I just received an email from Phat of the local band Hardpack about an upcoming concert titled LET’S FIGHT! featuring several of Hong Kong’s cooler underground groups. If you don’t catch local bands often, this might be a concert worth checking out for a cross-section of what’s happening musically in Hong Kong. The concert is on May 11th and 12th. Will update you with more info as the date approaches.

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Last Thursday I spent the day walking around Macau. After arriving back in Hong Kong via the Turbo Jet, (which takes an hour from Macau to Central,) I had to run to the opposite end of Hong Kong to check out an art opening. I took the MTR, Hong Kong’s subway to Chai Wan, the last stop on the Hong Kong Island line. Disembarking, I walked to the former industrial space that houses the Six Keyz gallery. On my way, I walked through Chai Wan Park, which wouldn’t qualify as a park in other countries since nearly its entire surface is covered in cement!

The exhibition titled “Inner Vision” consisted of works by Stephen Holding and Marion Bolognesi. Stephen’s abstract, layered constructions worked well as a counter to Marion’s minimalist paintings of facial features. The two each had a wall primarily of their individual works, in addition to a third wall of their collaborations.

The laid-back atmosphere of the gallery built around an indoor skateboard half-pipe suited the young crowd who seemed interested in seeing something new and enjoying the show.

For a look at the artwork and the vibe… (more…)

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The 31st Hong Kong International Film Festival launched with more star power than usual this year. The opening films included the popular Korean director Park Chan-Wook’s latest, “I’m A Cyborg, But That’s O.K.,” in addition to “Eye In the Sky,” the debut film by Hong Kong director Yau Nai-Hoi.

“Eye In the Sky” played first on the bill. Pictured above at the opening ceremony were Lam Suet, Maggie Siu, Kate Tsui, Simon Yam, director Yau Nai-Hoi, as well as Milkyway Films founder Johnnie To.

Though the first film garnered an army of press, it paled in comparison to the big turnout for “I’m a Cyborg, but that’s O.K.” The main target was pan-Asian, South Korean pop sensation Rain, who was the male lead in the picture (his first foray into acting.) Heavy security was needed to keep Rain’s fans at bay. Later in the sold-out auditorium there was an audible swoon every time he had a tender moment on screen. His fans greeted him with lighted placards and donned masks - a trademark of his character in the film. Have a look at all the action, including videos of Rain, Park Chan Wook and actress Lim Su Jeong at the opening ceremony! (more…)

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The third stop on my busy Friday night was a Diesel event at the new Star Ferry pier. This is the same space first used by Nike several months ago for their Air Force One event. Arriving late, I missed the performance by Rhymefest. The party was in full swing by 11:30 - which is very early by Hong Kong standards. (For example, top name d.j.s don’t come on until after one am on weekdays at clubs like Volar or Dragon-i.)

Three ingredients that will allow such an early peak are a cool atmosphere - decorations that transform a space into something that feels special, good music, and, most importantly, an open bar! The Diesel event had all three. After passing through the reception area, guests were ushered through a long mirrored hallway (pictured in the top photo,) that spilled into the main room.

The venue itself is a two-floor loft with a high ceiling and patio. It’s a new ferry terminal located directly on the harbor with a view of Hong Kong Island’s skyline. By midnight the large space was packed! Although I could only stay for thirty minutes, (due to yet another engagement,) it looked like a fun place to spend the entire night. The diverse crowd attending the event numbered close to eight hundred people. Curious what it looked like on the dancefloor? Check out the videos! (more…)

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Let me start off by saying that I love D-Mop’s events. For a little background info, D-Mop is a high-end retail chain with locations in several of Hong Kong’s top shopping centers. In addition they have two large flagship shops in Central and Causeway Bay - Hong Kong’s major shopping meccas - which are a magnet for local celebrities. Friday night they held an event for Japanese designer Mihara Yasuhiro. Mihara designs an upscale line for Puma and just put out a limited edition book to commemorate his new line.

