IT MAY be billed as an ''international'' festival, but this year's Wan Chai music bash has provoked a series of simmering rows among Hong Kong bands anxious to fill the ''local spots''.
A row over which bands will get to play on the same bill as Apache Indian and the mainland masses has resulted in angry letters to newspapers, public slanging matches between different groups and even a fictitious feud between organiser Mark Thompson, ofthe Wan Chai Association, and the owner of a popular live music establishment in Wan Chai.
''There were 10 spaces available for local bands, and we got loads of applications from local bands wanting to play,'' Mr Thompson said.
''At last count it was 24, I think, and obviously some were going to be disappointed.'' He did not realise how disappointed. After some bands were turned down, Mr Thompson found himself vilified in the press.
Some bands questioned his criteria for choosing local representatives, others accused the organisers of ignoring the grassroots Wan Chai live music scene, and there arose a bitter debate over the merits of ''cover'' bands against those playing original material.
''The only thing I ever said was that the best quality bands would play, and because the objective of the whole festival is to mix east and west, we would need both local Chinese and expatriate bands,'' Mr Thompson said.