Summer Sonic Festival facts for kids
The Summer Sonic Festival is a huge music festival held every summer in Japan. It takes place in two main cities, Chiba and Osaka, over three days. A company called Creativeman Production plans and runs this exciting event.
Contents
The Festival's Story
The Summer Sonic Festival started in 2000. Creativeman Production created it to celebrate their company's 10th anniversary. The first festivals were held in Yamanashi and Osaka.
Changes and Growth
In 2001, the festival moved its Yamanashi location to Chiba. This was because it was easier to build big stages in Chiba. The festival quickly became very popular. In 2003, all the tickets sold out for the first time! Many people think this happened because famous UK bands like Blur and Radiohead performed that year.
In 2009, the festival celebrated its 10th event. For the first time, it lasted for three days. Also, a record number of artists performed, with about 180 different acts taking part.
Expanding to Other Countries
The Summer Sonic Festival even went international! On August 26 and 27, 2017, the festival was held in Shanghai, China, for the very first time.
Challenges and New Ideas
In 2020, the festival had to be cancelled in Japan. This was because the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were going to use the same venues. However, the festival still found a way to connect with fans. They held an online event called "SUMMER SONIC 2020 ARCHIVE FESTIVAL." This allowed people to watch past performances from home.
Where the Festival Happens
When the Summer Sonic Festival first started in 2000, it was held at SOUNDCONIFER229 in Fuji-Q Highland, Yamanashi, and at the WTC Openair Stadium in Osaka.
Since 2001, the festival has used different locations. The Yamanashi site was changed to Makuhari Messe and Chiba Marine Stadium in Chiba. These are still the main places where the festival takes place today.
How Many People Attend?
The Summer Sonic Festival attracts many music lovers each year. In 2000, about 68,000 people went to the festival. The number of attendees grew steadily over the years.
The biggest attendance record was in 2009. That year, around 246,000 people participated in the festival! While the numbers have slightly changed since 2014, many people still come to enjoy the music and atmosphere.
Featured Artists and Bands
Many famous artists and bands have performed at the Summer Sonic Festival over the years.
Early Headliners
The very first main acts, called headliners, at Summer Sonic were The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (JSBX) and Green Day. In 2003, Blur and Radiohead were the big names.
Popular Performers
In 2009, some of the headliners included My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park, and Beyoncé. Later, in 2014, Queen + Adam Lambert and Chemical Brothers were among the top acts.
In 2017, LUNA SEA and Travis performed. Interestingly, the UK band Placebo was supposed to play, but they couldn't make it to Japan. So, Travis stepped in to perform instead! In 2019, the festival featured Red Hot Chili Peppers, B’z, and The Chainsmokers.
See also
In Spanish: Summer Sonic para niños
