Echoes of a good time Do you miss heavy metal's 1980s glory days of big hair, tight trousers and falsetto vocals? Neither do we, but there's no denying the sound is making a comeback, thanks to the likes of British spandex fans the Darkness and Aussie rockers Wolfmother. One of the biggest 80s metal bands were Dokken, who had a string of chart successes along with other big-haired types including Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and Europe. Local metal fans now have the opportunity to learn some tricks of the trade from their former lead axeman, George Lynch, when he visits Hong Kong next week. His guitar work was a feature of Dokken's platinum-selling albums Tooth and Nail and Under Lock and Key, winning him comparisons to virtuosos such as Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Since leaving Dokken for the second time in 1997, Lynch (right) has been a regular guest at music clinics around the world, spreading the gospel of heavy-metal guitar for some of the instrument industry's biggest names. At the moment, he's swapped his electric guitar for an acoustic and will appear in Hong Kong on June 11 as part of the Yamaha Acoustic Guitar Clinic. It will be held at the seventh-floor meeting room of Hitec in Kowloon Bay from 7pm. Tickets are $50 and available from Tom Lee outlets in TST, Wan Chai and Sha Tin. The Stray Katz stomp Like heavy metal, big band music may not be the most fashionable sound, but the Stray Katz have earned themselves a following with their monthly gig at Grappa's Cellar. Appearing on the first Saturday of every month, the Stray Katz - comprising an array of international musicians - are known for their big band interpretations of classic swing and contemporary hits, and are recognised for their musical talent and energetic shows. This Saturday's show at Grappa's Cellar - in LG/F Jardine House, 1 Connaught Rd, Central - starts at 8pm and it's free. Jammin' them in Followers of the DJ list of the world's top turntablists are eagerly awaiting the June 10 appearance of Marco V, who ranks an impressive No16. Dutchman Marco Verkuylen worked his way up the list as a trance DJ playing tracks with a constant drive and uplifting melodies, and has recently brought on board influences from house and electro. Expect long queues, sardine can-like conditions and no room to dance: it will be at Edge at 60 Wyndham St, Central, which has a capacity of less than 200.
