I love music, but I’ve never been to a rock festival. It’s chaotic, noisy, hot, dusty, and way too far from home. For someone who was in a band growing up and only listened to rock, it seems pretty lazy of me. But hey, blame it on my personality, not my taste… So, recently, I had lunch with a friend from work who loves music as much as I do. 🎶
‘It’s today.’
What day is it today? 🤔
It’s the day Pentaport Rock Festival tickets go on sale!
Due to COVID, they couldn’t hold it offline, but they started again last year, and it was a record-breaking crowd. And today, they’re opening ticket sales for this year. How do people even find out this stuff? 🤷♂️
‘Isn’t it strange you love music but miss out on this info?’
Apparently, it is. Anyway, since the competition was fierce, we teamed up for ticketing. We both failed spectacularly. A few days later, they reopened sales at a slightly higher price. We were pretty tense after the first failure, but we finally succeeded in purchasing. My friend did too. Turns out, missing the second sale was nearly impossible due to a large ticket release.
Reflecting on my first festival experience, the overwhelming heat is what stands out. Summers are hot, but standing under the blazing sun for half a day was a first for me, apart from the military. There’s no shade. Even if the park had some, it’s not mine. Every tiny spot is already claimed by someone else’s body or head. Even after sunset, it’s hot. It’s like global warming has reached its peak. And the crowd is massive. The dust kicked up by people moving between stages was unavoidable, covering every inch of clothing, bags, and shoes. 🏜️
To grab a bite, you have to order through an app and then pick it up, only to find no place to sit. It’s like people are reserving tables as if it’s a school library. I could tolerate bags holding spots, but the audacity of someone leaving their empty noodle bowl as a placeholder made me want to… well, you get the idea. 🚀
Getting home was a hassle. Incheon is far from Seoul. There are subways and buses, but none are available after the midnight stage ends. There’s a special vehicle called ‘flower carriage,’ but it’s chaos since everyone uses it. 🚌
It seems I’ve only mentioned the downsides, but there’s romance and music within. It’s filled with people who love music. The joy of finding others singing along to a band I thought only I cherished is indescribable. Strangers feel like siblings or children, to whom I’d like to pass on a legacy, if only I had one. 🤗
Every performance was amazing. Bands gave their all, and the audience responded with full energy. Silica Gel, who drove the crowd wild under the blazing sun, is a band to watch. Jang Kiha was an impeccable headliner, captivating the crowd like marionettes. Ellegarden, who did an encore for the first time at a rock fest, and The Strokes, who swept through their hits, wrapped up the headliner roles sincerely. NewJeans’ producer 250, a midnight runner, surprisingly received a great response, with my journalist friend noting, ‘That album
I was enjoying it from a mound behind the stage. The sun was setting, yet the air felt like midday. Just as I was thinking, ‘Isn’t this rock fest a bit weak on music?’ a gentle breeze began. As Jo Hyu-il sang ‘Everything,’ fireworks erupted, and paper confetti filled the sky. The world seemed to pause, with only the confetti dancing in the breeze. The air was cool, the stage surreal, and his falsetto surrounded me. I closed my eyes for a moment, thinking, I will never forget this moment until the day I die.
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