Eyelike: Maroon 5 choose ‘V’ for victorious

Maroon 5 choose ‘V’ for victoriousMaroon 5“V”(Interscope Records)Maroon 5 must have made a pact with the devil to hit this high a ratio of memorable tunes on an album.On the band’s fifth effort, “V,” they pack so many catchy hooks, you’d think they’ve left all pirates in history defenseless. Going through the playlist, it feels like a well thought-out party, mixing the right amount of hip-swaying, eyelash-batting and emotion. Although “Maps” is the lead single, it is the least adventurous and th

Sept. 12, 2014

Korea In Motion Festival offers up to 50% off show tickets

Foreign tourists can enjoy up to 50 percent off on a variety of shows in Korea, including concerts, musicals, dance performances and plays during their stay. The Korea In Motion Festival, organized by the Korea Tourism Organization, is offering 20 percent to 50 percent discounts on tickets until Oct. 5.  The dance troupe of “Bibap” performs in front of Myeongdong Theater in Seoul. (Korea In Motion Festival)Popular nonverbal dance performances including “Nanta,” “Jump” and “Bibap” are participati

Sept. 12, 2014

Gwangju Biennale: Burn, destruct and rebuild

GWANGJU ― Gwangju Biennale square clearly represents the theme of the event’s 10th run this year. The large square in front of the exhibition hall displays two large cast-iron stoves by Sterling Ruby, which emit a wood-burning smell and gray smoke. Rock music is heard from a distance ― the 1983 hit-single “Burning Down the House” by U.S. rock band Talking Heads, from which this year’s biennale borrows its title. A huge octopus breaks out of the wall of the biennale exhibition hall in a banner pa

Sept. 11, 2014

Musical all-stars take up McCartney in new album

NEW YORK (AFP) ― Bob Dylan, B.B. King and The Cure have all been covered extensively in their own right, but the artists have come together to interpret a giant ― Paul McCartney.On a new album that is striking for the caliber of performers, McCartney’s longtime back-up band entered the studio with leading acts who covered favorite songs by the former Beatle.“The Art of McCartney,” to be released on Nov. 17, will feature 42 songs from The Beatles or the songwriter’s solo career, an announcement s

Sept. 11, 2014

No surprise the surprise U2 album shines

Everything about U2’s new album is unexpected. Like it’s very existence, for one, after the Irish rock band dropped it on iTunes users Tuesday in a surprise move. Then there’s its intriguingly narrow and personal scope. And its playful musical adventurousness, which amounts to a smooth shifting of gears over variable terrain on a road course as the group works through songs inspired by things that seemingly have little do with each other. Each, however, is an experience from youth and young manh

Sept. 10, 2014

Jeff Bernat returning to Seoul for concerts

Up-and-coming R&B singer-songwriter and producer Jeff Bernat is making his way back to Korea with a special three-day concert series to be held in Seoul next month. Bernat is slated to perform three live shows on Oct. 17-19 at the Lotte Card Art Center. This will be the artist’s second time to Seoul this year after performing a sold-out show at Uniqlo AX Hall earlier in January. The 24-year-old artist from Reno, Nevada, is slowly starting to gain recognition as a soulful R&B artist and has garne

Sept. 10, 2014

Fab 50th: Friends say 1964 Beatles concert changed their lives

BALTIMORE ― It was important to look your best. After all, The Beatles were in town.For four 15-year-old girls preparing to head into downtown Baltimore for a rock concert, such matters were vital. Who knew what could happen?“In my mind, I thought for sure that Paul’s gonna love me, he’s gonna see me ― in my little-girl fantasies, he’ll know that eventually he’ll marry me,” explains Judy Comotto, now 65 and recently retired from running the continuing education program at Roland Park Country Sch

Sept. 10, 2014

Eyelike: R&B singer Tank unbalanced on ‘Stronger’

R&B singer Tank unbalanced on ‘Stronger’Tank“Stronger”(Atlantic Records)Tank made a mark in R&B over the years for earnestly pouring his heart out on ballads such as “Maybe I Deserve” and “Please Don’t Go,” as well as writing songs for Jamie Foxx, Aaliyah and others.Showing passion is Tank’s strong suit, but the singer lacks some of that fervor on his latest release, “Stronger.” He sounds like a different version of himself on the first half of his sixth album, and that’s not a good thing. On th

Sept. 5, 2014

Enjoy traditional Chuseok at Namsangol

Poster for “Five Noblemen’s Harvest Feast.” (Namsangol Hanok Village)For those wanting to enjoy a traditional Chuseok holiday feast, Namsangol Hanok Village at the foot of Mount Namsan in Seoul is holding a two-day festival. The village consists of five hanok (traditional Korean houses) of the Joseon era (1392-1910).Titled “Five Nobleman’s Harvest Feast,” the event showcases a traditional Chuseok feast at yangban (nobles) residence Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Highlights of the feas

Sept. 5, 2014

(Photo News) EunB’s funeral

A mourner carries a picture of EunB of the K-pop girl group Ladies’ Code during her funeral service at Korea University Hospital, Seoul, Friday. EunB, whose real name is Koh Eun-bi, died in a car crash on Wednesday. She was 22. (Yonhap)

Sept. 5, 2014

Gugak in new forms and styles

Efforts to popularize gugak, traditional Korean music, are everywhere. At almost every palace or historic site, there is almost always some kind of free gugak concert. Young gugak musicians are churning out a new style of gugak, chasing their respective ideas of mixing the old and new or the East and West. Some of their music is categorized as a genre called “fusion gugak.”When it comes to quality concerts with a broad appeal, however, the traditional genre seems to be in short supply. Against t

Sept. 2, 2014

Festival to bring finest wind bands to Korea

A weeklong festival of wind music will take place next week, bringing together some of the world’s finest musicians in the field, such as German Brass. Set for Sept 12-18, the 5th Korea International Wind Band Festival is a combination of free and joyful outdoor events taking place at various venues in Seoul and surrounding cities and a series of high-quality concerts at Seoul Arts Center, for which tickets must be purchased. “Many people dismiss wind music as something like a cliche soundtrack

Sept. 1, 2014

Made in America music fest rocks L.A.

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Thousands flocked to downtown Los Angeles’ inaugural outdoor music festival Saturday despite concerns from residents about possible security and traffic issues. The Budweiser Made in America concert, which featured three large stages dotting Grand Park in front of City Hall, kicked off under a blazing sun and thumping beats. The event marks the West Coast expansion of the two-day festival that rap mogul Jay Z launched in Philadelphia in 2012. Mayor Eric Garcetti has championed

Aug. 31, 2014

Eyelike: ‘Smokey & Friends’ duets nice, not vital

‘Smokey & Friends’ duets nice, not vitalSmokey Robinson“Smokey & Friends”(Verve Music Group) Smokey Robinson doesn’t want to be a relic and that‘s understandable. He deserves for people to know his role as a chief architect of the Motown Sound and bard of the American romantic songbook, while remaining a vital, inspiring voice today.Therein lay the catalyst and challenge of “Smokey & Friends,” which finds him pairing with artists young and old on classics he composed, performed or both. Some due

Aug. 29, 2014