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[Harpeau]

Haebangchon Festival to Heat Up Summer


A promotional poster for the May Haebangchon Festival scheduled to begin Saturday at Phillies Upstairs bar
By John Redmond
Contributing Writer

Rock festivals come in various forms ranging from large open-air concerts to smaller intimate club settings. Either way, the concept is for organizers to ensure audiences get the chance to view as many acts as they want.

Now well into its third year, the Haebangchon Festival kicks off another round of quality foreign bands Saturday at Phillies Upstairs bar, hosted by LRD band.

Featuring a wealth of local talent, the festival has grown from a celebration of a handful of foreign musicians to a must-see afternoon-evening event.

Originally conceived to bring out foreign local talent and provide a chance to get together for performing and networking, the event is not limited to just bands and solo musicians. Poets and spoken word artists also take part.

This year sees an expansion of ties with many venues also featuring standup comedians as hosts.

To add to the variety of this year's festival, the list of venues has been expanded to seven stages including venues such as Cafe Alexandra, Jacoby's, Phillies Basement, Ssen, HBC Cafe and VFW.

The venue owners have also assured organizers that there will be none of the complaints that have plagued previous festivals due to improved compliancy on noise levels, with some venues not featuring live acts beyond 7 p.m.

The venues include: VFW with host Jeremy Tooms, Ssen with host Ross Gardener, HBC Cafe with a single PA will be hosted by Yvon Malenfant, Cafe Alexandera with host Jimmy Bowens and Jacoby's will be hosted by comedian Bryan Ayleward.

A total of over 40 acts comprising of bands and solo artists are on this year's bill, with the festival beginning at 2 p.m. and winding down at around 2 a.m. the following morning, with the last act going onstage at around 1:30 a.m.

For more information, visit www.hbcfest.com. To get there, leave Noksapyeong Station and head toward Namsan Tunnel. At the bottom of the hill, veer left at the large brown kimchi pots and walk up the hill. Phillies Upstairs is on the left half way up the hill.

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http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2009/05/173_45705.html

[RyanInKorea]

I was a little disppointed last year as I found the 'festival' aspect of the name was misleading. It was supposed to be a number of different venues, but was really just Phillies and there were only a couple local bands. The 'comedian' they had was a putz. You know it's going well when he starts with, "What's up with bi-racial couples!?"

Anyway, I still know plenty of peeps heading there and I would too if I wasn't busy.

Ryan

[fortysixyou]

[moosehead]

I think it'd be great to have a street fair with performance art and people all dressed in something pig-related - you know - a kind of swine-flu parade of foreigners?

might get the locals in a tizzy

[Harpeau]

I'm looking forward to an awesome festival, today!

[hogwonguy1979]

bad bands...no thanks, just hope the noise is kept down late as i live near phillies