What did you guys think of the MusicFest?

[madmanlotar]

I had fun ping-ponging in the Mosh itself.  My friend Mike went a little crazy and smashed into the crowd.  It was a blast.  I weigh about 260lbs, my friend mike weighs close to 400lbs and used to play American Football, so you can imagine the power behind his bullrush.
 My crazy friend would also shout for bands to hurry up and let Uphold get on the stage.  

See, this kinda pisses me off. As a small female weighing about 125lbs, I wouldn't feel safe if guys who towered over me and weighing over 100lbs more than me were moshing around me. If your friend hit me, he could very well cause a lot of damage, so I can imagine how much damage he could cause some girls weighing a bit over 100lbs. That's not ok. He could really have hurt someone and it doesn't seem like it even matters to you or your friend. Please take care in the future to watch where you're moshing and who you're hitting.

And shouting on stage to hurry up doesn't do anything other than annoy people. The bands go by their play list and having people say that you should hurry up and have another band get up there really speaks of impatience and intolerance for other music. Please be nicer to the guests, they want to feel wanted and appreciated.

Well, to our credit, we moshed in the back of the crowd.  I had no idea that that massive guy was going to knock the crowd, including myself, around.  Security did intervene.  I really doubt that the bands themselves were annoyed by my friends shouting, this is a concert afterall. Miami seemed to really go wild after my friend shouted Uphold's name.  Only people I could see that would be offended are those with no sense of humor; he waited until each band was done to shout.  If you had attended or paid attention then you would have heard.  I am guessing that you did not see Uphold and Miami get into a little altercation on Friday during their stage 1 performances.

[madmanlotar]

I had fun ping-ponging in the Mosh itself.  My friend Mike went a little crazy and smashed into the crowd.  It was a blast.  I weigh about 260lbs, my friend mike weighs close to 400lbs and used to play American Football, so you can imagine the power behind his bullrush.
 My crazy friend would also shout for bands to hurry up and let Uphold get on the stage.  

See, this kinda pisses me off. As a small female weighing about 125lbs, I wouldn't feel safe if guys who towered over me and weighing over 100lbs more than me were moshing around me. If your friend hit me, he could very well cause a lot of damage, so I can imagine how much damage he could cause some girls weighing a bit over 100lbs. That's not ok. He could really have hurt someone and it doesn't seem like it even matters to you or your friend. Please take care in the future to watch where you're moshing and who you're hitting.

And shouting on stage to hurry up doesn't do anything other than annoy people. The bands go by their play list and having people say that you should hurry up and have another band get up there really speaks of impatience and intolerance for other music. Please be nicer to the guests, they want to feel wanted and appreciated.

I thought moshing wasn't going to be allowed because of injuries and stuff? Besides, a lot of fans came to listen to music, not to mosh and get injured. Otaku generally sit around watching anime all day...they're not really in shape, and knocking one over will probably kill them. lol jk. Anyway, I think it's rude and immature to shout at the bands to hurry up so another band could play. And what happens if they did hurry up? Would they speed through their songs and make them sound crazy-hyper-fast? lol. Anyway, my point is, if you wanted to only see UpHold, you should have waited one day to go see them at Stage One instead of going to MusicFest. And since you and your friend were stupid enough to go to MusicFest and watch everyone, you should have tolerance for our guests. no one forced your friend to go to MusicFest. You guys could have gone and waited outside and come back later or something.

 Why would we want to wait until all the bands were through to see Uphold; we enjoyed ourselves.  Besides, he did not shout until the band finished its set.   We did not start the mosh, we merely ended it.  I find it stranger that small people would be standing up in front during the death metal band.  I find it just as stupid for people to just stand still and zombie through a death metal set.  I enjoyed all the bands, and plan on watching them next year as well.  By tolerance to guest, are you referring to the bands or the attendees?  I am sure that the bands cared less since they enjoy any attention they can get and as for the attendees, anyone who was there apparently did not mind.  
 If there is to be any complaint, I would say that the staff was pretty incompetent at letting people in initially.  If they were counting people at the door, it would have been more effective to use a number clicker instead of having people counting with their fingers.

