After only four years, it might seem premature to subtitle the Fuji Rock Festival a "summer classic," but the event's institutional status was boosted this year by the fact that it was held at the same location as it was the year before. The Naeba Ski Resort was never the organizers' first choice -- as the name implies, it was supposed to be held within spitting distance of Mount Fuji -- but politically the Mount Fuji area has proved too difficult for the Glastonbury-like prerogatives that the organizers envision. For better or worse, Naeba seems to be the permanent home.

I think it's for the better. Mount Fuji may be more iconic than Naeba, but Naeba isn't any less beautiful for it; and since the ski resort is owned by a single entity, namely, the Saison Group, the festival is ensured the kind of year-to-year stability you need if you want to be an institution. But Naeba isn't better because it's less susceptible to typhoons. The promoters have been jittery about heavy weather since they canceled the second day of the inaugural festival after it was hit by a storm. So, in a sense, it was good that it rained on the first day this year. The grounds were a mess, but the patrons took it in stride, thus facilitating the organizers' recovery from their precipitation phobia. If you want to be Glastonbury then you have to deal with mud, which is pretty much what Glastonbury is about (that and disgusting toilets, a tradition that Fuji has wisely avoided).

Now that Smash has stared down that demon, they can move on to other, more malleable variables. Like the sleeping situation. Since overnight camping is integral to the FRF experience, I was happy to see that the campground was moved closer to the action (though I still think festival-goers would prefer level ground).