Pentaport Rock Festival to hit Incheon in August

Incheon is in for a wave of rock nostalgia in August with the annual Pentaport festival bringing in some legendary names this year.

Slated to take place on Aug. 4-6 at Moonlight Festival Park in Songdo district, 2023 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival is set to be headlined by several long-celebrated bands over its three-day run.

The first day will be led by Japanese punk rockers Ellegarden, which recently ended its 16-year hiatus with a reunion album and a national tour in Japan. Ellegarden will be joined by 16 other leading acts of various rock genres, including Kim Yoon-ah of Jaurim, Chang Kiha of Kiha & The Faces, No Brain, the Volunteers, Loren and George.

Legendary American rock band the Strokes is making its glorious return to Pentaport as the second day headliner. The group took the stage at Pentaport's inaugural 2006 show, which also marked the five-piece's first gig here. The rest of the day will feature 15 more performers, including the Black Skirt, Ride, Method, Silica Gel, Lee Seung-yoon, Jambina and 250.

Kim Chang-wan Band, led by veteran rocker and actor Kim Chang-wan, will front the final day. Fourteen other popular singers and bands, including Se So Neon, Ginger Root, Cherry Filter, Kwon Jin-ah, Nerd Connection, Damons Year, Leenalchi and Car the Garden will also perform.

Other overseas artists taking part this year include Kirinji, Otoboke Beaver, Hitsujibungaku and Wendy Wander.

The festival will run through the day until around midnight, with the lineup divided into four stages on each day -- KB Kookmin Card Starship stage, Incheon Airport stage, Musinsa stage and Midnight stage.

Now in its 18th year, Pentaport, organized by Incheon Metropolitan Government, has grown into one of the biggest summer music blowouts in Korea and is considered to have started the large-scale music festival scene here.

It was held online for two years between 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic and returned to its in-person format last summer.

"We're grateful for all the support from the audiences and will give our best to return with another epic stage this summer," the organizer said in a recent press statement.

More details can be found on the event's official website and social media.