Plenty of pre-packaged punk rock acts have drifted across the mainstream consciousness in recent years - bands with the right clothes, but the wrong attitude. But Hong Kong might at last have found its first punk stars in Hardpack.
The five-piece made a name for themselves with their performance at the Rockit Festival last November, electrifying the audience with hard-hitting songs that were at once funny and fast enough to get the crowd jumping. This month, the band earned a slot at HK Live!, alongside mainstream Macanese duo Soler.
From their roots as an underground outfit, Hardpack now boasts some of the city's best musicians. Most are Hong Kong-born, but have spent time overseas, in Australia, Britain or Singapore.
Drummer Kevin Li, with his tattoos and mohawk, was with local hardcore outfit King Ly Chee, and also plays as a session drummer for some of the city's best-known Canto-pop acts.
His fast and furious style drives the band's sound. In a heavy Australian accent - he spent his teenage years in Melbourne - Li credits Davy Chan of defunct hip-hop group LMF for his tighter approach and King Ly Chee for his energy. 'The music they play trains up your stamina,' he says.
Vocalist Ah Fai (aka Chan Wai-hung, or Phat as he's known in English) is the latest addition to the Hardpack lineup. The dimple-cheeked rapper made his name with LMF.
The core of the band formed four years ago. That's when founding members and guitarists Joseph Leung Kin-hang and Li Ka-ki (aka KK) found themselves disillusioned with what they were doing, and decided to start a punk band.