MCM Buzz are excited to inform our readers that Onion Production have confirmed that they are bringing the K-pop boy group Infinite to London as part of their 2nd World tour. Previously as part of their One Great Step 1st world tourInfinite visited London as one of their stops and performed to a packed out, high energy crowd. It seems as though the love calls from European fans have been heard by Woollim Entertainment and the Infinite members, and they have decided to return to London for their latest adventure.
Infinite are one of the fastest rising K-pop groups in the Korean music industry. Their singles “Destiny”, “Back”, “Bad” and “Last Romeo” alone have achieved over 50 million views on YouTube whilst climbing charts all across Asia. The group consists of members Sungkyu, Woohyun, Sungyeol, Hoya, Myungsoo (L), Dongwoo and Sungjong who have exceptional vocal talents but are well known for their 99.9% precision dancing.
Infinite’s London concert will take place 9 October 2015 and will be held at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Tickets will go on sale from 5 September at 11:00 AM and can be acquired from Ticketmasterand TicketWeb when they become available. You can see the other stops of the group’s “Infinite Effect” tour poster that was shared on Infinite’s Official Twitter below…
To show your support for the event and for Infinite, check out their Official Facebook page! Be sure to keep checking back to MCM Buzz for more exclusive news and updates as well as Onion Production Facebook, and watch Infinite’s latest release “Bad” below, with the new fully interactive 360VR music video giving viewers a very personal and trippy experience.
The Japanese dance scene is one that is forever faithful to traditional genres and movement, but continues to elaborate and evolve its own language of dance. Recently the idea of fashion and dance are joined together as a collaborative in showing your own personality and rebelling against the constraints of the social norm.
Japanese models/dancers Aya and Bambi Sato are possibly the biggest thing to come from Japan’s dance scene in recent years, with their claim to fame being one of their workshops self-titled the “Bump Dub”; the video showcases a style of dance all of its own but akin to that of Madonna’s “Vogue”. Their fame from that singular video on YouTube had sparked a worldwide love for AyaBambi and had allowed the duo to be recognised by entertainers such as Madonna, Snakehipsand Boa.
Dance is not the only thing that AyaBambi stand for. They are also recognised for their unique and beautifully composed fashion sense which revolves around the punk rock, goth and red carpet looks. Mixing leather and PVC they create a style not truly seen before: the girls managed to capture the hearts of designers such as Chalayan, NumeroTOKYO x Wacoal x Fashion Tsushin, and Lumineand performed some of their most memorable dance pieces for each brand.
But what does AyaBambi have to do with the Korean boy group TOPP DOGG? Well as fans of TOPP DOGG will know that member Hansol is a very unique and talented performer, known for his dynamic tastes in fashion, music and art. He has revealed a few times through his personal Instagramand through the Official Topp Dogg Twitterthat he is a fan of AyaBambi and would like to work with them one day. This has also been something a lot of fans of both parties have wanted to see for a long time as well. But it seems as though Hansol wanted to show his dedication as a fan through his own video.
Showing his skills and dedication to the style we have associated with AyaBambi, Hansol went full out and created his own homage to the pair. He managed to re-create a manly yet perfect representation of the fashion sense accustomed with the Japanese duo, with a full PVC leather suit and baggy knee-length shorts. Showing the artistic side to his personality Hansol created a background story and then performed his own choreography with an onslaught of feelings and precision.
With TOPP DOGG coming to Europe on their tour, there is one question that had arisen since the release of this video: will Hansol be performing this on stage? There is only one way to find out! Check out the breathtaking video below.
The Japanese dance scene is one that is forever faithful to traditional genres and movement, but continues to elaborate and evolve its own language of dance. Recently the idea of fashion and dance are joined together as a collaborative in showing your own personality and rebelling against the constraints of the social norm.
Japanese models/dancers Aya and Bambi Sato are possibly the biggest thing to come from Japan’s dance scene in recent years, with their claim to fame being one of their workshops self-titled the “Bump Dub”; the video showcases a style of dance all of its own but akin to that of Madonna’s “Vogue”. Their fame from that singular video on YouTube had sparked a worldwide love for AyaBambi and had allowed the duo to be recognised by entertainers such as Madonna, Snakehipsand Boa.
