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The 2012 Fuji Rock Fest: ‘I wuz there!’

"This is the first time I played Fuji Rock when it didn't rain," Noel Gallagher tells the crowd at this year's Fuji Rock Festival. The former Oasis guitarist and chief songwriter headlined on July 28, Day 2 of the fest, together with his new band Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.

Photo by Nina Sandejas
Photo by Nina Sandejas

"It's because of me, because I am here. This is my gift to you. That's what I do on my time off…weather control," he adds, tongue firmly in cheek as he retuned his guitar.
Rain, it seems, is part of the Fuji Rock experience. But this year, the weather turned out pleasant, if balmy.

He playfully rebuffed requests for his guitar pick. ("Don't you know there's a recession an' 'at?") Earlier, he told the same fan, "This next song is for you, called 'Freaky Teeth.' Oh don't cry; I'm singing here because you paid me for it."

The 40,000-strong crowd laughs at his asides. The band ends their headlining set with a song dedicated ("Including lyrically") to guitarist Tim Smith's fiancée: 'Don't Look Back In Anger.'

Everything great is happening at the same time
Meanwhile, in the Red Marquee, Spiritualized holds court over a crowd of around 8,000.
Over at the White Stage, in front of maybe 10,000 people, blues legend Buddy Guy is in the Orange Court.

Photo by Nina Sandejas
Photo by Nina Sandejas

Everything great is happening at the same time in the acres-wide festival grounds, a ski resort in the foothills of Mount Naeba, 200 kilometers north of Tokyo.

Although we've been reminded to plan our schedule, the festival website lists around 86 acts on the first day alone of the three-day festival. Not to mention the many things that can shape your decision: human traffic, hunger, your expanding bladder, your chicken legs. Fortunately there are a lot of food stalls, portalets, and rest areas along the paths. The queues are long but move relatively quickly when the artists' sets overlap.

140,000 people and the grounds are clean!
Plus, it's amazing how clean the grounds remained in spite of being inundated by 140,000 people. Fuji Rock Festival prides itself on being "the cleanest festival in the world" and it is no idle boast. Volunteers man garbage stalls everywhere and guide festival-goers into throwing refuse into the proper bins (for example, a plastic bottle, its cap, and label end up in separate bins).

Photo by Nina Sandejas
Photo by Nina Sandejas

While the festival's core advocacy is environmental protection (including an anti-nukes angle), there is very little proselytizing. Nothing is ever shoved in your face. It is assumed that you already understand and the reminders are gentle. You do cooperate; you want to, and you will. Even when you remember that you came primarily to hear live music and party your brains out.

Yes, I finally make it to the 2012 Fuji Rock Festival.

Pinch me.

Next: Gawping at The Stone Roses, Jack White, Elvis Costello, Boom Boom Satellites, The Specials and Radiohead.