'ROCKIT IS A FESTIVAL in the vein of Glastonbury, the Big Day Out, Summer Sonic and The Fuji Rock Festival,' the website of Hong Kong's outdoor rock/dance event boldly declares. That may seem overly ambitious for an event attended by 3,000 people on both days of last year's programme, but there's a precedent that suggests a long and successful future. In 1970, Glastonbury played host to a mere 2,000 people, who turned up to see TRex headline a bill that included such luminaries as Amazing Blondel, Quintessence, Sam Apple Pie and Steamhammer, some of which had only turned up to watch but ended up playing. Nowadays, more than 150,000 people make the annual trek to the English county of Somerset to soak up the latest and greatest the entertainment world has to offer. In conversation, however, Rockit organiser Nimal Jayawardena likes to refer to what's been achieved in Singapore. 'Hong Kong and Singapore are so similar, but their music scene is so much more advanced than ours,' he says, pointing to the Lion City's annual Womad festival and the dance venue Zoukclub - 'probably the best club in Asia' - and its ZoukOut festival, which this year takes place on the beaches of Sentosa. Although the Singapore government is often seen as authoritarian, it encourages the local music scene, which is something Jayawardena hopes to see happen in Hong Kong - and not by sinking piles of cash into much-criticised events such as Harbour Fest. '[The government] is being a lot more co-operative this year,' he says. 'It's starting to appreciate the benefits of an outdoor music festival.' Justin Sweeting, who was involved in organising last year's inaugural Rockit, says the event is great for tourism, and 'is pulling in people from neighbouring territories'. To remain competitive globally - locations are being evaluated for when the festival outgrows its Victoria Park home - organisers are at pains to stress the need for gradual growth. While the Lollapoloozas and Big Day Outs of this world make use of the biggest global names, the modest Rockit - with a relatively limited budget - has had to rely on a delicate balance between overseas and local acts. To filter out the best new talent Hong Kong has to offer for this year's festival - which begins on Friday and runs for three days - a series of auditions was arranged at Jayawardena's club, Amnesia, in Hollywood Road. So far, festival slots have been approved for the likes of 22 Cats, KaiHiiKitora, Garoupa and Over the Dogma. The judges say they were pleasantly surprised by the number of acts vying to be chosen and the talent. 'We always knew there were a lot of good bands out there,' says Sweeting, a former Island School pupil with experience in the music business in Britain. 'But we've been absolutely amazed at the standard. We've been surprised by the range of styles. 'When I was growing up in Hong Kong, all there was was soft-hair metal rock. And now it's just proliferated to everything you can imagine - and good quality, too.' The auditions provided a precious platform for inexperienced performers who have few opportunities to play live in Hong Kong. 'That's our biggest barrier to nurturing talent,' says Riz Farooqi, vocalist and guitarist with hardcore act King Lychee, one of the local bands on the bill. 'If there isn't a professional environment for musicians, they'll continue to perform as merely a hobby.' Farooqi says auditions rarely bring out the best in performers, but Sweeting says they offer a chance 'for a lot of these bands to play to really packed audiences - really encouraging audiences. It's a worthwhile endeavour for the bands, even if they didn't secure a festival slot'. Rockit will provide not only a stage but a much-sought-after audience for some of Hong Kong's more established artists. Farooqi says Rockit could boost a local music scene that's been evolving rapidly over the years by breaking through a level of apathy. 'The actual problem is in the mindset of a lot of the expat crowd who don't seem motivated enough to want to check out local shows,' he says. 'One positive aspect about Rockit is that it brings out people who usually wouldn't go to local shows. My hope is these people will realise how important their attendance is at regular shows.' Established local artists lining up alongside King Lychee at the festival include Audiotraffic, DJ Tommy, Josie Ho, The Pancakes and Uncle Joe. But the main attraction is the international contingent, chief among them being rockers The Cooper Temple Clause from Britain. 'They're perfect for Hong Kong,' says Sweeting. 'Their music, their image. They're very much a Hong Kong band.' Regurgitator from Australia will be back, as well as ghettotech DJ Godfather, a number of DJs from Bristol-based Full Cycle, and Quentin Tarantino's favourite trash'n'roll chicks, the 5,6,7,8's, from Japan. Sweeting says that luring them to Hong Kong was pretty easy. 'Bands overseas want to come to Hong Kong,' he says. 'It's an amazing city. Playing to the most amount of people in a good festival atmosphere [with] production that is top-class is the best way for them to see the place.' The festival site and Hong Kong's skyline, helps to promote that sense of awe. The Rockit organisers employ what they call a street team to help market the event. 'A lot of what we do has to be cost effective and pretty much guerilla in terms of tactics,' says Sweeting. 'So, the team goes out, speaks to people, puts up flyers and posters. During the event, they help us with whatever needs doing.' As for the future, Farooqi is optimistic. 'I think Rockit could be huge for Hong Kong, and the organisers should be commended for beginning this process,' he says. The fact that every band that played last year wanted to return must be a good sign, as well. Last year's Rockit, if a little chaotic and financially stained with red ink, was a success overall, despite the distraction of the ill-fated Harbour Fest and the last-minute withdrawal of headline act Supergrass. 'This year there's no excuse,' says Jayawardena. And if it rains? 'This is an outdoor festival,' says Sweeting. 'The weather's part and parcel of it. If people come with the right attitude, it'll be OK.' Only time will tell whether Glaston-bury's traditional mud bath will be recreated with Hong Kong soil. Rockit, Victoria Park, Oct 22, 23, and 24. For full line-up, times and tickets, go to www.rockit-hk.com