Fuji Rock Festival 2005

The plan was to pay for nothing. Daily tix went for about $150 and campsite $25. Colored wristbands signified what kind of access you had. We snuck into the campsite easily and set up the tent, but Baz got rejected. He had to store his bags in a locker. There were thousands of tents set up mostly on slopes of a golf course. We staked ours really high up, on a flat under a pine tree. It started to pour, but it was showtime, about 4pm. Baz found a 'scalper' selling for $75 and we all ended up paying. There were thousands of Japanese 20/30 somethings in totally unique fashions. The place had about 7 stages spread out at the base of a few mountains with chairlifts swaying idly in the background. A village of food stands from countries around the world, and beer shacks, had been set up and there was a lot of action. We walked around all the areas in a mist and got all muddy. The mood came together watching Steel Pulse who had a great set. I caught the tail end of Coldplay, nothing great to say. I knew Foo Fighters packed a lot of power, and got in right in front of the soundboard and waited with the thousands... Then came Dave Grohl and the band. This guy is truly a rock star, a huge stage personality with crazy energy- a great motivator, guitar player, singer. I was reminded of Bono or Mick Jagger. He was wearing a Kiss t-shirt. At the end of the set he got on the drums which thrilled a lot of people.

Next morning was hot and I needed a shower. I got in a line for a cold shower and it turned out to be a 3 hour line. I took the damn shower and soon it was pissing down rain. We found a way to sneak in, and the highlights were gonna be Asian Dub Foundation, Beck, Fatboy Slim. I felt totally yucky and my body hurt from the last 24 hours, and just cut out. Took the shuttle to Echigo Yuzawa station, in the center of a bunch of hot springs. I took a taxi to one, booked a massage, then did the bath thing. It was super hot, and great. There was a tea leaf bath with bubbles rising from underneath, outdoors. An ojisan (old dude) showed me the salt sauna, where you rub salt on 'places that need it' then sweat your balls off while laying down on straw mats with a wooden pillow wedged into the mats. We chatted for a bit then I had to get out and excused myself. I ate some soba, had some famous Niigata sake, then went to the Masseur. Before I got on the table the guy grabbed my shoulders and was really tough. But I felt great later, totally refreshed. There's no way to describe what it's like to go from feeling utterly shitty, to taking a great bath, then getting a 1st class shiatsu massage. I actually slept on most of the 1 hour bullet train ride home, something I almost never do.