CONCERT PREVIEW
Selected by Dan
Grunebaum
"I want there to be something for
everybody at our festival," explains upstart Tokyo-based British promoter Jon Lynch
about his upcoming Rocktoberfest 2000 New Music Festival slated for Odaiba' Shiokaze
Park. The most ambitious production yet by Lynch's Global Vision Music, the festival will
cover a vast expanse of music, with UK headliners The Jellys and The Junket,
Regurgitator from Australia, The Ring from Korea, and Japan's Boogiecitrus,
Babamania, Ex Girl, and a slew of local expat bands set to perform on five
stages.
UK rock rag NME recently described The Jellys as "a drug-polluted
Ramonic thunder-fest of attack guitars with lyrics which artfully combine overactive
monkey glands and twisted teenage angst." They wowed fans in Japan in sold-out shows
at Shibuya's Club Quattro last year, and are currently working on their second album, Doctored
for Supersound, to be released in November.
Another act familiar to Japan are Australia's Regurgitator. A dynamic band by any measure,
Regurgitator crosses genres at will-blending elements of alternative rock, '80s electro,
hip hop, and anything else that seizes their imagination. They also have a history of
cross-fertilization with the Japanese band scene, touring with Zoobombs, Audio Active and
the Boredoms down under, not to speak of supporting stints with Beck and Prodigy.
With the easing of tensions between Japan and Korea, Korea's developing indie-rock scene
is beginning to attract attention here. Formed only two years ago, The Ring is fast
gaining a following in its home city of Seoul and recently released their debut album One
Take...No Way.
From Japan, a number of bands are booked that represent various sub-cultures within the
indie-rock scene. Boogiecitrus look back to the classic sounds of Velvet Underground but
update it with electronic elements; Babamania combine punk, rap and metal for one of
Japan's strongest live acts; while Ex Girl have carved out a completely unique identity
under the direction of legendary indie producer Hoppy Komiyama.
Also well-represented will be Tokyo's expat band circuit. Mellocore punkers Two Ball
Loo will be on hand, as will singer/songwriters Helen Northeast, Tim Leffman
and the Beautiful Losers. Other favorites of the local pub rock scene to appear
will be Minx, Velocity Boy, Kooleidoscope and Sway.
But Lynch and his crew at Global Vision have also widened the rock festival parameter by
including two DJ tents, the Ben's Cafe slam-poetry stage, the Eyesaw art/movie tent, a
Tokyo Artist's Gallery, a world restaurant zone and other attractions too numerous to
mention.
The culmination of years of promoting UK Sound events, Lynch says that "Rocktober
will celebrate an overflow of talent in all kinds of media. And as well as being the
largest annual music festival in the city, it should be the biggest party too." Look
out Fuji Rock.
Rocktoberfest
takes place at Shiokaze Park in Odaiba on October 15. Latest updates available on the web
at www.rocktoberjapan.com See listings for details. |
