Live Review: HarryBigButton Celebrate 14th Anniversary
Written by Jess Howell
For most people in Korea, July 12th is just another battle against the summer heat. However, for a certain subset of Korean rockers, it was Big Button Day. This year, fans gathered at the newly opened Umuji to commemorate HarryBigButton’s fourteenth anniversary of posterising the rock ‘n roll spirit.
The walls of Umuji were adorned with flags, streamers, and over a decade of memorabilia. CDs and vinyls waited their turn to be bought and signed. When the music wasn’t playing, people sat around as a spread of food and drink filled in the gaps in between. When it was time to rock, mouths were shut, ears were open, and heads were banging.
Throughout the night, HarryBigButton imparted the hallmarks of their discography through four sets. A relaxed atmosphere interposed games, cake cuttings, and time for people to eat, drink, and recharge. At one point, lead Sung Soo sat at the drumset, raising both question marks and hopes before promptly returning to his Les Paul Custom.
However, HarryBigButton knows how to strike a balance, and the mellow mood showed no signs of restraining their performance. The three-piece was in fine form as they plugged the crowd in with electric solos and rendered tempos. At the crowd’s request, three encores were given in total. Teasing the third rendition of I’m Gonna Getcha almost made it four.
As much as Big Button Day was a celebration of HarryBigButton’s contributions to Korea’s rock scene, it also recognised the people behind the scenes. Calling the Big Button Family a fan club is reductive. The band’s grassroots community are the same faces seen at nearly every show. Clad in Big Button Family regalia, they help issue tickets, man the merch booth, organise events, and hoist up the torch of artistic integrity.
Courtesy of HBB and early arrivals, Umuji was decked out in anniversary decor. All food and drinks were brought by members of the band’s community. They also organised games between sets. Anyone willing could throw their hands against Sung Soo in reverse rock-paper-scissors. Winners walked away with shirts, albums, and other merchandise. Losers walked away with shared laughs and a revised game plan while they waited for their next turn.
Between their four sets, HarryBigButton gave the stage to indie newcomers Mintage and VeryBigButton. Both bands feature members who met through the Big Button Family, and for both bands, it was their first gig. The symbolism wasn’t lost either, as Umuji itself is a venue co-founded by Sung Soo as part of a larger initiative to give all bands a stage to play.
It takes a village to run events like these, and by the end of the night, nobody felt like a stranger. Photos were in full swing, any-and-all merchandise was signed with willing hands. Friends and memories were made, and everyone chipped in to clean up the evidence of the evening.
Music is a people business, and HarryBigButton understands this better than anyone else. Rather than falling into the pitfalls of self-interest that hollow out many artists, HarryBigButton welcomes and embraces people as the fundamental foundation of their art. Here, there is no hard divide between fan and artist. Everybody is family.