What is Slow Live?

Theme of Slow Live is literally Slow.
Slow food is now famous so can’t we apply it to the music, too?
That’s the start of Slow Live.
It first started in 2004.

Traits of Slow Live

Trait of this Slow Live is there are seats to sit in while most outdoor live has no seats to sit in.
So you can relax, no need to standing all the time.

And most interesting point of this Slow Live is that the venue is Temple Ikebami Honmonji.
So you can see the temple and five-storied Pagoda.

I think at nowhere you can listen to the monk’s story the beginning of the music live.

Atmosphere

It was calm and I could hear buzz of a cicada.
Buzz of a cicada is one of the Summer features in Japan.
As it grows dark, I could see beautiful five-storied Pagoda lit up at the opposite side of the stage.

Artists

Followings are the artists that came to Slow Live on 3th September.
This Slow Live had been held for 3 days so followings are some of them.

Char, Nakano Yoshie, OVERGROUND ACOUSTIC UNDERGROUND, GLIM SPANKY, MAshimaro, Asako Toki, 1983, annie the clumsy.
I’ll introduce you some artists from above.

GLIM SPANKY

I think if you know Japanese anime and like One Piece you know GLIM SPNAKY.
Because they sing a song of One Piece.

It was first time for me to listen to their music.
Singer had a good husky voice

Actually first I couldn’t understand the reason why this GLIM SPANKY was selected as their music style is fast rock rather than slow.
But I understood after listened to their music the reason why they were invited to this festival and selected to the theme song of One Piece.

Their lyrics was very encouraging.

Asako Toki

She sang a song in her beautiful Kimono.
Her voice was relaxing.

And I noticed that I knew her song when she sang a song Gift Anata Ha Madonna.
I thought this was my first listening but I remembered listening to her song in commercial on TV very long time ago.

Anyway it was good to listened to the song from the person herself.

1983

They looked young that I thought 1983 must be their birth year.
But most of them were 1980, oh same age as mine!

Anyway I like their slow music.
It was relaxing music with Gitar, Bass, Piano, Trumpet, Flute.

Especially I like the song Bunka no Hi or Culture day.

Char

He is the piece de resistence.
He surely has a presence as a musician since old days.
His play and his way of life is just cool.

Summary

I think this Slow Live is unique music live.
Nowhere you can find the music live next to temple and monk tells the story.

Most live music outside are more energetic but this Slow music is not that energetic rather calm.
Actually the place itself is the quiet place as it is held next to Temple.
There are people with child as there are seats to sit in and not like hustle and bustle live.
I think most bands are also selected under the theme of Slow that they play slow relaxing music.

If you want to enjoy relaxing music in calm atmosphere this is the music festival you want.

Author : Hiroshi