Fuji Rock Festival - recommended Japanese bands

by craig

There are a lot of good Japanese artists playing Fuji Rock Festival this year. Here are some of my recommendations:

HIKASHU (ヒカシュー)
Incredibly strange new-wave band that has been going since the late 70s, fronted by the amazing vocal gymnast Koichi Makigami. Here's a clip of them from 1980:


bloodthirsty butchers
2008 FRF had My Bloody Valentine and last year's festival had Guitar Wolf - this year's band with the loudest guitars will likely be bloodthirsty butchers. They've been playing their noisy indie-rock since 1987.


LITE and toe
Instrumental math-rock groups.



iLL
Koji Nakamura's electronic-rock project after the breakup of Supercar.


Gellers
Most people will be watching Atoms For Peace who are playing at the same time, but I know I'll be watching Shugo Tokumaru's band Gellers.


Hideki Kaji (カジヒデキ)
Another unlucky timeslot - my favourite Japanese pop singer Kaji-kun will be playing at the same time as Belle & Sebastian.


SPECIAL OTHERS
An interesting jazz/jam/rock band. Should be fun to see on the White Stage.


BUFFALO DAUGHTER
The famous electronic-rock band.


Y. Sunahara
Popular in the Shibuya-kei scene of the late 90s, Yoshinori Sunahara (ex Denki Groove) will be getting The Red Marquee dancing.


Kicell (キセル)
Pop band Kicell will have the Field Of Heaven swaying.


OVALL + 45TRIO + CONGUERO TRES HOOFERS
This should be a cool jazz/hip-hop collaboration.


On the Rookie-A-Go-Go stage, check out Eiko Ishibashi (石橋英子), core of bells, odotte bakari no kuni (踊ってばかりの国), and Uchujin (宇宙人).