An Electric Eel Shock, a white sock and 2,700 fans

Amateur ball players, joggers and domestic helpers all had to make way for music fans and plenty of beer at Victoria Park yesterday afternoon as the annual Rockit festival kicked off.

With the return this year of Tomoharu 'Gian' Ito, the drummer of Japanese band Electric Eel Shock, many were wondering if the maverick rocker would dare to perform in the nude again - a stunt for which he was fined at the inaugural festival in 2003.

In the event, Ito performed bare-chested but managed to keep his trousers on yesterday - which was just as well, given the high police presence. But he did not disappoint, drawing shrieks from the crowd when he stuffed a white sock down the front of his trousers.

About 2,700 fans turned up for the opening day, like last year, with organisers saying attendance figures could have been better if not for the afternoon rain.

But the atmosphere remained wild through the night as local acts took to the stage. Flamboyant singer Anthony Wong Yiu-ming dazzled the audience with his glamorous costumes, followed by drum'n'bass pioneer Goldie.

Children were not ignored yesterday, with a kids' area providing activities such as face painting for the young ones while their parents rocked to the live music.

Tonight's headline act, former Stone Roses singer Ian Brown, who is due to perform at about 7.30pm, was seen mingling in the crowd.

The gates open at 2pm today, following RTHK's live political show City Forum which is also held at the park.