Despite the harsh weather, about 130,000 people were intoxicated by the music for four days.
The Fuji Rock Festival has become a summer tradition in Japan. This year, the festival was held from July 26 (Fri.) to 28 (Sun.), and a total of 130,000 people attended, including the eve of the festival on July 25 (Thu.).
But this year, we had a lot of trouble with rain. Especially on Saturday, the 27th, it was pouring down so hard that even wearing a poncho didn't make a difference. In some places, we were knee-deep in water. Even so, I was able to fully enjoy the show, which featured headliners THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS, SIA, and THE CURE, as well as ELLEGARDEN, ASIAN KING-FU GENERATION, and DANIEL CAESAR, which should be a hit with Japanese rock fans in their 30's. I was also able to enjoy the music of HYUKOH and SHAME, The lineup was even more varied than usual, with such up-and-coming young artists as DANIEL CAESAR, HYUKOH, and SHAME!
The best act is SIA!
SIA's performance, which began on the second day amid heavy rain, was more like contemporary art than a live concert. SIA sang "Alive" at the center of the stage, but it was only the first song, "Alive," that gave me goose bumps. SIA sang only the first song, "Alive," in the center of the stage, and after that, she stood erect at the edge of the stage as if to make the audience forget her presence, while the dancers performed in the center of the stage. Also, as in other artists' live performances, monitors on both sides of the stage were constantly showing images of the stage, but what I saw on the monitors was slightly different from what I saw in my eyes. In fact, the video was shot in another studio in advance, with the exact same set, the same song order, and the same choreography. The video continued after SIA left the stage, with Maddie moving backstage, greeting staff members, and eventually high-fiving SIA in the waiting room to congratulate her on the success of the concert. I was also overwhelmed by SIA's singing ability, which was as good as the original recording during the hour and a half of the show (maybe only the chorus of "Chandelier" was out of key), but it would not be an exaggeration to say that the perfectly calculated performance on that day was a completely new musical experience unlike any other I had seen live before.
Playback of other stages with photos!
