Naeba Shokudou was one of the most consistently excellent stages all weekend. It wasn’t just the front porch of a noodle shop, but a good, old fashioned juke joint that treated each and every audience member who walked out of the World Court to an acoustic feast.

埋火 was one of the last performers to grace this stage, and she rocked it hard with a sort of sleepy, Lou Reed “Sweet Jane” like riff that kept a largish crowd of up to 100 people rocking. Her drummer might have been a little better, but that was easily overlooked as this music got the crowd swaying and was the easy kind of come down that everyone needed after such a long festival.

I would have liked to stay for more, or perhaps catch a solo show at a club in Tokyo as I was more than satisfied with what I saw. It was a fine finisher for one of my favorite stages this festival.

Photo by Naoaki Okamura

She is mysterious, appearing everywhere and wrapping us in her wonderful embrace. Oh Mother Nature you are beautiful and inspiring, from the conifers that grow 230 meters into the air to the beautiful beetles that crawl on the forest floor, and thanks to you, Fuji Rock is one of the most fascinating and magical festivals in the whole world. More than one artist this weekend commented on your lovely state.

1.  What’s your name?
Shimizu

2. How many times have you been to FR?
5

3. Where are you from?
Tokyo

4. What are you looking forward to the most this year?
Oasis

[Interviewer's comment]
Another friend of mine who insists on making silly faces when his picture is taken. He is a keyboardist in the band Juicy Bows. A lovely man

interviewed by Sean

1.  What’s your name?
Ozawa

2. How many times have you been to FR?
5

3. Where are you from?
Tokyo

4. What are you looking forward to the most this year?
Disco Biscuits

[Interviewer's comment]
This man is sweet, and one of my good friends. A person who will help you no matter what.

interviewed by Sean S.

Jean Paul, a real live Frenchman really can do whatever the hell he wants. And right now, he wants to play the piano accordion. So, well, he does. Carolina retires, Willie takes a break to paddle his bongos. All goes well, but then in walks NINA! Who the hell is Nina? I immediately want to know more. Wh~ is as far as my mind can make it. Willie’s too, by the looks. Like a lost puppy, around the stage he trails, slack jawed, bow legged, bongos between knees, not missing a beat. Nina’s dressing gown drops to the floor. Willie redresses his efforts. But he’s not quite quick enough. She exits, and it’s a chance for Bill on sax, in his burgundy jacket, to show us how it’s done.

It’s That Time… Tango Time! Carolina’s back. A skimpy tasselled number. Oh, those splits! Nina’s back… In a tux! It takes two to tango, and these two are quite the pair. Wait a second, something’s up… It’s a fight! Carolina vs Nina. The Tux juacket is off, and what’s this? Not a tux at all, it’s a cat suit… A cat suit… IT’S A CAT FIGHT!! ROWR! Luckily the tassels are in just the right spot. Wow. I need a breather. The girls disappear. Willie offers to sing. Someone up front doesn’t care. Throw the bum out! He’s obviously not French! Shame On You is the song. It’s directed at the un-French out there. Shame on you all.

Nina’s back, and posing for Jean Paul, palette in hand, easel at the ready, to paint her. Because he’s French. He can do whatever the hell he wants. Willie’s back on the drums. Jean Paul has a hard time. Every time he looks up, Willie’s on the cowbell. Every time Willie’s on the cowbell, a different part of Nina starts shaking. Hips. Shoulders. Other bits I can’t mention on this family friendly network in our prime time slot. Let’s just say this: our brows could use a mop down. Jean Paul is an artiste, but he has more than he can handle here. The shakes show in his painting. Nina is not pleased with the result. The easel ends up over Jean Paul’s head. Willie, I think you got a hot one there. But then, you knew that, didn’t you? We need more cowbell.

