Rural Rebels - Wedance present live recordings at Emu Cinema
Meeting audiences has been a difficult task for musicians over the last two years. Untourable albums gather dust on the shelf and online streaming shows have become an important part of the way we consume music. Wedance, ever ahead of the mainstream, present a new form of music consumption to delight both the ears and the eyes with their new film, Dancing on the Farm. Platform Magazine were invited to the first screening at Seoul’s Emu Cinema in Jongno.
Known for being nothing less than mould-breaking, Wedance marry bouncing electronic beats and energetic guitar riffs with couldn’t-care-less vocals. Their music asks for tapping toes and nodding heads. Their live shows demand uninhibited dancing, shoulder to shoulder with their strong following of loyal fans. With that in mind, watching Dancing on the Farm from the comfort of a cinema chair is a strangely subdued way to see Wedance perform.
Dancing on the Farm is a recording of six songs played live back to back, the band surrounded by dirt and hay. They charmingly announce after one song, “Here is Korea… not Seoul.” The entire film takes place between two locations on a farm, the heightened diegetic noise between songs confirming that this location is far from the city. Wedance’s wall-of-noise sound being blasted into the hushed Korean countryside is a surprisingly well-suited match; a rejection of all that is trendy and commercial. What could be more Wedance?
At only 37 minutes running time, there isn’t room for filler. They make room for only one short, humorous break in the middle as they move to the second location. Someone in their team picks up the pedal board and begins to run, followed by singer, Wevo, who dons a bike helmet and cycles there. The antics continue as she begins to run up and down the greenhouse, seemingly for no other reason than her own enjoyment as guitarist, Wegui, continues to play. Wegui plays with unrelenting ferocity and groove, while Wevo’s iconic, unbridled dance moves pepper the performance.
The plush chairs in Emu Cinema didn’t afford much space for grooving and shaking, and yet the room was filled with a warm appreciation. The audience showed their approval through applause and light chuckles, as the band observed tentatively from the back of the room. Perhaps Wedance brings enough energy to their performances that it makes up for the vibrancy lost by performing off-stage. Showcasing live recordings of songs in this way presents an opportunity to breathe creativity into contactless performances, but can other artists achieve the same transfer of energy through the silver screen? The jury is out.
For more information on Wedance, click here.
