Social media discussion on German Kraftwerk performance at Fuji Rock - Silent festival organizers and media
At the "Fuji Rock Festival" held in Naeba, Niigata Prefecture on July 26~28, 2024, techno-pop pioneer and German artist "Kraftwerk" performed the song "Radioactivity" has become a hot topic on SNS "X". On the other hand...
On stage on the 27th, Kraftwerk performed the famous song "Merry Christmas on the Battlefield" in memory of world-renowned musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, who passed away in March last year. In addition, "Radioactivity" released in 1975 was performed with Japanese poems supervised by Mr. Sakamoto. At that time, the Japanese lyrics "Radioactivity in Japan, today forever, Fukushima radioactivity, air, water, everything, radioactivity in Japan, stop it now" were projected on the giant screen, and the video was posted on SNS "X".
The Japanese version of "Radioactivity" was first performed at an anti-nuclear live event held the year after the Fukushima nuclear accident following the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011. Kraftwerk has allegedly performed this version all over the world since then ( Wiki ）。
On the other hand, criticism was voiced by SNS "X" users who saw the video. A member of the Fukushima Prefectural Assembly posted a criticism that "this performance is in bad taste and discriminatory, and it is selling the image of being contaminated with radiation in katakana Fukushima." This and other posts led to a debate.
While Kraftwerk's performances have been criticized on social media "X", many fans who know the history of Kraftwerk and the background of the song's birth have insisted on the significance of the song. In addition to this, there are various opinions such as "I'm a fan of Kraftwerk, but I don't like this performance."
Regarding this discussion on SNS, the Fuji Rock organizers " smash I contacted the spokesperson on the 29th ~ 30th, but the service continues to be unsuccessful. At the moment, the views of the organizers have not been expressed. Also, I don't see any opinions from rock artists who are leaders on social media on a daily basis. 「 Daily Sports Other than that, the major media did not report the discussion on social media.
In addition to major media, the editor-in-chief of the famous music site "rockinon.com" wrote an article conveying his impressions of the live performance, saying, "I was strongly shaken by the radiation from the battlefield Merry Christmas." insert "billbord JAPAN" wrote an article about the performance, saying, "The strength of the message also shook the hearts of the audience." insert However, it does not mention the discussion on social media.
When I asked a person involved in the resolution of the nuclear accident at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which supported the Fuji Rock Festival by disbursing about 150 million yen in subsidies during the coronavirus pandemic, he said, "I know the topic, and I think it is natural that there will be pros and cons (as a personal view)."
Currently, in the Yahoo Comedy section of SNS "X" and Nikkan Sports articles, anonymous people who are dissatisfied with Kraftwerk's performance and anonymous people who are satisfied are having a discussion. However, the festival organizer "Smash", which provided an opportunity for discussion, and the media, which favored the topic of social media, have remained silent. It shows the distance between companies and the media in events related to nuclear power plants.
