After not happening in 2020 and being held on a more limited scale with an all-Japanese lineup last year, one of Japan’s marquee summer music festivals is back to featuring a mix of overseas and domestic acts spread across nine stages in the picturesque mountains of the Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture this weekend.
Sure, COVID measures mean you can’t holler along to the music and you'll need to download a tracking app, but at least you can buy beer again.
This year’s installment stands out for showcasing a new crop of Japanese electronic artists who’ll benefit from late-night performance slots being back on the schedule. Nagoya-based Foodman has been the country’s premier experimental act over the past decade thanks to his off-beat approach to percussion, and he’ll close out the first day with a set bound to sound even better if you’re tired. Electronic duos Pasocom Music Club and Dongurizu bring fresh perspectives to old-school dance styles on Saturday, followed by the oddball dance-pop of Zombie-Chang.
The return of international acts is probably the biggest point of excitement for most punters, however. This year’s headliners are Vampire Weekend, Jack White and Halsey, and while plenty of solid Western performers dot the bill — spare some time for the jazz-spiked art rock of England’s Black Country, New Road at the White Stage on Sunday — the most exciting development is greater Asian rock representation. South Korea’s Say Sue Me create some of the finest hearts-on-our-sleeves guitar-pop in the world today, and they’ll play Red Marquee on Saturday.
Two Taiwanese groups are getting prominent space, too. The punk-leaning quartet Fire EX. will give visitors a guaranteed jolt of energy as the first White Stage act on Saturday, while Sunday afternoon sees the more mapped-out rock of Elephant Gym take on the Red Marquee.
If you’re in the mood to groove, catch one of South Korean DJ and producer Night Tempo’s sets on Friday and Saturday at the Red Marquee, where he’ll channel the glitzy sounds of Japanese Showa pop into a funk odyssey. Seeking something smooth? Tokyo Recordings founder and frequent Utada Hikaru collaborator Nariaki Obukuro brings his take on modern R&B and funk to the Red Marquee on Sunday. Those needing to let off steam should go to the Naeba Shokudo on Friday to see Kyoto punks Otoboke Beaver, who deliver catharsis in one-minute blasts. And after a busy three days, chill out with the acoustic travel diaries created by folk duo Miz at the Pyramid Garden on Sunday afternoon.
Japanese rap has always been in the mix at Fuji Rock, but in 2022 it enjoys greater prominence across the stages. The Red Marquee hosts forceful MC Awich and collective CreativeDrugStore on Friday and Saturday, respectively, but the biggest spotlight comes Sunday when laid-back rhymer Punpee graces the Green Stage. That’s a huge moment for a new generation of hip-hop, coming late in the day right before the headliners.
The most special set of the weekend, though, comes from psychedelic rockers Kikagaku Moyo on Friday afternoon at the Field of Heaven. The five-piece has carried the torch for Japanese psych music over the past decade, selling out venues across North America and Europe, and recently appearing at Glastonbury. They’ll call it quits at the end of 2022, so this will be their last show in their home country. This final chance to see them in all their blown-out glory is sure to be a festival highlight.
Fuji Rock Festival takes place at Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture from July 29 through 31. To watch livestream performances on YouTube, visit youtube.com/fujirockfestival. For more information, visit https://en.fujirockfestival.com.
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