Tegan and Sara
Asian Kung-Fu Generation, or “Ajikan” as they are known to fans, have shown impressive staying power for an aging melocore act—and so has their decade-old Nano-Mugen (roughly “from nano to the infinite”) festival. The event always mixes up chart-topping Japanese rockers with a sprinkling of Western acts. This year that means Ajikan themselves and domestic bands like progressive rockers The Hiatus alongside the likes of Owl City, the Minnesota indie-tronic artist whose unbearably catchy “Fireflies” propelled him into the limelight in 2009.
Yokohama Arena, Jul 12-13, ¥9,800 (two days). nano-mugenfes.com
Tanabata Extreme
Headliners: Death Dust Extractor, Gisiri, Isterismo
Brutalize your eardrums at this one-off live house celebration of all things headbanging and “mine goes to 11.” Bands include Kyushu’s Mass Collapse, Napalm Death Is Dead and Isterismo, a Japanese hardcore act whose twist on the sound has them singing entirely in Italian. Sounds extend from “pure grindcore” to “extreme noise grind” and on to “scum noise grind.”
Heavy Sick, Jul 26. ¥1,800 +1d (adv), ¥2,000 +1d (door). http://tanabata-ex.blogspot.jp/
Fuji Rock Festival
Headliners: Franz Ferdinand, Arcade Fire, Jack Johnson
What was Kanye West’s loss was the audience’s gain when the rapper canceled his booking and was replaced by Canadian art rockers Arcade Fire. Notwithstanding Eminem’s appearance at Fuji Rock in 2001, hip-hop has often been a somewhat awkward fit for Japan’s mother of all rock festivals. Atlanta’s irrepressible, reunited Outkast, who close out the White Stage on Sunday, look to be the exception that proves the rule.
Arcade Fire’s orchestral indie rock will fill the Green Stage’s massive outdoor amphitheater in a way that solo artists struggle to, making them, along with the equally ambitious Flaming Lips, the headliners to watch for. Jack Johnson has the unenviable task of following the Lips—he’s personable enough, but perhaps better suited to a sunny afternoon slot rather than festival closer. Meanwhile, Friday headliners Franz Ferdinand faded from view years ago, and would be a better fit for the smaller, enclosed Red Marquee.
Kiwi teen Lorde hasn’t made the huge impact in Japan she’s made elsewhere, but it’s safe to say that the Red Marquee will be bursting at the seams by the time the young goth enchantress headlines there on Sunday. Get a spot early if you hope to get inside.
With Yoko Ono, Damon Albarn, Phil Lesh and Motoharu Sano (“Japan’s Bruce Springsteen”) on the bill, rock royalty are not in short supply, but as is always the case at Japan’s most stylistically diverse event, it’s the lesser acts that should prove the most interesting. St. Vincent is a svelte package of offbeat indie daring, and SBTRKT takes U.K. garage into uncharted territory. Honkfests will abound, with a ska triple-header (Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, The Skatalites, The Ska Flames) at the Field of Heaven on Sunday and bizarro Romanian gypsy brass band Fanfare Ciocarlia stomping the mud at the Orange Court on Saturday.
Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata Prefecture, Jul 25-27, ¥44,000 (three-day pass), ¥18,300 (one-day pass). fujirockfestival.com
Rock In Japan Fes.
Headliners: Akai Koen, Kreva, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Orange Range
Rock In Japan chucks the idea of a curated music fest out the window and, in the interest of fairness, reserves a spot on the bill for every band that has ever made it into the pages of Rockin’ On magazine. No shocker, considering the publisher hosts the festival. This year, the event stretches out for the first time to two weekends at the oceanside Hitachi Kaigan park. Omnipresent idoru Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is on the bill, as are the likes of revitalized party rap outfit Kick The Can Crew, veteran skacore outfit Kemuri, jazz-on-acid outfit Soil & “Pimp” Sessions and angular alt-rockers Zazen Boys.
National Hitachi Kaigan Park, Ibaraki Prefecture, Aug 2-3 & 9-10, ¥12,000 (one day), ¥41,000 (four days). rijfes.jp
Tokyo Idol Festival
Last year’s TIF reportedly drew 33,000 people who watched 111 acts perform. Can it get bigger? Apparently yes. This year’s fifth Tokyo Idol Festival sprawls over half a dozen stages, centering around Fuji TV headquarters in Odaiba. Slaver over acts including Idolrenaissance, Dorothy Little Happy, Vanilla Beans and Tokyo Cheer2 Party—all of them in uniform.
Odaiba, Aug 2-3, ¥5,000 (one day), ¥8,800 (both days). idolfes.com
Punkafoolic! Bayside Crash 2014
This all-day outdoor punk mashup for the masses has been a tradition for some years now, and at ¥3,700 for advance tickets offers perhaps the best bang for the yen of all the summer fests. This year, 24 bands will fight for attention including Fight It Out, Mrs. Wiener, Mugwumps and Shank.
Tokyo Harumi Terminal, Aug 3, ¥3,700 (adv), ¥4,200 (door). www.punkafoolic.com/baysidecrash2014
World Happiness Festival
Headliners: Yukihiro Takahashi with In Phase (feat. James Iha)
The hobbyhorse of bassist Haruomi Hosono, one of three founders of seminal elepop group Yellow Magic Orchestra along with keyboardist Ryuichi Sakamoto and drummer Yukihiro Takahashi, World Happiness has enlivened Tokyo Bay’s “Dream Island” park with a bill that digs into the artier end of J-pop since 2009. The 2014 edition features among others James Iha (guitarist for grunge warhorse Smashing Pumpkins, this time hitting the strings with In Phase), Yukihiro Takahashi & Metafive (a supergroup that also includes Keigo Oyamada of Cornelius) and avant-house producer Tei Towa.
Yumenoshima Koen Rikujokyogijo, Aug 10, ¥8,800. world-happiness.com
Rising Sun Rock Festival
Headliners: Eastern Youth, Boom Boom Satellites, OOIOO
Highly tipped for its scenic Hokkaido location, the Rising Sun Rock Festival takes place at a breezy seaside field about an hour’s drive from downtown Sapporo. With thematic stages like the Bohemian Garden and a bill that mines the more creative side of J-rock, the event blends aspects of Fuji Rock with Rock in Japan. Star power comes in the form of storied domestic alt-rockers Eastern Youth and OOIOO, the experimental rock outfit headed by Boredoms drummer Yoshimi. Boom Boom Satellites will be propounding their take on electro-rock and the indefatigable DJ and impresario Takkyu Ishino heads up a night of techno under the stars.
Tarukawa Wharf, Aug 15-16, Ishikari Bay New Port, Otaru, Hokkaido, ¥9,300 (Aug 15), ¥13,000 (Aug 16), ¥18,500 (two days). rsr.wess.co.jp
