Live music in Hong Kong – from Clockenflap to Cantopop

Welcome back to Hong Kong, or at least a taste of the sounds you can expect when alighting your flight, courtesy of our ongoing city guide. Western soundsmiths are sure to filter their way across to south eastern China, with This Will Destroy You and OK GO among those flying out this summer, but finding the smaller gems can often be difficult in a city the size of Hong Kong. Among our tips are Hidden Agenda for alt-rock and metal, Dada Bar or Gecko for jazz, Love Da Café or Hang Out for indie rock, and a free-entry haven for pub rock bands, The Wanch. At the larger end of the scale, it may not translate too well without sniggers, but November’s Clockenflap festival of music and arts (pictured) has no problem interpreting a wide range of sights, sounds and activities. Having booked some of the world’s biggest names in live music, from Mogwai and The Flaming Lips to Nightmares On Wax and DJ Jazzy Jeff in 2014, this year’s main stages are sure to shape up just as strongly. Elsewhere you can catch live street art, a silent disco or settle down to a film in the cinema tent. And it’s family friendly, with sideshows, sack races and even a dedicated stage for performances to entertain the kids. Other big events worth a look and listen are the spectacular Pulse 3D Light Show, projected onto Hong Kong’s iconic buildings and accompanied by an anthemic dance music soundtrack, and the Wine & Dine Festival, which fuses live jazz with your food and drink. Diving into the mainstream, you could sample the latest Cantopop stars. Among them, Four Heavenly Stars are the genre’s answer to Take That, while Edison Chen and Janice Vidal have been the centre of teens’ attentions in recent years. If you prefer to try before you buy then head to the Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier to sample its array of street performers. Check out Cathay Pacific, which flies non-stop from Manchester four times a week, with return fares starting from £649 in economy, £1,249 in Premium Economy and £3,339 in business class. Visit the website below for more information – plus enter here for a chance to win a trip for two to Hong Kong for three nights.

www.cathaypacific.co.uk

This is a Manchester Wire Partnership post.