'Look dead serious,' says Krave vocalist Joe Khawar to his bandmates Hafsa Khan and Lawrence Chiu. It's good advice for a 'cozy rap/rock' band taking part in their first professional photo shoot, but easier said than done. Especially as they're all lying under a coffee table. 'Wait,' he says to no one in particular. 'We need an object that represents Krave.' 'Like a tissue?' says Khan.
The calm ones at the centre of this storm are Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts students Mazy Li Mei-sze and Irene Lau Kit-yan, two unassuming 21-year-olds who've been set a tough 'school project'. Each year students studying sound design and music recording are asked to 'gather musicians and backstage technical support to present the best sound and lighting show in Hong Kong', as Sze puts it. Quite a tall order when you consider this means doing 'everything on the conceptual side', as well as 'finding the bands, promoting the concert, plus sound system design and operation'. Just ask AmCham.
'It's been hard for us to manage our time,' says Sze, especially since 'so many unexpected events have happened to block our way'. Like the border police confiscating the entire stock of promotional T-shirts for the concert.
Still, the pair is quietly confident. When asked what she thinks about the standard of 'technical support' in Hong Kong, Sze says 'I think it would be better if it was done by us'. As for the main event, she says 'We just don't know what will happen ...'
'But we're prepared,' says Yan.
They're not the only ones with problems. 'The worst thing about being in a band is finding the time to rehearse, because we've all got different jobs,' says Cheung. Not to mention, 'two or three girlfriends to fit into the schedule', says drummer Barry Tam.