One of the things I said I wanted to do when I came to Japan was experience the thriving music scene. In addition to visiting a bunch of live houses (small venues), I wanted to go to one of the massive outdoor music festivals. The Fuji Rock Festival is probably a bit larger but so far, the list of acts seems a bit lackluster. However, when I saw the headliners for Summer Sonic, I knew I wanted to go.
Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Vampire Weekend, Fatboy Slim, Justice, Junkie XL, Devo (WHIP IT GOOD!) all play on the 10th of August. The 9th is pretty good too but I’d rather just go on the 10th. I’d rather see Justice and Coldplay than Panic! at the Disco, Death Cab for Cutie, The Verve, Prodigy, One Republic and The Sex Pistols (not really the Sex Pistols anymore…). This is before I even get to the Japanese bands.
Tickets are difficult to come by…not because of supply (the venue holds tens of thousands) but because I can’t read Japanese. Of course there’s an English site as well but it involves…for some reason…getting tickets shipped to me from France. That and it’s nearly $80 more that way. A single ticket for one day is only 15,500 yen (about $155), which is a great price to see all those bands.
You purchase tickets from Family Mart, a common convenience store, through a self-serve ATM-like machine. I can’t read a word but luckily, a nice lady helped me after I showed her a piece of paper with all the information on it. After that, the machine prints out a ticket that you take to the counter and you pay the store clerk. They only take cash so be sure to bring 15,500 with you.
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The last I heard about festivals in Japan as opposed to the rest of the world, things will be highly organised, even within the public itself, it will be cleaner (mountains less litter), and for one festival they gave more than enough time for people to travel between venues (good distances away) rather than plough on with the next major act.
I do still reiterate my initial thought of you in Japan – Damn you, I wanna be there!
Congratz. I wish you a good time. ENjoy it and have a lot of fun!
Sounds like a killer lineup. You should go to the other day too. Prodigy!
Japan sounds fun… I’ve always wanted to travel to a place where I feel that I am completely lost.
Thanks for the info!!!!