— Everyone must know that for the past couple of years, the Asian indie scene has grown. Sunset Rolleroaster and Hyukoh faced a new golden age last year. Many Korean indie artists, such as Wave to Earth and Silica Gel, are expanding beyond Korea and making their mark on the global and Asian indie scenes. While these wonderful musicians are expanding their territory, many promoters and organizers of Asian festivals are working really hard to expand and make their own nest. So as a first question, we are curious why it has to be the festival you are currently running or you organised before. Why did it have to be this festival, and what circumstances or current state of the scene are you dealing with at the moment?

Top: We started Mahorasop in Bangkok in 2018. The reason we started is simple: we were envious of the many cool festivals happening in other parts of Asia. Around 2017, we started noticing a lot of international headliners, both Asian and Western, coming to play in Bangkok nearly every other weekend. So we thought that Thailand was ready as a market with a certain level of demand for international artists. We thought that there should be a festival where international and local lineups coexist. We wanted to provide Thai people with a different kind of experience. If we could offer festivals like this, there would be no need to fly to neighboring countries anymore.

Yuta: One music camp started 2010 so it's going to be 15 years now. Although there are now over 400 music festivals held annually and festivals have become a trend in Japan music market, back then, there were not many festivals in Japan.

The reason we started was very simple: I loved Fuji Rock, and I wanted to create something like that. Then we found the right place. However, looking back 15 years later, it seems like we’ve developed our own unique identity. One Music Camp is held in a very rural area. Many people from the countryside come together to work, and we believe we’re creating a new culture that can only be found here.

Weining: We ran a festival called LUCfest. The reason why I said ‘ran’ is we're going to have a pause. I believe that people like us, who do similar work, have a strong inherent tendency to organize things. I wanted to bring people together and do work that inspires. In the conference part, each year, we created around 20 different sessions and invited over 50 delegates from all over the world to come together for three days. I think the biggest achievement over the past 7 years is that we have helped industry professionals from Asian countries get to know each other better and build stronger connections. It’s a big achievement. And in the showcase part, we wanted to showcase Asian artists. We didn't really have a local star back to 2017. I still wouldn’t say we truly have it unless we could bring in a real K-pop star, probably. But the dream was really to create something that would allow hundreds, maybe thousands, of musicians to tour through Asia and beyond.

— This question is way more regional. For example, the Arifuji Weekenders ishappening in Arimahuji Park. I heard it’s a success story of community building, developed by revitalizing an old, less-visited area and integrating it with the local community and citizens. LUCfest took place in Tainan, a city deeply infused with Taiwan's rich history. I’m curious to know why you chose that particular region to host a small- to mid-sized alternative festival and how the collaboration with the local government was carried out.

Yuta: Arifuji Weekenders started last year, though the planning began nearly 7 years ago. Both Arifuji Weekenders and One Music Camp are held in Sanda City, Hyogo Prefecture. One Music Camp, which started 15 years ago, is a smaller festival with a capacity of 1,500 people. Wanting to scale up, we discovered Arimahuji Park, which can accommodate up to 8,000 attendees. Since the park is under the jurisdiction of both Hyogo Prefecture and Sanda City, we had to negotiate with the local government. This process of finding a larger venue and collaborating with the government naturally led to the creation of Arifuji Weekenders.

Weining: When you open a shop, there’s a saying: "location, location, location." I think the same applies to festivals. The location is incredibly important because festivals are complex enough as they are, and it’s not practical to move them to a new place every year. You want to find the right location from the beginning. As for why we chose Tainan instead of Taipei for LUCfest, one major reason is that Taipei feels quite similar to other major Asian capitals. In contrast, Tainan stands out as Taiwan’s culinary capital and was also the country’s historical capital long ago. It’s a charming, old city with a slower pace and a bright, lively atmosphere. The weather is also fantastic, making it an ideal location for an outdoor festival. Ever since deciding on Tainan, we’ve been working closely with the city to bring LUCfest to life.

We used one of the spaces under the jurisdiction of Tainan City as a stage, and it was sponsored by the city government. The venue use was approved by the city government, with a good support, and 10 teams performed on that stage. While LUCfest was primarily a showcase festival, it also saw significant participation from local residents. Even though it's a small festival, because roads in Tainan are very narrow, it doesn’t take much for traffic congestion to occur. And when that happens, complaints from the public are inevitable. That’s why collaboration with the local government is essential.