[Charming_Dorian]

I know for a fact, being small myself and weighing in at 110 lbs that moshing is completely what you make it. Someone pushes you around you kick their ass back... or if you have no way of doing that move elsewhere. Not everyone in the pit is going to bare a freakish resembelence in size and power to Juggernaut.
Ironically out of all of my friends and the shows I have been to the only of us to be injured is the largest...she broke her leg :P

[Long]

I absolutely loved Musicfest! I bought all the CDs from the bands I wanted before they even performed! And I caught the bassists pick from my favorite band Swinging Popsicle. I was also the one to remind the MusicFest host that the other band playing was Swinging Popsicle when he forgot onstage. I was pissed that all these people went to the masquerade rather than MusicFest when in my opinion, Masquerade was one of the crappiest, most annoying, and most geeky events at the con. I mean come on, a bunch of losers prancing on stage in their cartoon costumes doing bad skits, and a dorky host that wouldn't shut up about freeking stage ninjas, seriously people, you choose THIS over MusicFest?! I am SOOOO Glad GuitarVader did NOT show up. I listened to their samples beforehand and watched their movie, and ew I don't like them, their sound, or their video.

My FAVORITE BANDS:

Swinging Popsicle <3333
MotherCoat <333 (I love their Salesgirl more than their band though. >__>)
UpHold (They're okay for their rock)
Miami (They're just cute <3)

Goofy Style was okay, but too monotonous and unvaried in my opinion. I really don't like the rap Hip-Hop thing so even though I thought the lead singer was especially cute, I didn't purchase Poplar's CD, though I'm sure people who listen to that Genre would be delighted with their work, they seemed to know what they were doing.

Oy, and me and my friend are plotting to get a spot in musicfest in future years for our band Solano Slip. >____>

[JapanFilesPress]

Thanks to all you guys who came out and supported the bands.

For all of you who want to check out more of the new sound of Japanese rock & pop, there's a live streaming concert this weekend, straight from Tokyo!

mms://stream.bekkoame.tv/kurawood

Show Time:
PST
11:30PM June 02 - 6:00 AM June 03

EST
2:30AM June 03 - 9:00AM June 03


LIVE from KURAWOOD LIVE HOUSE IN TOKYO!

People's Records and JapanFiles.com present:

Maria Gadget
Cuppie Rumne
F.C Hyakki Yakou
Yonbunnoichi
Myria
Poplar
G-AMPERE
Mosquito
BubbleLovelle
Baggy Chopper

Poplar & Maria Gadget have their own MySpave pages, and you can sample 4 of the others at //www.myspace.com/japanfiles


Thanks for supporting Japanese music!

ARIGATOU!

[Long]

Aww.. No Swinging Popsicle? <33

I'll definitely watch! Thanks!

[Long]

I had fun ping-ponging in the Mosh itself.  My friend Mike went a little crazy and smashed into the crowd.  It was a blast.  I weigh about 260lbs, my friend mike weighs close to 400lbs and used to play American Football, so you can imagine the power behind his bullrush.
 My crazy friend would also shout for bands to hurry up and let Uphold get on the stage.  

See, this kinda pisses me off. As a small female weighing about 125lbs, I wouldn't feel safe if guys who towered over me and weighing over 100lbs more than me were moshing around me. If your friend hit me, he could very well cause a lot of damage, so I can imagine how much damage he could cause some girls weighing a bit over 100lbs. That's not ok. He could really have hurt someone and it doesn't seem like it even matters to you or your friend. Please take care in the future to watch where you're moshing and who you're hitting.

And shouting on stage to hurry up doesn't do anything other than annoy people. The bands go by their play list and having people say that you should hurry up and have another band get up there really speaks of impatience and intolerance for other music. Please be nicer to the guests, they want to feel wanted and appreciated.

