Tokyo-based duo group_inou are one of those acts that seems like a perfect fit for the Fuji Rock Festival, which is held annually in Naeba, Niigata Prefecture. This summer will mark the band's third time at the event.
The act first showcased its hip-hop/electronica hybrid (with a dash of chiptune to keep it fresh) at Fuji Rock in 2007, when an impressive performance on the Rookie a Go-Go stage earned the pair an invitation back the following year. For its sophomore appearance, group_inou was scheduled to play the Day Dreaming stage. Located at the summit of a mountain, fans and bands alike must take a 20-minute cable-car ride to get there. group_inou was enjoying the scenic journey to the top when a bee flew into the car. The band and support staff began to panic, and one crew member almost fell out as everyone tried to shoo the insect away.
Luckily, a "chased by a bee" story wasn't the highlight of the duo's time at Fuji Rock. During their set, MC CP danced wildly across the grassy performance area, ferociously spitting out lyrics while beatmaker Imai flailed around behind him on a smorgasbord of gadgets. It's the kind of genre-hopping, amped-up performance that Fuji fans live for.