Summer Sonic

Music Aug 21, 2019

It's time for Summer Sonic to think beyond the music

by Oscar Boyd

Summer Sonic 2019 featured the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sakanaction and Babymetal. With the music under its belt, what's next for the festival?

Music Aug 15, 2019

Choose your acts wisely at this year's Summer Sonic

by Patrick St. Michel

The 2019 edition of the Summer Sonic music festival, held concurrently in Tokyo and Osaka from Aug. 16 to 18, marks the 20th anniversary of the gathering. Though that's not the only special twist gracing an event offering the experiences of a big musical ...

Music Aug 15, 2019

Foals: Summer Sonic's storm before the calm

by Oscar Boyd

"My knees are fine, my knees are fine. Yeah, no problem there. I'm actually jumping off even higher things these days," says Yannis Philippakis, lead singer of the British band Foals. Philippakis is referring to his raucous live performances, which display a commitment to aerobatics ...

Music Jun 20, 2019

Japan's summer festivals plan for a final party before Olympic fever hits

by James Hadfield

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 ...

Music Feb 8, 2019

Chemical Brothers, The Cure and Sia among first batch of acts for Fuji Rock Festival '19

by Jordan Allen

Also appearing on the bill are Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, James Blake, Mitski and Janelle Monae, with many more still to be announced.

Music Aug 21, 2018

Western acts take note: Joy and enthusiasm are the key to winning over Summer Sonic crowds

by Patrick St. Michel

British rocker Noel Gallagher has developed a reputation in recent years for delivering biting, hilarious one-liners, both in interviews and at concerts. In front of the crowd as the Saturday night headliner for Tokyo's leg of Summer Sonic, however, the former Oasis brain trust ...

Music Aug 21, 2018

Sunset and a glimpse of Mount Fuji add to Tom Misch's Tokyo debut

by Oscar Boyd

As the sun began to set on this year's Summer Sonic, London-born singer Tom Misch took to the Beach Stage for his first live appearance in Tokyo. Misch, who released his debut album "Geography" in April, performs an upbeat mix of lo-fi funk and soul. ...

Music Aug 16, 2018

Summer Sonic's helter-skelter lineup provides a lot of chances for younger Japanese acts

by Patrick St. Michel

When it comes to music festivals in Japan, Fuji Rock is the pretty one, Rock in Japan is the domestic one and Summer Sonic is the crowd pleaser. Past headliners have included acts as diverse as Metallica, Beyonce, Green Day and Stevie Wonder. In 2018, ...

Music Aug 22, 2017

Babymetal, Foo Fighters and Rick Astley make Summer Sonic a fun weekend

by Patrick St. Michel

This year's Summer Sonic had its craziest moment on Sunday night when 1980s singer Rick Astley joined the Foo Fighters for the latter's headlining performance. "Come on you motherf———!" Astley bellowed at the thousands of fans gathered in Chiba's Zozo Marine Stadium, with the U.S. ...

Music Aug 16, 2017

Phoenix readies for 'unique' Summer Sonic and some sweet sake sessions

by Cam Lindsay

In an age where almost every piece of historical information is available at our fingertips, Thomas Mars and Laurent Brancowitz of the French band Phoenix surprise me with a fact that doesn't seem to exist anywhere on the internet. "One of our first shows was ...

Music | Sound Off Jun 8, 2017

Tilt toward domestic acts risks watering down uniqueness of Japan's big music fests

by Patrick St. Michel

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 ...