Harbourflap Stage
Jing Wong (12.30pm): often found busking around Hong Kong, Jing Wong pens his own gentle, folksy ballads, reminiscent of Damien Rice (who plays on the same stage the night before). His most recent EP, How to Disappear, received local praise, and his set – accompanied by a full band – promises to be one of the best examples of Hong Kong’s home-grown talent.
Jannine Weigel (1.30pm): with more than a million subscribers, 15-year-old Thai-German singer Jannine Weigel is a bona fide YouTube hit. Although she started out by covering Katy Perry and
Frozen, she’s recently moved on to release an original EP, including the generically boppy
Shotgun, which has
Twilight-inspired video to boot. Should make the ’tweens go crazy.
Rachael Yamagata (4pm): Yamagata has enjoyed a successful if understated career as a versatile pop singer-songwriter since 2004, when she released her first album,
Happenstance. Since then, she has toured with Mandy Moore and collaborated with Jason Mraz, Bright Eyes, Sheryl Crow, Toots and the Maytals, and Ray LaMontagne. She’s a practised performer with a distinctive pop sound.
The Skatalites (5.30pm): these Jamaican legends were creators, in the 1960s, of a new, hot sound that would come to define the island’s music and influence generations of artists, from Bob Marley to Sublime to Rihanna. Though none of the founding Skatalites members are still alive, their legacy endures. Join the band at Clockenflap for the joyous celebration of an irresistible, infectious genre.
HOCC (8.30pm): Denise Ho has been a beloved Canto-pop star for more than a decade, but recently she’s revived her relevance by calling for legitimate elections in Hong Kong and campaigning for LGBT rights. Ho was even arrested during the final day of the umbrella protests. Now, she’s back on her usual stage, sure to be one of Clockenflap’s biggest draws.
The Libertines (9.45pm): after a major falling out in 2004, garage-band darlings The Libertines have reunited to much excitement, and released their third album,
Anthems for Doomed Youth, this year. Despite their rocky history, the band have maintained a devoted fanbase. Expect a raucous and jubilant Clockenflap set.
John Gomm (2pm): What unites British critic-at-large Stephen Fry and Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee? Well, for one thing, a shared appreciation for guitar virtuoso John Gomm, whom Fry called a “genius” and of whom Lee said: “Hands down the most amazing guitarist I have ever seen.” Indeed, Gomm uses his instrument in ways that stretch the boundaries of what we mean by guitar. You have to see it to believe it.
Julia Holter (4.30pm): this American singer-songwriter is in the mould of Joanna Newsom and Kate Bush, whose dreamy, genre-defying songs are halfway between pop and something stranger. Her latest album,
Have You in My Wilderness, was released to rave reviews from Pitchfork and
The Guardian. Her Clockenflap set promises to be intimate and unusual.
Leah Dou (7pm): the daughter of popular singer-actress Faye Wong, the young Leah Dou is just beginning her career as a singer-songwriter; Clockenflap is her live performance debut. Her androgynous beauty and lovely voice, and the careful, professional arrangement of her songs have already earned her attention and curiosity.
Ratatat (8.15pm): hearing Ratatat through headphones, you might think that the Brooklynite duo spin their lush, zinging beats via computer, but on stage, you’ll see a whole different picture. The two are bona fide guitar virtuosos, creating ripples of orgiastic notes above thick funky beats. The strange and delightful love child of hip hop and metal, Ratatat are some of the most epic performers around, period. Don’t miss.
A$AP Rocky (10pm): A$AP Rocky is one of the highly acclaimed “indie” rappers whose name is more familiar than his music. He has no one breakout hit, just a stellar album,
Live. Love. ASAP, that debuted at No 1 on the American charts, and a diamond-hard reputation. His style, which is oozy and narcotic, falls somewhere between Kendrick Lamar, Drake and Cam’ron. Clockenflap is his Asian debut – expect a spectacular show.
Your Mum Stage
Genghar (2.30pm): just off a tour alongside Clockenflap alums Alt-J, Genghar are bringing their own indie-electric sound to the festival. With its disco-inflected, psychedelic pop swirls, their debut album, A Dream Outside, earned the London-based quartet comparisons to MGMT and Tame Impala. The Guardian wrote that their “frazzled melodies feeling both unsettling and festival-ready”.
Hinds (6.15pm): this low-fi, garage rock, cool-girl band hails from Madrid, but they’ve won praise across the globe for their catchy and irreverent tunes that combine the sound of The Strokes or Mac DeMarco with the attitude of Haim. The energy of their live performances has garnered nearly as much attention as their upbeat, jangly sound. Go for the vibe and stay for the songs.
Angel Haze (8.45pm): one of the most talented and promising female rappers out there, Angel Haze first drew deserved attention with an excellent, confessional and quick-moving mixtape. Her latest album,
Back to the Woods, came out this autumn to fawning reviews. Her raw, confrontational honesty and her brash, spectacular flow – reminiscent of Lauryn Hill’s – are musical dynamite. Don’t miss.
Mercury Rev (10pm): for 25 years, Mercury Rev have maintained a cult following for their ambient, psychedelic rock. While they’ve never had the wide appeal of The Flaming Lips, to whom they are often compared, they’ve never given up either. In their Clockenflap set, expect old classics, new material, and a warm and fuzzy atmosphere.
Electriq Stage
Future Brown (5pm): this Los Angeles collective spins an eclectic mix of grime, hip hop, kizomba, dancehall and electronica from around the globe. Head to their Clockenflap set for what’s been called a “utopian mix of American street rap and high-minded European electronica”.
UNKLE Sounds (6.30pm): alhough UNKLE began as a trip-hop outfit in 1994, they’ve since branched out into a wide range of breakbeat and psychedelia. Over the 20 years they’ve been spinning, UNKLE have collaborated with Thom Yorke of Radiohead, Beastie Boy Mike D, and Badly Drawn Boy. UNKLE mastermind James Lavelle is sure to have super-pro set.
Crookers (9.30pm): Francesco “Phra” Barbaglia is a master at churning out weird and genre-bending hits for the dancefloor. He mashes together hip hop, electro, and deep bass in a manner that’s playful and addictive. He has remixed everyone from the Chemical Brothers to Kid Cudi, and his most recent album featured vocal turns from Miike Snow and will.i.am. Hit the Electriq tent for an edgy, bass-driven party.
