George Porter Jr.: The man bringing the funk to Fuji Rock
If the Beatles are Liverpool's fab four, The Meters are New Orleans' funky four. During the 1960s and '70s, bassist George Porter Jr., drummer Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste, keyboardist Arthur "Art" Neville, and guitarist Leo Nocentelli created music that is still recognized globally as some of ...
Japan's summer festivals plan for a final party before Olympic fever hits
As Yo La Tengo once sang, "summer's what you make it," and that's especially true in Japan this year. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics are likely to throw a major wrench (or should that be hammer?) in the works for next summer's festival ...
Chemical Brothers, The Cure and Sia among first batch of acts for Fuji Rock Festival '19
Also appearing on the bill are Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, James Blake, Mitski and Janelle Monae, with many more still to be announced.
Tilt toward domestic acts risks watering down uniqueness of Japan's big music fests
Japan's 2017 summer music festival landscape has mostly settled into place. The Fuji Rock Festival, after an upbeat 20th anniversary last year, kicked up excitement thanks to a top-heavy bill headlined by Gorillaz, Aphex Twin and Bjork, along with the promise of more left-field ...
Slot Machine plans to show Fuji fans how Thailand rocks
Thailand has been a destination for Asian artists looking to expand their markets. From J-rock to K-pop, fans in Bangkok have been able to listen to their fill. Rock band Slot Machine wants this to be a two-way conversation and the members say they'll ...
Fuji Rock bound? Make sure you survive in style
A few items that will help you stay dry and happy during Fuji Rock Festival's unpredictable weather.
Noel Gallagher brings his High Flying Birds back to Fuji Rock and where the 'mania' began
It doesn't take much to set Noel Gallagher off. We are sat in a backstage portacabin at London's peculiarly ragbag Clapham Calling festival, and I've just mentioned to the former Oasis songwriter that "Chasing Yesterday," the second solo album under his High Flying Birds ...
A festival for every weekend of your summer
Festivals (matsuri) of all kinds are a staple of Japanese culture and summer is the premier season to experience them. In recent years, the country has seen a bit of a boom in cultural festivals, to the point that it's possible to book every ...
Two weddings and a 'Funeral' at Fuji
It's hard to know what the organizers at Fuji Rock Festival were thinking when they decided to have Jack Johnson headline the main stage on the event's last day. Not the infectious cheer and endearingly kitsch theatricality of The Flaming Lips, who performed directly ...
As Jungle, Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland — who go by 'J' and 'T' — produce classic soul and funk with an unmistakably modern feel to it. The duo has also been racking up fans and YouTube hits alike with a series of strikingly ...
Arcade Fire returns to Japan for Fuji Rock as a bigger and happier band
Much has changed in Arcade Fire's world since the band was last in Japan. Back in February 2008, the Canadian six-piece, still propelled forward by the momentum created by its debut "Funeral," a record that attained perpetual cult status through nothing more than its ...
Manic Sheep, Wedance represent overseas indie at Fuji Rock Festival
Since 2001, Fuji Rock's Rookie a Go-Go stage has spotlighted indie talents not quite ready for the festival's larger areas. Acts apply to play — this year 1,300 bands vied for 15 slots — and with the exception of Taiwan's Go Chic in 2010, ...
