Beating a new musical path

There may be an international DJ or two spinning around town every weekend, but many clubbers will argue the scene is staid nonetheless. As parties continue to be dominated by house, progressive house and techno DJs, a few local promoters have decided to test the waters by trying something new.

'The market here is solidly into hard dance music, hard house, that's what's growing. For Hong Kong to take on another scene on the side is hard, there are not a lot of young people who have grown up with dance music,' DJ and promoter Simon Birch said.

Birch is bringing in the World Of Drum And Bass Tour tonight. The event is the brainchild of DJ SS, a childhood friend of Birch who is lauded as one of the pioneers of drum and bass.

The concept started as an album of drum and bass tracks for the World Cup. But as SS, born Leroy Small, talked to DJs and producers around the world about the project, he was inspired to put together an introduction to the genre. In addition to the tour and the album is a drum and bass directory listing DJs, venues and record shops for drum and bass fans around the world.

'Drum and bass is an international thing. I'm trying to discover new talent and break them through,' said the 28-year-old. The tour, confirmed through till this summer - although more dates are expected - will stop in spots across Europe, the US, Australia and Asia. Accompanying SS will be John B, known for last year's critically acclaimed Visions album, and British MC Warren G. Local support will come from Birch, as DJ Blackjack, with breakbeat, DJ Tommy with hip-hop, and Steve Ellul and Mick with drum and bass.

With the relative lack of a local drum and bass scene, Birch is realistic about his chances of pulling a profit tonight. 'I do parties for fun, he's my mate, why not? I love jungle, and the opportunity was there,' said Birch, who by day works for a high access specialist surveying company. He anticipates a crowd of 300 to 400 for the event tonight, a far cry from the 2,000 that showed up for his John Digweed event last month.

'I think it's something about the local music scene, they've got no black music roots, there's no hip-hop, no R & B. In England we've had reggae for 50 years, we've had hip-hop, we've got that culture,' he said.