[Weekender] Summer music fests to stomp out the heat

Despite grueling temperatures that make going outside seem like an unwanted tax on the body, this summer still has all the makings of an unforgettable season of music festival fun.

Following last month’s two-day EDM blowout Ultra Music Festival, which drew more than 100,000 partygoers, the remaining summer months promise an eclectic array of big-time international acts and fan-favorite local names.

Ansan M Valley Rock Festival

Forced to cancel its festivities last year in light of the tragic sinking of the Sewol Ferry, the annual Ansan M Valley Rock Festival is pulling out all the stops in its hotly anticipated return this summer. This year’s outdoor rock music festival – one of the country’s largest and most popular summer music events – will feature more than 50 international and local acts including main headliners Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, the Chemical Brothers and the Foo Fighters.

Other popular overseas acts slated to perform include: Rudimental, Motorhead, Deadmau5, twentyonepilots and Benjamin Booker. The three-day outdoor music concert series will also highlight local bands Dyanmic Duo, Jang Kiha and the Faces, Idiotape, Guckkasten, Daybreak, Glen Check and many others.

This year’s Ansan M Valley Rock Festival will be held from July 24-26 at the Daebu Sea Breeze Theme Park in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. Ticket prices range from 135,000 won to 234,000 won. Camping options are also available for those who wish to stay at the park. For more information, visit www.valleyrockfestival.mnet.com.

Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival

Rivaling Ansan every year is the another major music fest, the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival. The main stage at this year’s three-day event will be headlined by the Scorpions, Seotaiji and The Prodigy.

Although this year’s event is being headlined by less well-known bands, especially compared to last year’s festival, which brought in Travis and Kasabian, the event will highlight a large number of popular local indie bands including YB, Pia, Monni, 10cm, Next and Thornapple. Other overseas acts that will be highlighted are The Used, Crash, Ego-wrappin and The Cribs.

The 2015 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival will be held Aug. 7-9 at the Pentaport Park in Incheon, with ticket prices ranging from 123,500 won to 260,000 won. Similar to the Ansan Valley festival, camping options are also available. For more information, visit pentaportrock.com. 
 

Wonder Woman Festival

Park Jin-young, one of K-pop music’s most iconic singers and producers and the head of K-pop powerhouse agency JYP Entertainment, will be helming the Wonder Woman Festival.

The two-day festival is geared toward a female audience, featuring acts that are themed toward the visual and auditory desires of women, including performances by Jang Kiha and the Faces, Hyukoh, Sam Kim, Coffee Boy and others. Although the shows are aimed at a female audience, there is no gender restriction.

The outdoor festival will be held on Sept. 19 and 20 on the Floating Stage at the Yeoido Hangang River Park. Tickets to the event are listed at 35,000 won for a one-day pass and 59,000 won for both days. For more information, visit www.wonderwomanfestival.com. 


Someday Music Festival

The newly established Someday Music Festival will gather some of country’s most well-known, non-K-pop acts in one venue for a special two-day outdoor concert in the heart of Seoul.

The upcoming festival’s line-up includes popular hip-hop duo Leessang and upcoming hip-hop solo icon Zion.T, as well as Daybreak, Roy Kim, Wheesung, 10cm, Crush, Billy Acoustie and many others.

The festival will be held at the Nanji Hangang Park in Seoul on Sept. 5 and 6. One-day tickets are listed at 77,000 won with two-day tickets priced at 99,000 won. For more information, call 1544-1813. 

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)