"Jisan Valley Rock Festival 2009"

History has taught us that the womb of conflict will often bear the seed of creation. And so it was that following a rumoured conflict between the organisers of the Pentaport festival, previously one of South Korea’s most anticipated music events, a new child of music was born. Parented by a faction of ex-Pentaport organisers the infant Jinsan Valley Festival came screaming into this world drenched in the glory of Rock and Roll stardom.

The Jisan Valley Rock Festival had its first birthday on the weekend starting July 24, 2009, the same weekend as its older sibling. The Jinsan Festival boasted an intimidating international line up including Fall out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, Weezer, Bassment Jaxx, Patti Smith and, the glowing cherry on this scrumptious birthday cake, Oasis. Complementing the international big hitters was a well rounded entourage of much loved Korean favourites such as Deli Spice, Lee Han-chul and the Run Run Runaways, Sister’s Barber Shop, Windy City, Crying Nut, Priscilla Ahn and the Kim Chang-wan Band. As a final treat festival goers where treated to the thumping beats and driving bass lines that filled the late night Electric Session on the Green Stage. The festival’s success in attracting such an impressive line-up hosted on two huge stages in such a beautiful and uncharacteristically well equipped and accessible venue saw crowd sizes swell to over 50 000 at their peak.

"Jisan Valley Rock Festival 2009"

In contrast to the mud-floored “heavier” Pentaport festival Jinsan Valley Rock Festival sported a ‘Green’, ‘peace, nature and music’ orientation reminiscent of the psychedelic ‘hippy’ festivals of America’s 60s which spawned the festival generations. Ex-Pentaport attendees praised the relaxed vibe of Jinsan and being able to dance on grass floors while appreciating the beauty of the outstanding location. The Jinsan Ski resort had ample amenities including everything from clean modern western toilets and hot showers to a swimming pool and a Loteria in their dining hall. There was enough space for the majority of campers and plenty of cold beer to keep spirits high. Jinsan Festival succeeded unusually well in keeping fans clean and comfortable. The two stages boasted an impressive amount of wattage and the Big Top main stage was inspiring in its enormity. The Green Stage – which hosted some of the more relaxed groups as well as Korean headliners and the electric sessions – offered a break from the sun and made sure that there was always somewhere for good music to be enjoyed.

"Jisan Valley Rock Festival 2009"

Day 1

The festival opened on Friday and although the Seoul Times team was unfortunately unable to attend the first day festival goers that did assured us that it was a great success. “The day started of slow but the air gradually filled with anticipation. When Jimmy Eat World came onto stage at four thirty the anticipation cracked and the crowd was jumping and partying all the way through Jimmy Eat World, Fall Out Boy and the Crying Nut. Weezer was amazing, I didn’t know them much before but it was obvious that they where a big name from overseas and they didn’t disappoint – we loved it”, Susan a veteran festival goer claimed.

Another festival lover, Hwang-Shi, told us that “the dance floor was pretty packed since Jimmy Eat World came on stage and by the time Weezer was playing everyone was going wild, it was a great show and the party still hasn’t stopped. People have been having fun all through the night; it feels like it will never stop.”

Day 2

Saturday was arguably the most complete day of the festival. The majority of festival goers had arrived by the mid-hours of the day to join the die hards who intended on seeing out the full three days. With another full day of music to look forward to as well as Oasis playing on Sunday night it was unlikely that too many people would be leaving before sunrise. As a result bands where able to enjoy packed dance floors. The party went late into the night at the Green stage electric session, which featured Diesel Boy – a UK drum and bass veteran.

With the festival atmosphere in full swing the emphatic energy of music lovers became apparent on bouncing dance floors as early as 14:30 when Lee Houn Choul and the Run Run Runaways arrived at the Big-Top stage. With his fun-loving demeanour and cultured brand of electro-jazz-latin-rock the widely loved Korean master whipped the crowd up into a swaying mass of gleeful sing-a-long fans.

To add some variety into the mix Lee Houn was followed by the veteran technical rocking of the New Zealand group Human Instinct. Their Old-School prowess and impassioned performance kept smiles on appreciative faces.

