Wow! This is another hot experience report from MM. I understand that everyone wants to go to FRF to be part of the audience, not as staff. I wish that I could do that sometime in the future - just once!
Anyway, we are still accepting your experience reports. The word count should be 400 - 1000, titled "FRF report" and sent to ORG-master.
Reported by ORG-master and translated by ORG-yuko, ORG-kaori, and ORG-yohei with a help of ORG-jason & ORG-damon (April 12, 2002)
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I've been going to FRF for 5 years. I went to FRF during my 4 university years, without missing one.
When I was a freshman in 1998, I lived near Toyosu, and walked to the site from my house. But at the same time, I had to work at the convenience store closest to the arena.
After I bought some artist items, I had some time to kill till the first performance so I went back home to shower. Then I grabbed some food from the convenient store and went back in. On the night of the second day, after seeing the fireworks at the end of Prodigy's performance, I hurried back to the convenient store to find only one can of coffee left. I worked into the night with my Chinese co-worker and never once took off my wristband. The amount of Fujirockers that kept coming in! Superb memories...
I backpacked to Naeba in 1999 taking the SEISHUN 18 ticket (cheap train). The local train was so slow that I had to wait 3 hours to transfer. So I went to the nearby river and spent time fishing for tadpoles, which I ended up taking all the way to a river in Naeba. After the first day's performance, we headed back to our tent only to find it had fallen into the river! As we didn't have much money, we pitched our tent beside the parking lot, which ended up being a big mistake as we were so kindly informed by security. The funny thing was we had registered to work as security for FRF that year!
In 2000, I planned to go to FRF as staff, but with the money I made from my part-time job, I decided to pay and go as part of the audience. That's the best way! That year it was a cruise as I took the car with two of my friends. One of the dudes high up in the security staff was someone I knew, so we had a lot of laughs together, and we were also helped out in a lot of ways.
After FRF, I went to my club training camp and then to see Summer Sonic. I also went to Rock in Japan and Air Jam as a staff. It felt like I was going to a different festival every week. It was so good being a student. But, it has to be said that FRF is the best festival! And that's without a doubt!
2001 was my last FRF as a student. Oasis, Neil Young and Eminem - no complaints to this headliner. Although of course I was planning to hit FRF after graduating as well, I thought it would be best to really rock it up that year and make some unforgettable memories. On the first day, I was in the front row to see the Sherbets! Dancing to Asian Dub Foundation, I was near the fence right in the middle. It was raining a little but I managed to sing along with Travis and was fully impressed at Fran's Japanese. I almost fell asleep even though some crazy fans standing next to me were holding up a red banner and screaming to the Manic Street Preachers. Then finally, the brothers came out! I was pushed side to side like nothing else and my legs hurt - but I sang and sang, half-crying with joy, right there in the middle of the crowd. I flagged the toilet and eating! The bummer was, my legs swelled up, amongst all the other stuff that went on - and finally it was the last day. On that night, I spotted the members of Brahman at the restaurants near the Red marquee. Toshiro was especially trashed, so when I talked to him he gave me a big hug and started waffling about something.
He said something like, "I hate to be looked down on. I hate pictures." Then he gave me his autograph. After that I met my staff friend who asked if I liked Eminem, before offering me a half-empty bottle of alcohol that Eminem was drinking on stage. Despite the fact my friend said he'd already drunk from the bottle I took it and it's now sitting in my room on show.
Every time I see that bottle in my room, I always think that I definitely have to go again this year! That's about the lot for my experience report. Togetherness for everyone at FRF!
letter from MM (April 12, 2002)
