Sinister Feeling
GO – it’s what you do and the title for The Me?… We! Movement’s upcoming gig. Arrive, and you’ll give ear to the 2001 Yamaha Asia Beat Champion SoulBath, pop punk band ToNick and Polymer, a four-piece whose music influences include the beloved Mansun and Suede. And when the lights dim, know you’ll be gripped by the dark, hypnotic and experimental Sinister Left, who had a word or two for us about the music that shaped the band…

Al (guitar): Led Zeppelin’s IV. I’m a very late rocker, but my sister used to listen to a lot of cool stuff. One day, for some strange reason, I felt the urge to ‘spy’ among her albums as I had heard something really cool. It was IV. I was hooked and listened to it over and over again. Since then I started exploring rock more and playing guitar too. Now I like a lot of bands and genres but Led Zeppelin will always be THE rock band.

Chi (drums): Radiohead’s OK Computer. It stepped away from common Brit-pop and rock. It basically said, “It’s a different world now!” We live in paranoia and political issues are affecting each of us. The band also used new musical elements in their songs like electronic sounds, unconventional structures and strong lyrics. The album’s dark sound has a great influence on the music we are creating now.

Eugene (bass): B-52’s Cosmic Thing, simply because it’s the first album I bought and it introduced me to music. Now when I think back, I realize the B-52’s retro New-Wave style is somewhat close to the things we do now.

Nathan (vocals and guitar): The Smiths’ Hatful Of Hollow. I remember listening to the radio a lot during those days and The Smiths struck me immediately, especially classics like How Soon Is Now. I still like their intimate and personal lyrics, a mix between rock and nostalgia, and they strongly affect the songs we compose.

The show kicks off at 10:30pm at Fringe Gallery on February 23. Tickets cost $100 with one drink.

Rock For Good
A batch of bands is lining up for Rock Too Well, a charity gig for Ryan’s Well Foundation. Never heard of it? It is a small NGO delivering clean water to remote communities in developing countries, and was founded by Ryan Hreljac, a 15-year-old from Ontario. At the age of six, Ryan, hearing that people die from lack of clean water, set out to raise funds for a well in Africa. He collected CAD$70 for his first well but has since sponsored 266 wells in 12 countries.
Though the bands and organizer of Rock Too Well do not know Ryan in person, they think it is a good idea to support him both with money and spreading the spirit. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Benson, aka Slash!Sakura!Slash!, learnt about the foundation two years ago through a magazine article. In the spirit of changing the world, we asked Benson which song he thought could best transform the way we all live. “What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong,” he told us. “It is such a great song that only Armstrong can play. The happiness and sadness in the song can definitely inspire the world.”
Join Slash!Sakura!Slash!, Cho Chuk Mo, Homeless Alien, Exit on Twelve and Spermatic Chord for rock with a cause at 8pm on February 25 at Flat C & D, 4th Floor, Lee Ka Industrial Building, No. 8 Ng Fong Street, San Po Kong, Kowloon. Tickets cost $60. For enquiries, call 9326 4625. To learn more about Ryan’s Well Foundation, click www.ryanswell.ca.

Women's Voices
Keith Chan Fai Yeung is the composer of many of the hits of Canto-pop stars including Eason Chen, Miriam Yeung and most recently Faye Wong. But now Chan is intent on fulfilling another dream: his own show in the Arts Festival. He has called it 12 Faces of Woman after the 12 new songs he will perform with an all-women live band. The show will also screen 12 short films directed by Chan’s pals, including director Pang Ho-cheung, photographer Wing Shya, lyricist Lin Xi and Twins’ Charlene Choi. The show was particularly inspired by the Chinese classic novel Dream of the Red Chamber, Chan’s favourite piece of literature, but we wanted to know the composer’s favourite four women. He named one from each of four disciplines:

Music – Shena Ringo, Japanese pop/rock diva
“She is like a religion. I have watched her performance and all I can say is, if you are her fan, going to her show is like going to an evangelical meeting.”
Performing arts – Pina Bausch, German choreographer and dancer
“Cafe Muller was the greatest performance I have ever watched in my life. She is so unique you can hardly find any similarity between her and anyone you see in our daily life. She is out of this world.”
Literature – Aurore Dupin, French writer
“Her work is simple and precise – nothing more, nothing less.”
Politics – Hillary Clinton
“I don’t really like her as a politician, but I admire her sense of humour.”

12 Faces of Woman will be performed on March 2 and 3 at Hong Kong City Hall. Shows start at 8pm. Tickets from $100 to $220 are available through URBTIX.

Gig Guide

Listen Up! @ Fringe Gallery, February 16, 10:30pm. Go for: Alternative rock from Band POS, Blue Espresso and Helter Skelter. Tickets sell for $90 with one standard drink.

Local band night @ Fringe Gallery, February 17, 10:30pm Go for: Girl-power Hard Candy and fun-loving Cho Chuk Mo. Tickets are $80 with one standard drink.

Jazz Orchestra @ Fringe Gallery, February 24, 10:30pm Go for: Swings from band leader Taka Hirohama and songbird Elaine Liu. Tickets are going for $80 with one standard drink.

Michael Saunders @ MO Bar (G/F, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental), every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 9pm Go for: Jazz, R&B and Latin-flavoured techno from Philadelphian saxophonist Michael Saunders, who has worked with Canto-pop stars like Eason Chen, Hacken Lee and Joey Yung. No cover charge.

Life is a Rhythm @ Le Rideau (1/F, Hilltop Plaza, 49 Hollywood Rd, Phone 2850 8833), February 27 and 28 Go for: Tap dancing to live jazz.