It’s the Can-Can! Well, of course, we are in Gay Paris after all! Out come the girls again. “How bout these girls, they’re alright!” Willie cries. They sure are Willie, they sure are. It’s the Can-Can — With cowbell! It goes on. Mike keeps up on the bass. Songs come and go. The girls come and go. The cowbell sonds, they start to wobble. I mop my brow. Need more cowbell. It’s the Harlem Nocturne. Just for Bill, the best piece ever written for sax. Bar none. Nina in painted on skirt. Willie, on the cowbell. Nina, on the shimmy and shake. Brows on the sweat. Gobsmacked grin on Willie’s mug. Need more cowbell.

All good things must end. It’s come to the final track. The girls go on the tease, One either side of Mikey on bass. Then, it’s Bill’s turn. Bill finds a new way to mute that sax. Oh, that wiggle. Oh, that cowbell! Carolina ends up in Willie’s arms. As he stands up, and carries her around his kit. And bangs that cowbell. He doesn’t miss a beat. She doesn’t miss a shake.

I need more cowbell.

Photos by Koji Chikazawa.

Gallery here.

2. How many times have you been to FR?
Five!

3. Where are you from?
Nogi

4. What are you looking forward to the most this year?
Big Willie’s Burlesque

[Interviewer's comment]
Where’d you get those shorts?

interviewed by Dom.

2. How many times have you been to FR?
Two

3. Where are you from?
Brigh-un

4. What are you looking forward to the most this year?
Dr Shingo. Ohh, wait…

[Interviewer's comment]
Don’t let this man near your cat.

interviewed by Dom.

2. How many times have you been to FR?
Two

3. Where are you from?
Tokyo

4. What are you looking forward to the most this year?
… dom lost his notes …

[Interviewer's comment]
Maya was fleeing Franz Ferdinand, passing through Public Enemy on her way to Booker T. A wise choice indeed!

interviewed by Dom.

2. How many times have you been to FR?
Seven times

3. Where are you from?
Setagaya

4. What are you looking forward to the most this year?
Aya couldn’t decide, it was all too much.

[Interviewer's comment]
Aya used to serve up a mean okonomiyaki, but now she helps connect people!

interviewed by Dom

2. How many times have you been to FR?
First time!

3. Where are you from?
UK

4. What are you looking forward to the most this year?
I know it wasn’t Oasis…

[Interviewer's comment]
Oops, I lost my notes…

-Kern

Title says it all. Here are my picks (listed in order of appearance) for best of fest at Fuji Rock 2009:

M83

Juana Molina

Oni (Afrirampo)

Easy Star All-Stars

80Kidz

Mass Of The Fermenting Dregs

→Pia-no-jaC←

Notable mention goes to Major Lazer, Altan Urag, Melvins, and Holy Fuck

Photo by Suguta

It pays to keep your eyes and ears open at all times during Fuji Rock so you can keep up on any extra sets performers may be doing.  Late Sunday night at Ganban Square in the Oasis food court Tim Healey, Ali and Jun from 80 Kidz, and Japanese Popstars all did DJ sets for crowds of probably less than 100 people.  Those lucky enough to catch any or all of the artists gleefully danced, danced, danced on the tiny hill in front of the small stage.

In addition to the 200 or so “official” artists at the fest, there are plenty of other musical and non-musical acts to be witnessed in the Oasis food court and by the river near the White Stage.

Tokyo’s LAZYgunsBRISKY played a late Sunday night set in the “Official Media” booth beside the British Music Lounge where different radio and TV stations did remote broadcasts from all weekend long.  A good-sized audience quickly surrounded the make-shift performance space to see what was happening as the glammed up female quartet tore through a fiery set of noisy punk-accented rock cuts.

Vocalist Lucy began to really let loose during the second track of their half-dozen song performance.  She stomped her feet, and rubbed her short, dyed hair all of her face as she paced back and forth in front of spectators.  She stood atop of a monitor and leaned against one of the tent’s supports to sing to the people at the back of the crowd.  When a short burst of feedback erupted during the fourth number, said monitor received a solid kick from her white boot before she jumped to the ground and flipped off the cheering spectators.  After their last fast-paced number finished Lucy, guitarist Izumi, bassist Azu, and drummer Moe stormed backstage in a faux display of rebellious anger that the 100 or people watching absolutely adored.  Was their praise enough to justify a proper invite to next year’s event?  Guess we’ll have to wait and see …

Photo report here.

