Focus Wales welcomes music from all over the world and one of the bands making the longest trips this year are Korean rock duo 57 who will playing as part of the Zandari Festival showcase alongside a few other acts from South Korea and MIMR can hardly wait.

Jun and Snow spoke to MIMR about their trip to the UK and what to expect when they take to the stage at this year’s festival.

MIMR: How did the band get started and what influences do you have when creating your sound?

JUN​: When I was 24 and working as a clothing store clerk I saved up some cash and went over to Japan to see the Summer Sonic Festival during my summer vacation. I saw so many amazing bands while I was there and it made me thing that I wanted to be like them! When I came back to Korea, I quit my job and started trying to make a career in music.

SNOW​: I started playing the drums for the first time when I was in highschool. I was just doing it to hang out with my friends really. At that time I was studying child welfare and drumming was just a hobby I guess. When I started playing in 57 my attitude changed and I started to takeit much more seriously.

MIMR: 2017 sounds like it will be a busy year for you, what activities can we expect from theband?

JUN​: Pretty much the only thing we are thinking about right now is the tour! We have 23 dates and will take in shows in the UK, France, Germany and Poland. It is by far the biggest tour we’ve ever done. Other than the UK (we came over last year as well) it is our first time to visit all those places. We are super excited to meet loads of new people and see lots of cool bands. It is gonna be especially great to visit our friends in the UK again! The first show of the tour is going to be Focus Wales. We play at Undegun on Thursday 11th may. Make sure to come and check it out! We are playing with some good friends from Korea, so it is gonna be a blast!

SNOW​: Once we’re done with the tour, we’ll start recording our first full length album! We already have the songs down and some demo tracks recorded, but we can not wait to get it done and out there for everyone to listen to! We are stoked about it. Once that is done, we will do an extensive tour in Korea and hopefully go and play some shows in other Asian countries as well. At the start of 2017, I wrote down my targets for the year. I cannot tell you what they were because I don’t wanna jinx it. But we’re checking them off one by one. I think it’s gonna be a great year!

MIMR: So you are heading over to UK including your appearance at Focus Wales. I already know that there is a lot of people who can’t wait to see your live show. What’s your favourite part about playing live?

JUN:​ Oh, it’s an absolute honor to be playing at Focus Wales. We are so excited for that. We played a small show in Rhyl last year and it went down really well. So we can’t wait to come back and play in Wales. My favourite part of playing live are those moments when you are really lost, deep in the music and there is this kind of connection with the audience. Everyone is one in those moments. I feel like we are all sharing the same energy. It’s a great feeling.

SNOW:​ For me, my favorite thing is being completely immersed in the music. It is best to be able to immerse only in the sound that I am making out of my mind, and the music that we make. I love that feeling of playing the music that we have worked so hard to create. It’s so cool when other people feel what you are doing and get into it. It’s priceless. I would not change that moment for anything.

MIMR: As a band you will be spending a fair bit of time in UK over the next few weeks, what’s are your favourite things about British culture?

JUN:​ I love tea time! You can’t get a good cup of tea in Korea, it’s not the same! Also, I love the parks. In Korea we don’t have all that many parks, especially in Seoul. Even if you do go to a park, sometimes you can’t go on the grass! I’m really looking forward to hitting up the parks on our days off and taking a rest in the British summer sun with a good cup of tea!

SNOW: ​Me too, I love British tea culture very much. Taking a rest with a cup of tea is great. I think it is really important in any culture to have a bit of downtime where you can organise your thoughts and keep your mind fresh. Korea could do with some more downtime moments. I am really looking forward to meeting with and talking to lots of new people. Last time we came over everyone was so friendly. We made lots of good friends. I hope this time is the same!

MIMR: It’s been super to chat to you, see you at Focus Wales. How can people check out your music?

57:​ You can listen to our music in all the usual places. Bandcamp, Spotify, iTunes etc. Lots of live clips are up on Youtube as well. But the best thing to do of course is to come and see us live at Focus Wales. Undegun Thursday 11th May See you there!

https://www.facebook.com/duo57/

https://duo57.bandcamp.com/album/57

New Singles:

1) Making Fire

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/making-fire-single/id1230169333

2) Pray For The Dead

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/pray-for-the-dead-single/id1230517488

See 57 play here at Focus Wales:

Another new discovery to MIMR during it’s Focus Wales 2017 previews have been North-walian 5 piece The Revolutionary Spirit and as they describe to us in the latest band chat it’s exciting times for the band, MIMR certainly wants a piece of the action.

MIMR: Its a pleasure to have you on the blog, what’s the latest news with the band heading into your show at Focus?

Revs: Our album is done, we recently released our video for first track “Feel Music” followed by “Northern Star”. Both had repeated BBC airplay thanks to Adam walton. Last year we added Papa Ben Jones on Congas and percussion which is now a permanent addition.

https://m.soundcloud.com/the-revolutionary-spirit/northern-star

MIMR: What does it mean to be part of a event like Focus Wales and will you be able to a bit of dashing around to see other bands?

Revs: Always good to be part of focus Wales, to have so many bands from around the world in Wrexham is cool. We like to make the most of the performers pass so we”ll be out from the festival start.

MIMR: With social media being such a big player in getting a band out there and heard these days, would you say that your good at sharing on these platforms?

Revs: It’s something that’s “expected” of group these days. We do use social media but have always had a more organic approach, as in the live show. With Facebook now putting caps on posts, press agent fees and unsolicited emails there is only so much we can do ourselves. So are we good or not regarding social media? Come to show!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JGmkCwzE8yw&feature=youtu.be

MIMR: Where and when can we see you play at the festival?

Revs: Friday 12th may We headline un deg un (room2)  9:40.

MIMR: Fantastic to have you on the blog, have a great Focus. Any records that you can’t stop listening to at the moment?

Revs: We are always listening/discovering new and old music. Ronnie wood- Now Look has been on repeat recently, recorded with Bobby Womack, R&B Soul thang going on then with expected stones guitar licks. A must listen!
World music such as The Ethiopiques, The Lijadu sisters, The Dur Dur band.

But then revisiting classics like JJ Cale, Axelrod, Lennon. 
The Godfather of Soul Mr. Dynamite James brown is a massive influence on our live show. Maybe Focus 2020.

You can see them playing Focus this friday here: