Foreign musicians invited to perform in Songdo
By John Redmond
From a population free city center to a bustling market and pop concert, Songdo “Good Market” day is a unique experience.
Songdo International Business District, the largest private real estate development in history, hosts a monthly event in an atmosphere that one can only describe as different.
One Saturday every month, foreign musicians are asked to be a part of a music concert, an entertainment extension of Good Market in Songdo near Incheon.
The ultramodern design and architecture of this brand new city, coupled with a complete absence of people, make walking through the wide deserted streets feel like being on a large, post-apocalyptic, deserted, film set.
“It feels like being in ’28 Days Later,’” said Josh van Winkle, percussionist member of Different Gravy, of the feeling of isolation last Saturday.
With the exception of the cars parked at the venue and along a stretch of buildings called Canal Walk, Songdo Central Park area is very quiet.
With the one-meter tall grass and untended vegetation surrounded by huge state of the art glass buildings (some connected by artificial streams) and occasional aircraft warning lights flickering, this writer likened it more to “I am Legend” with better architecture and state of the art infrastructure.
The concert, filmed live for network OBS, however, was a complete contrast.
Held in a parking lot next to Canal Walk ― a complex of buildings joined by a man-made canal that runs through ground floor level ― the “Sunset Concert” was an event to promote winners of a hit TV talent show.
It is also part of the Good Market, a street market held monthly.
As part of the concert, organizers stress the need to showcase foreign musicians at every event.
The guest act at this month’s show was the group Different Gravy, fronted by Ben Akers.
Akers has been in Korea since July 2006 having worked in mortgages and secured loans while in England. He arrived in Osan City, Gyeonggi Province with the aim of seeing more of the world.
“I decided I wanted to travel but, knew I had to keep earning. I looked into teaching in many different countries ― China, Japan, Poland, Thailand, Turkey ― but Korea was the place that I knew least about and was the place that intrigued me the most,” Akers told The Korea Times.
As a keen musician, it was also a chance for him to explore the local music scene.
“While I've played guitar and been a singer since my early secondary school years, I didn't get involved in the Seoul music scene until 2008 when I started playing at some open mike events around Sinchon and Mokdong. Things really picked up in 2009 when I met Jisun "G" Lee, Zee Kang and Josh van Winkle. We have a project band called Different Gravy which plays the third Saturday of every month at Beer O'Clock in Sinchon. Also, we try and make it to several open mikes throughout the city. I've been featured as a live act on TBS eFM ‘Steve Hatherly Show’ three times this year so far, including a 1000th live show celebration to be broadcast on Sept. 24.
Like most musicians, Akers would like to pursue his art yet keep it all in perspective.
“I think it's important to stay grounded and enjoy the moment while it lasts. I enjoy playing and singing, so when people want to pay me for my time doing that, I'm more than happy! I would like to record an album of original songs sometime in the new year and see where things can go from there.”
Although only permitted a short set, Different Gravy instantly won the Korean crowd over opening with a stunning rendition of Queens’ “Somebody to Love.” From there it was plain sailing.
Ben Akers can also be seen performing solo at the Orange Tree open session in Haebangchon on Thursday nights starting at 9:30 p.m.
Songdo International Business District (IBD) is a planned international CBD currently under construction on six square kilometers of reclaimed land along Incheon's waterfront, 65 kilometers west of Seoul, and connected to Incheon International Airport by a 12.3 kilometer highway bridge, called Incheon Bridge. Along with Yeongjong and Cheongna, it is part of the Incheon Free Economic Zone.
The nearest subway station to the Good Market site is Central Park, the second last stop on the Incheon line. A shuttle bus runs every 10 minutes from exit 4.