'Open Stage' offers outlet for acoustic music in Itaewon
.jpg?w=728)
Michelle and Yvon Malenfant pose at “Open Night” at The Alley gastropub in Itaewon, Seoul, May 14. / Courtesy of Yvon Malenfant
By David Keelaghan
Seoul’s burgeoning live music scene has another venue with “Open Stage” at The Alley gastropub in Itaewon providing a new outlet for acoustic performers and fans.
Taking place each Thursday from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., Open Stage is run by husband and wife duo Yvon and Michelle Malenfant.
“It’s an acoustic stage and we had our first night on May 14. We had seven performers the opening night and a pretty good crowd so we’re happy with it so far,” said chief organizer Yvon Malenfant.
Originally from New Brunswick, Canada, the musician first came to Korea in 1997 and currently lectures at the University of Suwon. For him, the decision to promote his own night was not a difficult one to make.
“Park Jin-seong is the owner of The Alley so my wife and I got together with him and thought an acoustic night would be a good idea. Because it’s an acoustic night, it’s mostly guitars and people singing; bass guitar is the only electric instrument we allow. The music is not karaoke style but more singer/songwriter: Damien Rice, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, that kind of thing,” he said.
“Back in 1997 when I first arrived, there was not a lot of live music in Seoul and what there was wasn’t as organized as it is today. It was a rough couple of years after the financial crisis and a lot of businesses and venues closed down. Now Seoul is a great place for music. There’s a real community here and you can see that during the Haebangchon festival,” he added.
Part of the group “A Couple Cents Flat” that performed at the 10th anniversary of the Haebangchon Festival this past weekend, Yvon Malenfant believes that the Seoul music scene has flourished during his almost three decades here.
This coming Thursday will see the latest Open Stage at The Alley and its founder is hoping for another busy evening. It is his ambition that the venue can become a fertile breeding ground for Seoul’s future performers and acts.
“It’s a good place for them to come and play songs they have written and try them out in front of an audience. They can jam with other people and experiment. Maybe they end up forming a band. We hope we can be a catalyst for the music community in Seoul. ”
David Keelaghan is a freelance writer from Ireland
based in Seoul. He works with The Korea
Times. You can contact him at
https://twitter.com/davidkeelaghan, or
https://bulmerhobson.wordpress.com.