French rock band brings renegade sound to Korea

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

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Sun, October 1, 2023 | 05:42

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French rock band brings renegade sound to Korea

Posted : 2022-06-14 14:39

Updated : 2022-06-15 15:27

Bandit Bandit / Courtesy of Bandit Bandit

By Jon Dunbar

For anyone who listens to live music, it's been a long couple of years during the pandemic, with prohibitive, costly, sometimes irrational restrictions on concerts, and no international bands touring to Korea.

Now that the doors are open, we can look forward to visits from overseas musicians once again. One of the first in through the recently opened door is Bandit Bandit, a band that marries the Anglo-Saxon rock of the last 20 years with the French pop of the 1960s. The band's songs are sensuous, exhibiting a feeling of urgency to live. They're known for their intense shows, during which they seek "a total release, a true communion with the public," according to singer Maeva Nicolas.

The band is fronted by Nicolas and her partner, guitarist Hugo Herleman who used to front the band Kursed. And while the couple takes up the spotlight, they're also backed by a bassist and drummer, who will be joining them on the tour this weekend. "It is only like that that our music can really exist," Nicolas said.

Before the band came together in 2019, Nicolas said they had a clear idea of the image they wanted for the project. Looking at their favorite movies, like "Pulp Fiction," "Wild at Heart" and "Natural Born Killers," they noticed they all featured "the image of a sulfurous couple loving each other to the life and to the death."

Bandit Bandit / Courtesy of Bandit Bandit

Regarding the band name, Nicolas explained, "The word Bandit is repeated twice to emphasize the idea of duet, duality or to recall the onomatopoeia 'bang bang,' a gunshot that sounds intensely, a detonation that destabilizes, it is the idea that we wanted for the music of Bandit Bandit. Intense, sudden and provocative."

Like those movies, Nicolas admitted they saw themselves in those silver-screen couples. "It resonated in us because our beginnings as a couple were tumultuous," she said.

"As with any human relationship, there are always ups and downs. The important thing is to put the word 'caring' at the center of every relationship. Life on tour is sometimes complicated because of the fatigue, the waiting, we are far from home and we never really settle down, we just have to talk to each other and defuse the 'problems when there are some.' When you are in a couple, it is an extraordinary experience to live all this with the person you love ― it is even quite indescribable."

Bandit Bandit was due to come to Korea in September 2020, for the annual Zandari Festa, a global music showcase taking place in multiple venues near western Seoul's Hongik University. But we can all guess what happened to that. So when restrictions were eased, the band was quick to plot its first visit, even canceling scheduled dates in Europe to make way this weekend.

"Opportunities to go and play your music in other countries like South Korea don't come along every day," Nicolas said.

The band is expected to play three shows, two in Seoul followed by one down in Daegu. One of the Seoul shows should be at Club FF, and the Daegu show will be held at Club Heavy on Sunday, with local bands including Sindosi and Drinking Boys & Girls Choir.

Nicolas also expressed interest in coming back next year, after the band releases its first full-length album. Currently, they have released two EPs, a self-titled one in 2019 and last year's "Tachycardie," as well as a lot of singles.

Bandit Bandit / Courtesy of Bandit Bandit

"This is the very first time we have had the chance to discover South Korea. We can't wait to meet the public, to discover the South Korean culture, to feel the atmosphere of this country which seems to be bubbling," she said.

"We don't really know the Korean scene, but we are very very eager to meet the artists with whom we will play."

Nicolas rejected making comparisons between Korea and France's live music scenes and culture industries, although she did describe France's rock 'n' roll scene as niche, which sounds comparable to Korea's albeit much smaller, younger scene.

"I don't think it's a good idea to compare these two universes for better or for worse when so many things make them different. I guess the culture, the way of consuming music, the images, the marketing are totally different or at least enough to be notable," she said. "There are good and bad things to take from everywhere; the main thing is that no matter the country, the culture, the style, where you come from, who you are, music is always something that brings people together beyond borders ― it's a universal message that touches us all and that's finally the only thing we have to remember."

Visit linktr.ee/banditbandit for more information.

jdunbar@koreatimes.co.kr