I thought moshing wasn't going to be allowed because of injuries and stuff? Besides, a lot of fans came to listen to music, not to mosh and get injured. Otaku generally sit around watching anime all day...they're not really in shape, and knocking one over will probably kill them. lol jk. Anyway, I think it's rude and immature to shout at the bands to hurry up so another band could play. And what happens if they did hurry up? Would they speed through their songs and make them sound crazy-hyper-fast? lol. Anyway, my point is, if you wanted to only see UpHold, you should have waited one day to go see them at Stage One instead of going to MusicFest. And since you and your friend were stupid enough to go to MusicFest and watch everyone, you should have tolerance for our guests. no one forced your friend to go to MusicFest. You guys could have gone and waited outside and come back later or something.

 Why would we want to wait until all the bands were through to see Uphold; we enjoyed ourselves.  Besides, he did not shout until the band finished its set.   We did not start the mosh, we merely ended it.  I find it stranger that small people would be standing up in front during the death metal band.  I find it just as stupid for people to just stand still and zombie through a death metal set.  I enjoyed all the bands, and plan on watching them next year as well.  By tolerance to guest, are you referring to the bands or the attendees?  I am sure that the bands cared less since they enjoy any attention they can get and as for the attendees, anyone who was there apparently did not mind.  
 If there is to be any complaint, I would say that the staff was pretty incompetent at letting people in initially.  If they were counting people at the door, it would have been more effective to use a number clicker instead of having people counting with their fingers.

Why the counting?

Anyway, yes it is rude to demand another band, even after the performance of one band and before the opening of another. Think how you would feel if you were the next band up, nervous and such and you heard someone in the crowd impatiently screaming for a different band of your own. They wouldn't appreciate that. Personally I think Uphold was okay, but they aren't even near the top of my list of the bands there.

I myself find nothing wrong with moshing as it proves your support for the band and they enjoy seeing their audience so emphatic for their music, but you must keep it to a minimum or not at all. Head-banging will do, but we don't want injuries, especially since the majority of the Con-Goers are women, children and really wimpy pale guys. All are fragile. Think about the wimpy guys. =O

[lolitadesu]

The bands were great! I loved them all!

The audience was lousy. Most of the audience left half way through the concert. More people were at the masquerade, which I thought wasn't worth going to. I left during the intermission. Also most of the people in the "pit" were standing there just staring. If you are going to be in the front, at least scream, jump, and headbang! The bands seriously deserved a much more enthusiastic audience. For the people that stayed until the very end (myself included) and headbanged/jumped/screamed, you guys rock. My neck STILL hurts from headbanging. And I would like to repeat, the audience was lousy.

I wasn't too fond of the bouts of moshing that insued. I almost fell over when a girl rammed into me out of nowhere.

[Chikiru]

6 bands was too much. How about this for next year?

Swinging Popsicle
Guitar Vader
Mothercoat
ZZ

I am talking about just for the musicfest main event. Having another Stage 1 would be awesome too. Any other bands could play on that. I think this would be an amazing line up for next year.

Yeah. I really liked Stage One. I know MusicFest is supossed to be the big thing, but I think they should limit the time of MusicFest and have the bands go crazy at Stage One. When I left MusicFest, it was 3 1/2 hours into it, and the last band wsn't even playing yet.

Another Stage One next year would be awesome! This was where my friends and I spent most of our time. The whole meet and greet concept after a performance, in my opinion, was a great idea.

And I like that line-up.  :D

[Long]

Lets name it Stage Awesomeness. >___> Forget the number thingy, it doesn't work.

[AbsolutelyCursed]

6 bands was too much. How about this for next year?

Swinging Popsicle
Guitar Vader
Mothercoat
ZZ

I am talking about just for the musicfest main event. Having another Stage 1 would be awesome too. Any other bands could play on that. I think this would be an amazing line up for next year.

Yeah. I really liked Stage One. I know MusicFest is supossed to be the big thing, but I think they should limit the time of MusicFest and have the bands go crazy at Stage One. When I left MusicFest, it was 3 1/2 hours into it, and the last band wsn't even playing yet.

Another Stage One next year would be awesome! This was where my friends and I spent most of our time. The whole meet and greet concept after a performance, in my opinion, was a great idea.

