Girls’ Generation Impresses Fans With First ConcertBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Amid the shouting fans and pink glow sticks, this year’s hottest girl band, Girls’ Generation, rocked the stage at their first concert Sunday night at the Fencing Stadium, Olympic Park. The nine-member band, comprised of Yoo-na, Soo-young, Hyo-yeon, Yu-ri, Tae-yeon, Jessica, Tiffany, Sunny and Seo-hyun, heated up the 6,000 seat venue from start to finish, without showing a moment of hesitance during their constant singing and dancing. The group launched its Asia tour in Seoul with the two-day concert titled ``Into the New World’’ and proved once again that they were indeed one of the best idol bands in the country. The show started off with the girls dressed in white, angelic outfits, complete with white thigh-high boots, singing their hit number ``Genie.’’ The group offered most of its songs, but that didn’t stop the girls from performing at their best. Before the concert, the group’s 20-year-old leader, Tae-yeon, told the press that she was worried whether they would be able to fill all the seats, but it seemed the young singer waDec 21, 2009
Jackiw Makes Recording Debut With BrahmsBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter To perform Brahms' violin sonatas, the ability to paint polychromatic forms is vital, as well as having the musical maturity and depth that can convincingly depict the old man's nostalgic musings on life. Case in point, violin virtuoso Sarah Chang only recently showcased Brahms during what has been a 20-year career. So when the 24-year-old Stefan Jackiw chose the sonatas for his recording debut (under the Sony Classical label with veteran producer Steven Epstein), one had to wonder how he would tackle the pieces. ``The third sonata I just played is a dark, fiery work; the first is introspective, nostalgic; the second is open-hearted and very loving. It's an interesting and contrasting set,'' Jackiw told reporters in Seoul, Tuesday, about his reasons for choosing Brahms. He had already demonstrated his talent through solos with local orchestras and with the explosively popular chamber ensemble Ditto. But how did he attempt to depict an old man's spiritual struggle to grow ``anxious flowers'' ― harnessing one's gifts to artistic ends, just asDec 15, 2009
D’Sound Has New Album, ConcertBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Norwegian pop group D'Sound will perform in Seoul Saturday, with a new album ―``Starts and Ends'' ― but one less member. In an e-mail interview with The Korea Times, D'Sound's Simone and Jonny Sjo talked about their sixth album, their first effort as a duo after original member Kim left. ``Starts and Ends is maybe the most important D'Sound album ever. It is very energetic and more inspired by pop and rock than our previous records. Some of the songs are retrospective and there is quite a lot of melancholy,'' they said. They started working on the album as a trio, but Kim dropped out during production. However, Simone and Jonny decided to continue work with producer Jorn Dahl, as they felt very strongly about the material. After losing Kim, D'Sound admitted it was strange to be working as a duo at first. But they were able to adjust quickly, as Simone and Jonny had done most of the songwriting in the past. ``There is a natural rhythm between us and it felt only natural to go on. We felt so excited about the new songs,'' Dec 15, 2009
Album ReviewsRihanna `Rated R' (Universal Music Korea) Pop singer Rihanna goes for a darker sound with her new album ``Rated R.'' It is not so surprising after all, in light of the assault she experienced at the hands of her then-boyfriend Chris Brown earlier this year. The ``love gone wrong'' theme runs through most of the songs, and the singer uses the album to tell the world just what she feels about the whole experience. Rihanna sings about being a victim in the ballads ``Russian Roulette'' and ``Stupid in Love,'' how she's nursing a broken heart in ``Photographs'' (featuring will.i.am) and having regrets in ``Cold Case Love'' (co-written by Justin Timberlake). There's not many dance songs that people have come to expect from her, but she does do a bit of dance hall with ``Te Amo'' and rock with guitarist Slash on ``Rockstar 101.'' ―Cathy Rose A. Garcia Queen `Absolute Greatest' (Warner Music Korea) Legendary rock band Queen is often considered one of the greatest British rock bands in history. Composed of flamboyant lead singer Freddie Mercury (who died in 1991), guitDec 15, 2009
Guns N’ Roses Keeps Seoul Fans WaitingBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Guns N' Roses, one of the most popular rock bands of the '80s, finally made it to Seoul for the first time in their 24-year career. But it seemed the American rockers wanted to keep their fans on edge a little longer, hitting the stage Sunday evening two-and-a-half hours after the original 7 p.m. start time. Around 6,000 fans, according to estimates by concert organizer Access Entertainment, flocked to the Olympic Gymnasium, Olympic Park, southern Seoul. Most expected the show to start on time at 7 p.m., but organizers informed the crowd at the venue that Guns N' Roses had requested to start the show later. No specific time or explanation was given. Korean band GUMX valiantly tried to pump up the crowd's energy as they performed three songs. At 9:30 p.m., the lights dimmed and a Leonard Cohen song played on the speakers. Finally, Guns N' Roses appeared on stage, with fireworks and vibrant visuals, to perform ``Chinese Democracy.'' Axl Rose, the lead singer and only remaining original member, came out to show that he still hDec 14, 2009
