Summer rock festivals kick into high gear in Korea

Some people simply divide the mankind into two, pick the one that he or she belongs to and lump others to classify into the remaining one.

I also have this kind of cold-blooded dichotomy that I sort out others. “Those who have tried slamming (the action of hitting each other’s body in concerts while enjoying the music) and those who haven’t.”

(As long as it doesn’t harm others) slamming is the healthiest violence that I’m aware of. Swaying to the music and contacting my body with those of strangers, which makes me aware of myself. Approaching to others with thrilling fear and feeling the adrenalin surge when mine hits others. Floating on the huge music wave that fills in the air and exchanging eye contacts of strangers that say “I know that you know this feeling.” A sense of fellowship that makes people stretch over their friendly hands to pull me up when I fell down. If an act of headbanging is likened to lonely mediation, an act of slamming can be said as a fierce discussion, an intense fighting for peace.

Having been accustomed to an inner monologue, I officially took part in that discussion for the first time in the summer of 2007 at Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival. Under the sizzling heat wave of almost 30 degree Celsius and loud music wave of Crash, some 50 sweaty people were forming a circle pit (a circular form that audience or spectators improvise for an act of slamming). When Testament, an American thrash metal band, showed up, they reached their climax. "This is it," I thought. As if I were an undercover agent in a spy film, I jostled through the crowd to be a piece of circle pit.

Hem! As a dichotomically-stereotyped person, let me grumble for a moment. It seems that almost every recent rock festivals are filled with cast for Instagram who are busy in unison to lift up their mobile phones or cameras when great scenes are made on the stage. Ansan M Valley Rock Festival is nearing an end, which was held from Friday to Sunday, while Pentaport Rock Festival will hit its stride for two days from Aug. 7. I was longing for slamming again in one of those days when the razor of music sound was sleeting in the air.

Upon arriving at the circle pit on the day of destiny, I tasted a bit of trance that slamming could offer. Some 10 minutes later, I climbed over a flying ladder as if I were possessed by something irresistible. I was on the back of an American who seemed as heavy as 120 kilograms. Soon, I was surfing the heads of all crowd. What a perfect timing it was when the “low” that a low-tuned guitar burst out heavy energy with a repeated passage.

Have I posted that moment on my SNS account? I took the scene with my biologically-mobile eye camera and have uploaded it in my brain account where nothing can ever remove it. The blue sky at the moment and my feet walking on it.