Dance is not the only thing that AyaBambi stand for. They are also recognised for their unique and beautifully composed fashion sense which revolves around the punk rock, goth and red carpet looks. Mixing leather and PVC they create a style not truly seen before: the girls managed to capture the hearts of designers such as Chalayan, NumeroTOKYO x Wacoal x Fashion Tsushin, and Lumineand performed some of their most memorable dance pieces for each brand.
But what does AyaBambi have to do with the Korean boy group TOPP DOGG? Well as fans of TOPP DOGG will know that member Hansol is a very unique and talented performer, known for his dynamic tastes in fashion, music and art. He has revealed a few times through his personal Instagramand through the Official Topp Dogg Twitterthat he is a fan of AyaBambi and would like to work with them one day. This has also been something a lot of fans of both parties have wanted to see for a long time as well. But it seems as though Hansol wanted to show his dedication as a fan through his own video.
Showing his skills and dedication to the style we have associated with AyaBambi, Hansol went full out and created his own homage to the pair. He managed to re-create a manly yet perfect representation of the fashion sense accustomed with the Japanese duo, with a full PVC leather suit and baggy knee-length shorts. Showing the artistic side to his personality Hansol created a background story and then performed his own choreography with an onslaught of feelings and precision.
With TOPP DOGG coming to Europe on their tour, there is one question that had arisen since the release of this video: will Hansol be performing this on stage? There is only one way to find out! Check out the breathtaking video below.
With the London Korean Festival being held in Trafalgar Square on Sunday August 9th, Korean culture fans have been celebrating the news of S.M. Entertainment’s girl group F(x) as well as the rock band Guckkasten performing at the free public event. It has also been announced that two world champion break dance crews from different corners of the globe are set to lay down their best dance moves in an epic dance battle.
London’s super group Soul Mavericks will go face to face against Seoul, Korea’s B-Boy world champions Jinjo Crew. Both crews are widely acclaimed and travel internationally to represent their country in hip-hop dance battles. South Korea has a relatively new and eternally expanding hip-hop fan base which is home to some of the top rated B-boy crews in the world. Where crews like the UK’s Diversity have won a major television talent show and become household names, Korea’s B-Boys are also very popular and have won MTV dance shows, talent shows and international battles. Both dance crews have faced each other once before at a championship in London, where Jinjo Crew triumphed, but the Soul Mavericks, who are marking their 10thanniversary as a group, are determined to win the battle this time around.
Soul Mavericks range in age from 12 to 40 years old and include both male and female members. Based in London, they have attracted dancers from all over the country, including one member from Wales. They also took part in the Beijing and London Olympic ceremonies as special guests. With Jinjo Crew based in Seoul they are flying to London especially for the dance battle and have been rehearsing a brand new routine that is set to entertain and surprise fans of the hip-hop B-boy movement. The crew include world champions B-Boy Hong10 and B-Boy Wing, winners of the Red Bull BC1 in 2006 in Brazil and 2008 in Paris, plus members Skim, Vero, FE, Octopus, Fleta, Giboon, Stony, Mold and Patrick Star.
Before the battle Jinjo Crew will be meeting young fans and teaching London school children some break dancing moves in a free dance lesson in south London on Friday 7th August. Both of the crews are part of a wide range of acts in the form of musicians, dancers and top chefs who are taking part at the FREE one day London Korean Festival. The event is organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK, Korean Tourism Organisation, Korea Creative Content Agency and supported by the Mayor of London. Bringing together an exciting mix of modern and traditional Korean culture it will host a dynamic programme of dance from traditional to modern, delicious Korean food including live demonstrations by celebrity chef Judy Joo, plus e-sports games and live music.
For more information about the event be sure to check out our previous article covering everything you can see and do at the London Korean Festival in Trafalgar Square on Sunday August 9th. And be sure to check back to MCM Buzz for a full review and coverage of the event. Below is a video of Jinjo Crew Vs Soul Mavericks at the UK B-boy World Championships in 2011.