The crowd found at D-Mop’s events echoes the clothing they specialize in - upscale, creative and funky. This is a big difference from say, a Gucci or LV party, where the crowd isn’t nearly as charismatic. There’s always a quality, rather than quantity aspect to their events. Friday night’s party was filled with people sporting unique looks. Unfortunately, I was so busy talking, I didn’t take any crowd shots! For a peek at more sneakers by Mihara Yasuhiro… (more…)

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On Tuesday night I attended Shanghai Tang’s Spring 07 fashion show. The theme of the collection was contemporary Shanghai. The venue was Lumiere, in the IFC2 shopping center. The space was converted to host a runway along a large bay of windows overlooking the harbor. From my vantage point, I was able to capture the show in both photos and video! To check out the scene… (more…)

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I recently dropped by M1NT, one of the newest additions to the high-end of Hong Kong’s nightlife. M1NT is a branch of a member’s club that originated in London. It bills itself as a “shareholders club” where membership is limited, thus your original investment becomes more valuable as it theoretically appreciates.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of membership clubs, but I am a fan of exclusivity. The best club nights are only known to the people who are in the scene, and the scene is ever changing, which is a natural form of exclusivity. The inherent problem with members-only clubs is that they tend to draw a monotone crowd. The best clubs provide an exciting time partially because of the surprise mixture of people. A seasoned bouncer and door people can also ensure a good crowd.

All that membership business aside, M1NT has a large shark tank against its back wall - which is worth a few cool points. The rest of the decor is adequate, though not as interesting as the multi-roomed design of HALO, Hong Kong’s other new entry to the high-end.

Looking around the room, M1NT succeeded in achieving a cosmopolitan vibe - something rare for Hong Kong, that made it feel like it could be New York, or another international city. The crowd at M1NT on the night I visited was predominantly foreigners, rather than local Hong Kong Chinese and I have a feeling that’s normally the case.

Nightlife in Hong Kong is somewhat race and class based. (more…)

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New solo and collaborative works from artists Marion Bolognesi and Stephen Holding will be on display at the Six Keyz space in Chai Wan. The opening is on March 15th, from 7:00 pm til 11. The address is 6th floor, Unit 603, 60 Wing Tai Road, Chai Wan.

The last Six Keyz exhibition was a big success with a large turnout, a fun atmosphere and a cool crowd. It’s worth making the trip! See my previous post about Six Keyz here.

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To some extent, going to hear a big name d.j. is like the new Rock concert. Hong Kong’s clubs have been eager to embrace this. There are several reasons why. From the promoters side, it’s easier to book a single d.j. then to fly in a several member band who need to bring all their instruments, etc. Also, rather than have to pay five people, you just need to satisfy one. The demands are less, the costs are less, and your choice of venue is far more flexible.

Last Friday night, Bob Sinclair, the man behind the biggest club hit of recent memory - “Love Generation,” came to Dragon-i. Unfortunately, I was stuck somewhere else, and didn’t make it over until around 3:30 am.

By the time I got there, Bob Sinclair had finished his set. The place looked like it had been through a busy night. Apparently, there had been well over 1500 people there. Dragon-i would normally be crowded with 500 people! The cover charge for the night was $250 (around $30 USD). Table reservations went for $5000, yet the place was so busy that they ran out of every glass except for wine glasses!

I still haven’t heard a reliable rundown on Bob Sinclair’s set because most of the regulars felt over-crowded that night, and left early.

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If you’re interested in art, paticularly street art, K-Spray 3 is a must-attend event. The K-Spray Tour, now in its third year, is passing through Hong Kong on Wednesday, April 4th. The party will feature live painting and work by three featured artists: The London Police from England, Flying Fortress from Germany, and PEZ from Spain. These are three absolutely top European street artists, well known internationally. The event is FREE and runs from 8:30 to 11pm at SUGAR in Central. Hong Kong joins Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei in hosting the tour. For more information visit the K-Spray site. To download the invite for the Hong Kong event, go here. To download info about the six city tour go here.

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