INTERVIEWS
"A scale where we can see everyone's faces": Rainbow Disco Club on 17 years of staying intimate
Almost two decades in, Rainbow Disco Club visits Gadigal Land to share its wealth of experience, as part of SURPLUS festival.
As Asia’s musical influence upon electronic music and club culture grows, so too do Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand benefit. The flourishing of the diasporic populations of both countries, and indeed those across the greater Oceania region, as well as the availability of new and vibrant areas for artists to travel, in many ways runs counter to the general focus of so many artists and professionals on Europe and the Americas.
While an obsession with Japanese travel is an oft-problematic trope now only starting to enter the cultural rear view of colonised countries like ours, there’s a growing, and even more genuine kind of influence that Japan is having on the world’s dance music landscape.
From the obsession of its diggers and DJs, to the availability and commitment to preserving weird and wonderful recording technologies, and to an arguably less clout-oriented approach to its festivals and their reputations, there’s plenty to love and learn from Japan’s musicality.
One of the country’s longest-running festivals, and fast becoming one of its biggest exports, is Rainbow Disco Club. Originally a festival in Shizuoka, a coastal city southwest of Tokyo, RDC has developed a cult following and appreciation, earning it praise as one of the world’s most consistent events.
Perhaps what has kept it most aligned over almost two decades is its guiding principle: ‘Beyond Space and Time’, a view that disco, house, and contemporary club music are merely parts of a continuous cultural conversation.
The group has received cosigns from no shortage of global all-stars, including Four Tet and Floating Points, Helena Hauff, Antal, and DJ Harvey among its lineup alumni, alongside the incredible Japanese talent that has always anchored its bills.
This October, RDC turns its attention back to Australia, with a debut on Gadigal Land/Sydney in partnership with SURPLUS, an independent, weekend-long festival across a variety of venues, presented by Supply Store and Nike Sportswear, with RDC appearing in partnership with local promoter Planet Trip.
It sees Sydney added to a list which includes Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Lisbon, Goa, Bali, Naarm and many others, all eager to understand what makes RDC’s approach so coherent.
Q: Masa & Yuki, thanks so much for making the time to chat with us. RDC turns 17 this year! What a massive milestone. Looking back, how much of what you intended to do in RDC's first year is still here today?
MASA: A lot of what I set out to do has actually stayed in place, and I’m honestly surprised by how well everything has turned out—much better than I imagined. In the beginning, I was completely overwhelmed just dealing with what was right in front of me. But thanks to the team I work with, I can now focus on the finer details, and I’m so happy I’ve been able to keep doing what I’ve wanted from day one: enjoying the journey.
Q: I've often seen RDC described as "going beyond space & time". What does it feel like to be taking that kind of musical idea outside of Japan, the "space & time" in which RDC was created?
MASA: We love embracing different environments and cultures everywhere we perform, but our core message never changes. No matter where we go or who we're with, nothing beats the thrill of sharing that moment with fellow music lovers.
Q: There's a reputation that follows the brand, of being a kind of wholesome fun akin to a picnic. Are you actively doing anything to protect that kind of intimacy, rather than the risk of scale eroding it?
MASA: We are always mindful of keeping the venue capacity comfortable for the audience, and we consistently aim to maintain Rainbow Disco Club at a scale where we can see everyone's faces.
Q: I'm conscious that RDC seems to really pick and choose where it operates. What do you look for when you're thinking of partnering with a local crew or popping up in a new city?
YUKI: Of course things like venue capacity and the sound system are key, but for us, longevity is everything. That’s why we really focus on having good chemistry and genuine human connection with local promoters.
Q: How do you keep the programming consistent as a philosophy and a commitment when every city brings a completely different local scene and audience?
YUKI: The sound system is our highest priority, and we discuss it in depth with every promoter—sometimes even bringing our own sound engineer from Japan. The next most important element is the lineup. If we put together a lineup that strays too far from RDC's identity in Japan, the story won't resonate with the audience, making it hard to build something sustainable.
Q: Is there a version of RDC that could ever grow "too big"? How do you know where that line is?
MASA: Honestly, I’ve never really considered it, but it’s pretty unlikely we’d ever expand. This scale just feels right for who we are.
Q: I'd love to know where you think Japan's music scene has gone in the 17 years since RDC started. Are you still on the fringes? Or are more people doing it as you do?
MASA: I think Rainbow Disco Club stands apart from the mainstream music scene in Japan, but with the number of younger attendees growing every year, we're hopeful that more and more people will come to understand and embrace our style going forward.
Q: Bali has become a real second home for RDC. What is it about that scene that made it click?
MASA: Our fantastic relationship with Potato Head began back in 2019, when we hosted our first event there. What makes us feel like it's a second home really comes down to the wonderful people who work there. I can truly feel how much they care, and they are an incredible partner. That irreplaceable connection was a true gift from above.
Q: Your upcoming appearance at SURPLUS in Sydney pulls in DITA & GERO from Klymax Discotheque in Bali, alongside SAMO & kengotaki from FULLHOUSE in Osaka, alongside Kenji Takimi and Kikiorix. What does it mean to build a lineup that feels cohesive rather than just plugging in "names"?
YUKI: This is our first time working with the SURPLUS crew, so we brought on board artists who are deeply connected to our journey. Name recognition matters, but more than that, we booked artists who genuinely get who we are. I’m completely confident people will walk away feeling the true spirit of RDC.
Q: Are there any throughlines you see connecting dance floors in Japan, Indonesia and Australia that people might not expect?
YUKI: It’s all about human connections. The dance music scene we’re part of is way more underground than people realise, but our community keeps growing through word of mouth and friends of friends. That’s really how we’ve managed to put on shows overseas, whether in Japan, Indonesia, or Australia.
Q: What was your own introduction to Australia's music scene, and what's stuck with you most about it?
MASA & YUKI: We’ve been deeply influenced by Tornado Wallace and Sleep D. They’ve both performed at Rainbow Disco Club as well.
Q: How did the relationship with Planet Trip and SURPLUS come together, and what made you trust them to be the local hands on this one?
YUKI: When it comes to picking local partners, almost everything happens through personal connections. This project came together the same way—our good friend Sam Fitzgerald put us in touch with SURPLUS, and SURPLUS introduced us to Planet Trip. It’s a real honour to work with them.
Q: As RDC keeps landing in new countries, what does the team still want to learn? What keeps it exciting after 17 years?
MASA: It’s funny to say, but when we wrapped up our 10th anniversary, it felt like we were only just getting started. I really feel like the best is yet to come. We’ve travelled to so many cities, met so many incredible people, and experienced these beautifully crazy, intense moments on the dance floor together. The inspiration and excitement we draw from it all just keeps compounding every year. It blows my mind how much music brings into our lives, and I’m thankful for it every single day.
-
Rainbow Disco Club: Sydney Open Air runs alongside SURPLUS's wider program of markets, art and community events across the weekend of Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 18.
Tickets to Rainbow Disco Club: Sydney Open Air are available via Mixmag ANZ.