With Topp Dogg’s European showcase tour just around the corner fans are getting anxious as to what they can expect from the group at the concerts in Milan, London and Paris. By using their official YouTube channel, Jazzy Group (the team hosting the European Tour) have asked Topp Dogg to answer questions sent in by fans.
The first video shows B-Joo asking questions to Sangdo about fans visiting Korea, food, and places to visit. Though it seems B-Joo feels Sangdo is being too negative. The boys really show their caring yet comedic side to these interview questions.
Next up B-Joo decides to bother Hansol as he sits in the office quietly. In this video it seems Hansol finds it the best moment to promote how much he loves his fans, and to talk about his love for alternative dance and famous dance groups in Japan. Though things get aggressive when the brotherly love between the two are left in shatters because of B-Joo.
It seems B-Joo has really taken his MC position within these videos pretty seriously, so this time barges into a practice room with members Nakta and Jenissi. Again the subject of food is bought up and Nakta explains his love for pasta and how he can’t wait to try it when on tour. With doe eyes, Jenissi prepares himself to answer a serious question, which ends on a slightly “perverted” note about the colour of his underwear.
For Xero’s interview, it seems as if he was genuinely doing work when B-Joo waltzes in and starts his attack of questions about sleeping habits where they talk about Kidoh – But Xero gets his own back by declaring the worst sleeper in his current dorm is in fact B-Joo. Revenge is so sweet!
Taking things in a new direction, B-Joo makes Hansol join him in annoying Kidoh as he works, though they make a point of picking on him about his hair, calling him “mum”. In this segment Kidoh talks about his deep love for Poland, though things get serious when he starts looking for visa requirements.
We don’t know if there are more videos to come with the members answering fan questions, rest assured that MCM Buzz will update you on anything new. In the meantime, during the run up to the concerts, Jazzy Group revealed that Topp Dogg were working on a special project to commemorate their European tour. This project turned out to be the members performing their own cover version of Ellie Goulding’s “Love Me Like You Do“. The setting for the video is among statues of the famous landmarks of each of the representative countries on their European showcase tour, giving the video a personal touch for European fans. Be sure to check out the video below.
Something which is shown throughout all of these videos is the excitement the members have for meeting their overseas fans. In return fans are showing their excitement of welcoming Topp Dogg to their country by arranging a special GoFundMe pageto create fan items and provide gifts to the members. Plus, Jazzy Group are adding merchandise for the tour available to pre-order on the Jazzy Group Facebook page. There are still some tickets available for each of the venues which you can purchase from The Troxy (London), TicketOne (Milan) and TicketMaster(Paris). Or you can try your luck by entering Topp Dogg’s official competition to win yourself a ticket to their show.
Be sure to show some support for the movement of Korean music within Europe, and of course show your support for the members of Topp Dogg.
With Topp Dogg’s European showcase tour just around the corner fans are getting anxious as to what they can expect from the group at the concerts in Milan, London and Paris. By using their official YouTube channel, Jazzy Group (the team hosting the European Tour) have asked Topp Dogg to answer questions sent in by fans.
The first video shows B-Joo asking questions to Sangdo about fans visiting Korea, food, and places to visit. Though it seems B-Joo feels Sangdo is being too negative. The boys really show their caring yet comedic side to these interview questions.
Next up B-Joo decides to bother Hansol as he sits in the office quietly. In this video it seems Hansol finds it the best moment to promote how much he loves his fans, and to talk about his love for alternative dance and famous dance groups in Japan. Though things get aggressive when the brotherly love between the two are left in shatters because of B-Joo.
It seems B-Joo has really taken his MC position within these videos pretty seriously, so this time barges into a practice room with members Nakta and Jenissi. Again the subject of food is bought up and Nakta explains his love for pasta and how he can’t wait to try it when on tour. With doe eyes, Jenissi prepares himself to answer a serious question, which ends on a slightly “perverted” note about the colour of his underwear.
For Xero’s interview, it seems as if he was genuinely doing work when B-Joo waltzes in and starts his attack of questions about sleeping habits where they talk about Kidoh – But Xero gets his own back by declaring the worst sleeper in his current dorm is in fact B-Joo. Revenge is so sweet!
