I am not as young as I used to be.

We just got back from Fuji Rock, and it was great. I have spent today napping and soaking sore limbs. And we only did one day…..

I thought I had booked the Shinkansen tickets far too early, but my momentary lapse in laziness proved very fortunate, as when we got to the station the cue for the shuttle was over an hour long. In the blazing hot sun.

I have heard that it always rains, but this year was beautiful shiny sun. Except for the 10 minutes when we put up our tent when it bucketed down. There was horrific sunburn everywhere.

The venue is very pretty, and verrrrry big, half of what tired us out was the walking between events. Lucky it was so pretty to walk through

We cooled our feet off here while drinking fresh squeezed orange juice and tequila. I got bit by 700 mosquitoes.

The food and drink were very reasonably priced, beers were 500 yen and food was mostly the same and was fucking delicious. The pizza I had there was the best I have ever had in Japan. They even had meat pie and brekkie!

And they had music there too! We saw the multi-instumentaly !!! (chk chk chk) first and they were awesome. The frontman danced like no one was watching dressed in stubbies and white loafers. Or like a really drunk girl who can’t believe how hot she is.

Also mind-blowingly good were The Stooges. Iggy created near chaos when he invited the audience up on stage, and they gladly accepted. Ron Asheton was really unbelievable, Mike Watt was great, totally energetic and into it. And cutely, both times he left the stage i saw him slip on a pair of specs.

Bad photo I know, but the security were numerous and vigilant. At Flickr I have put notes on the photo so you can discern who is who.

The other big draw for me was Jonathan Richman, and he was better than i could have expected. I saw him walking through the festival by himself which was pretty exciting for me. (Of course I was too shy to say hello). Apart from showing him at a silly little stage on a very slippery slope where I and many others fell on their arse, it was perfect and intimate and quiet, a welcome change after all that noise. The small crowd there was obviously very devoted. He was just so charming and natural and happy. Such a different kind of performer.

another viddy here 

After that we walked back to the glitterball forest and lay down watching the light dance over the trees.

It was great, just about magical. I am so glad I went, the cost had been enough to discourage us from going before, but it is absolutely worth it.*

More photos here

*although there is a criminal lack of toilets.