And I like that line-up.  :D

Stage One was awesome in that it provided an intimate setting for the bands to play and I got to high five members of mothercoat and had my picture taken with them - again awesome

[Glitch]

I had fun ping-ponging in the Mosh itself.  My friend Mike went a little crazy and smashed into the crowd.  It was a blast.  I weigh about 260lbs, my friend mike weighs close to 400lbs and used to play American Football, so you can imagine the power behind his bullrush.
 My crazy friend would also shout for bands to hurry up and let Uphold get on the stage.  

See, this kinda pisses me off. As a small female weighing about 125lbs, I wouldn't feel safe if guys who towered over me and weighing over 100lbs more than me were moshing around me. If your friend hit me, he could very well cause a lot of damage, so I can imagine how much damage he could cause some girls weighing a bit over 100lbs. That's not ok. He could really have hurt someone and it doesn't seem like it even matters to you or your friend. Please take care in the future to watch where you're moshing and who you're hitting.

Again why I think fanime should have a little fenced off area for all the moshers.But of coarse insurance reasons Tony mentioned once will prevent any moshing to begin with.

[Eri Kagami]

I'm wondering what are the requirements to play at the music fest. My brother has a band and they're always looking for gigs? Do you have to be Asian and possess musical talent? Or ethnicity does not matter as long as the music is related to J-pop / J-rock, anime, games, etc?

Sorry...I wasn't able to attend music fest this year! ^^;;; Just curious!

[Sen]

I'm wondering what are the requirements to play at the music fest. My brother has a band and they're always looking for gigs? Do you have to be Asian and possess musical talent? Or ethnicity does not matter as long as the music is related to J-pop / J-rock, anime, games, etc?

Sorry...I wasn't able to attend music fest this year! ^^;;; Just curious!

You definitely don't have to be Asian. But I would think you would want some musical talent because you wouldn't want to embarrass yourself on stage in front of all those people. As for the type of music, I'm not really sure.

[Long]

I'm wondering what are the requirements to play at the music fest. My brother has a band and they're always looking for gigs? Do you have to be Asian and possess musical talent? Or ethnicity does not matter as long as the music is related to J-pop / J-rock, anime, games, etc?

Sorry...I wasn't able to attend music fest this year! ^^;;; Just curious!

You definitely don't have to be Asian. But I would think you would want some musical talent because you wouldn't want to embarrass yourself on stage in front of all those people. As for the type of music, I'm not really sure.

Judging from the samples this year, I'm pretty sure almost any style is permitted. I'm planning to try to fix up my band this year to play for MusicFest either 2007 or 2008.

But other than playing for ourselves, the other reason I wanna play for musicfest is if anyone like Mineko comes again I can be close to her backstage and such. <3333    @ 3@!

[mochyan]

i liked swinging popsicle, mothercoat and uphold. goofy style made me feel like i was a temple and i should've been praying to the sound of the monk accompanied by the band. i know for sure that many of my friends who wanted to attend fanime didn't because they had prom to go to. Since they are seniors,  its understandable that they wanted to go to prom.

i left part way through mothercoat because this girl kept trying to eat up my space upfront. I finally got fed up with it and just left to get fresh air and to calm down. i came back in to grab my camera then to go buy some cds and take pictures before going back in to sit in the balcony to rest my tired feet and hear uphold.

uphold was awesome in my opinion, i would've been in the mosh pit area head banging with everyone else if it weren't for my feet.

[laminatedbunny]

i liked swinging popsicle, mothercoat and uphold. goofy style made me feel like i was a temple and i should've been praying to the sound of the monk accompanied by the band.

ah yes! monk..temple..those were the words I was looking for. D: i dunno..after a while, the first 3-4 bands all sounded like monks in temples.

[Moonbug]

I didn't care for Musicfest this year.  My fave year was 2004, more energy, more bands I had actually heard of, and the crowd was more into it.

I think if you are going to have such a variance in style like this year you should announce when each is going to play so people can pick adn chose when to show up for teh style of musci they actually like.  
Like Goofy Style and the last act were more heavy rock and should have played one after another to keep the even energy flow of the crowd up.  I felt by the time the last act came on there wasn't much of a crowd left (including me...my ears hurt and actually BLED from the act before...the one with the freaky singer.)

I would like to see Duel Jewel return to Fanime as they were kind of a staple for Fanime for many years.  I miss them...  ;_;[/b]