Metallica will play their first gig in Hong Kong on 20 January 2017 at the Asia World-Expo Arena as part of their World Wired tour. Tickets priced at $1,280, $980, $780, $580 go on sale from 10am on the 27 October through HKTicketing
Metallica – World Wired
When: 8pm, 20 January, 2017
Where: Asia World-Expo, Arena
How much: $1,280, $980, $780, $580 from HKTicketing (On sale 27 October)
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The show must go on as Queen + Adam Lambert entertained almost 10,000 sing-a-long fans at AsiaWorld Expo as the legendary rock group final made it to Hong Kong.
There is no replacing Freddie, as a couple of video clips showed, but Lambert works hard to entertain in what must be the strange job of filling the boots of a man who’s influence dominates the evening. Fans want to hear the classic songs, so he can’t make them his own and yet he’s not singing in a covers band… Tough task, but he makes a pretty good fist of it.
At 2 hours and 15 minutes the show is tight, professional and includes most of the hits. There’s an entertaining drum-off between Roger Taylor and his son, a long solo from Brian May and the two song encore ends with band waving goodbye to the strains of God Save the Queen.
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If there’s a complaint, beyond the, as usual, very average sound at AsiaWorld Expo, it’s that the show feels very orchestrated and choreographed. It lacked those moments of spontaneity and improvisation that can turn a good/great concert into a truly memorable even legendary one. Still a fun night out and there’ll be a lot of hoarse voices this morning. Thanks Freddie, Roger, Brian for so many great songs that will live forever!
Seven Seas of Rhye
Hammer to Fall
Stone Cold Crazy
Fat Bottom Girls
Don’t Stop Me Now
Killer Queen
Somebody to Love
Love of My Life
It’s a Kind of Magic
Drum Battle
Under Pressure
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Another One Bites the Dust
I Want It All
Who Wants to Live Forever
The Show Must Go On
Guitar Solo
Tie Your Mother Down
I Want to Break Free
Bohemian Rhapsody
Radio Gaga
encore…
We Will Rock You
We Are The Champions
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Queen-Adam-Lambert-AsiaWorld/i-28WgNRc
Photos: Warner Music Hong Kong, tube.hk
With Grammy Awards, multiple number 1 albums and songs across the globe and over 10million fans across social media life’s pretty good at the moment for a cappella group Pentatonix. Scott Hoying spoke briefly with bc’s resident fan Ronnie Cheng about success, those videos and life on the road.
Pentatonix, currently on tour to promote their self-titled fourth album and performing in Hong Kong on the 22nd September at AsiaWorld-Expo, or PTX as they are known by their fans first rose to fame in 2011 by winning the third season of NBC’s The Sing-Off which earned them $200,000 and a recording contract with Sony owned Madison Gate Records.
The a cappella group only formed a few months before entering, but the 5 piece – Scott Hoying, baritone; Mitch Grassi, tenor; Kirsten Maldonado, mezzo-soprano; Avi Kaplan, bass / vocal percussion; and Kevin Olusola, beatboxer / vocal percussion – were pretty confident going in that they had what it took to win. Quitting school, not something they advise their many young fans to do, to pursue their dream.
After winning Sing-Off, we knew there was going to be this long period before the album came out so as we love singing we started covering and re-interpreting and releasing some of our favourite songs on YouTube explained Scott. The videos including Gangnam Style (PSY) and We Are Young (Fun) went viral, a modern version of the gigging and touring that bands used to have to do, created a massive and expectant fanbase before the release of their debut album PTX-I. Why were the videos so successful? “What they do is they show our personalities, they show other sides of us that fans can connect to beyond the music”
“It has been quite the rollercoaster, so many ups and downs” Scott continued on the difficulties they faced as an a capella group “Without YouTube we probably wouldn’t be where we are now”. PTX’s video view numbers are massive their Daft Punk medley has over 207million views while a cover of Christmas classic Little Drummer Boy has almost 85million and that’s just those measured on their official page.