Top: Our venue is referred to as being in Bangkok, but technically, it’s not. It’s located on the outskirts of Bangkok. If you drive north from Bangkok, it takes about 45 minutes to reach the site. Before the COVID, it was held in downtown Bangkok. Recently, due to changes in noise regulations, we unfortunately had to relocate the venue. When the festival was in downtown Bangkok, the concrete ground made it unbearably hot, and people had no comfortable places to rest. Moving to the outskirts gave us a venue with grass and a more relaxing atmosphere, while still being close enough for a day trip from the city. However, as Weining mentioned, once you choose a festival site, it’s best not to move—it can be a nightmare.

— We’ve been discussing the regional aspects of the festivals you’re running, but now I’d like to ask about the broader trends or unique characteristics of festivals emerging in Asia recently.

Weining: If we could answer this question fluently, we’d all probably be rich by now! (laughs) But since we’re still in the process of exploring, I can only share what we’re observing. One clear trend in the festival scene is that the number of festivals is increasing significantly. In Taiwan, for instance, festival audiences have grown to some extent. However, given Taiwan’s relatively small population, the increasing supply of festivals hasn’t necessarily been matched by demand. This means many festivals are struggling to make a profit.

Another noticeable trend is the increasing number of Asian artists going on world tours. I currently work as a booking agent and artist manager. For example, I’ve been working with Phum Viphurit from Thailand almost from the very beginning, and it’s been rewarding to see him gradually grow through international tours. Recently, I’ve noticed a boom in Japanese artists like Yoasobi and King Gnu, who incorporate anime-inspired elements into their music. And, of course, K-pop dominates Spotify’s Asia Top 50 chart.

Top: It’s the same in Thailand. After COVID, it feels like everyone wants to host a festival. Why is it that suddenly everyone is jumping into festivals? I don’t really understand, especially since it’s so challenging.

Weining: It seems like others aren’t as good at math as we are. (laughs)

Top: In Thailand, the audience can’t keep up with the growing supply of festivals. It feels like there’s a bubble in the market, and there’s concern that it’s going to burst at some point. It doesn’t seem sustainable at all. Recently, we’ve seen international IP festivals like Rolling Loud, Summer Sonic, and EDC entering the Thai market. I make a point to attend every newly created festival, and I feel that growth is not easy.

But on the other side, on the positive side is that many Thai artists are now performing at other festivals across Asia, something that was almost unheard of 7-8 years ago. We’re grateful for showcase festivals like LUCfest, which have contributed to this development. Showcase festivals are still a relatively new concept in Asia, but their ability to foster connections is undoubtedly a major strength.

Yuta: My thoughts are quite similar. Japan has always had a lot of festivals, but the biggest issue is that many of them share similar concepts and lineups. They take place in the same venues, with only the festival titles being different. There’s not much that truly sets them apart.

I focus on thinking about how we can make our festival more original and unique. By considering the originality and unique things, I believe we can ensure our festival’s survival. 

— I once came across a website called Festival Life in Japan, and I realized there are over 50 upcoming music festivals just in the Kanto region. It made me think about how many festivals there must be across the entire country. Without a sense of mission, creating an alternative-style festival seems incredibly challenging.

Now, do we have any questions from the audience for our three speakers?

Audience: With global inflation, rising exchange rates, and almost everything becoming more expensive after COVID, I’m curious how you manage to run festivals cost-effectively in these challenging times.

Top: That's absolutely true. Everything has become more expensive since COVID. At Mahorasop, we make it a priority to project our revenue as realistically as possible before kicking off each year. We estimate the revenue from ticket sales and sponsorships and set a cap based on that. This cap determines our overall budget, which we then allocate across different areas such as lineup, production, and marketing. Every team is strictly required to work within their assigned budget.

When it comes to lineups, booking agents have started asking for outrageous prices these days. That’s why having a strong network is crucial. If you want to book artists from the West, we often team up with other Asian festivals and promoters hosting events around the same time. By collaborating and building a tour for the artist within the same season, we can save on booking fees instead of paying a one-off premium.

During the weekdays, we try to find partners who are interested in hosting headline shows. This approach significantly reduces expenses when we present it to the booking agents. European countries are closer to one another and artists can travel by train or short flights. For the Western artists to come to Asia, the travel costs are much higher. So in our case, sticking together and cooperating are crucial for bringing down artist costs.

Weining: When running a festival, it often feels like the lineup is everything. However, the truth is that the reason we do festivals isn’t just for the lineup. The main purpose is to create an experience. It’s not easy, I believe we all need to think outside the box. Instead of focusing on the lineup, we should think about what else can make people happy and how we can enhance the audience’s experience.

Top: There are certain festivals, like Wonderfruit, that the audience don't care about the lineup at all but attend it for the overall experience.

Weining: Exactly, even Wonderfruit tickets are expensive.

Yuta: I wish I could say otherwise, but I can’t. The lineup is still important.

Weining: The key message is don't start the festival now. We have enough. Do something else. (laughs)