WHEN IT COMES to rock, Hong Kong seems cursed. An endless string of cancellations and to-be-confirmed gigs have left the city in a state of limbo, as each grand new project that tries to take off gets tangled in red tape.
While efforts to hold large-scale international music festivals such as Harbour Fest and Rockit have been in the pipeline for some time, a small group of promoters have opted to think smaller and locally in the hope that a more streamlined project might have more success.
Last month saw the first in what organisers Tom Howells and Justin Chau hope will be a lasting series of live rock shows, held monthly at Soho's Amnesia nightclub. The event, billed Live@Amnesia, featured Audiotraffic, False Alarm and Uncle Joe - all young, all rock bands, and most importantly, all local.
'We wanted to provide a venue where local bands could play and where audiences get to enjoy a live show on a regular basis,' says Howells. 'Amnesia seemed perfect because of its downtown location, its size, and its more intimate vibe.'
Although there had been some publicity for the event, Howells and Chau were surprised by the overwhelming turnout, which packed the mid-sized nightclub. Strong performances from each of the bands and the enthusiastic response from the crowd made the night a success, and although the organisers were satisfied, it left them hungry for more.
While it may be hard to make out from behind the shimmering glitz of Canto-pop media campaigns and the barren wasteland of nightclub cover bands, Howells says there is a wealth of young local talent lurking just beneath the surface that presently has no outlet because it has no way of showing itself.