Taking things in a new direction, B-Joo makes Hansol join him in annoying Kidoh as he works, though they make a point of picking on him about his hair, calling him “mum”. In this segment Kidoh talks about his deep love for Poland, though things get serious when he starts looking for visa requirements.
We don’t know if there are more videos to come with the members answering fan questions, rest assured that MCM Buzz will update you on anything new. In the meantime, during the run up to the concerts, Jazzy Group revealed that Topp Dogg were working on a special project to commemorate their European tour. This project turned out to be the members performing their own cover version of Ellie Goulding’s “Love Me Like You Do“. The setting for the video is among statues of the famous landmarks of each of the representative countries on their European showcase tour, giving the video a personal touch for European fans. Be sure to check out the video below.
Something which is shown throughout all of these videos is the excitement the members have for meeting their overseas fans. In return fans are showing their excitement of welcoming Topp Dogg to their country by arranging a special GoFundMe pageto create fan items and provide gifts to the members. Plus, Jazzy Group are adding merchandise for the tour available to pre-order on the Jazzy Group Facebook page. There are still some tickets available for each of the venues which you can purchase from The Troxy (London), TicketOne (Milan) and TicketMaster(Paris). Or you can try your luck by entering Topp Dogg’s official competition to win yourself a ticket to their show.
Be sure to show some support for the movement of Korean music within Europe, and of course show your support for the members of Topp Dogg.
When Kyary Pamyu Pamyucame to London to perform for British fans back in April 2014, her concert was a sell-out show filled with bright colours, psychedelic flashing lights and an extra dose of Kawaii for everyone. Excited attendees even went along in cosplay, attracting much love from the idol herself, as well as from staff at the event. Well good news Kyary fans: the Pamyu Pamyu is BACK! On the 11th October, everyone’s favourite Japanese starburst is returning to London as part of the Moshi Moshi Festival 2015 World Tour. The concert will take place at London’s Camden Roundhouse, with ticket prices starting at £35 plus fees (£2.95 per ticket + £1.95 per transaction). When buying tickets, please be aware that age restrictions are in operation: under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult and children under 14 years of age must be in seated areas only. For those willing to splash out, some £100 VIP packages were initially made available, offering dedicated fans the chance to get a photo and meet-and-greet with Kyary, as well as a Level 1 standing ticket and a limited edition item from the tour, but unfortunately all the VIP tickets are now completely sold out! For more information, and to buy your tickets, check out the Roundhouse website, though a word of warning: tickets are selling fast! Below is a highlight video from Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s 2014 Japan Arena tour, featuring footage from the London gig. We hope to see you at the concert in October!
Since their inception in 1993, the Finnish titans known as Apocalyptica have redefined the boundaries between rock, metal and classical music – performing hauntingly poetic music with some of the strongest vocals within the metal scene. Over the course of seven studio albums (of which they have sold in excess of four million copies globally) they have created a reputation of being a musical act capable of bringing fans from both heavy and more traditional musical genres together under one roof. From Metallica covers, Wagnerian tributes alongside international Symphony Orchestra’s and collaborations with members of Slipknot, Soulfly and Bush, it comes as no surprise that the group would want a supporting band that is just as musically talented as themselves.
After performing together during SIXX:A.M. US tour in April 2015, Apocalyptica and VAMPS will play together again for Apocalyptica’s UK tour, giving fans a chance to see VAMPS on stage at a vast amount of venues around the UK. The Japanese duo recently visited the UK as part of the Japan Night celebrations in London, and even held an exclusive interview with MCM Buzz talking about their involvement within the J-rock scene and how they intend to promote in the future. VAMPS are making big waves within the European music scene, so after attracting the attention of such rock legends as Apocalyptica, who knows what they’ll do next. If you feel down in the dumps about not getting the chance to see Hyde and Kaz in person at Japan Night, be sure to check them out as supporting artists to Apocalyptica around the UK this November!
