OUTTAKES
Mad respect! Reggae Night has been running at Club 97 for five years, and this Sunday will celebrate the milestone with plenty of pure Jamaican grooves, dedicated to Bob Marley.
Mikey Dread and Rikki Malik started the event to fill Hong Kong's reggae void. 'We didn't think it was going to be so big,' says Dread. 'It was all this techno and electronic house music, but Malik and I grew up with reggae.'
The pair left Hong Kong a few years ago, putting Reggae Night in the hands of DJs Reverend Kila, Madam Maggie and King Kazuto. Dread now spins reggae in Dublin, while Malik DJs in London, but they're flying back for the anniversary bash. Doors open at 8pm.
Simon Shackleton, who earned his stripes as a breakbeat producer, is the driving force behind tech-funk - a dancefloor-friendly sound that combines breakbeat and house, with a nod to electro and minimal.
His Strongarm Sessions broadcasts notch up tens of thousands of downloads each week, and tuning in will give you a taste of what to expect when Shackleton plays Gossip 17 on May 20. Keep an eye out for our Elite Force interview on May 18.
It may seem like only last week that local metal band Qiu Hong won the 2005 World Battle of the Bands final, but the organisers are already seeking entries for this year's competition.
The local heats will be held from June 6 to mid-July, again at Edge and the Fringe Club in Central. The winning band will get a slot on the main stage of this year's Rockit festival, and the chance of a recording contract.
Bands wanting to join the battle must sign up before May 30 at worldbattleofthebands.com
