With the current ongoing situation with a pandemic -we are sadly one year in- there are still those who are thinking of organising an event in a safe way that can be enjoyed by many people. Last year, we could see that many bands and venues worldwide decided to broadcast performances live to reach a worldwide audience. In Japan, while the live houses there have never completely closed down, in contrast to some other countries, the live scene has not been the same as before COVID-19.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to present yourself as a musician to an audience, although it is still not an easy time. The Japanese festival Counter Corona Music Fes is an example of an online event that not only focuses on Japanese artists but also musicians from outside as Japan is also a loved country to be toured in by these international musical acts.
Counter Corona Music Fes 2021
What is Counter Corona Music Fes? It is a free global online concert hosted that will take place on Sunday 10th of April with musical acts from inside and outside Japan. For this event, which is sponsored by the venues LIVE FREAK and Outbreak in Tokyo, the Swiss extreme metal band SAMAEL is the headliner.
Other bands that will join are coming from Malaysia (Son of a Policeman, Buddha beat, Gand, One Morr Time, Culture Shot, and Zero), Taiwan (88balax, Echo and Pochang wu), The Philippines (Gabba, Loner, The itchy Worms and The One Pesos), Australia (Kaosis, The Sign, Lycanthrope, Silent Knight, Lucy’s Crown and Therein), Israel (Fixed Stars and Subterranean Masquerade), Myanmar (Rebel Riot), South Korea (Tilde), France (Blackrain), Italy (MURDAH SRVC), Germany (Das Fluff), Canada (Robots and Gods), Singapore (Coen), Sweden (Red Nova), Thailand (Bulletguyz), the United Kingdom (Pins and Single by Sunday) and, of course, Japan (Sparky Quano, ampcharwar, Neirra, MiVK, Ulma Sound Junction, 101A, Kanaderiya Hashiguchi, clack-nash, Nihonto, Katan Hiviya, SHINIZOKONAI, NAKED MACHINE, As I Fall and Yumi Yoshikoshi.). A long list of bands that might soon be on your playlist!
The list of bands is subject to change, as names may still be added. Keep an eye on the Facebook event of CCMF, to get all the updates of the performing bands.
All in all, expect a range of rock and metal acts, from classic rock to post-punk, to pop-rock to just metal. More than 40 bands, with the majority from Japan, will take the digital stage to present each one song that has been recently recorded for this festival or a highlight from one of their past in-person performances.
How did it started?
The event came to fruition when Fujiro Uchida, the owner of live venues LIVE FREAK and OUTBREAK, invited Apryl Peredo, of Inter Idoru Artist Management, to see one of his favourite artists. There he asked for her support and help with the online concert.
Looking at the audience numbers of the concerts in Japan, they are reduced to around a quarter. Before entering, a check will be done by measuring your body temperature before entering the venue and during the concerts you have to wear a face mask. Some venues took the protection of their audience and the bands to another level by hanging clear plastic curtains in front of the stage and indications of where to stand as an audience member by putting markers on the floor or in some other cases, people have to sit down on a chair. We gained this knowledge in our conversation with Peredo. It is not the same as before COVID-19, but still a way to enjoy live concerts.
With today’s technical developments, it is not surprising that musicians and venues have been looking at the options of streaming live performances in order to reduce losses. In most cases, the musical acts perform in front of only the camera or they choose to transform it into a hybrid event, where a very small audience can enjoy the live performances while being broadcasted live for those who were not able to join. There also have been several Japanese musical acts creating a special performance for their fans by pre-recording it and present the end result during a special livestream.
Important information
Counter Corona Music Fes 2021 will be presented as a live premiere on YouTube and is free to watch, but it is welcome to leave tips. The show will start at 7 PM (JST), which means that it will start at 12.00 PM in the Netherlands (CEST) and 11.00 AM in the United Kingdom. Keep an eye on the Facebook event of CCMF, to find the last-minute updates.
