Gaijin Tonic

Japan’s amazing summer music festivals are almost upon us, so here’s a guide to the cream of the crop. These events are very cool and hedonistic and, at the same time, the overriding sensibleness and effieciency of the Japanese are a godsend to aging expatriate fun-seekers who find themselves growing distanced from the frenzied teenagers and puddles of vomit at such events in the West.

FUJI ROCK 2007

The most celebrated and popular music festival in Japan is Fuji Rock, which always has the best line-up, but is frustratingly located in the middle of nowhere, in Niigata (nowhere near Mount Fuji, as the festival’s name misleadingly leads us to believe.) Much like Britain’s long-running Glastonbury festival, Fuji Rock is located in the countryside, and people attend for the vibe and the experience as much as the music. It’s a huge event- last year it attracted an audience of 131,000.
A trip to Fuji Rock is something of a rites of passage for visitors to Japan, and there is a fantastic atmosphere of camaraderie and togetherness that isn’t really present at the other festivals.
But here’s food for thought- if lying on the beach with a cocktail appeals to you more than swatting flies, crapping in portaloos, and being caked head-to-toe in mud: the price of the three-day ticket, combined with the bullet-train there and back, could buy you a couple of weeks in Thailand.

At this years event you can see: The Cure (pictured), Iggy and The Stooges, The Beastie Boys, The Chemical Brothers, Yo La Tengo, Fountains of Wayne, Kaiser Chiefs, Jarvis Cocker, !!!, Ash, Boom Boom Satellites and Shonen Knife, among others.

Fuji Rock will be held in Naeba Ski resort in Niigata from July 27th-29th. Three-day tickets are 39,000 Yen, and one day tickets are 16,800 Yen.
Read all the details at the Fuji Rock English website.

SUMMER SONIC 2007

An urban alternative to Fuji Rock, Summer Sonic takes place each year in both Tokyo and Osaka (bands play a night in each city) so city-dwellers should be able to get there without much difficulty. The venues are converted baseball stadiums which totally lack atmosphere. On the plus side, these joints boast spectacularly pristine and uncrowded toilets, which are far removed from the poo-splattered portable-pissers that you have to line up for at festivals back home. Prepare to gape in awe at this modern miracle.
Beware- the line-up this year seems to have been picked to appeal to the teeny-bopper market, with a few old dinosaurs thrown in for good measure.

Playing at the festival are: Black-Eyed Peas, Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne, Arctic Monkeys, Offspring, Dinosaur Jr, Modest Mouse, Bloc Party, Sum 41, Travis, Kasabian, Cyndi Lauper and the Pet Shop Boys.

Summer Sonic will be held on August the 11th and 12th in Chiba Marine Stadium/Makuhari Messe, and at Maishima Summer Sonic Osaka Site.
Tokyo tickets are 15,000 Yen for one day or 27,500 Yen for two days.
Osaka tickets are 13,500 Yen for one day or 24,500 Yen for two days.
Have a look at the Summer Sonic English site

WIRE07
The Wire techno festival fills the cavernous void of Yokohama Arena with banging beats and flashing strobe lights. In the land of technological wonder, the sound systems and lighting are out of this world and you’ll be staggering around the dancefloor with a glazed expression, hypnotized by the big screens and dazzling lights. While techno music is gradually fading in popularity overseas and becoming a specialized underground genre, Wire still attracts thousands of party people. The Japanese fondness for glow-sticks makes it seem like the last fifteen years never happened.
The atmosphere is a little bit like a marquee rave, only with less drugs and slightly more polite dancing.
It’s a more sober affair than such events in Europe. You’ll marvel at the people in their masses inexplicably sleeping in the corner at the beginning of the evening, or waiting in line for two hours to buy a hot dog as the headline act takes the stage.

The DJs/Live-acts performing include Takkyu Ishino (the organiser of the event,) Ken Ishii, Dave Clarke, Westbam and Black Strobe.

Wire07 is on September 1st (all night) in Yokohama Arena. Tickets cost 10,500 Yen.
Here’s the Wire07 website.

METAMORPHOSE 2007
Metamorphose is the festival of choice for alternative types, with a line-up to satisfy even the most well-informed of beard-scratching musos. Taking place in the great outdoors, (at a hot-spring resort near mount Fuji), it’s similar in spirit to a trance rave but without the dreadlocks and didgeridoos. If this is your bag, bring some booze, chemicals, mosquito repellent and a tent, and go mental under the moonlight.

Playing this year are Mad Professor, Model 500, Richie Hawtin, and Darren Emerson among others.

Metamorphose will take place on August 25th (all night) at Shizuoka Cycle Sports Center. Tickets are 10,500 Yen
Find out more at the Metamorphose website.