The new year always brings with it a bunch of new live gigs to look forward to in Hong Kong, and so far 2019 isn’t disappointing. Shows have been announced by some of the biggest names in pop and rock, including K-pop superstars BTS, British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and two-time Grammy Award winner John Mayer. Is Chinese dance sensation, 10, too young for sexed-up hip hop world? They will be playing everywhere from mega venues AsiaWorld-Arena and the Convention Centre to smaller, more personal live spots – and even one at Hong Kong Disneyland. Here are the gigs to look forward to over the coming months. Teenage Fanclub Since forming in the late 1980s, these Scottish indie darlings have grown into one of Britain’s most beloved cult bands. The Fannies have so far released 11 albums full of beautiful vocal harmonies laid over fuzzy guitars, and will finally be making their Hong Kong debut next month. Feb 1, 7.30pm, The Vine, 29 Burrows St, Wan Chai, HK$490 Craig David It has been almost two decades since his debut, but British singer/MC/DJ Craig David remains as relevant as ever thanks to his current TS5 live show. Bringing together everything from old-school R&B to modern house and garage, David has taken the show from strength to strength – even selling out London’s Brixton Academy. Feb 21, 11pm, Play, 1/F On Hing Building, 1 On Hing Terrace, Central, HK$490 Honne This English electronic duo make “futuristic soul destined to reinvent babymaking music”, according to the UK’s Telegraph newspaper, and have so far released two albums and numerous EPs of sophisticated, soulful synth-pop. They’ll be in good form for their debut Hong Kong show next month after playing sets at mega festivals including Coachella and Lollapalooza. Feb 27, 7.30pm, MacPherson Stadium, 38 Nelson St, Mong Kok, sold out BTS This South Korean boy band are arguably the biggest name in pop worldwide, and last year achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first K-pop band to top the US album chart. Anticipation for their four Hong Kong shows in March is at fever pitch and the mad scramble for tickets on the day they went on sale means that seats – all 56,000 of them – are fully sold out. March 20-21, 8pm; Mar 23-24, 6pm, AsiaWorld-Arena, Hong Kong International Airport, sold out Pet Shop Boys An incredible 35 years after they broke through with debut single West End Girls, Pet Shop Boys are back on the road and bringing their latest live show to Hong Kong. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe make up the most successful duo in British music history, selling more than 50 million albums worldwide and remaining one of a small number of ’80s acts who have managed to stay relevant today. Mar 28, 8pm, AsiaWorld-Arena, Hong Kong International Airport, from HK$588 John Mayer American singer-songwriter John Mayer is not only one of Taylor Swift’s many famous exes, but also a two-time Grammy Award winner dabbling in everything from pop and rock to country and soul. In April, Mayer will be making his Hong Kong debut on an Asia tour that also includes dates in Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta and Tokyo. April 8, 8pm, Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, from HK$698 Wild Nothing This American indie rock/dream pop outfit broke through with the 2012 release of their second album, Nocturne, which reached the top of the Billboard new artist and alternative new artist charts. In the studio Wild Nothing are a solo project by Jack Tatum, but for live shows he enlists a full band to help him pump out his mesmerising brand of shimmering, dreamy music. April 15, 8pm, TTN, 1/F Ocean One, 6 Shung Shun St, Yau Tong, HK$350 Ed Sheeran Local fans of the British pop giant were gutted when his planned 2018 gigs were cancelled after an injury suffered in a bicycle accident, but Ed Sheeran has made good on his promise to reschedule the shows. The bestselling British singer-songwriter has announced he will be performing two nights at the interesting location of Hong Kong Disneyland’s Fantasy Road Outdoor Venue – and it’s sure to sell out. April 17-18, 8pm, Fantasy Road Outdoor Venue, Hong Kong Disneyland, Lantau, ticket prices TBA Kraftwerk Modern music would sound very different without Kraftwerk, the German electro-pop pioneers who had a towering influence on genres such as hip hop, house and techno. BTS to play in North Korea? It could happen in autumn Almost 50 years after they formed in Düsseldorf, the robot men are returning to Hong Kong at the end of April with their mind-bending 3-D Show, which brings the band’s trademark visuals to stunning life. April 29, 8pm, Star Hall, Kitec, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay, from HK$680
