Or maybe more like a second cousin? Regardless, the first wave of acts for the 3rd annual
Pentaport Rock Festival in South Korea were recently announced.

Held about an hour from Seoul in Incheon, South Korea's biggest summer music event is held on the same weekend as Fuji Rock (July 25 - 27). Promoter Yellow 9 Yellow 9 is good friends with Fuji organizer Smash allowing the two fests to coordinate their schedules to share some of the same acts.

Pentaport foreign artists confirmed thus far include -- Feeder, The Gossip, Go! Team, Princess Superstar, Travis, Underworld, Hard-Fi, Ozomatli, End of Fashion, London Elektricity and DJ Accomplice.

As for homegrown talent, Korean acts scheduled to appear are Lee Sang-eun, Broccoli Neomajeo, Galaxy Express, Lee Han-chul, and Sogyumo Acadia Band with Yozoh.

More artists will be added as the date approaches. Ticket prices have not yet been announced, but last year they cost 88,000 won for one day, 132,000 won for two days and 165,000 won for the whole festival. Only the Korean side of the official site is up right now, but English and Japanese versions will be added in the coming weeks.

*Image courtesy of http://www.pentaportrock.com/

12:14 PM

Twenty-three more acts were announced yesterday. The gory details after the jump.

It isn't entirely clear who the big headliners will be this summer or even if they've been announced yet, but that's sorta half the fun of Fuji. Among the two dozen new acts revealed on April 15, there are a few contenders but we're keeping our own counsel on this.

Certainly, it's good to see Kiyoshiro Imawano back after a two-year absence, during which he fought and beat cancer. Kiyoshiro was one of the few Fuji acts who made it every year, so it should be like old times, especially since he'll have his band Nice Middle and the New Blue Day Horns with him.

Electronic dance-rock monsters Kasabian have a shot at the headliner post but we assume they'll be an early evening act.

Ben Folds is always a big draw in Japan, but it will sort of depend on his backing band if he gets a headlining slot.

Also on for the festival will be prewar pops and jazz revivalist Janet Klein, who rumor has it will be doing three sets during the weekend, though we assume on the smaller stages.

To round out the newcomers...

Asparagus
Beat Crusaders
Bill Laswell
The Cribs
DatA
Doberman
Gotye
Jason Falkner
Jason Mraz
Kisel
Naruyoshi Kikuchi Dub Sextet
Ozomatli
Quruli
The Rascals
Riddim Saunter
Sherbets
Masato Tomobe
Travis
White Lies

9:14 PM

But Don't Despair, they'll still bring a huge dance party to Naeba.

Bassist Ira Trevisan is out, so drummer Adriano Cintra will take over on bass and a session drummer will handle duties behind the kit (ignore the date and location listed for Fuji Rock in the news story, though).

* CSS photo taken by keco and used with permission from Smashing Mag

12:36 PM

It was M.I.A for a brief period, but the Fujirockers.org English BBS is back up and running.

Who knows, maybe you’ll even be able to pick up discounted tickets from a few of the poor unfortunate souls who have already bought tickets for friends who are destined to cancel for some as the fest draws nearer. We don’t wish this to happen to anyone, but without fail there seems to be a few postings detailing the above each year.

Click on the link on the right hand side of this page or here or here to access the BBS

1:30 PM

If you're not completely stoked at the prospect of seeing Gogol Bordello at the Fuji Rock Festival this year, well...can you tell me what time your Tuesday night knitting circle meets, because my grandmother has been looking for one to join.

Or maybe you just aren't aware of what they are about. I'm here to help. I too didn't have any idea how great it could be from just listening to their recordings, but when I heard Terry Gross interview frontman Eugene Hutz on NPR's Fresh Air, my attitude changed completely.

Hutz seems to epitomize the best possible mash-up between a bona-fide Eastern European gypsy and NYC indie rocker. Listen to his thrashing of Americans' idea of a wedding 'celebration' (9:00 pm, they look at their watch, "well, gotta be gettin' up early tomorrow...") Judging by the Japanese crowd's spirited and immediate response to Celtic punk band Flogging Molly at 11:00 am at last years' FRF, Gogol promises to be an event to partake of this year.

kern

12:37 PM

It's April Fool's Day but the 12 new acts confirmed for the festival are no joke. Meet them after the jump.

Click on name for home page.

The Death Set
Ellegarden
Feeder
FreeTempo
Galactic featuring Chali 2na (of Jurassic Park) and Boots Riley (of The Coup)
Gossip
Michael Franti and Spearhead
One Night Only
Rodrigo y Gabiela
Roger Joseph Manning Jr.
Ryukyudisko
Kate Nash

12:27 PM