After four big selling EPs PTX-1, PTXmas, PTX-II, PTX-III, That’s Christmas to Me and two platinum albums of a cappella covers the band in early 2015 informed their fans that were going to write and record original music. The result the eponymous album Pentatonix debuted at Number 1 on the US Billboard album charts in October 2015.
On tour to promote the album Scott said “There’s a lot of effort pre-tour, it’s hard to pick the songs for the tour everyone has a favourite and putting together ‘a killer set list’ will never please everyone so it’s balance. And then it begins. From there it’s just a whirlwind, from city to city to city – it’s non-stop”. Scott continued “We have wonderful fans and putting faces to names we only know as comments on social media is great. They’re so generous and creative. It’s their support that 100% got us to where we are, so we’re just grateful and happy to be able to see them in person and perform for them – though sadly just aren’t enough hours in the day to say hello to everyone”. In closing Scott said “It’s humbling that we can inspire and bring such happiness to so many people”.
Pentatonix
Date: 8pm, 22 September, 2016
Venue: AsiaWorld-Expo, Hall 10
Tickets: $788, $588, $388 from HKTicketing
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Wanchai live music venue 1563 celebrated it’s Grand Opening on 2 September with a showcase of local live music.
1563 Live House and Restaurant: 6/F Hopewell Centre, 183 Queens Road, Wanchai. Tel: 2323 2538
Click on any photo for the full gallery of images
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Indian band the Tapi Project are currently touring Hong Kong to promote their eponymous debut album, read bc’s interview with the band here.
The four piece performed a set of original indie folk songs from their album and covers, including Nina Simone’s Feeling Good and Chis Isaak’s Wicked Games, to a highly appreciate audience at Orange Peel on Thursday night and have two more gigs at Foxglove (2 September) and the Wanch (8 September) before they head home.
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/The-Tapi-Project-Orange-Peel/i-sTrBdwG
Indian indie/folk band The Tapi Project, whose music is like a conversation between inquisitive poetry, expressive vocals and folk, have recently released their eponymous debut album. Ahead of their Asia tour to promote the album, which starts slowly before meandering across a range of styles and genres, bc spoke to co-founder Yogi Saniyawala about the band’s origins and their creative process.
Who are The Tapi Project?
The Tapi Project was initiated by writer, composer, Yogi Saniyawala and vocalist Swati Minaxi with Anand Joseph Mani also an integral part.
How did you meet? Why did you decide to start a band together?
Anand, myself and our drummer on the tour Gaurav Kapdia played together in a band called Odyssey. Swati was performing with some local bands in the city. I was judging a college competition where Swati was a participant, impressed by her vocals prowess I asked her if she wanted to collaborate and thus the Tapi Project was born.
What tends to the inspire the band’s creative juices?
The state of world more than anything else, the madness of modern life and constantly fading human values. We also have a hope and appreciation for nature, that reflects too.
Was the album easy to record or was it a struggle to make it coherent with its wide musical influences?
Musically it was natural. The influences helps to bring textures to an honest composition or poetry.
When you were creating/ recording the album, did you have finished vision in mind from the start or was it an organic process?
In some cases the songs were almost ready as a demo, which we recorded over a year in Swati’s bedroom. Some just needed album ambience while others grew out of the studio process.
How would you describe the album?
It is an honest effort to let out the thoughts, travel, pain, joy and other earthy feelings through melody and words.
How has technology influenced or changed your approach to writing and creating songs and playing live?
Technology helped us to think beyond while creating, recording. Playing live is an intense process as while composing we push our limits.
What is the genus / idea behind the new songs? Do you usually shape lyrics to a melody or do find a story you want to tell and write a tune to fit?
New songs mostly come out lyrics or lyrics melody together. Tapi was just a melody that happened while overlooking the river seine in France, thats a rarity. In a German park, I saw an empty window and got inspired to write Raho Mein- En Route. Tishangi evolved in Swati’s bedroom over a very normal day, just two chords and the song was there in an hour.
Are there many Indian bands writing original western style indie music?
A lot of musicians and bands writing now a days. there is a lot of good new music and bands continually emerging, India’s music scene is very vibrant right now.
As musicians in India what challenges /opportunities has the wide availability of ‘free’ online music created?