Apocalyptica -Shadowmaker UK Tour 2015
Tue 24/11/2015 Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, UK
Wed 25/11/2015 Rock City, Nottingham, UK
Thu 26/11/2015 O2 ABC, Glasgow, UK
Fri 27/11/2015 O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, UK
Sat 28/11/2015 Manchester Academy 2, Manchester, UK
Sun 29/11/2015 O2 Academy, Bristol, UK
The Japanese rock scene is full of different themes and characters that fill our ears with the kind of music that is both mentally and visually stimulating. In the run up to their performance at Japan Night at the O2 in London, VAMPS invited MCM Buzz to hold an interview with them.
It was an extremely hot and humid day, but with bright smiles and lots of laughs before the interview within the very swanky and rock-a-licious offices at Universal Music, both Hyde and Kaz were pretty excited and very happy to hear some of our readers questions, and answered them with a lot of enthusiasm. So check out what VAMPS had to say below.
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Could you please explain who and what VAMPS stands for? HYDE: VAMPS are not human, as you might know, so we have taken inspiration from vampires.
Japanese rock music has grown overseas at a fast pace. But do you feel that J-rock has reached its peak? HYDE: The J-rock movement has only begun to promote overseas, so there is a huge area to keep growing further, and with new people and bands entering the system there is even more growth. KAZ: I agree, I feel there will be more bands that will travel overseas, and with that the fans who left the Japanese music scene might come back to it once again, as soon as there is more activity.
Where do you feel your position is within the movement of J-rock? What do you feel you have contributed towards its growth? HYDE: I feel we are only at the beginning as well and that this new adventure of touring with a new album is helping the growth of Japanese music. When we reach a point when we can do what we do in Japan, such as special events and live promotions, then that’s when it will become a challenge for us. KAZ: I feel the same as Hyde, in the fact that we are just starting out, we are working as a team with other artists who are promoting overseas to get our work out there, and hope to go on from there.
You have stated that your new album “Bloodsuckers” is one of your best to date. What is it that makes you feel so passionate about this album? HYDE: Our basis of a good album is judged on how it plays live, so when we play a live show for our fans we look at what pleases our audience and what songs get the audience pumped. But for this album, even if we thought there was a song that was good live, we always found a better song for the album. This is why we spent so long in creating the album, making it to our highest standard. This is why we think Bloodsuckers is the best yet.
Could you tell me a little bit more about the songs that are on the “Bloodsuckers” album? Which ones are your favourites? HYDE: Yes, ‘Vampires Love’ is my choice as we shot the music video for it in London, and it’s a very humble song for me. KAZ: I like all the songs on the album, but if I have to choose I think I’d go for ‘Zero’ as it’s very different from our usual songs, a new fresh and novel song to play. ‘Evil’ is my second choice for its aggressive and attacking sound, it sounds pretty harsh.
You have recently been promoting overseas. Is there any difference in performing in Europe, USA, and Asia? Do you have to perform differently at all? HYDE: For me it’s not a case of Asia, Europe or USA. It’s more like Japan and not Japan. Because we haven’t played many live performances outside of Japan, I feel it’s important we show an image of VAMPS that our Japanese fans see and to express what VAMPS stands for. KAZ: I am always so surprised at how well the overseas fans know our songs and our lyrics, and I’m happy that they know our songs and want to sing along to them when we perform. It’s very nice and humbling to hear fans making the effort. Though one thing I notice is that when we are overseas, the English parts of our songs are sung the loudest.
You have used a lot of English throughout your recent release. Do you have any troubles when trying to perform in English? HYDE: I have always listened to English spoken music when growing up, and when I listen to it I learn and understand parts of it. But when I am performing in English I obviously need to understand it fully, so I practice hard for my performance.
Many idols receive gifts from fans. What is the most memorable item ever given to you by a fan? HYDE: I received a music box that was signed by David Sylvian, as I am a big fan of his. The story behind it was that a fan of mine randomly bumped into him on a bullet train in Japan, and only had this item at hand so asked him to sign it so they could give it to me as a present. It was pretty cool. KAZ: Hyde was so fast in answering! Um… fans keep giving me frog plushies and figurines after I said I was a fan of a specific character frog. I have so many now that I have no room for more, so I am thinking of opening up a frog shop!
