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Rising Field Karuizawa’s Transformation by Architect Jiro Endo’s Stunning Scenography
Space Shower, the organizer of music festivals such as SWEET LOVE SHOWER and POP YOURS, launched a new festival in Karuizawa. The title of the festival is EPOCHS – Music & Art Collective. As the name stands, it is a cultural event that focuses not only on live music, but also on art exhibitions and space production and took place for the weekend on September 30, and October 1.
The event took place at Rising Field Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture. Take the Shinkansen to Karuizawa Station, then take the shuttle bus from the station for 15 to 20 minutes. Once you get off the bus, the venue is right in front of you.
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After spending a day here, I realized that it is a wonderful location. Rising Field Karuizawa is usually an outdoor resort where visitors can enjoy camping, one-day BBQ, adventure parks, etc. On this day, there were two music stages in the area of lawn and forest, a DJ stage on a mountain stream, and a permanent tent curated by non-syntax leader, Akiu Kim. The festival space was created to make the most of the location’s characteristics, including the use of the permanent tent as a booth for live painting and exhibits of artworks by artists curated by non-syntax leader Kim Chi-woo. Overall, the space was compact and easy to navigate between stages and to the food area, allowing visitors to enjoy every inch of the event.
The ROOTS stage was designed by Jiro Endo to enhance the appeal of the venue and was lit to blend in with the natural surroundings, and as the sun went down, the stage and its surroundings took on a new look. GRAVITY, the main stage, is covered with string-like objects in the shape of a doughnut, with a mirror ball hanging in the center to create an eye-like design, which is then illuminated by lighting to color the entire stage.
The DJ stage seems to float in the river, and when the lights and performers reflect on the big aluminum disks hanging from the ceiling, the murmuring of the river and the beat music merge to create a rave space that mixes the organic with the psychedelic.
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The weather was changeable since it was in the mountains, but the temperature was 21 degrees even during the day. No need to worry about heat stroke, a problem that was discussed during this year’s summer festivals. I ran to a drugstore right before it closed the day before the event to buy sunscreen, still in the afterglow of the summer festival, and I was completely misguided in my equipment. Instead, what I needed was a jacket.
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Day 1 Headliner STUTS Lighted Up the Stage with an Array of Guest Appearances
EPOCHS was a festival that confronted both sides of localism and globalism, with local food in the food area, YONLAPA, a crossover of city pop and psychedelic rock from Thailand, the electro band “Fukurokuju” from Thailand, and the sisters of “FloruitShow” from Japan. DOUDOU, a unit of the sisters of “FloruitShow,” was summoned from Beijing, China. Also appearing today are the special units of Daniel Wang from Berlin, Germany, White Shoes & The Couples Company from Jakarta, Indonesia, and Leo Wang Leiqing L8ching Cloud Edge Machine CLOUDRIVER from Taipei, Taiwan.
The first day of EPOCHS featured a lineup of artists such as Sound’s Deli, Skaai, JUMADIBA, kZm, iri, Daichi Yamamoto, and others who are evolving hip-hop expression. Among them were the viral hit “DOSHABURI” by kZm and JUMADIBA, “FLOOR IS MINE” with Skaai on the BIM stage, “COLOR IS MINE” with Daichi Yamamoto and “Celebration”, and “One Love” and “Forever Young” with kZm on the BIM stage. The audience also had the opportunity to see rare live collaborations with a number of hip-hop acts.
The STUTS stage, the closing act of the first day, was a festive place with guest appearances by BIM, Daichi Yamamoto, Kanee, and Noi Naa (YONLAPA). The festival’s theme song “Two Kites” was performed for the first time with Noi Naa. After Daichi Yamamoto sang “Mirrors” and “Expression,” BIM took the stage again to perform a special version of “Presence” with the band. The groove reached its peak. The final song, “Use the Night, Use the Night, Use the Night,” enveloped us in euphoria as STUTS with His Band.
Taeko Onuki, TOWA TEI, Tempalay, Yuta Orisaka, and Hedigan’s, a new band by YONCE (Suchmos), will perform today. NiEW will also report on the first live performance of the remarkable Hedigan’s.
EPOCHS – Music & Art Collective
<September 30 (Sat) >
iri / ELLI ARAKAWA / Kaoru Inoue / Sound’s Deli / JUMADIBA / CYK / Skaai / STUTS / Stupid Kozo / Daichi Yamamoto / DJ NOBU / DOUDOU from Fukurokuju FloruitShow / BIM / Petrols / Mayurashka / yonawo / YONLAPA / kZm
<October 1 (Sunday)
Taeko Onuki / Yuta Orizaka / Kikiorix / Campanella Wednesday / DANIEL WANG / CHIDA / Tempalay / TOWA TEI / Dos Monos / Haruy / Hedigan’s / White Shoes&The Couples Company / maya ongaku / MIZ / Yuka Mizuhara / Leo Wang Lei Chin L8ching Unbata Tsukasa CLOUDRIVER / WONK / DANIEL WANG
Key visual designer & Sound Visual Installation: YOSHIROTTEN
EPOCHS Official track : STUTS
Scenographic art director : Jiro Endo
Art curator：JIN Qiuwu 【From Shanghai
