RTHK Blacklists Pro-Democracy Musicians

Ten politically vocal singers and groups, including Denise Ho and Anthony Wong Yiu-ming, have been removed from RTHK playlists.

DJs have apparently been instructed by senior RTHK management to stop playing any new or old songs by: RubberBand, C AllStar, Dear Jane, Serrini, Kay Tse, Charmaine Fong, Alfred Hui, Denise Ho, Anthony Wong Yiu-ming.

An RTHK spokesman told Ming Pao that “the broadcaster is supporting the development of Chinese-language pop music locally, and program hosts would select appropriate songs to feature from a professional perspective.”

A DJ told Ming Pao that the black-list was handed down by management at the beginning of this year and that it will affect program production as many of the artist’s songs are classics that have nothing to do with politics.

When asked about the ban, Alfred Hui said he was not worried. “Music fans can find the kind of music they want to listen to on various platforms and channels these days. Music can also be released as NFTs (non-fungible tokens). I still plan to release two albums this year.”

RubberBand and C AllStar have been ‘banned’ in China since 2019.

image: as1.entertainment 

Third Tone Online Music Festival Concert Video

The organisers of the Tone Online Music Festival – We are All Living Together have released the full video of the 16 January gig on Youtube.

Listen to these local bands: CHANKA 陳嘉 , DJ King, Kendy Suen, King Ly Chee 荔枝王, Luna Is A Bep, R.O.O.T, The Ancient Mental, Triple G, TYNT, 陳健安, 藍奕邦, 麗英@小薯茄

Third Tone Online Music Festival
CHANKA 陳嘉 , DJ King, Kendy Suen, King Ly Chee 荔枝王, Luna Is A Bep, R.O.O.T, The Ancient Mental, Triple G, TYNT, 陳健安, 藍奕邦, 麗英@小薯茄
Date: 4:30pm, 16 January 2022
Venue: www.youtube.com/c/TONEMUSICTV
Tickets: $2,000, $500, $200

Streets of Rage New EP ‘Raw Dog’

After a couple of singles, local band Streets of Rage have released their debut EP Raw Dog.

The five-song collection is a mix of cynical and optimistic tunes about life in the 2020’s from five dudes who as they describe themselves on Facebook have “No agenda, no negativity, no hate, just a bunch of dudes who love making heavy music”.

Grab a copy on Bandcamp streetsofragehk.bandcamp.com

Raw Dog EP cover

New Year Countdown Concert

The Hong Kong Tourism Board will hold its first-ever New Year countdown concert at the West Kowloon Cultural District, Art Park.

Tickets for the concert, which will feature Mirror, Gin Lee, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Alfred Hui, AGA and other local singers are free and will be distributed by lucky draw. The concert will be live-streamed for those without a ticket.

Registration for the ticket draw is from November 15 to 26 at https://nycdconcert.discoverhongkong.com

Attendees must be double jabbed, wear face masks and use the LeaveHomeSafe app.

New Year Countdown Concert
Date: 10pm, 31 December, 2021
Venue: West Kowloon Cultural District, Art Park
Tickets: Free

Takokat Release Debut Single Requiem

New band Takokat have released their debut j-rock-influenced single Requiem.

Requim was written by TingB with lyrics by Ash; produced and arranged by Takokat and To Lee.

Takokat are:
Vocal: Ash
Guitar: TingB
Guitar: Long
Bass: Duff
Drums: Howie

Several of Takokat’s members used to be in the heavy metal band Deep Inside who played many gigs around town from 2012-2019. Reminisce on youtube/DeepInsideHK

Charmaine Fong Lost & Found Live!

There is still some live music taking place locally, Charmaine Fong sold out the HK Coliseum for three nights with her Lost & Found concerts.

Many celebrities and fellow musicians including Rubberband enjoyed what felt like a night from a different time.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210827-Charmaine-Fong-Lost-Found-HK-Coliseum/i-hhbCkrg

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210828-Charmaine-Fong-Lost-Found-HK-Coliseum/i-R3B3bZH

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210827-Charmaine-Fong-Lost-Found-HK-Coliseum/i-sd9Gq5P

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210827-Charmaine-Fong-Lost-Found-HK-Coliseum/i-XrppSx4

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210827-Charmaine-Fong-Lost-Found-HK-Coliseum/i-Cwq3r9F

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210829-Charmaine-Fong-Lost-Found-HK-Coliseum/i-N7Xtf2P

Chimeras Infree Sessions – 9 April, 2021

Local band Chimeras performed a wonderful acoustic set at Infree Records Mongkok store on the 9 April, 2021. Usually a 5 piece symphonic doom metal outfit, band members Friase and Andy rearranged the group’s songs for a piano and vocals acoustic set.

As you can hear on the video which was live-streamed on Youtube, the result is quite stunning.

Set List
Mind Deception
Winged Psyche
Devoidness
Untitled
For my beloved one

Check out more usual Chimeras gig here

 

Infree Records
Room B, 2/F, 26-28 Mong Kok Road
Mong Kok

Virgin Vacation Release Eponymous Debut EP

Virgin Vacation, an instrumental quartet that blend math rock, improvisation jazz, krautrock and electronic beats, have released their eponymous debut EP on cassette, vinyl and digital formats – available from Bandcamp

The EP kicks off with a sound collage of a woman’s voice dispassionately recounting events related to the Hong Kong protests—before being crowded out by multiple copies of itself and a rising drone, reflecting the overwhelming news cycle in the city.

Independent comic book artist Lai Tat Tat Wing illustrates provides the EP’s cover art.

Track listing
Side A
1. Acid Rain
2. 5 Step

Side B
3. Third Eye
4. Voices

All Songs Written & Arranged by 假日貞操 Virgin Vacation