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Oasis
Manic Street Preachers
Tricky
Stereophonics
Alanis Morissette
Neil Young
New Order
Brahman
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It is indeed shaping up to be a pretty damn impressive line up with the UK's top indie
bands pushing new albums leading the way on day one. Oasis, whose fame the organizers must feel
outweighs the distinct possibility that they may break up (again!) before the summer, headline the main stage.
Warming up for Oasis are
Travis, and Welsh sloganeers Manic
Street Preachers. Tricky makes a
return to FRF over on the White Stage.
Wales' other major export,
Stereophonics will be whipping up the crowd on the main stage the following day for none other tham
Alanis Morissette
and headliner, "Godfather of grunge", Neil Young with Crazy Horse.
Morissette helps make up for last year's notable lack of top billing female performers. Indeed, America's female folk singers are well represented with
confirmed appearances by Rickie
Lee Jones, and Ani Di Franco.
While Neil Young does his thing on the main stage dance-rock heroes
New Order, releasing
their first album of new material since 1993, will be headlining the White Stage. New Order's
sublime pop may be just the thing to calm everyone down after the sonic onslaught of
Alec Empire.
On the same day in the more intimate Red Marquee, are '80s indie band
Echo And The Bunnymen. The Bunnymen also have a new album out this year, as
well as a retrospective boxed set. A chance of lead singer, Ian McCulloch,
joining New Order on stage as he did way back at 1986's Festival Of The 10th Summer perhaps?
From the host nation, the bill so far includes ska/punks Kemuri, Rappagaya, the excellent
Brahman who graduate to the
main stage along with Dry and Heavy, Super Butter Dog, and noise merchants
Number Girl.
Other acts so far confirmed include, purveyors of Irish American punk
Dropkick Murphys,
HotHouse Flowers,
Aussie rock band Powderfinger,
at the drive in, singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith, Muse and Husking Bee.
With four stages to fill, there are plenty more acts still to be named. Additions to the
line up
can be found at the official homepage. So far, the bill is living up to the organizers' hype on the
rock front. Let's hope they can also match last year's excellent dance music bill.
Fuji Rock '01 will be held July 27, 28 and 29. Tickets are a rather scary ¥38,000 for 3 days, ¥29,000 for 2 days, and ¥14,500 for individual days. All the tickets include a shuttle bus between the nearest train station and the festival site.
The opening up of the Prince Hotel's golf course for campers meant that it was actually possible to sleep, but if you want some shade you'll need to arrive on the Thursday (a good idea anyway, as you can enjoy the bonus pre-opening festivities), or early Friday. Use of the camp site is ¥2500 per person.
FRF Links
Official homepage
English info page
Accomodation info
You'll need to book early to snag a room at one of the many ski lodges in town
(a 15-20 min walk from the festival site).
Tour info
Fan Site www.fujirockers.org
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