Audience. Not having audience to buy the album. not having audience who are open to listening live music. Finance is the problem.
Do you think the Internet and mobile phones have made it easier or harder to make a living as a musician?
It’s both but I would say, it has opened the world. It would have been very difficult for us to tour overseas without internet and to have people across the globe listen to our music.
When playing live do you play the songs as on the album, or re-interpret them?
We do both, but we i think we are always trying to revisit and evolve the song.
You have a couple of videos online of you covering other artist songs, what is about another artist song that has you wanting to cover it publicly?
It has to appeal us deep inside to feel as if its our own song.
How does touring in India compare/differ from overseas?
Exposure, New Audience, Collaboration and travel- these are amazing benefits.
How did the Hong Kong concert come about?
We have 4 concerts fringe club, orange peel, the wanch and comix homebase. I simply mailed them and sent them our music. They liked it, and thats how it happened.
What next for the Tapi Project after this tour?
Tour in most of asian countries, release the album and tour in the Middle East followed by Europe hopefully.
The Tapi Project Hong Kong Tour 2016
27 August: Gaylord
3pm, 28 August: Comix Home Base
8pm, 31 August: Orange Peel
8pm, 1 September: Fringe Club
2 September: Foxglove
8pm, 3 September: The Wanch
Find out more about The Tapi Project
Website: www.thetapiproject.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tapiproject1
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thetapiproject
Youtube: https://bit.ly/TheTapiProject
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEdhBZPbSGg
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Now in its 6th year Hong Kong Summer Jazz is the brainchild of local the Big Band leader Taka Hirohama, founder of the Saturday Night Jazz Orchestra. The Summer Jazz festival aims to share and introduce the joy of jazz music through high quality performances featuring both local professionals and guest artists, and provide a unique experience for Hong Kong music lovers.
The guest artist at this year’s three concert festival, organised by the Hong Kong Big Band Jazz Federation, is international jazz giant Richard Sussman. The festival is slightly different from previous years as the three concerts aim to showcase the history and evolution of jazz. As in previous years the festival includes a free two day Jazz Academy with the HKU Big Band to promotes jazz within the community and offers expert tuition by leading local jazz artists.
21 June: Hot Jazz with Aya Takazawa
The summer jazz concert series starts off with a tale of a hundred years ago, and a story to be told. From explaining the origin of the word “Jazz”, to the rising in popularity of this unique style of music through the early years, different pioneers of Jazz music will be introduced. Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Glenn Miller are only be a few of the names whose music would be considered as Jazz classics, and will be presented to all in the first day of the concert.
22 June: Pops in Big Band with Richard Sussman
The Pops in Pig Band concert has two halves, the first features the sounds of contemporary jazz composer Richard Sussman and showcases how jazz music has evolved in the twenty-first century. The second half is all time Japanese Classic Pops performed in a retro style by young singers from Japan and Hong Kong joining together to bring back the melodies of the good old days.
23 June: All That Jazz with Alan Chan
A grand finale of all time great jazz tunes and beats including masterpieces once sang by Frank Sinatra, such as Fly me to the Moon, and more recent popular songs such as Michael Buble’s Feeling Good. The evening is curated and arranged by composer Alan Chan.
The Performers
Aya Takazawa started playing the piano at five and the trumpet at ten years old. She graduated from Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo, and studied under Hitoshi Kumagai principle trumpeter of Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. After graduation she was part of an all female brass ensemble the Tokyo Brass Unit which had a big hit in the Japanese jazz music charts. In 2009 Aya performed at the commemoration ceremony of the United Nations Population Fund in New York.
She is currently leading her own jazz band the Takazawa Aya Quintet and released her first album Patterns in 2012. She’s established a reputation as a talented and versatile musician and appeared at “Summer Jazz” held in Hibiya-Kokaido and played with Manhattan Jazz Quintet at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
Richard Sussman is a jazz pianist, composer, music technologist, educator, and author. He has performed with many jazz & pop greats including Lionel Hampton, Lee Konitz, Houston Person, Randy Brecker, Donna Summer, Blood Sweat & Tears, and many others. Richard has recorded four critically acclaimed albums of original music.
