Jisan Valley Rock Festival Preview

By Rachel Redfern

Every summer, Westerners sweat through the heat while listening to grunge and punk, folk and experimental, in the standard sounds of a local rock festival. However, many of the music festivals in the West often feature only Western bands, rarely having the resources to invite distinctive international bands. Music lovers in Korea, therefore, have a unique opportunity to experience a variety of styles, Korean and Western, as well as some exciting fusion music, at the 2012 Jisan Valley Rock Festival.

The Jisan Valley Rock Festival is held annually at the Jisan Valley Ski Resort in Incheon, and runs from July 27 to July 29. The festival is only in its fourth year, but as a spin-off from the Japanese Fuji Rock Festival, it’s already gained a good reputation and featured some big name artists in the past: Muse, Weezer, Patti Smith, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, Belle and Sebastian, and Incubus, just to name a few.

Bands from America, England, Korea, and Japan will be performing at this year’s festival, many of which have pushed themselves through the competitive and corporate-controlled Korean music scene, a musical environment that most notably features only the indomitable, and occasionally overwhelming, K-pop. The developing counterculture here in Korea is still young, but many of these bands have pounded out a voice for themselves, blending a variety of music styles, many with lyrics in both Korean and English or Japanese.

This year’s festival line-up is impressive, featuring Radiohead, James Blake, the Stone Roses, Motion City Soundtrack, Los Lonely Boys, Owl City, Elvis Costello and the Imposters, the Japanese rock band SpyAir, the electronic rock of Japanese band Boom Boom Satellites, hardcore Korean rock band 13 Steps (13 스텝스), Korean punk Yellow Monsters, indie Korean band Achime, funk rock Korean band Black Bag, and dozens of other Korean and Japanese punk, hardcore, dance, indie, and folk bands.

Tickets are 225,000 won for a three-day pass and 140,000 won for a single-day pass (if you purchase the day of); however, there is an early bird special for those who book in advance –  a 130,000 won day pass if you purchase before the day of the event. Bear in mind, though, that only 3,000 tickets are available per day, so it would probably best to purchase in advance.

Camping is available at the festival site and is the most common form of accommodation, though it’s only for attendees with a three-day pass. Campsites may be purchased the day of, but there is no guarantee that one will be vacant. The festival has also made an effort to maintain a low impact on the local environment, so campsites, fires, and outside food are strictly regulated.

The festival website does have English and Japanese information and features a comprehensive list of all performers along with musical samples of the bands’ most popular songs. However, transportation information, ticket purchase, and accommodation information is mostly in Korean.

The festival’s goal is to encourage a rich and diverse music scene, one that blends all the fascinating sounds of experimental Eastern pop with the heavy resonances of Western rock. Instead of escaping the heat at an overcrowded water park, try immersing yourself in the excitement and aural stimulation of this year’s Jisan Rock Festival.