Big names to grace Seoul in 2013

Irish alternative rock band My Bloody Valentine are to perform at Uniqlo-Ax in Seoul on Feb. 3. / Courtesy of Live Nation Korea and Earth Wind & Water

Multi-genre trio The Script are also one of the awaited acts next year, and will perform on March 27.

By Rachel Lee

Lady Gaga, Sir Elton John and Sting graced Korean stages in 2012, and it seems next year will also bring talented musicians from various genres.

Rock

The most awaited act of 2013 may be My Bloody Valentine, an alternative rock band formed in 1983 in Dublin, Ireland. The four-member group will perform in Korea for the first time in February. They are known as part of the shoegazing movement, an alternative rock subgenre that emerged in the United Kingdom in the late 1980s where musicians were fairly static while performing.

Their 1988 album “Isn’t Anything” is generally regarded as one of the most influential records of the period, acting as an important precursor to the early ‘90s shoegazing scene. Their second album “Loveless,” released in 1991, also received critical acclaim around the world.

My Bloody Valentine is to perform at Uniqlo-Ax in Seoul on Feb. 3. For more information, call (02) 332-3277.

The “godmother of punk rock” Patti Smith will also perform in Korea next year. The 66-year-old American singer-songwriter is highly influential in the music industry since debuting in 1975 with the album “Horses.”

Smith, whose hits include “Because the Night,” “Gloria” and “Rock’n’roll Nigger,” is also a painter and poet who was named a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French culture minister in 2005. She is to perform at Uniqlo-Ax on Feb. 2. For more information, call (02) 563-0595.

American singer Adam Lambert will hold concert at the same venue on Feb. 17.

Young spirit

American singer Adam Lambert is one of the big names ready to wow Korean audiences next year with his exceptional voice. The 30-year-old songwriter, coming here for the first time as part of his world tour, became famous after appearing on season eight of “American Idol.” Although he was a runner-up in the show, his 2009 debut album “For Your Entertainment” made it to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and his May studio album “Trespassing” topped the charts with rave reviews around the world.

The set for the Seoul concert will include “Never Close Our Eyes” and “Trespassing” and will be at Uniqlo-Ax on Feb. 17. For more information, call (02) 407-2589.

Multi-genre trio The Script are ready to meet their Korean fans at Uniqlo-Ax March 27. The Irish alternative rock band formed in Dublin in 2001 and are currently based in London. They made their debut in 2008 with the single “We Cry,” and are known for incorporating different styles such as soul, R&B and hip-hop. Their music has also been featured in popular television programs like “Eastenders” and “Made in Chelsea.” Their hits include “For the First Time,” “Nothing” and “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved.”

For more information, call (02) 332-3277.

Other well-known performers heading here next year include Jane Birkin and American rock band Dirty Projectors.

Birkin, called an “Icon of French pop” will play Seoul’s Universal Arts Center on March 30. The 66-year-old English actress/singer lives in France and started her music career after she met French singer Serge Gainbourg (1928-1991). They released the duet “I Love You ... Me Neither” in 1969 that was banned by radio stations in Italy, Spain, and the U.K. for its sexual explicitness. The award-winning actress is to perform some of her biggest hits for fans here. For more information, call (02) 3445-9697.

Enjoy rest of 2012

Although there are only six days left, there is still plenty of live music to choose from this year.

Kim Jun-su, or XIA, from Korean boy group JYJ, is holding a concert from Dec. 29 to 31 at COEX Hall D in southern Seoul. He will collaborate with an orchestra to perform not only his classic ballads but also tracks from musicals he has appeared in such as “Elisabeth.” For more information, call (02) 512-4637.

K-pop ballad singer Sung Si-kyung, known for his soft, sweet voice, will spend the last two days of this year onstage. The “2012 Last Day” concert will be on Dec. 30 and 31 at the Olympic Gymnastic Arena in Olympic Park, Seoul. Other year-end events include ballad singer K.will’s concert on Dec. 25 and 26 at the auditorium at Ewha Womans University; The One’s concert on Dec. 29 at KBS Sports World; rock duo Glen Check’s “New Year’s Eve” concert at the Olympic Hall in Olympic Park Dec. 31; and rock band Guckasten’s “Time After Time” show at Jamsil Students’ Gymnasium on Dec. 30 and 31 in Seoul.

For more information, visit www.playdb.co.kr