Fuji Rock Festival '24 (hereinafter referred to as "Fuji Rock"), a major event for music lovers, was successfully held and ended with a great success. For four days, including the eve of the festival, a variety of artists from Japan and abroad performed day after day. The music was exceptional to listen to in the open nature, and the excitement of the stages filled with people seemed to have made the visitors enjoy the extraordinary atmosphere. The variety of stages at Fuji Rock is bound to make one's eyes glaze over, but the first nightlife spot that comes to mind is THE PALACE OF WONDER (hereinafter referred to as "the Palace"), which was supported by G-SHOCK again this year.
This area is like an amusement park for adults, where you can play with music until morning, and your heart will be filled with a chaotic atmosphere as if you had wandered into another world. From secret live performances by rappers to snaps of familiar faces from Tokyo who came to play, we will bring you the excitement of the "Fuji Rock" night as it was.
A chaotic night at THE PALACE OF WONDER, supported by "G-SHOCK".
The "Palace" is full of attractions that set it apart from other areas. This area opens at the end of the headliner's show. This is where "Fuji Rock" starts at night. The area is filled with artwork made from scrap wood and playground equipment, and the lights that set the mood are exciting to see.
At the "Palace," you can enjoy DJs and live music at the "Vegas in Milk" casino bar and the "CRYSTAL PALACE TENT," called the most beautiful mobile tent in the world. In addition to music, another highlight of the festival is the performance by SAKURA CIRCUS, which has been appearing at the "Palace" since 2010.
What a surprise, the "Palace" is located just before the entrance gate, making it an entrance-free place to play without a "Fuji Rock" ticket. The "Palace" disappeared from 2020 to 2022 due to the Corona disaster, but was revived last year with support from "G-SHOCK," and this year, "G-SHOCK" has prepared another fun night.
The key person behind the project is Mr. Kunichi Nomura. Thanks to his love of the "Palace" and G-Shock's partnership, the area has once again become a hotbed of activity. Before Fuji Rock, G-Shock collaborated with artists Yusuke Hanai, NEIGHBORHOOD, and BOUNTY HUNTER on a T-shirt giveaway campaign, which became a hot topic of conversation. The campaign raised the level of anticipation for Fuji Rock even before the event began.
That famous song echoes through the night at Naeba.
At 10:30 p.m., an announcement of the secret live concert is projected on the huge "G-SHOCK" "DW-5600" monitor that had been set up. The guests of interest are Shing02 and SPIN MASTER A-1, the famous duo who teamed up in 2019 for the album "246911 (Nishimuku Samurai)" and are currently touring the U.S. with the British HIPHOP band OMA, and you get to see them at "Fuji Rock" . What a treat!
Shing02 started the live with "Low High / Wolf Exhaust" as the sound of Japanese instruments, typical of SPIN MASTER A-1, echoed through the air.
The audience responded to SPIN MASTER A-1's sharp scratching and Shing02's "How are you doing, everyone?" and without a pause, Nujabes and Shing02 performed "Luv(sic)," a song that will never fade away. The audience was treated to the song "Vegas in Milk," which was a pleasant surprise. Vegas in Milk" was followed by "Luv(sic) Part2" with a pleasant beat.
After finishing the song, they talked about their memories of the now defunct club "Ebisu Miruku" hidden in the lyric of "Luv(sic)" and went on to "Luv(sic) Part3" to "Luv(sic) Part4". Then, as the intro to "Luv(sic) Part6 (Uyama Hiroto Remix)" played, dancer THE D SoraKi appeared! The audience was overwhelmed by the precious performance of "Luv(sic) Part6 (Uyama Hiroto Remix)" and dance, and the audience roared with cheers.
In addition, SPIN MASTER A-1 selected the song "Double Dragon" with the sound of the Koto on the beat, followed by a rap and dance session. The voltage on the floor reached its peak, and the secret live ended with the final song, "battlecry," the OP song from the anime "Samurai Champloo," which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, leaving the audience with satisfied looks on their faces.
The clock struck midnight, but the night at the "Palace" was far from over. The sound of the "CRYSTAL PALACE TENT" was still ringing in the background, and the time passed quickly as we sweated on the trapeze at SAKURA CIRCUS and shared a glass of wine with friends who happened to meet us here.
C.O.S.A. x KID FRESINO at the Palace!
On Saturday, the 27th, the second day of the festival, there was another secret live performance at the "Palace". Rapper C.O.S.A. was the guest for this day, appearing with "Reach," co-written with ANARCHY, and started the live performance with a lot of dignity.
He continued with "My Field" and then performed songs with his allies such as "Sunday Freestyle" , "Jungle" and "Don't like summer".
The crowd cheered loudly when C.O.S.A. said, "How many people can go wild with HIPHOP at Fuji Rock? Just like a "G-Shock," the word "toughness" seemed to suit C.O.S.A. at that moment. The audience clapped their hands all the way to the back of the floor for "Pretenders" to heighten the sense of unity, and a mellow groove flowed through "1AM in Asahikawa" and "Blue".
As the intro song played, the audience chanted "Thank you, thank you all my friends. The song was "Mikiura," which was co-written with KID FRESINO. To our surprise, KID FRESINO, who had appeared on stage at Fuji Rock that day, made an appearance! The "Palace" was thrilled by this unexpected surprise and listened to the lyrics of the two, and when the song ended, the audience cheered.
