ETP Fest 2009

ETPFest was held at the Jamsil Olympic Stadium on the 15th of August

Time will forever record 2009 as the year when massive stages were built, amplifiers were cranked up to eleven, the stars and planets took a special place in the sky -- and Korea was born again in Rock. More international rock stars have played here in the last few months than in previous years combined -- and more is yet to come.

Legendary Korean pop icon Seo Taiji started ETPFest in 2001, and resumed last year after a three-year hiatus. This year's lineup was easily the strongest yet, with half of the eight bands that played headlining.

Fans braved 34-degree (93°F) weather with minimal shade, a lack of seating, and absolutely no relief from the heat. The single water mister set up near the stage proved woefully inadequate, and was turned off during most of the shows. The logistics were definitely less coordinated than the larger, weekend-long festivals held last month. The turnout of 15,000 was also much smaller than the aforementioned Jisan Valley and Pentaport gatherings.

The performers all stormed the stage with a thunder that would make Thor jealous. Opening the show was Fade, a five-man post-emo band from Tokyo. Front-man Jon Underdown belted out silky vocals, and between sets gratuitously repeated gratuitous words to get the crowd wildly screaming and off their feet.

Next up was the three-piece skate-punk group GUMX, who played a tight but uninspired set, likely due to the sweltering heat and unenthusiastic audience response. They were followed by Pia, whose members demonstrated a more energetic command of the stage by delivering a range of sounds that mixed screamo, new wave, and good ol' hard-hitting rock 'n' roll.

Thirteen-year veteran Boom Boom Satellites was the last Asian outfit to take the stage. They combine big-beat eclectic electronica with live guitars and drums layered throughout. Masayuki Nakano switched between programming and bass lines with inhuman speed and accuracy, and the high-key voice of Michiyuki Kawashima beautifully contrasted the heavy-hitting arrangements.

Keane's first show in the Land of the Morning Calm started out with energetic fans rushing the stage synchronously from all over the grounds. Korea waited a long time for this day, and during the performance hundreds of people started dancing in a huge circle. Singer Tom Chaplin was grateful for the reaction, and songs played included the group’s hits "Somewhere Only We Know" and "Is It Any Wonder?" The execution of the entire set exemplified the band's musical prowess and made the waiting worthwhile.

Limp Bizkit's show has seemingly not changed for more than a decade -- and this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The adolescence of the songs is well-suited for a young audience, and Fred Durst electrified everyone by jumping off the stage and performing among hysterical fans. Surprisingly, the band played "Hot Dog," which many critics argued includes slights against Nine Inch Nails. During an interlude, the group invited a few dozen people on stage to rock out with the band. Durst convinced the masses to sit down and rest for a minute, and -- in true Korean fashion -- a human wave thrice circled the sound engineering and light stands in the middle of the floor.

Trent Reznor appeared a few minutes late, and the wait was well worth it. Nine Inch Nails’ performance was the only one that lasted for a full hour and a half, and the set list included most of their popular songs. Especially moving were "La Mer" and "The Fragile," and the band executed "Wish" and "Head Like a Hole" with brutal perfection. Near the end of the set, Reznor said somberly that this was the last time NIN would play in Asia. Response came in the form of raised, methodically oscillating cell phones and lighters during the final song -- an awe-inspiring "Hurt."

Seo Taiji started off by stepping out of a time capsule and on to the stage -- and he looks like he's been in there for well over a decade. The rumors of his cult-like following are absolutely true: almost every single person knew every single lyric to every single song, and sang along for his entire set with tears of joy in their eyes. The emotional reaction he elicited from the crowd can only be compared to such superstars as the Beatles and Michael Jackson. A dozen flamethrowers bolted to the stage bellowed fireballs into the air, and the first heat wave that hit the audience pushed them back like a furnace blast. The concert ended in a volley of fireworks that left everyone wanting more.

The cost of admission for one day was ridiculously high, significantly more than multi-day tickets at any other gathering this year. ETPFest’s organizers got away with the exorbitant price only because of the fantastic lineup. The physical environment was almost unbearable, a problem only partially remedied by the large beer booths and vendors distributing free drinks. One can only hope that mistakes made were an anomaly, and that future shows will not condemn concertgoers to such unpleasant settings.

Clips of the festival can be found on my youtube channel.
Shots are up on my flickr photostream.

Global Gathering is the next scheduled music festival to be held in-country, on the 18th and 19th of this month at the Han River Nanji Park in Seoul.

Information about upcoming concerts can be found at www.koreagigguide.com