Photo by Miyuki Samata

All gal band Zukunasi closed out Gypsy Avalon’s bill at this year’s fest with a well-rounded set of soulful pop, jazz, and rock.  The Tokyo quartet previously played at Rookie A Go-Go in 2006.  Guitarist and vocalist Emi’s full-bodied voice filled all corners of the laidback zone.  A mid-sized crowd gleefully showed their support for her,bassist Marico, keyboardist Busanpa, and drummer Akane by waving their arms in the air and clapping to the rhythms being turned out.

Photo report here.

Photo by saya38

Fall Out Boy had the task of priming up the Green Stage crowd for Sunday night headliner Weezer.  The American pop-punk and rock quartet were just as excited about seeing Rivers Cuomo and company as the tens of thousands gathered.  After asking the obligatory, “Are you ready for fucking Weezer?” bassist Pete Wentz, who handled most of the group’s between song banter, talked about Weezer’s influence on Fall Out Boy and how honoured they were to be sharing a stage with them.

When not chatting up the crowd, Wentz was the most animated member of Fall Out Boy, bopping around and tossing picks to fans.  Though guitarists Patrick Stump and Joe Trohman were relatively subdued, their playing on anthems like “I Don’t Care” from 2008’s “Folie à Deux” kept the people packed up front moving.  Prior to launching into “Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet” Wentz described the song saying, “It’s about a love that is as hot as hell and you take off your clothes.”  Turning to Stump he asked, “And Patrick, then what do you?”  To which Stump replied, “Throw a fucking dance party.”

Following his own advice he and his band mates tried to keep the masses jumping and grooving with energetic emo-tinged cuts from throughout their career.

Photo report here.

Photo by Takumi Nakajima

De De Mouse mastermind Daisuke Endo kept his intro nice and simple for his White Stage appearance shouting, “Fuji Rock – De De Mouse!”  With that out of the way, he got to work at creating a big ol’ afternoon dance party.

Set up behind a large table holding his laptop, synthesizer, and mixer, De De Mouse was joined by a keyboardist, and two drummers.  Melvins and Yukihiro Takahashi also employed two drummers for their White Stage sets.  Note to future FRF performers: having two drummers is always a good thing!

Bouncing up and down and singing along with the pre-recorded female robotic vocals that accompany many of his tracks, Endo and company turned in a great set of sunny grooves despite the sky overhead quickly darkening.  When the rain came, dancing fans hardly even broke step as they pulled out their wet weather gear and continued to move along to the fantastic electronic rhythms.

Not one to give up easily, De De Mouse continued to turn out bright cuts like the very cool “East End Girl” and within 15 minutes the rain stopped completely.  Many were so wrapped up in the set, though, that they barely noticed.

Photo report here.

Photo by Naoaki Okamura

→Pia-no-jaC← had little trouble drawing a large crowd at Gypsy Avalon and with good reason.  Homeboys turned out some seriously killer stuff.

Comprised of pianist Hayato and cajon played Hiro, the duo played their unique brand of art-jazz with a whole lot of rock ‘n roll spirit.  Clad in matching blue coveralls and bandanas, despite being seated behind and atop of their respective musical tools, the guys were still givin’er by hollering “yeah” and other grunts while knocking out their highly infectious instrumentals.  Hiro had drum sticks with him and occasionally used them to bang on a set of cymbals by his cajon, but more often than not he would just reach over and punch them with his fist as the audience cheered him on.

Mixing in a handful of covers with their own cuts, these boys were definitely one of the cooler acts to grace Gypsy Avalon this weekend.  According to their MySpace they released their second album, “Eat A Classic,” in December of 2008 and moved 20,000 copies within the first month.  Few of the Avalon faithful and others drawn in by the tunes of →Pia-no-jaC← would be surprised by this after watching them.  Expect big things from this duo.  Do your thing, boys!

Photo report here.

Photo by saya38

Crying Nut are the first South Korean group to play Fuji Rock since 2005.  Up until then bands participated in the fest on a regular basis.  In 2006, the country started its own multi-day event to run concurrently with Fuji Rock and much of their homegrown talent was recruited to fill out the roster.

