Seo Taiji 2000 National Tour took its first step at Seoul 88 Stadium on Dec. 23. About 3,000 fans were waiting in lines hours before the concert. Most of them, in short-sleeved T-shirts, looked much excited in a festival mood. ¡°It¡¯s almost 5 years since I went to Taiji¡¯s concert last time. I¡¯ll enjoy myself to the full,¡± said one fan with a hilarious look, who booked all the five-time Seoul concerts as well as local ones. The concert began at 7:20 p.m., a little later than the scheduled time, with the opening performance of three underground bands: Rainysun with odd gestures and bizarre vocals, Dr. Core 911 playing ¡°Hyun Jinyoung Go¡± in the pimp-rock style, CB-Mass beating up with dazzling raps. At 8:15 p.m., Seo Taiji finally came up on the stage, when the curtain dropped to show the prison-like set with an imitation of TV set and big speakers on either side. Taiji broke out of the prison and sang ¡°Dae Kyoung Sung(Metropolis),¡± while the panoramic scenes of Korean modern history are showing on the Multi-Cube screens. The second song, ¡°Tank,¡± was followed by ¡°Orange,¡± modified into a psychedelic groove, which Taiji sang with a guest rapper, Wu Jinwon. The audience created an awesome spectacle with the lighters distributed in their entrance while Taiji was playing ¡°In the Eyes of Children.¡± Besides, the fans were made to look back on the old Taiji Boys days by ¡°You Are in Fantasy.¡± They greeted Kim Jongseo, a guest singer, with a hearty applause when he appeared to sing ¡°Free Style,¡± the final song, with Taiji. Taiji reappeared on the stage to encore with ¡°Rock¡¯n Roll Dance¡± and ¡°To You¡± when his fans didn¡¯t stop applauding. This concert was impressive in its use of Multi-Cube screens and other settings for visual messages. On the screen were seen the subtitles, ¡°there are no heroes. They are all dead long since. Today¡¯s hero is you,¡± when Taiji sang ¡°Ultramania.¡± ¡°Do You Remember¡± was accompanied by shocking movie scenes of a father beating his daughter, while huge wings spread out on the back stage when a devil-like creature showed up. Taiji said, at some point of his performance, ¡°I feel like as if I was reborn. I¡¯m so glad to share happiness with you through music. Let¡¯s make a Taiji Land together.¡± There were a few people who fainted or slumped to the ground by the energetic slams. They got immediately treated by the safety agents and the concert ended with no big troubles. (Trans. By Dream of Balhae) |