Drum N Bass crew Magnetic Soul is celebrating their 4th anniversary on Saturday, August 1st with a special event featuring recording artists Total Science and M.C. Riya.

Although very niche, Drum N Bass has a fanatical following in Hong Kong. Despite all the new sub-genres of electronic dance music to come along, Drum N Bass has continued to maintain its own scene. The music has been kept alive in part thanks to organizations such as Magnetic Soul, which have regularly hosted international Drum N Bass stars.

What happened at the last Drum and Bass event I attended? (more…)

On Friday, July 31st, a new night called Scream launches at Pop Bites in Soho.

DJ Asim Fiction plays a range of new electronic dance music including Nu Disco, House and Electro.

Scream
Friday, July 31st, 2009
Pop Bites
Upper Ground Floor, 3-5 Old Bailey Street
Central, Hong Kong
From 10pm til 2am
Free

This makes the fourth time that top beatboxer Killa Kela is set to perform in Hong Kong. If you haven’t yet caught one of his shows, Killa Kela produces elaborate, almost orchestral routines using only his mouth!

For his Summer 2009 tour, Kela teams up with Andy Knowles, an accomplished drummer who plays with the band Franz Ferdinand, as well as London based d.j. Skelektrik. Adding a drummer and a d.j. will likely increase the complexity of the show he can stage.

Want a sample of Killa Kela’s skills? (more…)

French artist L1ES ONE has been active in Hong Kong for several years now. His art is rooted in graffiti, but often ventures into other territory. On Wednesday, July 29th, he’ll be opening a show of new work titled “DR1PS & BUBBLES” at the private club M1NT in Sheung Wan.

L1ES ONE is particularly good at tailoring his art to different spaces. Curious what his previous exhibitions looked like? (more…)

This nondescript shop in the heart of Causeway Bay is secretly being transformed. On Friday, July 24th, the wraps come off to reveal 55 DSL’s pop-up shop – a combination retail and art space. Flown in from Italy to christen the new store are the masked d.j. duo The Bloody Beetroots, along with their frequent collaborator, the artist Turbokrapfen.

Not yet up on this gang? Seen the Facebook party description ‘night of mayhem’? Well these guys actually bring it! (more…)

Cool names! If you don’t have a cool name, you’re lacking a certain level of creativity, showmanship and panache.

Batman didn’t run around calling himself Bruce Wayne. Spiderman didn’t go by Peter Parker. The Hulk didn’t jump around destroying stuff as David Banner. You actually think they did it for privacy reasons? (more…)

For a year or two, I sort of put this out of my mind. Scooting up the escalator, it no longer makes my blood boil as it once did when it was first installed around five years ago. But that doesn’t mean I don’t catch a glimpse every now and then that doesn’t re-ignite my fury.

Yesterday was one of those days! (more…)

Yo Ma Ma is coming to IFC mall!

Just in time for summer, there’s a wave of new frozen yogurt places opening around town. The snack / dessert has been experiencing a revival in other big cities around the world, lead by Red Mango and Pinkberry. Though neither of these chains have made it to Hong Kong yet, frozen yogurt stores are multiplying from Shatin to Soho.

What’s with the new craze? (more…)

the scene last Friday in the Drum N Bass room at Cliq

For years we’ve endured smokey clubs until the wee hours of the morning and the collateral damage – second hand smoke, smelly clothes, and smokey hair. But July marked the end of smoking (at least legally,) inside Hong Kong’s bars and nightclubs. On behalf of our lungs, hair and clothes – thank you!

Now the question is – will it be enforced? (more…)

There’s a good reason for the bars on the front window of the new Awfully Chocolate store on Caine Road. What they keep inside is indeed a precious commodity.

Similar to high-end boutiques that offer just a few limited-edition items, Awfully Chocolate is a highly specialized dessert shop.

What they sell (three kinds of cake, plus one flavor of ice cream,) is created with perfection in mind. (more…)