By John Redmond
The Haebangchon Music Festival kicks off this year’s fall edition Saturday at 1 p.m. at venues located in Haebangchon and Itaewon.
With the weather turning noticeably chillier, organizers, performers and audiences are gearing up for an indoor only festival.
Comprising of over 50 acts that range from comedy and rock bands to folk musicians and traditional Korean performing arts, the twice-a-year festival has over the past five years grown to embrace both local and expat artists.
Always expanding, the festival is a local neighborhood initiative guided by Lance Reegan-Diehl, an internationally acclaimed musician who has been the central organizer since day one.
One noticeable change to this festival is that no performances will be held outdoors. All performers and spectators are asked to remain in designated venues as the main street is a major bus route.
“This year we’re trying to keep people off the streets as we are trying to keep noise levels down,” he said.
There are also traffic concerns. So far no serious incidents regarding traffic have been reported, and organizers want to keep it that way.
The festival is considered a "gift" from the local businesses who want to thank their regular customers and also invite other people, who normally wouldn't venture down from Itaewon, to sample the delights offered in "Liberation Village."
With still warm weather and good music going on all day, the festival has quickly become one of the most anticipated events on the fall music calendar.
When it first started back in the summer of 2006, the festival pulled together around twenty bands in three bars, some of whom are still on the bill for this Fall festival.
The three bars ― Phillies, Orange Tree and Ssen (now defunct) ― have been joined by the VFW (2007), Jakoby's and HBC Cafe (both 2009), the newest venue to, give patrons a great diversity of choice.
The list of performers is always changing and this year is no exception. There are always new acts and new faces and this is what makes HBC Fest special.
Reading the lineup, there are many new acts, while a lot of others have played at least once, and some have come back to play in new or different bands, or on their own as solo musicians.
As people come and go, the festival constantly seeks to find new talent.
The festival's influence is now spreading to embrace bars special rock venues. Itaewon bars, Rocky Mountain Tavern and Stompers, are also taking part by hosting bands that will have played at the festival during the day.
The venues are: Phillies, HBC Cafe, Jacoby's, VFW, Orange Tree, Le Verte, Rocky Mountain Tavern and Ole Stompers.
Copies of the "HBCF Live 2010" CD recorded at this year’s spring festival will be on sale along with a commemorative t-shirt.
For full band lineup, list of venues and directions, visit HBCFest.com