Aug 10 (Japan Today) - Needless to say, 2020 was a pretty horrible year for live music in Japan, shows big and small either had to make major alterations or just cancel altogether in order to help fight the spread of COVID-19. However, this situation can only continue for so long before the organizers reach a breaking point.
or example, after foregoing last year’s live event, this year the large-scale summer music event Fuji Rock Festival ’21 at Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture declared that the show must go on, despite rapidly rising infection rates in the country.
Major headliners Radwimps and King Gnu, will appear in the three day festival along with an eclectic line-up of artists. Interestingly, scandal-ridden artist Cornelius has withdrawn and will also be replaced on guitar with the band Metafive, and yet previously scandal-ridden artist Pierre Taki will take the stage this year with Denki Groove.
One big name that organizers definitely do not want to appear, however, is COVID-19, so they’re taking a rather unique approach at prevention and will deliver a free antigen testing kit to any and all ticket holders who request one.
On Aug 6, emails reached people who had purchased tickets informing them how to order the test kits which will arrive by Aug 17, three days before Fuji Rock kicks off. In 2019 there were 130,000 audience members, but this year it was announced that admission was limited to allow for social distancing in the outdoor venue, so it’s not clear how many tests that would amount to.
