Japanese promoters team up for new rock festival

Summer Sonic promoter Creativeman is collaborating with the team behind Rock in Japan to launch a new international music festival.

Rockin’ on Sonic will debut at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall, Chiba, on 4-5 January 2025. Acts announced so far are Pulp, Weezer, Manic Street Preachers, Primal Scream and The Lemon Twigs.

The event, which will feature two stages without overlap, is being hosted by Rockin’ on Japan and Makuhari Messe, with Creativeman responsible for operations and production.

Producer Yoichiro Yamazaki says the event is “focusing on highly trusted artists familiar to long-time international music listeners”, as well as younger acts.

“While it is unusual to hold a festival over the New Year holidays, we thought it would be a great time since many people are off work and have more free time,” says Yamakazi, as per Niew. “We believe this New Year festival will create a new and fun gathering place for international music fans.

“One concern was whether international artists would be willing to come to Japan during the New Year period. However, international management and artists have warmly welcomed the event. They expressed a strong desire to come to Japan more often and perform in front of Japanese audiences.”

“Given that it will be held in the middle of winter, we envisioned an indoor and convenient urban festival from the start”

The venue will utilise stages from year-end domestic music festival Countdown Japan, including the 20,000-cap Galaxy Stage and 8,000-cap Cosmo Stage.

“Given that it will be held in the middle of winter, we envisioned an indoor and convenient urban festival from the start, making Makuhari Messe the ideal venue,” adds Yamazaki.

One-day tickets cost 18,000 yen (€111), with two-day passes priced 33,000 yen (€204).

Creativeman’s flagship Summer Sonic festival returns to Tokyo’s Zozomarine Stadium and Osaka’s Maishima Sonic Park this weekend (17-18 August). Acts will include Bring Me The Horizon, Måneskin, Christina Aguilera, Greta Van Fleet, Major Lazer, Lil Yachty, Belle & Sebastian, Bleachers, Madison Beer, Olivia Dean, OneRepublic and Nothing But Thieves.

The company’s Naoki Shimizu and Layli Odamura preview the event here.

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