South Korea’s best selling indie act (they were billed second after Weezer on Friday at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival just outside of Seoul – Fall Out Boy played *before* them) a small but enthusiastic crowd gathered for Crying Nut at Red Marquee, the same stage they played when they came to the fest in 2000.  Bassist Han Kyung-rock and accordionist and keyboardist Kim In-soo spent much of their opening punk anthem running across the stage while playing and Han even made a point to make “a pit stop” in the photo area to blow a kiss to their supporters.

Busting out a mix of street punk, Celtic punk, and even a hardcore polka cut, the group had little trouble inciting a mini mosh pit as a few overzealous gents took advantage of all the open space up front.  Getting creative, Crying Nut changed the lyrics of one track and asked for a bit of call and response as they sang, “Fu, Fu, Fuji Rock.  Be, Be, Best Festival.”  It’s tough to disagree with that.

Photo report here.

Photo by Izumi Kumazawa

The Swedish boys in Gypsy band, Rafven, now hold a Fujirock record: most shows by a single band. Totaling 8 performances, Rafven played on stages large and small, even in the woods next to the boardwalk. After that grueling schedule, they’ve come to the Palace of Wonder to, well, relax a bit, and plot their next trip to Japan. “We’ve had a great time here,” they say with a grin. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing them again soon.

In year’s past, we’ve seen 4-meter high silver aliens, mummies on bamboo stilts and cavemen, covered in real animal hides and scrapes and bruises, pushing a massive boulder from one end of the fest to the other. Peacock’s newest creation – a jacket that incorporates lasers – is in the works and bound for Tokyo in the future. “I started with sculpture, and eventually moved into these kinds of performances for bands in the UK,” she says, “That was about 20 years ago now.”

For this year’s Fujirock, Peacock created 20 new costumes, including the stilted, golden-skinnned, antler-winged women trotting around an emasculated minotaur. But perhaps the more interesting set was the monster and fairies. Part praying mantis, part octopus, the creature escorts 3 women dressed as green fairies. They open a moss-colored box. Inside its flesh-colored interior is a bizzare tea set where they prepare small drinks for one unsuspecting punter walking by.”This year, the new Cafe de Paris stage is supposed to have a French theme, and so I thought of absinthe,” explains Peacock, “The French associate absinthe with little green fairies, which were both beautiful and ugly at the same time.

The Miniscule of Sound (a play of London’s legendary Ministry of Sound) is the world’s smallest nightclub – look it up in the Guinness Book or World Records if you’re skeptical. A fully-operational club, complete with security, a cloakroom and a dedicated DJ, the Miniscule of Sound has a dance floor approx 2 square meters. Yes, there’s a line to get in, but if a VIP shows, he/she is quickly bumped to the front of the line. But the Japanese can line up – and stay lined up – for longer than most.

Kev, one of the club’s originators, told me that it all began 10 years ago when he and some friends were squatting in East London. “We didn’t have a big system,” Kev explains, “so small was the way to go.” MoS was born in an abandoned Olympic-sized swimming pool nearby, and now tours regularly, going to China, Australia and all over the UK. Where next? “We’ll see,” says Kev, “Right now we’re just having a laugh.”

Mitsuyoshi Azuma isn’t your typical rock star. By day, the balding, middle-aged salaryman works at a major television station (NTV). Kind of a bigwig, actually. By night, he is Japan’s answer to Louis Prima, playing rock & roll swing to young, adoring Japanese kids.

Instead of his full band, the Swinging Boppers, Azuma-san played guitar with only an upright bass and two percussionists (this was listed as a “trio,” but what are you gonna do?).

The guy only does a few shows a year, and they’re always packed with people who could be his grandkids. Azuma-san strode out with two percussionists and an upright bass player, chatting up the crowd with between-song banter that had the crowd howling. After scatting out a bilingual version of “My Sugar is Sweet to Me,” J-pop siren Leyona made a surprise entrance for a duet.

They say you’re as young as you feel. If that’s true, then we were all the same age.