Vegas in Milk" was packed. When the killer tune "Love" came on, even more excitement flooded the floor. The audience sang the hook with KID FRESINO, who was not on stage but on the floor holding the microphone, and everyone sang the hook together, so much so that the floor almost fell out. Finally, C.O.S.A. sang "Drowning in Emotions" to close the concert.
Play around at the Palace , Fuji Rocker at night.
The Palace was even more crowded and exciting than last year, thanks in part to an extravagant secret live performance by G-SHOCK. We caught up with some of the people who were enjoying this special night. Many said they were looking forward to the "Palace," reminding us once again that this area is an indispensable part of Fuji Rock.
Dancer THE D SoraKi, who made a surprise appearance on stage with Shing02 and SPIN MASTER A-1, was attending "Fuji Rock" for the first time. Surprised by the heat at the "Palace," he said, "I've overcome a lot of hardships looking forward to today, so I want to play until morning. I think it's the best social gathering place," he said, trying to enjoy the event up front.
THE D SoraKi's hand shines with the GM-2100MWG, a limited edition model featuring a galaxy and the Milky Way. The metal case has an outstanding presence.
DJ MAGARA, who played DJ at "Vegas in Milk," said of the "Palace" scene: "The 'Palace' plays an important role in supporting the 'Fuji Rock' night. . "The 'Palace' plays an important role in supporting the night of Fuji Rock. It's a place we want people to feel free to come and play because it's entrance free."
Mr. Kunichi Nomura, who worked with G-SHOCK to revive the "Palace" festival, said, "I used to go to a lot of festivals in the U.K., but the "Palace" was the best. I have been to festivals in England in the past, but the Palace is the best festival. You don't need a ticket to come here, so I want local people to come and enjoy the festival. I want people to enjoy this kind of festival, not just to see someone else's show. Thank you very much for a chaotic night in Naeba!
And then there is VERDY-san and Kunichi-san. Last year, VERDY produced a T-shirt in collaboration with "Palace" at "Wasted Youth. He was here with his friends on the day of the event and seemed to be enjoying "Palace" to the fullest.
Mayumi Yamase, an artist, visited the "Palace" for the first time last year and was fascinated by it. Thanks to the "G-Shock," she said, "I'm grateful to be able to enjoy it again this year . Fuji Rock' will start again in the evening," she said, looking forward to enjoying the festival to the fullest even more than last year.
From left to right: Takeshi Yonemura, PR of NOAH, Kei Murakami, freelance PR, and Shingo Suzuki, designer of 19SO The three plan to make the Palace the end point of Fuji Rock and play until the morning. They are satisfied with the luxury of being able to play until morning while listening to loud music in the midst of nature.
UDAI of YouthQuake, who came to Fuji Rock for the first time in six years, was also there. It was his first visit to the "Palace," and he commented, "The atmosphere of the area is nice, and it is an interesting space with objects and playground equipment. I guess I should be careful about being seen, but I want to enjoy myself without worrying about it".
SUMITA KISHIRO is an illustrator from Fukuoka. He was impressed by Awich's live performance at the "GREEN STAGE," and was also shocked by the "Palace" he visited afterwards. The space was so extraordinary that it was like being in Hollywood," he said.
One photo of Kei Matsuo, who was there as a freelance editor for the PR of the attached press "TEENY RANCH," along with a face frame panel drawn by Shuntaro Takeuchi. He said it had been six years since he had been to the "Palace," and he was surprised to see how much it had grown in size.
Shing02 entertained us with a secret live performance. He has performed at "Fuji Rock" many times before, but this is the first time for him to come to "Palace" since he was not able to.
. "I was amazed by 'CRYSTAL PALACE TENT.' It was great to be allowed to perform in front of Kunichi and Ruri, and I really enjoyed 'Palace'; SoraKi danced live, and it was great to see C.O.S.A. and KID FRESINO live the next day."
We found models Kota and Nanami Komatsu, who were having a great time playing with each other. They had a "G-SHOCK" in their hands that matched the color scheme of their outfits. Nanami said, "The white belt and case with the light blue dial is cute and fresh. Kota said, "I love the neon yellow color that matches the shorts. I want to wear it outdoors.
The DW-5600TL-7JF has a gradation deposition on the glass of the dial, which emits various colors depending on the reflection of light. The refreshing design makes this watch perfect for summer.
Takashi Sato, a buyer for BEAMS T, attended Fuji Rock for the seventh year in a row. He said, "Fuji Rock is too big a venue, but if you come to the Palace, you can meet all kinds of people, and it's fun to see people you haven't seen in a while here.
Mr. Sato chose the DW-5600UE-1JF, which is in the lineage of the first-generation "G-SHOCK" model, the DW-5000. The classic square shape makes a strong statement on the wrist.
For BEAMS press officer Miyako Marukai, who was here for work during the day, this was the start of the Fuji Rock experience. He and his friends spent a pleasant evening enjoying the unique atmosphere of the "Palace" and getting drunk on music and drinks.
The DW-5600TLS-8JF is a summery watch with a gray skeleton bezel and band and a dial glass design with gradient deposition. While blending in well with Maru's dark-toned outfits, the skeleton gives the watch a relaxed look.
In addition to the secret live shows, the "Palace" was filled with fun elements such as live performances by domestic and international artists, DJs, circus performances, good drinks, and good friends. This is where the memories of "Fuji Rock" will have depth. G-SHOCK" supported such a wonderful area, and you could tell that they value culture. We will continue to keep an eye on G-SHOCK as it moves forward with all kinds of culture, including fashion, music, sports, and art.
Photo_Hikaru Funyu
Text_Shogo Komatsu
