MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- For three days every year thousands of music fans converge on Osaka to see over 100 bands and artists perform at the Summer Sonic Music Festival.
This year’s Summer Sonic was held Aug. 7-9 with a lineup boasting an assortment of musical acts from mainstream pop stars to indie-alternative acts, both attracting equal amounts of people.
The crowds this year were as mixed as the music. People dressed in studs and spikes were standing next to girls dressed like Lady Gaga. Ironically, Lady Gaga was dressed in studs and spikes herself, looking more KISS and less like her fans.
There were plenty of amazing acts, but Gaga’s show stood out as the surprise stunner stage performer.
“I love her music, but I never would have thought she would translate well on the stage,” said Maiko Morioka, an Osaka local who has attended the festival since it started 10 years ago.
It can be easy to assume Gaga’s electronic beats and eccentric outfits equal a lack of talent, but after seeing her perform it was clear she has plenty of talent to spare.
In concert her voice is deeper and more commanding, giving her floaty songs a solid platform to stand on.
“I was really impressed and shocked by both her voice and the performance,” said Bill Lehr, a concert goer from Ireland, who traveled to Japan just to attend the festival. “A lot of people in Japan are obsessed with her and now I can see why. She is absolutely amazing.”
After performing multiple fast pace hits, Gaga took to the piano, performing a slowed down rendition of her hit single “Pokerface.”
Over the course of an hour, Gaga managed to cut her leg, throw her glasses into the audience, forget where she was, play the piano with her feet and improvise an “I Love Osaka” song to “O’Christmas Tree.”
Gaga’s spontaneity and unpredictability kept the audience guessing and probably left some people asking themselves if they should categorize Lady Gaga as a pop princess or a neo-age rock star.
Japan was a brief stop for Beyonce who has been on a world tour for the past six months.
Her years of experience in the music industry were apparent in her show. Her vocals, her dance moves and her concert in general sounded and looked like a welloiled machine.
There were no guessing games during Beyonce’s concert, each song was a complete stunner ending the first day of Summer Sonic on a high note.
Beyonce’s performance was sharp and perfect, while Lady Gaga’s was thrilling and exciting.
Fortunately the concert was not a competition as it would have been a tie for first. Interestingly enough, Beyonce and Lady Gaga will however be competing at this year’s Music Television Video Music Awards.
According to Aaron Parsley, staff writer for CNN, Beyonce and Gaga both received nine award nominations just days before they performed at Summer Sonic.
Patrons who were not fans of either Beyonce or Gaga had 131 other acts they could attend.
For the last two days of Summer Sonic, fans flooded the numerous stages to see acts such as Ne-Yo, My Chemical Romance, Nine Inch Nails, Paramore, Linkin Park, The All-American Rejects, Elvis Costello, Joan Jett, Matisyahu, and The Specials.
Summer Sonic Music Festival is scheduled to happen again around summertime next year.
Until then there are plenty of other musical acts coming to Japan every month.
Those interested in attending a concert while in Japan should stop by the Information Tours and Travel desk for more information.