Spotlight

Fuji fun

By Suwitcha Chaiyong, Photos courtesy of FM Max

DJ Big rocks out in Japan

The Fuji Rock Festival, held in Japan�s Niigata prefecture, is one of the biggest outdoor music festivals in Asia. Music lover and FM Max DJ Thongphoom Siripipat (Big) recently went to check out the immense music marathon.

The 20-year-old DJ had a great time during his five days in Japan.

�The whole trip was like a great dream,� he said. �Everything in Japan is beautifully designed, from toothpicks to toilets � even toilets in the countryside were high-tech.�

GREAT GIG

• Did you know •

The first Fuji Rock Festival was held at Mount Fuji in 1997.

DJ Big was particularly impressed by three British bands at the festival. Indie rockers The Zutons blew DJ Big away with their musical talent and astonishing saxophone player, while The Cribs impressed with their wild performance.

�The Cribs were so cool, and their performance had no limits,� he said. �They turned their amplifiers up full volume and dragged a guitar around on the stage!�

The music of British band Underworld was also a new experience for DJ Big with their unique

techno sound.

�Their music sounds like a soundtrack to a fashion show,� he said. �They made the festival audience boogie all night!�

KEEPING IT CLEAN

The Fuji Rock Festival has a reputation as one of the cleanest music events in the world. DJ Big saw that the Japanese crowds were committed to keeping the area clean.

�Everybody at the festival was given a bag for their rubbish,� he said. �When the event was over, there was no garbage on the ground at all.�

DJ Big also noticed that people took care to separate their rubbish for recycling.

�They take recycling very seriously,� he said. �When I trashed a bottle of water, I had to separate the label, the bottle and the cap into different bins.�

Even the festival toilets used innovative ways to keep things neat and tidy.

�Instead of using water to clean your hands, the toilets used alcohol so that your hands dried quickly, and the floor didn�t get wet.�

STAND OUT

DJ Big prides himself on being different, but it often makes him feel out of place in Thailand. He felt right at home at the Fuji festival.

�People sometimes criticise me because I like to do things my own way,� he said. �But in Japan, I met many people who were similar to me.�

DJ Big found that people at the Fuji festival weren�t afraid to be themselves.

�At the festival, the artists and audience felt free to express themselves,� he said. �They inspired me to follow my heart and to do what I want to do.�

	prefecture (n): an area of local government in some countries such as Japan immense (adj): extremely large or great marathon (n): an activity or event that lasts a long time toothpick (n): a short pointed piece of wood or plastic used for removing bits of food from between the teeth high-tech (adj): very modern in appearance and using modern materials and technology astonishing (adj): very surprising; difficult to believe amplifier (n): a piece of equipment that turns the signal from electric musical instruments into sound boogie (v): to dance to fast pop music committed (adj): willing to give your time and energy to something trash (v): to throw away something that you do not want innovative (adj): introducing or using new ideas, ways of doing something, etc pride yourself (phrasal v): to be proud of something IDIOMS out of place: not suitable for a particular situation at home: comfortable and relaxed