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A big thank you to HYDE and KAZ of VAMPS, and to Miyuki and the Universal Music team. VAMPS new album “Bloodsuckers” is available via iTunes on their the Official VAMPS website. From the album, check out the track “World’s End” below!
On Saturday 4th July 2015, K-pop boy group Boys Republic greeted UK fans at the O2 Islington Academy with their first European tour. The concert couldn’t have been on a better day. It was one of the hottest days in the UK and for the first time, London did not greet K-pop idols with rain.
The venue itself was in the heart of Angel, Islington. The hall itself was ideal for an event like this and allowed the concert to feel more personal. There was merchandise available at the back of the hall where staff were laughing and joking with fans, along with security (which was nice to see as most of the time they can be slightly on edge).
The hall was not as full of fans as I had hoped for, which was sad in one way as these boys deserved so much more than what was given (though I’ve got to hand it to the fans that turned out for the concert, they gave it their best – dancing, screaming, and singing).
When the lights went down, and the music began, the crowd were pumped and went insane, screaming and singing. The boys stepped out wearing crisp suits looking ready to perform to their best ability, singing a mixture of songs from their own releases, as well as a few special ones along the way.
Sunwoo had his solo moment by sitting on a high stool centre stage and taking the hype down a notch by singing his own rendition of Robbie Williams “Angels“. The fans reacted by singing along with him and swaying their hands from side to side. The youngest member Suwoong took Sunwoo’s place on the stage and sang to his highest to Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon“, which he stated was one of his favourite songs to sing. I have to hand it to the guy, his voice was out of this world; I was thoroughly shocked at how well he performed this song, his vocals were spot on!
Following on from the youngest, the oldest and leader of the group Wonjun took to the stage after playfully pushing Suwoong off, and set up a piano. The crowd were serenaded to a compilation of British and Korean songs, once again proving that these guys have amazing vocals that need to be heard! Minsu and Sungjoon then took to the stage a little later with their own R&B/hip-hop stage, performing their fusion of Korean rapping of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk“, which was a huge hit with the crowds. There was a particular crowd of fans at the back who were truly enjoying themselves and dancing like there was no tomorrow, which caught the attention of the members. It was really nice to see fans enjoying themselves.
Choi Soo Min is a firm favourite of MCM Buzz, so it was a delight to hear that he was going to be performing with Boys Republic, especially after his last performance with Jung Min was cancelled. As if on command, Soo Min took to the stage and proved why he is a musical genius. People were enthralled by his skills on the keyboard and were even dancing along to the classical music he was playing. It was really nice to see a different genre of music being enjoyed by the crowd.
At one point during the concert the members invited a few of their fans on stage to play a game. It was a really heart warming moment to see the natural interaction with fans. As time went on there was a special video created, written, directed and performed by the members of Boys Republic, showing their heartfelt thanks to their fans. It was a nice edition and allowed the boys to change into their new outfits. The next segment was a dance performance. Full of acrobatic and strenuous movements, these boys slayed the dance floor.
Arriving at the event, nothing could have prepared me for what I was going to watch. I left feeling hyped and ready to party even longer. I found a new level of respect for the boys and their hard work, and even now I feel I could quite easily pop on to YouTube and watch their videos and performances. I went in unaware and came out a fan – that in itself is a feat!
Big companies look at these smaller concerts to see if it’s worth their time and money to come to London. Even if you’re not a fan of the group, it’s guaranteed that if you go with your friends to an event like this, you will end up leaving like you have attended a great party. At the same time you are supporting the growth of K-pop in Europe, and showing that there is a demand for more K-pop artists in the UK.
A big thank you to B7klan and Torpedo Productions, Charlotte Naudin, Boys Republic, Choi Soo Min and the staff at O2 Islington Academy for a thoroughly great night out. If you have a chance to see Boys Republic live, I wholeheartedly recommend you don’t miss out, as it was a fantastic performance. Be sure to check out the Boys Republic photo album we have on the MCM Buzz Facebook page.
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