Michael Franti seemed to be everywhere at the 2003 Fuji Rock Festival, and since he stands as tall as a volleyball player and sports long dreads, it was impossible to miss him.
There he was dancing in his bare feet in the audience at the Talib Kweli show; hanging out stage left during The Music's show; or performing some disco karaoke at the Net Cafe.
He also delivered two roaring sets with his band Spearhead, who fit the festival's multicultural vibe to a T. The group's grounding in hip-hop, roots reggae and 1970s funk, combined with Franti's plainspoken songs about social justice, made their performances communal experiences. "All the freaky people make the beauty of the world," a line from one of his songs, became his mantra. There and then, freaky people were the world.