New Albums Bring Christmas CheerBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Christmas is just around the corner, and if you haven't been feeling the holiday spirit, then maybe it's time to pick up a Christmas album. Established artists like Bob Dylan and Barry Manilow, along with rising pop singer David Archuleta are giving a fresh take on Christmas carols. Classic Christmas albums by Nat King Cole, Placido Domingo and Leonard Bernstein are also being re-released in time for the holiday season. Dylan caused a stir when he decided to release his first Christmas album in his 46 year career. The rock icon, more known for his cynical tunes than cheerful carols, will give the proceeds from the album to charity. Dylan's ``Christmas In The Heart'' is straightforwardly nostalgic, from the traditional cover featuring a horse-driven sleigh to the selection of songs. At first it sounds disconcerting to hear him sing about Santa Claus, snowflakes, angels, drummer boys and winter wonderlands, but there's a touch of warmth in the songs. His croaky voice sounds sincere enough in ``The Christmas Blues'' and ``I'll Dec 13, 2009
Album ReviewsLady Gaga `Fame Monster' (Universal Music Korea) Pop star Lady Gaga, often described as this generation's Madonna, has come out with new material on this double disc ``The Fame Monster.'' The first disc offers seven new songs, including the much-hyped ``Telephone'' with Beyonce. She solidifies her disco diva reputation with ``Bad Romance'' and ``Money Honey'' while experimenting with a different sound in ``Teeth.'' Gaga, whose name was taken from Queen's Radio Gaga, does a pretty good imitation of the legendary band in the soaring ``Speechless.'' The second disc features songs from her debut album ``The Fame,'' plus two bonus tracks ``Disco Heaven'' and ``Retro Dance Freak.'' Overall, it's a great album to have on when you're getting ready to hit the clubs. ―Cathy Rose A. Garcia Leona Lewis `Echo' (SonyBMG) There were high expectations for Leona Lewis's new album ``Echo,'' the follow-up to the chart-topping ``Spirit'' (the fastest selling debut by any artist in the U.K.). The British singer, who won the TV talent show X-Factor, fills the album mostly withDec 8, 2009
Muse to Return in JanuaryBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter The year 2010 will get off to a rocking start when British rock group Muse returns to Seoul for a long-awaited concert in early January. ``Muse: The Resistance Tour in Seoul'' will be staged Jan. 7 at the Olympic Gym #1, Olympic Park, southern Seoul. It has been three years since Muse, one of the most popular British rock groups among Korean fans, last performed here in 2007. They held a sold-out concert in February 2007, and came back for the Pentaport Rock Festival in July 2007. Composed of Matthew Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard, the band is best known for the hits ``Time is Running Out,'' ``Knights of Cydonia,'' ``Starlight'' and ``Supermassive Black Hole.'' Muse became known for their distinctive blend of rock, electronica and metal. Their first album ``Showbiz'' was released in 1999, followed by ``Origin of Symmetry," ``Absolution" and ``Black Holes and Revelations." Muse also quickly earned a reputation as one of the U.K.'s most exciting live rock bands. They were named ``Best Live Act" at the BritDec 8, 2009
Eric Benet Talks About Love & LifeBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter R&B singer Eric Benet is thrilled to be heading to Seoul for his first solo show next weekend. ``I can tell that the Koreans are very anxious to see me perform, so you guys must be feeling my music. It makes me even more excited to come and reciprocate that excitement. What you can expect is a whole lot of positive emotion, a whole lot of feeling good and experiencing Eric Benet at his very best,'' he said, in an e-mail interview with The Korea Times. Fans quickly snapped up tickets for the concert, which will take place at Yonsei University Auditorium, Dec. 19. Benet is one of most popular R&B musicians among Korean fans because of his soulful vocals and romantic songs: ``You're The Only One," ``Chocolate Legs" and ``Spend My Life with You." His latest effort, ``Love & Life,'' which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B album, showed Benet's more optimistic side. ``With `Love & Life,' I guess I want to say that life is worthy to be celebrated, to be enjoyed and whenever there is a challenge in your life, keep love aDec 7, 2009
Sarah Chang Aims to Cast Off Prodigy LabelBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter The world never forgot the sight of an eight-year-old girl playing her quarter-sized violin opposite the New York Philharmonic. Twenty years later, Sarah Chang is still best known as a child prodigy, but after turning 28 on Thursday, she celebrates her 20th anniversary on stage through a rite of passage of sorts ― Brahms. ``I didn't realize that it's been 20 years since I made my official debut when I was eight. I'm still young and the child prodigy label still sticks around so I don't really feel it. I made my first recording with EMI when I was nine, so it's been almost 20 years with the company as well, and I'm very grateful,'' Chang told reporters in a press conference in Seoul, Monday, looking chic in a black dress. She would however like to break away from the child prodigy tag. ``I tried for the past 15 years but it still stuck; it's been 20 years and I give up,'' she said. ``It's not a bad label, but, though it may have helped when I was little, I wish to be regarded as an equal among my musical colleagues. One day, I hope to be knDec 7, 2009