Known for his large ensemble arrangements and compositions, his music has been performed by, amongst others, the Village Vanguard Orchestra, Westchester Jazz Orchestra, Metropole Orchestra of Holland, featuring legendary jazz pianist Hank Jones and the American Composers Orchestra in New York.
Alan Chan is a multi-faceted composer, with a goal to create original and innovative music that incorporates elements from across artistic disciplines, cultures and styles, to bring refreshing experience to audiences. He has received commissions and recognitions from ArtEZ (Netherlands), ASCAP, American Composers Forum (ACF), twice from Percussive Arts Society (PAS) and Los Angeles County Arts Commissions, among others.
He is a member of the prestigious BMI Jazz Compositions Workshop under legendary Jim McNeely in 2008-2011. His songs have been performed by the Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge band, Millennium Jazz Orchestra (Netherlands) and by college big bands in Los Angeles, Miami and Redlands. Holding a doctorate from the University of Southern California, he is the Artistic Director of the Gateway Performance Series in West LosAngeles.
Saturday Night Jazz Orchestra (SNJO) established by Taka Hirohama in 1990, the Saturday Night Jazz Orchestra is one of the hottest jazz groups in Asia today and comprises some of Hong Kong’s top professional jazz musicians. The SNJO is highly active and has appeared in many events such as the Hong Kong International Jazz Festival, Hong Kong Big Band Festival, also the ‘Swing For All’ at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, the “Hong Kong Week 2012” at the historic Zhongshan Hall Guangfu Auditorium, Taipei. The SNJO is always keen to foster and support new talent via the Summer Jazz “Big Band Workshop and Concert”, where they provide a platform for young musicians to learn about big-band jazz.
Yoko Wende born and raised in Japan. Yoko moved to New York to study acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. She now sings regularly in Hong Kong and will host the three Summer Jazz concerts.
HKU Big Band is the first big band ever set up among the universities in Hong Kong. Established in 2014, HKU Big Band strives to create a platform for jazz lovers in the University of Hong Kong to share their passion towards the genre and to promote jazz music among the HKU community.
The Band made its debut performance at the Hong Kong Summer Jazz Festival 2014 with the support of University’s General Education Unit and the Saturday Night Jazz Orchestra. The HKU Big Band regularly give in-campus performances at Student Halls, academic buildings, and the University’s High-Table Dinner events. The group aims to promote and spread out jazz culture to other academic institutions in Hong Kong so as to cultivate a group of young audience and musicians to enter the local jazz scene.
Co-hosting the Big Band Jazz Academy Series, the HKU Big Band will act as a bridge linking students and public alike interested in knowing more about jazz and continue to spread the joy of making music in a Big Band.
Jazz Summer 2016
Hong Kong Big Band Jazz Federation
Date: 21-23 June 2016
Venue: HK City Hall, Theatre
Tickets: $300, $250, $150 from Urbtix
I have to admit before the concert, I wasn’t that familiar with Olivia Newton-John. Sure, Iike everyone I’ve heard of Grease and have listened to some of the songs from the musical which she starred in. However, unlike many of the audience I was not a fan. Olivia Newton-John is just not famous or well known among teenagers today, but music doesn’t have an expiry date and I was curious to hear these famous songs live.
The almost capacity crowd at the HK Convention and Exhibition Centre were treated to a virtuoso performance with ONJ performing a selection of her hits including Xanadu, Physical and Hopelessly Devoted to You mixed in with some iconic covers. Perhaps most surprising was her energy and bright personality unlike many modern artists she turned up on time, appeared to enjoy performing and even cracked some jokes between songs. She belted out her songs with a passion. The audience enthusiastically and happily, if often tunelessly, singing along with her. The vibrant atmosphere was infectious and all too soon goodbyes and thank you’s were being said… After two hours, a standing ovation and cheers of of ‘Encore!’ saw Olivia return to perform one final song Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
A thoroughly enjoyable night out which gave me a new appreciation for songs that “are not my generation”. Live music can do that in a way that sometimes an album heard on headphones can’t. But until next time I need to update my itunes library.
