Posted on 11/17/2006 3:52:53 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
(LEAD) N. Korea to hold rock festival in March: report
SEOUL, Nov. 17 (Yonhap) -- North Korea, under international censure for trying to arm itself with nuclear weapons, plans to host an international rock music festival next year, the country's main radio station said Friday.
The Voice of Korea said in a report that the "Rock for Peace" festival will be held in Pyongyang, the capital, on March 1, a major national holiday marking an anti-Japanese public uprising in 1919.
The North's radio station carried the same report in its English Web site, with an announcement that Western musicians, including U.S. rockers, are eligible to participate and play a gamut of rock music including heavy metal.
"This is the very first time that North Korea allows Western musicians in the heart of DPRK territory to play capitalist popular music," the English report said.
DPRK, or Democratic People's Republic of Korea is North Korea's official name.
It's highly unusual that North Korea, a closed communist society, has decided to hold the festival which will expose its hungry people to what it called "decadent" American music.
The North's report said there still will be "few restrictions and conditions" for participants in the festival, insisting that the lyrics should not praise "war, sex, violence, murder, drug, rape, non-governmental society, imperialism, colonialism, racism, anti-DPRK, and anti-socialism." North Korea is one of the most closed societies in the world. Its entire social system is strictly geared to uphold and praise leader Kim Jong-il and his late father, Kim Il-sung.
The country is under U.N. sanctions over its nuclear weapons test on Oct. 9. It claims that its move to arm itself with nuclear weapons is to thwart Washington's attempt to topple its communist system.
samkim@yna.co.kr (END)
Anything to keep world attention focused on N. Korea. Nuke test one day, international rock festival next day. Hopefully, Ceausescu-like send-off after that.
Ping!
Hostage opportunity.
Rock-musicians are among the many who cannot see the irony in North Korea - "Rock for Peace". Or should I say, choose not to see.
I think I am going to attend the festival. I always wondered what treebark ala king tastes like.
Plus I get a few days to rest. Maybe meet a nice North Korean waif who could take me to all the cultural exhibits and show me the countryside.
I'm sure they'll only get the 'organized' tour of Pyongyang and not see the starving people in the rest of North Korea. Can't have the rock stars turning this into another Ethiopia...
Dixie Chicks.......
If it were the U.S. we would hear outrage from the hate us first liberals over the waste of money for superfulous entertainment gratification while people were starving.
But this incredible Nero-like stunt will no doubt be touted by Pelosi et al. as evidence of NK's magnificent cultural elightment. Wonder if Madaline Albright will do some lip sincing for between-bands entertainment???
Nick performs mainly in Communist countries, as documented in that 1984 classic movie, "Top Secret".
Has Roger Clinton booked yet? There used to be some great photos of his last performance there.
It'd be their first captive audience in a long time.
Maybe il could contact babs streisand and alec baldwin about creating "ronerywood"... They can make cheap POS movies just like they do in hollyweird... only cheaper!
LLS
"This is the very first time that North Korea allows Western musicians in the heart of DPRK territory to play capitalist popular music," the English report said.
Or else they are saying he was too crappy to be considered a musician. Or maybe since he's from the Mother of all Moonbats that he's not "western," but sort of Arkansas third world.
What about Timmy and the Lords of the Underworld?
Timmmahh!!
Dixie Chicks was my first thought too. You can just about bet that they are negotiating for it....a captive audience no less.
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