Ulsan World Music Festival
Every year in October Ulsan rocks out at the Ulsan World Music Festival. October is usually one of the nicest months for weather and the concert is a great multi-day event full of music and culture from around the world. This year looks to be better than ever with a lineup from such far-flung locales as Africa, Oceania, Europe, and Asia
This year Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 (from Nigeria) and Ojos de Brujo (Spain) are the headliner acts.
Seun presents a mixture of Afro beats, rock spirit and Funk. Check out a sample video below. Seun is the son of legendary Nigerian Afrobeat musician,Fela Kuti.
Ojos de Burjo is a contemporary Flamenco band and presents Flamenco with electronic and Latin rhythms,. The band is breaking up and all going their separate ways, but this is the farewell tour. Their music is not to be missed for sure! Check out a sample of their work below.
Another interesting group is Les Yeux Noirs (Black Eyes) hailing from France. Their music is related to Gypsy culture. In addition, there will be fusion groups like Stockholm Lisboa Project, 2 members from Portugal (Vocal & Violin), and 2 members from Sweden (Harmonica and Mandolin). Sounds like a bit of a strange mix but the female vocal brings out quite a delicate voice of Fado.
There are also a couple of acts from New Zealand, Ladi 6 is a well established hip-hop artist and she rocks audiences of 15,000 easily in her homeland. Also having little son Philli comes to the stage to support his mummy quite often, and he comes to Korea with her too. Electric Wire Hustle with their laidback lounge sounds will also hit the stage in Ulsan. With only three members it may seem like a small band but they have big sounds. Concert organizer and promoter MinKyoung Kim told UlsanOnline that they play the
“most beautiful drum beats I’ve ever seen and heard… I’m really expecting them to rock our audiences.”
From Japan comes Palma Habanera, a Bossa Nova group and from Korea musicians Heekyong Na who has performed in Brazil extensively and Hyogi also performing under the theme of Bossa Nova special.
Several DJs will also be spinning on stage at the festival
Ms. Kim said that
“If you have already been to the festival you’d know the atmosphere’s nothing like Ulsan in general, it’s quite electric, and festive…so why not come along with people you know and have fun with.”
Admission is free, there will be beer and food and interesting marques.
The Festival will be held at the Ulsan Culture and Arts Center and Daldong Park. Dates are Oct 6-9th, 2011.
This page may be updated frequently as English language news becomes available to us here at UlsanOnline