It may not have been the best music festival we went to last year, but Freedommune Zero <0> was easily the most audacious: a free all-nighter held at Makuhari Messe, with high-tech visuals and a bill that found space for acts from noise godfather Merzbow to '90s J-pop veteran Tetsuya Komura – plus the preserved brain of Meiji-era novelist Natsume Soseki. Suffice to say that we're pleased to see it returning this year, and the lineup details released so far suggest that it'll be every bit as odd. Expect a headlining set from Penny Rimbaud, best known for his pivotal role in anarcho-punk act Crass; a 91-drummer version of Boredoms' epic Boadrum performance (7 x 13, geddit?); Yoshihide Otomo and band performing selections from his soundtrack for popular NHK morning drama Amachan; and a 90-minute sermon from Buddhist nun and activist Jakucho Setouchi. There's also a full complement of DJs, including Goth-Trad, Milton Bradley, Towa Tei and DJ Nobu... oh, and all-robot rock trio Z-Machines.
Once again, it's free to get in, though they'll be requesting a donation of at least ¥1,000 on the door for Tohoku relief efforts. Registrations are now being taken via the official website. Here's the lineup...
Boredoms presents 7x13 Boa Drum, Milton Bradley, Chris SSG, Claudio PRC, CMT, Dubstronica, EP-4 Unit3 + Atsuhiro Ito, Gonno, Goth-Trad, Keiji Haino, Hanali, Haruka, Kabuto, Kuri, Kurusu, Kyoka, Hibiki Mameshiba, Moodman, NHK'koyxen, Nisennenmondai, DJ Nobu, Open Reel Ensemble, Yoshihide Otomo & Amachan Special Big Band, Penny Rimbaud, Ryosuke, Shhhhh, Isao Tomita + Steve Hillage, Towa Tei, Zazen Boys, Z-Machines