South Korea Tour Blog – So Zacs – Gangneung

OK so I know these shows happened nearly a year ago. But I started writing blogs for them and just got distracted with life. So here I am recapping what was a very unique tour experience.

About 4 hours on a bus. Luckily South Korea has an amazing bus network.

Gangneung was my furthest north into South Korea. Apparently I was not so far from the North Korea border and I met many who had travelled up just to see it. But time limited me so from the perspective of tourism. I was on a busy schedule that involved me playing 8 shows in 8 different cities over 8 days.

 

Set 1

Initiate

Map of Shibuya

Time & Places

Sleep Tight

We’re On Fire (Crashland Cover)

Resonate

2nd Set

Reality & Pretence

Distance From Ear to Ear

Misfit Theatre (Spoken Word)

You Know the Score

Make A Little Silence

Modern Life

 

 

For my time tonight I was simply playing an acoustic set. The PA set up in the cafe was fairly limited so I was taking the chance to air strictly my acoustic side. I used to play a lot of shows this way in the early days. especially at student run events at universities where there not even be a microphone on occasion. This was such an occasion 🙂

Any way I was surprised to see so many English and American folks on my travels and this performance was more of an english audience than Korean. This was a rare chance to bust out some poetry. So for the first time in some time I recited words from ‘Misfit Theatre’ a poem that became the secret track to my 2nd album. (It remains the only secret track I have released).

My Makeshift Merch Stall

So Zacs was run by a lovely couple getting ready to have their first child. They were most welcoming and picked me up from the bus station. My journey there had been from Seoul and I had many hours checking out the land scape. Many mountains and wonderful views.

Happy to have sold one of the 2X12″ Vinyl LP’s. They weigh a lot. – phew!!

I also decided to play a cover version as a part of my set. An obscure song by a band called Crashland. They released 1 album back in 2000 and I still recommend it to this day.

Normal scene at a jimjillbang

Following the concert I was taken to a Jimjilbang. A Korean bathhouse where you can wash and sleep at your leisure. I was personally exhausted and then when I found out I had to share the floor with many randoms I was a little phased. But eventually I fell asleep. I awoke many hours later to discover one of the staff had put extra covers on me to keep me warm. Very nice.

folktronica Music South Korea Tour Blog