Better late than never, Maree Yang from Khype.com was able to recover her digital camera from the MAP THE SOUL Seattle show! Maree has the play-by-play highlights as she attended the Red Carpet, Concert, and the Press Conference!

THE RED CARPET
The announcement of Epik High doing a show in Seattle, as part of their Map The Soul tour, was an awesome surprise for fans living in the Northwest. We rarely get Korean shows here, so I wasn’t surprised when Seattle was the first show to sell out; just days after tickets went on sale. Even up to the day of the concert, fans were still searching for tickets to attend.

Making the three hour drive from Portland to Seattle, I arrive an hour before the doors open. Fans were so excited, everyone and their posse bunched together like it was a “gathering,” rather than standing in “line.” We waited about 30 minutes or so for the grand “red carpet” event. It wasn’t much of a red carpet; it looked more like a doormat that needed some sweeping! Note to self, don’t take pictures of the red carpet.

Finally, we are introduced to Far East Movement. Though, I have heard great things about FM, I wasn’t too familiar with their music. Next up, Kero One along with his musician, Vince, and vocalist, Delores, and Dumbfoundead (MC for the night). They posed for photos and answered some questions. Dumbfoundead was asked to do some rapping on the spot, which was pretty amazing. Epik High makes their way over, along with the Map The Soul band. The red carpet could barely fit everyone. The media was so focused on getting shots of the guys; no one initiated an interview with the group. Tablo decided to be photo shoot director and positioned everyone to pose for the cameras. See pic! After some short interviews with several media correspondents, Epik High is escorted back inside.

THE CONCERT
MC Dumbfoundead introduced the concert and sponsors, hyped up the crowd, and gave a preview of what’s to come with Vince and Beat Box DG. Kero One started out the show. (Check out Kero One here.) And Far East Movement has gained a new fan! They have such amazing stage presence, and the interaction they have with the crowd is unbelievable. Coming out in space suits, and later giving away a pair of shoes, how awesome is that! One of my favorite moments; FM giving away a couple of their cds, and then saying, “If you want a copy, you can purchase our cd at the merchandise table!” Maybe it’s just me, but I thought that was funny.

Finally, Epik High takes the stage!! Once everyone recognized DJ Tukutz onstage, fans started rushing toward the standing pit crowd. Props go to Tablo for speaking ENGLISH throughout the show!!

Memorable moments:
- Tablo dedicating the song, “She Doesn’t Know,” to all the beautiful ladies in the audience. (Refer to fancams on YouTube.)
- “Hold up your glowsticks like a lighter. Hold it up like it’s 2002 again. (The crowd is like, “huh?”) Hold it up like it’s World Cup again.” (Finally, understanding what Tablo meant by 2002, fans start screaming.)”
- “Shee-au-teul!”
- One of the best things about the last show on a tour, you get to see performances other shows don’t get. Epik High performed, Breakdown, for lucky Seattle fans.

The highlight of the night, was definitely the performances of Love Love Love, Fan and Fly. Everyone had their hands up, waving their glowsticks, jumping and singing along like crazy. Then, there was also the moment, when Tablo telling the fans in the back (who were seated) to get the “F” up. Now, this is how a show should be; no scripts and the performers being themselves.

This being my first Korean hip-hop concert, it was an amazing show. Being to numerous Kpop concerts, which are usually dominated by female fans; this show was overpowered by the guys. It was fun to see guys in the audience dancing and singing (or should I say, rapping) along. Hopefully, Epik High makes their way back to Seattle for more shows.

THE MEET & GREET
It wasn’t even 11:30 in the morning when I arrived at the Verizon Wireless store in Federal Way, Washington, and already there were over 20 fans in line. First person in line had been there since 6:45am and Epik High wasn’t schedule to arrive until 1:00. Throughout the six hours of waiting, the Verizon staff held fun activities and competitions for fans to win autographed “Map the Soul” t-shirts. First round was a dance battle between 6 fans, second round a cell-phone modeling contest between 7 fans, an Epik High trivia, and a race to see who was the first to have an Epik High wallpaper, ringtone, answer ringtone, ringtone playback, and MP3 downloaded onto their phones.

By the time noon came around, the line had looped several times with 150 people including the VIP line; VIP’s were people who had donated their unused cell phones or purchase an item from the clearance shelf of the Verizon store for donation. As fans continue to chatter amongst their friends and families to make the hour fly faster, the Verizon staff announces that Epik High was 5 minutes away and the crowd went crazy.

With DJ Tukutz in the passenger side with untinted windows, fans couldn’t hold back their excitement. When the car doors opened and Epik High walked out with their entourage, screams welcomed them as Tablo waved to fans. Unexpectedly following Epik High was MYK and another wave of screams.

Inside, the group and their entourage were led to the backroom while press prepared their cameras and questions. Flying coast to coast from New York to Seattle with back-to-back shows without a day in between, it was obvious that these guys were sleep deprived, yet still had enough energy in them to make their fans happy.

With Tablo as the bilingual speaker amongst the three, he ran the majority of the interviews while Mithra and DJ Tukutz listened and often made jokes. Being a non-Korean speaker, I was unable to understand most of everything that was asked and answered. At one point, in the middle of answering a question with seriousness, Tablo pauses and lets out a big sneeze causing laughter in the room, but without much delay he resumed his answer.

When the time came for me to ask my question, it was without a doubt on my mind to ask a question every fan wanted to know. With all the reactions, sold-out shows, and demands, I asked,
“If you had another world tour, would there be any possibilities to add more cities?”

Tablo: “Definitely. We actually were gonna do Chicago and some other places, but we have to record an album when we go back. So, because of last scheduling that was impossible. We’d like to add cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, San Diego, Delaware, Rhode Island. We’d also like to go to Hawaii, just to hang out.”

Then Tablo jokes: “Alaska, ‘cause I heard there was a huge demand for Korean hip-hop out there in Alaska. North Carolina, Atlanta, …Denver.”

By this time, I’m assuming he’s trying to hit my city, Portland, Oregon, which he then later told me that’s the next city after Denver. With the conference coming to an end, Mithra and DJ Tukutz takes one of their posters and starts to draw on themselves.

Finally when the staff opened the doors for the first group of fans, it was all smiles and twinkles that walked in. Fans had them sign all sorts of things, t-shirts, album covers, some even brought Tablo’s book to be signed and were hesitant if the other two members would sign. Other fans had their cell phones signed, iPods and mp3 players, even a new laptop. Gifts were also given by the fans, such as hand-drawn art and posters, snacks and drinks, stuffed anime characters, as well as fan-made Map the Soul note pad.

It was a little after 4:00 when the meet and greet came to an end, with about 20 fans waiting in the parking lot to catch a glimpse of Epik High one last time. Tablo and Mithra got in the back seats with tinted windows and DJ Tukutz took his place in the passenger seat with windows rolled down waving goodbye to the northwest fans. I headed home with my own 3-hour drive back to Portland with great memories of a weekend with Epik High.