LONDON (AFP) ― Paul McCartney rounded off a fireworks-filled concert outside Buckingham Palace on Monday, where hundreds of thousands of people partied to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond jubilee.The Beatles star closed the show in style with a blazing rendition of “Live And Let Die” and a mass singalong of “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” as revellers turned the heart of London into a sea of Union Jack flags.Prince Charles then gave a touching tribute to his “mummy” and led the giant crowd in sending

Korean artists offer diverse musical genres such as Brazilian bossa nova, Irish folk and Jamaican reggaeBreaking the cultural barrier and giving up on potential fame, some indie bands and soloists here are bringing diverse musical genres from different parts of the world to Korea where K-pop culture predominates. For singer songwriter Na Hee-kyung, one of the Korean artists pursing world music, Brazilian bossa nova was something that made her heart beat. “I first learned about the word ‘world mu

Australian production receives standing ovation for the first Seoul show Some 1,700 people, many dressed in “witch-like” green and black, packed Seoul’s major musical theater venue on Thursday night. The huge crowd was in attendance of the opening night of “Wicked” in Seoul, one of the most highly anticipated musicals this year. The show is another ambitious project by musical production house Seol & Company, who has brought other foreign masterpieces to Korea, including “The Phantom of the Oper

Summer kicks off with multitude of music festivals around the countryNothing says summer in Korea like a music festival, and there is certainly no shortage of music events to attend. From rock, to indie, to electronic there is something for everyone ― no matter where you are located in the country.Kicking off this year’s run of festivals is the Rainbow Island Music and Camping festival on Nami Island from June 9-10. Headlining are American singer-songwriters Jason Mraz and Christina Perri.Other

Theater“La Cage aux Folles”: Award-winning musical star Jung Sung-hwa (“Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Hero: the Musical”) is returning as a gay man in the first Korean run of the 1983 Broadway musical “La Cage aux Folles.” The six-time Tony Award-winning musical pivots around the story of gay couple Georges, who owns a nightclub called “La Cage aux Folles,” and Albin, the star drag queen of his partner’s club. Its plot develops as Jean-Michel, Georges’ son from an affair with a woman some 20 years

Spektor charms despite missteps on new CDRegina Spektor “What We Saw from the Cheap Seats” (Sire/Warner)From the opening moment of “What We Saw from the Cheap Seats,” Regina Spektor enchants. On the first song, “Small Town Moon,” her beautiful vocal range is buoyed by rock-heavy interludes and coupled with uplifting lyrics that give the song a surprising amount of depth.But there are a couple of missteps that momentarily detract from the album, on which she mines emotional territory covering lov

U.S. star to kick off world tour in Korea’s Busan, Nami IslandU.S. singer-songwriter Jason Mraz has chosen Korea to kick off his world tour this year, joining a growing number of world stars including Lady Gaga, who launch their concert tours or world premieres here. Indeed, Korea has long been considered a test-bed for foreign artists and companies making inroads into Asia. Yet, Mraz says he’s coming to Korea first because he found something very special about the audience.“Every time I played

25-year-old pianist explores the life of Beethoven by recording his 30 sonatas in a debut albumThe country’s classical music scene was surprised at first when EMI Classics, a major record label, signed an exclusive recording contract with young pianist Lim Hyun-jeong, a first for a Korean artist since pianist Lim Dong-hyek did so 10 years ago.Lim, now backed by the full-fledged support from the international recording company, demonstrated her idiosyncratic interpretation of classical music in S

For those who reminisce on the good old ’70s and ’80s, a festival sure to conjure up old memories and exhibit the culture of the time is to be held next month. The music festival “Arirang Fest,” themed around the music of the ’70s and ’80s and makgeolli, one of Korea’s favorite alcoholic beverages, will be held for the first time from June 8-10 at Kintex in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province.  Well-known singers and bands from the era, including rock singer Kim Jong-seo, band Love and Peace and six other

Justin Bieber carries Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s title belts into the ring, May 5, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP)Pop singer Justin Bieber is being investigated for battery after allegedly hitting a paparazzo who tried to take pictures of him, California authorities said.The incident happened Sunday afternoon outside the Calabasas mall The Commons, TMZ.com reported.Police said Bieber and his girlfriend Selen

Versatile classical music artist Caroline Fischer says she wishes to collaborate with K-pop starsFor Caroline Fischer, an acclaimed pianist born to a Korean mother and a German father, being biracial is something she feels proud of. The classical musician has been travelling around the world promoting the cultures of both countries and, more importantly, bridging them. “I am very proud of being Korean and German and I’m glad that I can represent both countries,” Fischer told The Korea Herald on