Hongdae heroes, Deli-Spice and the Kim-Chang Wan Band delighted the local crowd with their modern Korean rock. Kim, who is a legend of Korean rock and a soap opera actor saw his crowd “go mad” as one fan said it. They capped of the mid-afternoon Big-Top line-up and left fans in a jovial and energised move as the crowd made the short march to the Green Stage to watch Windy City, Saturday’s Green Stage headliners.

Windy City was one of the most enjoyable performances of the night. Their funky Reggae added a little bit more variation to the flavour of the festival. With their motto ‘love, power and unity’ and a properly vibrant and precise performance Windy City created one of the most memorable hours on the Green Stage. The crowd was seen bouncing, jumping, singing and forming long human chains that waltzed through the crowd. Every one with a smile on their face the mood was set for the eagerly anticipated upcoming Bassment Jaxx on the Big Top stage.

Bassment Jaxx’s performance may go down as being a bit of a mixed bag. It was evident that some of the fans who had come to appreciate the technical and fluid house music that brought Bassment Jaxx to fame nearly ten years ago where slightly disappointed. One fan claimed that “it was a play, an act not a showcase of their ability in making great house”. And there was no doubt that Bassment Jaxx has come along way since their entry into mainstream music. They put on a true performance, supported by no less than three vocalists and two drummers. The dj-duo put on a show that was as much a visual feast as it was a musical act. They have evolved from a straight Dj performance to become an urban orchestra. As bitter as some of the hard-core house heads may have been it was obvious that the crowd was in awe of Bassment Jaxx’s show. The dance floor was consumed in perhaps its most energised sway of arms and legs.

Day 3

Sunday kicked off with the head-pounding hard rock of ‘Dr.Core 911’ whose shattering guitar riffs and screaming vocals awoke those still sleeping and sent the all-nighters straight into some Korean moshing. The tone for the day had been set and we where all well aware that Jisan had much to offer before the night was out. In anticipation of Oasis the crowd steadily grew throughout the day to reach the concerts peak of 52000 by the time Oasis was on stage. While Jisan bloated her belly on this constant influx of fans the fans would, for the first time, have to queue for food and drinks to fill theirs as even the mighty Jisan Ski resort struggled to contain the mass of people.

One of the Key acts for the day was the much anticipated Patti Smith. With her roots stretching all the way back to the Punk-Rock era the Grandmother of Rock was able to put on a wise, cultured and still breathtakingly impassioned performance. Her unapologetic message against nuclear armament and war seemed to ring deep amidst the adoring crowd. Contained within songs such as ‘The People have the Power’ and the almost dangerously miss-interpretable ‘Rock and Roll Nigger’ Patti Smith spoke directly to the concert’s Green and peace loving feel. Her final declaration that the guitar - music, is the only weapon we need sent the crowd into an uproar of applause.

Following hot on the heels of Patti Smith was the popular New Zealand group Jet who played a host of commonly heard songs and opened the flood gates of positive emotion and energy as the rounded up the afternoon Big-Top line up.

In anticipation of the arrival of Oasis at the Big-Top the Green Stage closed its line up with the beautiful voice of Priscilla Ahn followed by Sister’s Barber shop who rose to glory in the bars and clubs of Hongdae. Although the dance floor at Green Stage was typically more relaxed than at the Big-Top the excitement in the air was palpable as thousands of fans squeezed under the Green Stage tent to listen to these popular musicians.

By the time Oasis came to stage the crowds at Jisan had reached their peak. With no-one going to miss Oasis the lawns outside Big-Top where covered in an immense mass heads and smiling faces. In typical Oasis style their performance lacked the energy of some of the preceding groups. It was hard to shake the feeling that Oasis where not that excited to be playing songs such as ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘Champagne Supernova’ for what must by now be at least the thousandth time. Indeed Liam Gallagher’s claim that he did not know the name of the festival he was busy headlining and his remark ‘Let’s play it again’ before their close with a cover of the Beatle’s ‘I am the Walrus’ did seem to hint at some degree of real or feigned apathy. Although their may have been some absence of emotion from Oasis this was definitely none from the crowd who sang the majority of the performance alongside the British rock icons.