It's been a busy busy week since my Fuji Rock experience and I haven't had a second, until now, for reflection. 3 years ago I came to Japan with a silly little dream that I could play Fuji Rock, Japan's biggest music festival, someday if I wished hard enough. I'm sure there was a little more to it than just wishing but I do feel truly lucky to have been given the experience to play the Rookie-a-go-go stage. I'm still not sure how it went, seems like a dream. I remember taking deep breathes back stage and trying to remember the simple Japanese phrases that I was planning to say in between songs 2 and 3 and 5 and 6. All of that went out of my mind as I approached the stage. There was a chaotic little sound check where my guitar kept feeding back... I believe the feed back must have continued through out our set but that's what I get for playing a rock stage at a festival with my acoustic guitar. I couldn't believe how many faces there were in the audience! The Rookie stage wan't THAT big but I still didn't imagine that there would be such a good turn out for a little unknown like me. 30 minutes whipped by in seconds and all I remember are the smiling faces, cameras, my guitar feeding back, lots of reverb, and being incredibly excited. I was dissappointed that it was over so soon. I can't really assess how it went. I saw that there is something written about it on the Fuji Rock page in Japanese but, when translated into English, it looks something like this....
Woman Singer [songuraita] of Tokyo residence. With saying, it is the artist of the American. When her name is attached to the eye with line-up, data gathering was tried first. But, being the place where it tries searching, at all powerful ones are not found. In by your, her existence had been wrapped in puzzle. As for [raivu] nighttime 24: Start to fixed carving/moment of 00. Time is slow the people of the multitude has stopped the foot in spite. In center, obtained [akogi] the small-statured woman who one person. She is KATE SIKORA. In addition, [raivu] it is unfolded with 4 human formation of the base, the drum and the keyboard. As for performance, as the kind of music which power comes out softly is many, you think. Quite with like whether you inquire about voice of, it is feature directly to adapt to the ear. You probably can say that the exhaustion impression is strong. Furthermore, announcing also the number which has the speed impression. Stage is colored steadily in the colorful pop impression. And, the performance which does not have the times when never it decorates. It probably will keep bearing the feeling good quality which cannot say the music characteristic at all. With latest [raivu], as for her isn't probably 踏 to produce new step? It extends still and conceals margin. So without feeling, you do not enter. While accumulating various [raivu], one taste and cover taste are the expectation where charm becomes deep. It is good point in the future, how it keeps growing that.
is that good? I can't tell...but I like that my "stature is small" and that my "existence is wrapped in puzzle."...how true! Walking around the next day at Fuji Rock, before checking out Dinosaur Junior, Animal Collective, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Weezer (among others), I sat down with Makoto and my extremely small, expensive, and yet delicious slice of pizza. As I complained about how extremely small and expensive the pizza was, two girls turned around and said ケイトシコラですか？ きのはRookie stage みった！、、、、、 or something like that. (Are you Kate Sikora? We saw you on the Rookie stage yesterday) So there in the multitudes someone could spot small-statured me in the crowd (while I was complaining no less
) . It felt pretty good I have to say. I hope that there will be opportunities like this in the future and that people could enjoy the show. Thanks
Fuji Rock! Next year... I hope the band and I will play SXSW!