An irresistible rock festival for rock lovers: The appeal of VIVA LA ROCK (Viva La Rock)
Are you familiar with VIVA LA ROCK, commonly known as Bibara, a rock festival held every May since 2014?
Despite being a relatively new festival, it’s been drawing attention every year with a lineup that’s irresistible for Japanese rock fans.
This time, I’d like to introduce the魅力 of VIVA LA ROCK.
What is VIVA LA ROCK?
First, let me explain about VIVA LA ROCK.
Viva La Rock began in 2014 out of a desire to address the lack of a large-scale rock festival held annually in Saitama Prefecture, to improve Saitama’s music market, and to spark a revitalization of rock music that would spread nationwide from there.
It is held every year during Golden Week, but in 2016 it was only held for two days in late May due to renovation work at the venue.
The venue is Saitama Super Arena, with stages set up not only indoors but also outdoors.
In addition, there’s a lot in store, including VIVA LA GARDEN, Otomise, and ALL NIGHT VIVA!, which we’ll introduce later.
Highlights of VIVA LA ROCK (Viva La Rock)
Alright, let’s jump right into the highlights of VIVA LA ROCK.
This time, I’d like to introduce four main highlights.
Free admission! VIVA LA GARDEN that the whole family can enjoy
http://vivalarock.jp/gallery/2015/archives/vivalagarden.html
First, the first highlight is VIVA LA GARDEN.
VIVA LA GARDEN is an event held for about a week, including the days of VIVA LA ROCK, at Keyaki Plaza in front of the Super Arena. It features a beer garden, BBQ, festival food, local specialties, an outdoor stage, a futsal court, and more, making it enjoyable for families as well.
And what’s more, admission is free.
Admission is free even during the VIVA LA ROCK festival, so the live performances on the GARDEN STAGE and TSUBASA STAGE can be enjoyed even by those without tickets.
It's so impressive that you wouldn't believe it's a free stage, with DJ live sets and popular artists performing acoustic shows—highly recommended.
Express your music! Otomise
And the second highlight is Otomise, the doujin music marketplace that has finally become widely established.
At Oto-mise, creators who produce independent recordings, costumes, music fanzines, and other items related to music—or music itself—can exhibit and sell their own works.
On the day of the event, an Otomise booth will be set up at the venue, and 100 groups selected from the applicants will be able to exhibit and sell their works.
This Otomise, which began as a place for each participant to express their own music, is a very appealing project and a new initiative unlike anything we've really seen before.
Anyone who is not under contract with a label or production company and creates work independently is welcome to apply, so why not submit your work to Otomise—a place where many music lovers gather—as a venue to showcase your creations?
Another Viva La Rock, ALL NIGHT VIVA!
http://vivalarock.jp/gallery/2015/archives/allnightviva.html
The third highlight is ALL NIGHT VIVA!, which starts after the performances on Day 1 and Day 2. At ALL NIGHT VIVA!, there will be acoustic sets and DJ events, letting you enjoy plenty of music late into the night.
Another very groundbreaking feature is that you can stay until before the venue opens the next morning.
http://vivalarock.jp/gallery/2014/archives/allnightviva.html
If you’re attending a festival that takes place over several days, finding accommodation can be a headache—especially for those coming from far away, as securing a place to stay can be difficult and financially burdensome.
With that in mind, VIVA LA ROCK launched this service so that people can stay for less than the cost of a hotel.
Of course, being able to stay at the venue cheaply would be convenient and very much appreciated, but for rock festival fans, wouldn’t being able to spend the night soaking in the festival atmosphere be the best?
As someone who loves the extraordinary atmosphere of rock festivals, just imagining the out-of-the-ordinary experience of spending time with my music-loving friends in the arena late at night makes me excited.
A lineup that will make J-rock fans drool
And the biggest appeal of VIVA LA ROCK is its lineup featuring nearly 100 popular artists.
From Rockin’ On–style artists to melodic hardcore, hardcore, nu-metal/mixture, and hip-hop, it’s a lineup that Japanese rock fans won’t be able to resist.
What’s amazing about VIVA LA ROCK is that every single one of them is a hot, trending artist.
They call it the biggest rock festival in Saitama for a reason—the lineup is truly impressive.
I can sense the enthusiasm to make people feel the rock and enjoy the music.
Once you’ve seen the lineup, you’ll definitely want to go.
Event Overview
Sat 5/2 – Wed 5/6 VIVA LA ROCK (Viva La Rock)
VIVA LA ROCK is Saitama’s biggest music festival. It has established itself as a mega-festival, attracting more than 60,000 attendees. Held every year during Golden Week, the event features passionate rock bands that captivate countless fans. In addition, VIVA LA GARDEN, which takes place beforehand in an adjacent space as a free-zone event, is packed with activities that both children and adults can enjoy, making it a great, easy-to-join option for families as well.
| Name | VIVA LA ROCK |
| Schedule | Sat, May 2 – Wed, May 6 |
| place | Saitama Prefecture, Saitama City, Saitama Stadium 2002 / Nearby Venues |
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In conclusion
How about it? VIVA LA ROCK is packed with highlights.
Are you starting to feel like going?
Isn't it a wonderful festival packed with plans devised from various perspectives to enjoy music?
At VIVA LA ROCK, we also offer a special Saitama-only presale for fans within Saitama Prefecture, treating them as more than supporters—as members of the crew.
Applications are accepted around September of the year before each event, so even though the lineup is completely unknown at that point, there are still many applicants every year—showing just how popular VIVA LA ROCK is.
Then why not go and fully enjoy the action-packed VIVA LA ROCK?